Doctor Who Magazine 454 was the issue of the magazine cover dated "Winter 2012 / 2013". It was the first issue of the magazine to bear a seasonal cover date since DWMS Summer 1995. The somewhat unusual cover date was necessitated by the return to month-only cover dates a few issues earlier. Since DWM was a quad-weekly, and not a monthly, publication, it had thirteen issues a year. This "Winter" issue was thus that "odd" issue for the 2012 calendar.
This was the first issue of DWM to feature Paul McGann in his "21st century" costume. Gone was the frock coat and long hair of earlier covers, replaced by short hair and a leather jacket. The look had been approved by the BBC in late 2012, and was unveiled here as part of the official marketing for AUDIO: Dark Eyes.
