A Letter from the Doctor was a short story printed in DWM 1, and was the first in the A Letter from the Doctor series. The short, two-part narrative, were two letters "written" by the Fourth Doctor to the readers of Doctor Who Weekly.
The story was actually written by Dez Skinn, a fact he kept concealed for many years until he revealed it on his website.[1]
Plot[]
Part one[]
On 42 Paztenmber, the Fourth Doctor visits a post office on Ganymede, to write and send a letter to the readers of Doctor Who Weekly. The Doctor arrived at this post office at a time relative to 1845 Earth-time, to ensure that his letter would arrive in time to be published in the first issue of Doctor Who Weekly.
The Doctor recollects that it only felt like yesterday when the tv series began, though he ponders that it could've been yesterday, what with all his time jumping. The Doctor tells his readers that if they enjoy the magazine, they should write to his Terra-bound collegues, and suggests that they also send in a photo of themselves to help "brighten up the future issues".
Part two[]
In a second letter, the Doctor apologises for interrupting the magazine, but he wants to provide an explanation for the free gifts provided in the first issue, and the subsequent second, third, and fourth issues of the magazine. He goes into detail on the placement of the transfers, and then writes goodbye.
Characters[]
Worldbuilding[]
- The Doctor states that his time jumping would be enough to confuse even a Papxillonian mylo-burper.
- The address the Doctor gives to his readers is: Marvel Comics, Jadwin House, 205-211 Kentish Town Road, London, NW5.
- The Doctor recommends the eight hundred and seventy-ninth issue to the readers, but he admits that he "[has] a soft spot for round numbers".
- Dave Gibbons illustrated two panoramas depicting events from the Doctor's journal.
- The Doctor suggests placing the trnasfers in a specific location, but also suggests some other placements, like on books, satchels, or even bedroom walls.
Notes[]
to be added
Continuity[]
- Doctor Who Weekly exists in the Doctor's universe (PROSE: A Letter from the Doctor 464, A Letter from the Doctor 500, WC: The Zygon Isolation) and Godfrey Porter's World. (PROSE: The Thief of Sherwood)
- The Doctor has to escape from the Vorgan Space Platform and the valley of the dinosaurs. (PROSE: Entry 2481/B-3)
Footnotes[]
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