DWM 170

The 170th issue of Doctor Who Magazine was current from 24 January through 20 February 1991.

Although new editor John Freeman had actually debuted in the previous issue, DWM issue 170 was really the beginning of the "Freeman era". It premiered a new layout template and a bold change in editorial attitude. This was symbolised by the logo, which returned to a variation of the one used to launch the magazine back in 1979. Following an ambiguous send-off for Sylvester McCoy in the previous issue, the editorial team signalled that they no longer expected the Seventh Doctor's era to continue. DWM had entered an era when, for the foreseeable future, they were supporting a television show that had slim chance of returning to active production. The focus was now on the in-depth exploration of all eras of Doctor Who rather than maintaining the increasingly unlikely notion that Sylvester McCoy was somehow still the Doctor.

Features

 * No additional features this issue.

Comic content

 * The Mark of Mandragora - Part 2

Fiction

 * Guardians of Prophecy - Following the interview with writer Johnny Byrne (DWM 169), the publication of an adaptation of his proposed storyline for a second Traken Union story featuring the Sixth Doctor and Peri, illustrated throughout by Colin Howard...

Interviews / Profiles

 * Writing Doctor Who: Marcus Hearn talks to Ian Stuart Black about War Machines, White Savages and the Macra.
 * Liam Rudden in 'Threatening Coatstands' talks to Jeff Rawle, who played Plantagenet in Peter Davison's third season story Frontios.
 * Return to Action - It's just over twenty-one years since Jon Pertwee took centre stage as the Third Doctor, back in 1970. The actor remains in the public eye and has some incisive comments on the state of television today...

Preview / Review Off the Shelf
Gary Russell dips into fanzines including:
 * Auton: 'Broadsword'
 * Brave New World
 * Frontios
 * Inner Door
 * Kasterborian Nights
 * Purple Haze
 * Chronicle
 * Dark Circus
 * DWB
 * Enlightenment
 * The Fan Zine
 * Five Hundred Eyes
 * The Frame
 * Burn Toast
 * Mandria
 * Metamorph
 * Second Dimension
 * Timestreams
 * The Tomb
 * Skaro 2


 * Who in Review - Convention Reports: from Vision and the Doctor Who Fan Club of America

Archives

 * Archive Feature: Search Out Space - Mark Duncan trails the Seventh Doctor and Ace on their most recent foray onto our television screens with cast and credit details.

Page Pin-ups

 * Colour photo of the First Doctor from The Reign of Terror
 * Centrepage: Publicity shot of Leela, Fourth Doctor and K-9

Also featuring

 * Matrix Data Bank (Questions and Answers)
 * Beyond the TARDIS (Who is doing what by Dominic May)
 * Gallifrey Guardian (News)
 * You on Who (Letters)
 * Data Coils (now incorporating pen-pals and events listing)
 * Doctor Who? by Tim Quinn and Dicky Howett
 * 'Nix' by Nick Miller (cartoon)
 * Collector's Corner by David Howe (Merchandise) (Fourth Doctor Dressing Up Costume (from Berwicks Toys Ltd), 3-D Clay Picture (from Remus Play-kits), Dalek Painting By Numbers (from Peter Pan Playthings Ltd), Dalek Kite (from Bowman Jenkins),TARDIS Tuner (from Shortman Trading) The Dalek Oracle (from Bell Toys Ltd), and TARDIS Tins (from Avon Tin).
 * Dont quote me on this ... (mentions of 'Who' in strange places)
 * Into The Vortex / 'That Was the Who That Was' (Times Past)

Random quote
“What happened?"

"Something's upsetting their plans - it's our chance to escape."
 * Jo Grant and Third Doctor, The Claws of Axos

Credits

 * Senior Editor: John Freeman
 * Design Gary Gilbert
 * Resident Mutant: Dan Abnett
 * Promotion: Jane Sumner
 * Production: Mark Irvine
 * Advertising: Jane Smale
 * Adviser: John Nathan-Turner
 * Excelsior: Stan Lee

Additional details

 * Back Issues info page.