Some more Star Trek Pike stuffs...

Apparently my earlier faux Star Trek novel cover - based on the original James Blish novelisation - featuring Anson Mount and Ethan Peck as Captain Pike and Lt. Spock was quite popular. So popular that I'm sure that Anson Mount is getting a little fed up with his Twitter feed being cluttered with retweets of it from his adoring fans. Thank you for that.

Here's a few more early Star Trek variants featuring the new old cast of the spin-off that whilst it's so obvious that it should be produced, won't be knowing the complicated legalities of the Star Trek franchise at CBS. 

If you liked this post (or indeed, any of the 400 odd others I've done over the years), why not buy me a coffee at my Ko-fi profile. The link is here.

Pertwee Gold Key Dr Who Comics...

In the absence of a decent Dr WHO calendar this year, I've plummed for that rather nice retro Star Trek one which reprints the gaudy covers of the franchise's first foray into comic books courtesy of the US publisher Gold Key. 


Here's a few Gold Key inspired Dr WHO covers for the third Doctor.

When Doctor Who hit US news stands in the 1960s

It seems - from recently undiscovered paperwork at the BBC - that Doctor Who WAS nearly sold to US television in the mid sixties. 

A deal was struck with a New York television station to run most of the first season around 1966. 

At the same time, arrangements were made with a local comic book company to reprint some of the better comic strips from TV Comic that had been (loosely) based on the series. 

As all most imported entertainment - it was duly "adapted" for US readers. 

This was mostly done by altering Dr. Who's grandchildren John and Gillian into hipper street kids and also by re-spelling John's name as "Johnnie".

Sadly the TV station had purchased the episodes unseen and was a little put out by their quality. 

It's unclear whether this was to do with the abysmal telerecordings they had been sent or the overall quality of the productions. 

Nevertheless, they cancelled their order within the traditional 28 days grace period and nothing more was said.

This left piles of old comics to gather dust in a warehouse in downtown Manhattan that was eventually blown up in an episode of Kojak in 1974. 

Some of the original issues from this tragic tale survive but there are none known to be in the possession of private collectors. 

You'll never find any of them anywhere... 

...ever!