Donald Tosh

We are all very sad to hear the news that Donald Tosh passed away on 3 December. He was one of Doctor Who’s most daring and controversial story editors, and in later years was always a source of interesting information about a turbulent period in the series’ history. Read Alan Stevens’ interview with him here.

The Return of Miss Jo Wanker

This year's Christmas turkey is (drum roll)  32 Stupid Things About "Arc of Infinity" (and 18 Cool Ones), in which John Nathan-Turner goes to Amsterdam in order to avoid making a story about Amsterdam, and Tegan's cousin stars in a porn film. And many other exciting pieces of trivia to mention over a holiday dinner when the conversation flags...

The Colour Out Of Space Opera

Just a quick heads-up that over on Fiona Moore's blog, she's got a series of short linked pieces on the uses of colour and design in space opera, and the last two have been focusing on Blake's 7. Read the posts Blake's 7 and the Colour-Coded Universe and The Anti-Hero's Journey at the links.

Kaldor Art Week (Extended): Slipcase

To finish off our feature on the series of unofficial alternate covers for the Kaldor City CD (and download) series, by the supremely talented Phil Johnson, here's a slipcase cover for the whole series. You can download all the covers at Phil's DeviantArt page (click the link).

Disclaimer: these covers are unofficial fanart, and are not associated with Magic Bullet Productions.

Kaldor Art Week (Extended): Metafiction

Continuing our current feature: a series of unofficial alternate covers for the Kaldor City CD (and download) series, by the supremely talented Phil Johnson. Today: Metafiction. You can download all the covers at Phil's DeviantArt page (click the link).

Disclaimer: these covers are unofficial fanart, and are not associated with Magic Bullet Productions.

Kaldor Art Week: The Prisoner

This week, we're featuring a series of unofficial alternate covers for the Kaldor City CD (and download) series, by the supremely talented Phil Johnson. Today: The Prisoner. You can download all the covers at Phil's DeviantArt page (click the link).

Disclaimer: these covers are unofficial fanart, and are not associated with Magic Bullet Productions.

Kaldor Art Week: Storm Mine

This week, we're featuring a series of unofficial alternate covers for the Kaldor City CD series, by the supremely talented Phil Johnson. Today: Storm Mine. You can download all the covers at Phil's DeviantArt page (click the link).

Disclaimer: these covers are unofficial fanart, and are not associated with Magic Bullet Productions.

Kaldor Art Week: Checkmate

This week, we're featuring a series of unofficial alternate covers for the Kaldor City CD series, by the supremely talented Phil Johnson. Today: Checkmate. You can download all the covers at Phil's DeviantArt page (click the link).

Disclaimer: these covers are unofficial fanart, and are not associated with Magic Bullet Productions.

Kaldor Art Week: Taren Capel

This week, we're featuring a series of unofficial alternate covers for the Kaldor City CD series, by the supremely talented Phil Johnson. Today: Taren Capel. You can download all the covers at Phil's DeviantArt page (click the link).

Disclaimer: these covers are unofficial fanart, and are not associated with Magic Bullet Productions.

Kaldor Art Week: Hidden Persuaders

This week, we're featuring a series of unofficial alternate covers for the Kaldor City CD series, by the supremely talented Phil Johnson. Today: Hidden Persuaders. You can download all the covers at Phil's DeviantArt page (click the link).

Disclaimer: these covers are unofficial fanart, and are not associated with Magic Bullet Productions.

Kaldor Art Week: Death's Head

This week, we're featuring a series of unofficial alternate covers for the Kaldor City CD series, by the supremely talented Phil Johnson. Today: Death's Head. You can download all the covers at Phil's DeviantArt page (click the link).

Disclaimer: these covers are unofficial fanart, and are not associated with Magic Bullet Productions.

Kaldor Art Week: Occam's Razor

All this week on Kaldor City News, we're going to be featuring the art of the supremely talented Phil Johnson, who's done a series of unofficial alternate covers for the Kaldor City CD series! Today: Occam's Razor. You can download all the covers at Phil's DeviantArt page (click the link).

Disclaimer: these covers are unofficial fanart, and are not associated with Magic Bullet Productions.

Return of the Great Intelligence?

How is "Resurrection of the Daleks" like "The Web of Fear"? No, it's not a riddle... it's one of the great overlooked connections of Sixties and Eighties Doctor Who. This month, our featured article, "Resurrection of Fear" by Fiona Moore, explores the many strange connections between the two and asks if, in this case, nostalgia has gone too far....

The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet?

Always a good read, the latest issue of Gallifrey: The Long Way Round is particularly interesting as Ann Worrall gives a nice mention to the Blake's 7 audio drama The Logic of Empire and the Kaldor City CD series.

There's even an article by Alan Stevens unpicking the details of the Galactic and Intergalactic wars that appear in Blake's 7.

Check it out here.

Strange Women in Ponds Handing Out Swords

This month, we bring you a story so spectacular we couldn't limit ourselves to just 50 Things, 54 Stupid Things About Battlefield (And 6 Cool Ones). Transport yourself to the Britain of the far-away 1990s, where men are Polish, UNIT soldiers drive Citroens, Arthurian knights defy the laws of physics and Morgaine le Fay sports immaculately trimmed nose-hairs. Confused? You will be! Read on.

Clean Dalek

Here is Colin Brockhurst's wrap-around cover artwork for CT issue 496/7 without the "Celestial Toyroom" masthead.

The Black Devil

And here's Colin Brockhurst's awesome  "The Dalek Invasion of Earth" wraparound cover for Celestial Toyroom 496/7!

More Daleks than you can shake a stick at!

Here is JL Fletcher's superb postcard artwork of the Daleks from 2150 that appears in the latest edition of Celestial Toyroom (issue 496/7.

The Daleks have landed!

Celestial Toyroom Issue 296/7 has at last been released into the wild!

Celestial Toyroom: Alan Stevens Speaks

Alan Stevens' guest editor blog post is now up at the site of Celestial Toyroom, the Doctor Who Appreciation Society's zine. Want to know what you'll be getting? Click the link for a sneak preview of the contents!

Paul Darrow Remembered

This month, we're re-posting Ann Worrall's heartfelt tribute to Paul Darrow, exploring his life, career, and everything he meant to his many fans. It's a wonderful way of remembering someone we all miss.

People Just Being Terribly Nice

Is Thirteen the lucky number? In this month's article, Ann Worrall gives us an exploration of what she likes and dislikes about Jodie Whittaker's first season as Doctor Who, reflecting on characterisation, agency and politics in the Chibnall Era thus far.

Paul Darrow

Avon was the ultimate anti-hero, but Paul Darrow faced death with equal equanimity. 

Let us all raise a glass to a true hero.

Logic of Empire download (time-limited)

Thank you to everyone who downloaded the file! The event has now ended.

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE: We're back in business! Many thanks to Paul Lee. To make up for the downtime, the files will be available for download until 8 AM Friday morning: click the link here to download them.

UPDATE UPDATE: We should be able to have it up again sometime this evening. Stay tuned.

UPDATE: We've been overwhelmed, literally and figuratively, at the response to this post! Unfortunately, the sheer number of people downloading the file has repeatedly maxed out our bandwidth, and we're approaching the limit of what our webhost will allow us to use at all. We've taken the file down so that we can keep the site up, and hopefully we should be able to put it up again at a higher capacity host later on today.

For the next 48 hours, as a memorial tribute to Paul Darrow, we're making the Blake's 7 audio The Logic of Empire free to download. Starring Paul Darrow as Avon, Jacqueline Pearce as Servalan, Gareth Thomas as Blake and Peter Tuddenham as Zen, Orac and Slave, this story answers the question of what Avon did next. Click the title for the link.

Paul Darrow RIP

Paul Darrow was part of the Magic Bullet team from the beginning, first reprising Avon in the independent audio “The Logic of Empire” and later taking the central role of Kaston Iago in the Kaldor City series. Here is Alan Stevens’ tribute to someone who will be missed by all:

“Paul Darrow died this morning. A very dear friend and outstanding actor who never quite appreciated his own worth. A true hero, never to be forgotten.”

Full wraparound cover of Celestial Toyroom #494

Finally, in our series of Celestial Toyroom #494 art, we have the full wraparound cover! Click to enlarge, and imagine the epic crossover story that could come to be....

The Golden Emperor Rides Again

Here's a close-up of JL Fletcher's superb artwork of the Golden Emperor of the Daleks, which was specially commissioned for the giveaway postcard that appears in the latest edition of Celestial Toyroom (issue 494)

The Golden Emperor models for Celestial Toyroom

Phil Stevens' Golden Emperor Dalek, who inspired the giveaway postcard in this month's Celestial Toyroom, poses with his free issue!

Cover for Celestial Toyroom 494 now online!

Alan Stevens' latest editorial work, Celestial Toyroom #494, is now at the printers. To whet your appetite, here's the cover and a link to Alan's editor blog.

European Elections Special!

Tired of Brexit? Austerity politics got you down? How about a little escapism with Doctor Who, and a story set in a future in which ordinary people are exploited by corporations entwined with governments intent on extracting every last inch of revenue from citizens and perverting the welfare system.... Oh well. Here's 42 Cool Things About "The Sun Makers" (And 8 Stupid Ones) to at least give you a good laugh on the way to the polls.

"Doomed Youth" in Best Of British 2018

Fiona Moore's story "Doomed Youth," a tale of giant ants and populist politics, previously published in Interzone 278, will be reprinted in the Best Of British 2018 collection from Newcon Press! You can pre-order it at the link.

Behind the scenes with a pistol

Alan Stevens writes:

"This is the photograph, taken during the recording of Kaldor City, that inspired me to write The Time Waster: 

SIMMONS: Oh, for Christ's sake! Gov, this is a complete waste of time. 

ARCHER: I don't waste time, I waste criminals. 

SIMMONS: Fuck off."

Pattern Recognition

This month's article addresses the question of why fans are obsessed with making continuity work in their favourite series. Can anything be done about it? Should anything be done about it? Find out in Sometimes The Pattern Is More Obvious!

Yartek the High Road and I'll Take The Low Road

This month, we identify 34 Cool Things About "The Keys of Marinus" (and 16 Stupid Ones). Return to a time when men were men and Voords were kinky; when the Doctor was OK with fascism so long as it wasn't aimed at him; when episodes had titles like "The Screaming Jungle"; and when ten acts of graphic violence were acceptable in a TV show going out at 5.30 PM.

Celestial Toyroom 491: Beautiful wrap-around covers

Here, for your viewing pleasure, are two versions of the full, wrap-around cover of the Alan-Stevens-edited Celestial Toyroom 491 (out now from the Doctor Who Appreciation Society): with and without logos. Click to admire full-size!

Celestial Toyroom 491

Celestial Toyroom issue 491, guest edited by Alan Stevens, will shortly be released to Doctor Who Appreciation Society members! Here's a link to his editor blog on the subject, and a preview of the cover:

Scott Fredericks tribute

We've just found out about this wonderful tribute to Scott Fredericks by longtime fan Stevie Carroll. Check it out at the link.

Whatever Happened To...

This month, an article from Celestial Toyroom's special issue last year on The Women of Doctor Who: You Mean All This Time We Could Have Been Friends? by Fiona Moore. The casting of a woman as the Master was controversial... but did anyone notice the actual revolutionary message the regendering sent? Missy, like all her incarnations, causes chaos, but she also teaches us something very significant about the Doctor that transcends gender.

Free the First Doctor!

The 2019 Doctor Who Appreciation Society annual is out, this time with a First Doctor theme! Fiona Moore and Alan Stevens have two articles in this excellent publication, one on "The Web Planet" and the other concerning Terry Nation's remarkable and much superior original first draft of "The Chase".

Download your free copy here. A limited run of print copies will be sold for charity, and can be obtained from the Doctor Who Appreciation Society.

Foundation and Empire

The new issue of the academic journal Foundation, a literary journal focusing on SF, contains an article by Alan Stevens and Fiona Moore on postcolonial themes in "Remembrance of the Daleks". It's available for purchase at this link.

A writer writes!

Alan Stevens got a very Cool e-mail recently, reproduced here with permission:

 Hi,

 Just found this on the net and enjoyed it.

No idea when it was posted but I just hope that no.32 about the Whizzkid is one of the three silly things. When asked, I've always explained that originally Greatest Show was much more about computer games and there was a character called the Whizzkid because he was a brilliant games player. Then we dropped the computer stuff (thank God) and had a character left called the Whizzkid whom I unilaterally decided to turn into a nerdy fan of the Circus.

 Build High for Happiness.

Stephen Wyatt

So, for your perusal, here is the article again with the new Item 32:

http://kaldorcity.com/features/articles/greatest.html