{"id":40782,"date":"2024-02-02T00:06:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-02T00:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/?p=40782"},"modified":"2024-02-09T14:23:42","modified_gmt":"2024-02-09T14:23:42","slug":"reviewed-doctor-who-fanzine-vworp-vworp-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/2024\/02\/02\/reviewed-doctor-who-fanzine-vworp-vworp-6\/","title":{"rendered":"Reviewed — Doctor Who Fanzine, Vworp Vworp! #6"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A new Vworp Vworp!<\/em> is always a treat to be savoured, but the team have outdone themselves with this superb sixth issue. The brainchild of editor and designer Colin Brockhurst and publisher Gareth Kavanagh, Vworp Vworp!<\/em> started life as a publication celebrating Doctor Who Magazine<\/em>, particularly its comic strip, but has since broadened its focus and, fittingly for this new edition released in the year of the programme\u2019s diamond anniversary, travels back in time to examine An Unearthly Child<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may think that the story of Doctor Who<\/em>\u2019s origins has been told very comprehensively before, not least in Paul Hayes\u2019s impressive volume Pull to Open<\/a><\/em>, but the team of writers assembled here find plenty of new things to say. There are in-depth articles on key players in the programme\u2019s early months and years such as Jacqueline Hill, Anthony Coburn, and David Whitaker, as well as interviews with Carole Ann Ford and Waris Hussein. Andrew Orton brings us another of his stunningly realised recreations of Doctor Who<\/em>\u2019s sets, showing how they were all squeezed in to that small space at the unloved Lime Grove. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The story of An Unearthly Child<\/em> didn\u2019t end in 1963, of course, so we also get pieces on the 1981 repeat, the VHS release, and the sadly still unreleased 2013 audio novelisation. The 50th<\/sup> anniversary drama, An Adventure in Space and Time<\/em>, is covered too, with an in-depth interview with Mark Gatiss, complete with abandoned scenes. And it\u2019s wonderful to read Brian Cox\u2019s memories of Sydney Newman, and his thoughts on how he might have approached playing the Doctor if the part had ever come his way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a very funny article by Tim Burrows who recalls his (surely unwise) decision to watch the epically disastrous Doctor Who Live: The Afterparty<\/em> in 2013 alongside his new girlfriend. Romantics will be pleased to know that the relationship survived. Jonathan Morris brings us right up to date with an afterword lamenting the absence of the first story from BBC iPlayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Elsewhere, comic fans are catered for with three new strips (including an appearance by the Fifteenth Doctor) and a detailed feature from our own Philip Bates on Hunters of the Burning Stone<\/em>, DWM\u2019s celebratory 50th<\/sup> anniversary strip, with input from writer Scott Gray and artist Martin Geraghty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vworp Vworp!<\/em> has always rewarded buyers with a fine array of free gifts, and this issue we\u2019re presented with a DVD consisting of three new animations, including David Whitaker\u2019s very different opening to his novelisation Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks<\/em>. My personal favourite was Andy Lane\u2019s Interlude on Totter\u2019s Lane<\/em>, a tale involving the Doctor returning with Steven (voiced by Peter Purves) to that famous junkyard and unwittingly altering the course of Doctor Who<\/em> history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This weighty volume comes in at 180 pages so it\u2019s impossible to give every contribution its due, but I was especially impressed by Colin\u2019s detective work in unearthing previously unknown details about not only Reg Cranfield, the first person to appear on screen in Doctor Who<\/em> as the policeman patrolling Totter\u2019s Lane, but also Fred Rawlings, who played the same part in the pilot episode. Colin has also tracked down Larry Leake, who as a teenager co-founded William Hartnell\u2019s fan club (the original, you might say) and is still a keen follower of the series today, as evidenced by the TARDIS shed in his garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The whole package is beautifully presented and includes several newly colourised photos. Whether fan-produced or licensed, Doctor Who <\/em>publications don\u2019t get any better than this. If I had one request to make of the team for future issues (of which I hope there\u2019ll be many) it would be for slightly larger text. These old eyes are wearing a bit thin for some of those closely-printed pages\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vworp Vworp <\/em>#6 is a wonderful collection of research, insight, ephemera, and fun. Perhaps most importantly, it makes the reader appreciate even more just what those pioneers involved in the creation of Doctor Who<\/em> achieved all those years ago.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vworp Vworp!<\/em> #6 is available, price \u00a312.99, from vworpvworp.co.uk<\/strong><\/a>. <\/p>\n

<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

180 pages of Doctor Who wonder!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":39997,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_publicize_message":"Reviewed -- #DoctorWho Fanzine, Vworp Vworp! #6","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[65],"tags":[1938,159,2499,562,2749,1944,173,2475,162,3716,7421,2477,7369,7419,175,1002,7422,362,1423,633,139,7227,7420,894,7418,900,1344],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Vworp-Vworp-6-Cover-A-by-Robert-Hack.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":39993,"url":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/2023\/11\/16\/coming-soon-vworp-vworp-6-celebrates-60-years-of-doctor-whos-an-unearthly-child\/","url_meta":{"origin":40782,"position":0},"title":"Coming Soon: Vworp Vworp! #6 Celebrates 60 Years of Doctor Who’s An Unearthly Child","author":"Philip Bates","date":"16 November 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The best fanzine is back, featuring interviews with Carole Ann Ford, Heather Hartnell, Martin Geraghty, and more!","rel":"","context":"In "Merchandise"","block_context":{"text":"Merchandise","link":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/category\/news\/doctor-who-merchandise\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Vworp-Vworp-6-Cover-A-by-Robert-Hack.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Vworp-Vworp-6-Cover-A-by-Robert-Hack.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Vworp-Vworp-6-Cover-A-by-Robert-Hack.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Vworp-Vworp-6-Cover-A-by-Robert-Hack.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":32931,"url":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/2021\/08\/17\/were-very-exciting-because-vworp-vworp-4-is-available-to-pre-order-now\/","url_meta":{"origin":40782,"position":1},"title":"We’re Very Excited Because Vworp Vworp #4 Is Available to Pre-Order Now!","author":"Philip Bates","date":"17 August 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"The much-loved fanzine is back, this time celebrating the Doctor's more... *unusual* comic adventures.","rel":"","context":"In "Merchandise"","block_context":{"text":"Merchandise","link":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/category\/news\/doctor-who-merchandise\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Vworp-Vworp-issue-4-cover-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Vworp-Vworp-issue-4-cover-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Vworp-Vworp-issue-4-cover-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Vworp-Vworp-issue-4-cover-1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8941,"url":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/2017\/04\/05\/remembering-vworp-vworp-volume-one\/","url_meta":{"origin":40782,"position":2},"title":"Remembering Vworp Vworp! Volume One","author":"James Whittington","date":"5 April 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Fanzines are as rare as TV shows worth watching on a Saturday night. Mainly thanks to the internet these little publications of fan-boy (and fan-girl) love have almost become extinct and consigned to memory. Then along comes what could possibly be the ultimate and finest Doctor Who fanzine, Vworp Vworp!\u00a0With\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Features"","block_context":{"text":"Features","link":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/category\/features\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Vworp-Vworp-transfers-Paul-Grist.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":37370,"url":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/2022\/12\/30\/coming-soon-vworp-vworp-5\/","url_meta":{"origin":40782,"position":3},"title":"Coming Soon: Vworp Vworp! #5","author":"Philip Bates","date":"30 December 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"The acclaimed fanzine is back in early 2023 with its fifth issue!","rel":"","context":"In "Merchandise"","block_context":{"text":"Merchandise","link":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/category\/news\/doctor-who-merchandise\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Vworp-Vworp-5-cover-A-Voyager.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Vworp-Vworp-5-cover-A-Voyager.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Vworp-Vworp-5-cover-A-Voyager.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Vworp-Vworp-5-cover-A-Voyager.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8953,"url":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/2017\/04\/03\/exclusive-preview-vworp-vworp-volume-three\/","url_meta":{"origin":40782,"position":4},"title":"Exclusive Preview: Vworp Vworp! Volume Three","author":"Philip Bates","date":"3 April 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Celebrating Volume 3 of the increasingly-popular (and rightly so) fanzine, it's Vworp Vworp! Week at the Doctor Who Companion. And we've got some real treats for you coming up. 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Inside, you'll find a huge number of treats: a feature by science fiction author, Stephen Baxter; Nicholas Pegg's recollections of the Target range; brand new comic strips; the Sixth Doctor, Colin Baker\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Interviews"","block_context":{"text":"Interviews","link":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/category\/features\/interviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/VV3-cover-by-Martin-Geraghty.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/VV3-cover-by-Martin-Geraghty.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/VV3-cover-by-Martin-Geraghty.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7lD76-aBM","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40782"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40782"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40782\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40887,"href":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40782\/revisions\/40887"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39997"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40782"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40782"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedoctorwhocompanion.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40782"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}