Vworp Vworp apology.

Vworp Vworp Volume 6

Why an apology? Well let me start at the beginning. I was late, which I am frequently with so many cool things, to the wonderful world of Vworp Vworp! The attraction of reading an Alan Moore interview in volume 3 pulled me in and I bought volumes 3, 4 and 5 this year. With the quality of those  three issues I had to go back  and pick up the collected compendium featuring volumes 1 and 2 with the splendid 2023 updated cover featuring the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Doctors added to the artwork. I knew that if volume 6 was anywhere near as good as the previous five volumes it would be another winner. As the anniversary of Doctor Who's 60th year drew close I was tempted to splash the cash and grab me another treasure trove of Doctor Who goodness. With a choice of three covers to choose from I chose the "Everlasting Match" cover by Jeff Cummins as he was one of my favourite Target novel cover artists. So on the 19th November I pre-ordered and waited.

By the 11th of December I saw on the Vworp Vworp Facebook page that copies of the Cummins cover was out of stock, as I had yet to receive mine my petulant inner child took over and I wrote an email to Vworp Vworp politely asking if they had received my order. I quickly received an email from Gareth Kavanagh informing me that my order had been taken and the reason for the back log in dispatching the orders was due to the fact that Vworp Vworp is a fanzine and the work is done in their spare time. In my defence I had let that fact slip my mind due to  the previous five issues having been to an incredibly high standard. I quickly returned an email, thanking him dearly and wishing him and all the others who worked on the fanzine all the best for Christmas. 

On the 19th a package arrived like the greatest gift Santa could bring, just in time for Christmas. The First Doctor peering sternly at me as I opened it, with a DVD "A meeting on the common." and a giant sized double sided poster by Adrian Salmon and Robert Hack as extra free gifts. I don't know how Colin Brockhurst and  Gareth Kavanagh do it, a fanzine of this quality bulging with articles, comic strips and free gifts. It's incredible really.

Vworp Vworp is mainly a fanzine that celebrates the world of Doctor Who comic strips, but this issue quite rightly looks back with a celebration of the world of Doctor Who for its 60th with interviews from Carole Ann Ford, vision mixer Clive Doig and the Radiophonic Workshop’s Brian Hodgson, William Hartnell's granddaughter Anne Carney and Bill’s wife, Heather. Mark Gatiss and Brian Cox are also interviewed about their involvement in making "An Adventure in Space and Time" drama. Plus loads more insight into those early Doctor Who days. John Dorney and John Peel write two cool short stories.  "Hunters of the burning Stone" the 50th celebration story from Doctor Who Magazine gets a good looking over. Plus we get three brilliant comic strips, "Overdue" by Lance Parkin and Faiz Rehman, "The night before" by Tim Quinn and Tim Keable and "History, bangs and stinks" by Paul Ebbs and Simon Brett. All splendid strips and like Doctor you shouldn't have favourites but "The night before" is to me like Tom Baker was to my seven year old self. 

If you want a more in-depth review you're not going to get it, because if you haven't already bought this volume and you've been considering doing so, you should really do it and find out for yourself how utterly fantastic this fanzine is. I feel wrong in calling it a fanzine, it's more like a Fan-tastic-zine! 

Here's a link to the Vworp Vworp website, but you might have to wait till after Christmas and the New Year to order a treat for yourself. Put it in your new diary or calendar so you don't forget!

Colin and Gareth you've done an excellent job producing the most perfect Christmas gift I can give myself. I'm truly sorry I interrupted that very busy period by sending that email. You came through with the goods in great style. Merry Christmas to you both and all the Vworp Vworp contributors. 

Vworp Vworp!