Amidst the anticipation and build up leading to The Time of the Doctor this week, San Diego-based comic book publisher IDW quietly bid farewell to the Eleventh Doctor in its 2013 Special, released Christmas Eve.

The Doctor Who 2013 Special, titled The Girl Who Loved Doctor Who, features the Eleventh Doctor slipping into a universe not unlike our own -- a universe where the Doctor exists as a television show and is played by an actor named Matt Smith -- and where a threat from the Doctor's own universe threatens the existence of this one.

The 2013 Special is written by long time Doctor Who television, novel, and comics scribe Paul Cornell with art by Jimmy Broxton. It features several nods to recent changes in the production status of the television series, and a theme that longtime Cornell readers will find familiar.

The issue features 40 color pages of original story/art and an additional eight color pages featuring every cover of the IDW Doctor Who comic series -- from its starting miniseries "Agent Provocateur" in 2008 up to and including the last issue of IDW's 50th anniversary series, "Prisoners of Time."

The 2013 Special is the final Doctor Who issue by IDW under its license with the BBC. Of this closing chapter of the Doctor in IDW's comics, Chris Ryall, IDW's Chief Creative Officer/Editor-in-Chief, writes, The Doctor Who 2013 Special retails for $7.99 and is available at comic stores now.

This week's edition of children's comic The Beano includes a reprint of the 1981 summer special seen at the beginning of The Rings of Akhaten.

Publisher DC Thomson said it had been swamped with requests for the 32-year-old 32-page special after it was used by the Doctor to hide behind while he spied on Clara's parents-to-be.

In addition, the cover of the new issue - published today - shows Beano character Dennis The Menace catapulting a Dalek over a fence as his canine sidekick Gnasher exclaims "Gnexterminate!" Meanwhile, a caricature of Matt Smith as the Doctor views the mischief from the masthead.

Editor-in-chief Mike Stirling said:

This month sees the publication of Nemesis of the Daleks, the fifteenth volume in the ongoing series of Doctor Who Graphic Novels, published by Panini Books. The Graphic Novels are collections of comic strips that originally appeared in the pages of Doctor Who Magazine and other related titles.

Nemesis of the Daleks, named after the book’s opening strip, is the second volume of Seventh Doctor comic strips (picking up where A Cold Day in Hell!, published in 2009, left off). The stories in this collection originally appeared in 1989 and 1990. At that time the strips not only ran in Doctor Who Magazine but also in a second Marvel Comics UK title, The Incredible Hulk Presents. Comic strips from both titles are included in this book, with a number of stories reproduced for the first time since their original publication.

The book includes the popular ‘back up’ strips featuring Abslom Daak from 1980 issues of Doctor Who Weekly and Doctor Who Monthly, to tie-in with the character’s appearance in the Nemesis of the Daleks story. There is also a detailed commentary by former Doctor Who Magazine editor John Freeman, featuring input from the writers, artists and editors who worked on these strips, with reproduced script pages and rough pencil drawings.

Here is the full list of strips included in the graphic novel. (Titles marked * are reprinted for the first time in this collection.)

• Nemesis of the Daleks (Doctor Who Magazine #152-155)
• Stairway to Heaven (Doctor Who Magazine #156) *
• Once in a Lifetime (The Incredible Hulk Presents #1)
• Hunger from the Ends of Time! (The Incredible Hulk Presents #2-3)
• War World! (The Incredible Hulk Presents #4)
• Technical Hitch (The Incredible Hulk Presents #5)
• A Switch in Time! (The Incredible Hulk Presents #6)
• The Sentinel! (The Incredible Hulk Presents #7) *
• Who’s that Girl! (The Incredible Hulk Presents #8-9) *
• The Enlightenment of Ly-Chee the Wise (The Incredible Hulk Presents #10) *
• Slimmer! (The Incredible Hulk Presents #11) *
• Nineveh! (The Incredible Hulk Presents #12) *
• Train-Flight (Doctor Who Magazine #159-161)
• Doctor Conkerer! (Doctor Who Magazine #162)
• Abslom Daak: Dalek Killer (Doctor Who Weekly #17-20)
• Star Tigers (Doctor Who Weekly #27-30, Doctor Who Monthly #44-46)

Diamond Comics, the main distributor for comic books in North America, has published a preview of the first issue of IDW's new Doctor Who comic, Doctor Who: Prisoners of Time. The first five pages of issue #1 can be read in PDF format here.

As previously reported, Doctor Who: Prisoners of Time is written by Scott and David Tipton. Each issue will feature each of the eleven Doctors in turn, with art by a different artist. The first issue's art is by Simon Fraser; the second issue, featuring the Second Doctor, will be illustrated by Lee Sullivan; Mike Collins will tackle the Third Doctor in the third issue, and the fourth issue will have art by Gary Erskine. Artists on the remaining issues have yet to be announced.

Interested readers can find interviews with both the Tiptons at Comic Book Resources, with Scott Tipton at Comic Book Therapy, and with Simon Fraser at downthetubes.net (though some readers may consider some of the promotional material in those interviews to be spoilers).

The first issue will be available in comic stores and via download at Comixology.com this Wednesday, January 30. North American readers who prefer their comics in old-fashioned paper-and-ink format can find their nearest comic store via the Comic Shop Locator.

Doctor Who Magazine have announced the latest in their collected comics series, with The Child of Time encompassing adventures for the Eleventh Doctor and Amy.

IDW Publishing have announced a new series of releases to tie in with Doctor Who's 50th Anniversary - launching in January, Prisoners of Time will focus on each of the eleven Doctors over the course of the year, with the first of course tracing the First Doctor. Each issue will also feature an essay on the Doctor of that month.


There'll also be a twelfth issue, details of which are unknown at present ...

Saturn Awards

Nominations for the 38th Annual Saturn Awards have now been announced.

Doctor Who is up for one award this year, nominated for Best Youth-Oriented Series On Television; it faces Being Human, The Nine Lives of Chloe King, Secret Circle, Teen Wolf, and The Vampire Diaries.

Torchwood: Miracle Day has done rather better in the nominations, with the series itself nominated in the Best Presentation in Television (10 episodes of less); it will be facing competition from Camelot, Falling Skies, Game of Thrones, The Killing, The Walking Dead, and Trek Nation. Star Eve Myles has been listed for Best Actress in Television; she faces Anna Torv (Fringe), Jessica Lange (American Horror Story), Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), Mireille Enos (The Killing), Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer). Bill Pullman appears in the list for Best Supporting Actor In Television, facing John Noble (Fringe), Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead) and Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) amongst others. Similarly, Lauren Ambrose features in the Best Supporting Actress list, which includes Jennifer Carpenter (Dexter), Michelle Forbes (The Killing) and Frances Conway (American Horror Story).

Previously, Doctor Who won Best Television in 1997, and Best International Series in 2008; in 2010 it lost out to Torchwood: Children of Earth in the Best Presentation on Television category.

The award winners will be announced at a special ceremony on 20th June in Burbank.

The Saturn Awards are presented by The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, and have been running for over thirty years.

Eagle Awards

Though many of Doctor Who Magazine's readership follow the publication's extensive articles on the series, the comic strip has been a staple foundation since the very first issue.

This year sees the graphic adventures of the Doctor nominated again for an Eagle Award, in the Favourite British Comicbook: Colour category. The magazine is up against older 1970s sci-fi comic 2000AD and its more recent spin-off Judge Dredd, as well as CLiNT and STRIP (from former DWM editor John Freeman). Though nominated in the past, DWM has yet to receive an award.

The American adventures of the Doctor are also recognised in the survey, with IDW's Issue 12 nominated in the Favourite Single Story category; this is up against Animal Man #1, Daredevil #7, Aquaman #4, and The Amazing Spiderman #655.

Last year writer Paul Cornell won the award for Favourite Newcomer Writer.

Voting closes on 2nd April, with the results announced at the Eagle Awards Ceremony taking place at London’s MCM Expo on 25th May.

The Eagles have been running since 1976 and are the comics industry's longest-established awards.

Nebula Awards

The Doctor Who story The Doctor's Wife has been nominated for the Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation in this year's Nebula Awards, the annual event held by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

As with last year's runner-up Vincent and the Doctor, this year's nomination (written by Neil Gaiman and directed by Richard Clark) is the only television programme in the category. It is up against The Adjustment Bureau, Midnight in Paris, Source Code, Hugo, Captain America: The First Avenger, and Attack The Block.

The winners will be announced at SFWA's 47th Annual Nebula Awards Weekend, taking place at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City Arlington between 17th and 20th May.

The Nebula Awards are voted on, and presented by, active members of SFWA. Voting will open to SFWA Active members during March.

Roundup

The SFX Awards 2012 winners included: Best TV Show - Doctor Who; Best Actor - Matt Smith; Best Actress - Alex Kingston; Screen-Writing Excellence - Neil Gaiman; Elisabeth Sladen Award - The Sarah Jane Adventures; plus Living Legend - Brian Blessed!

The Broadcast Awards 2012 saw both Doctor Who Series 6 and Torchwood: Miracle Day nominated for Best International Programme Sales, but lost out to Big Fat Gypsy Weddings. The Sarah Jane Adventures similarly was a runner-up to Grizzly Tales, Grizzly TV in Best Children's Programme.

Not an award as such, but nominations are being accepted for BBC Radio 4's The New Elizabethans, the aim of which is to profile the 60 public figures who have made the greatest impact in these islands during the Queen's reign - men and women who have defined the era and whose deeds will stand the test of time. The list of nominees suggested so far includes Doctor Who's succesful reviver Russell T Davies. Nominations will be accepted until 9th March.

A back catalogue of some 56 Doctor Who comics featuring both the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors from publisher IDW are currently available to purchase in a special 99c sale from ComiXology.

The sale runs until 11pm EST tomorrow (1st March).


In addition, a few of the comics are available to read online for free as an introduction to the series:

• Adventures of the Fourth Doctor in issue one of Classics
• The Tenth Doctor needs to recover memories of his earlier selves in part one of The Forgotten
• The beginning of the final adventure for the Tenth Doctor in the Doctor Who Annual 2010

IDW Publishing have announced the first official cross-over between the Doctor Who and Star Trek franchises, with the publication of comic book Assimilation² in May.

The story, by Star Trek Infestation authors Scott and David Tipton with Doctor Who author Tony Lee, will feature the Next Generation crew meet up with the Eleventh Doctor as the universe is threatened by a Borg/Cyberman alliance.

The eight issue series has been produced in conjunction with BBC Worldwide Consumer Products (Americas) and CBS Consumer Products, with the latter's Executive Vice President and General Manager Liz Kalodner saying: "by joining these two sci-fi powerhouses, fans will be taken on the ultimate adventure through time and space."

Soumya Sriraman, Executive Vice President Home Entertainment and Licensing, said: "We are excited about this new adventure for the Doctor and the fact that he will be travelling with Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his iconic crew. This is a perfect partnership for not only Doctor Who’s incredible fans, but also for the brand. We have just celebrated our most successful year yet. Doctor Who’s latest season delivered record ratings for BBC AMERICA and it was most downloaded full TV seasons of 2011 in the U.S. on the iTunes Store."

The comic book will be illustrated by J.K. Woodward; a limited edition wraparound photo cover version will also be available.

Bluewater Comics have announced a new bio-comic, Orbit: The Cast of Doctor Who, which is to be published from January 2012.

The comic has been written by Paul Salamoff, with artwork from Jaime Martinez Rodriguez, Scott Boyce and DJ Burgess; covers have been created by DC Comics artist Joe Phillips.

There will be two versions of the comic which features all eleven television incarnations of the Doctor, a single issue form and a combined graphic novel which will also feature a bio on the movie Doctor as played by Peter Cushing.

Darren Davis, president of Bluewater Comics, said:
Writer Paul Salamoff said:

The graphic novel is available to pre-order from our Amazon Shop.