DTT: RPG Nostalgia: FASA’s Doctor Who Role Playing Game

Who remembers FASA’s groundbreaking Doctor Who Role Playing Game? First released as a Boxed Set in 1985, it was written by Guy W. McLimore Jr. and William John Wheeler, the game featured art by a number of artists. 

They include FASA staffer Jane K. Bigos, David R. Deitrick (who describes his career as encompassing “artist, a soldier, a teacher, a missionary, an oil-field roustabout, a carpenter, and a dozen other professions”, and has dreamed up some stunning Fireball XL5 reboot concepts), artist and author William H. Keith Jr., who contributed heavily to the graphical appearance of that era of Traveller RPG releases and now writes under the name Ian Douglas; the game’s Art Director and Dungeons and Dragons and Star Trek game artist Dana M. Knutson, game developer Dave R. Marsh, creator of the Shadowgate computer game, and graphic designer Todd F. Marsh. 

More memorable, perhaps, are the art contributions of the late Jim Holloway, a name surely familiar to fans of other popular RPGs down the years: not just Dungeons & Dragons, but less well known games such as Gamma World and Star Frontiers. He provided art on the game’s supplements, his distinctive (if inaccurate) art for The Daleks cover still eye catching today.

Harry Quinn was another artist on the project, delivering the cover for The Legions of Death, a Third Doctor supplement. He painted also provided cover images for Doctor Who and the Vortex Crystal and Doctor Who and the Rebel's Gamble, but is still well regarded for his work on other fantasy and RPG books for FASA, TSR, and others. 

Cover art by Harry Quinn

FASA’s Doctor Who Role Playing Game, of course, was only the first RPG based on Doctor Who; Time Lord – Adventures through Time and Space, written by Ian Marsh and Peter Darvill-Evans, featuring cover art by Colin Howard, was published in 1991 by Virgin Publishing, and the Cubicle 7 incarnation of the game is now in its second edition. But there’s always something fascinating about pioneers, and FASA’s take was certainly that for many, and there’s clearly still plenty of love for it out there although, of course, tracking down a complete set is not an easy or inexpensive task.

Art by Jim Holloway

Comprising a 48-page Player's Manual, 82-page Game Operations Manual, and 64-page Sourcebook for Field Operatives, and dice, the first Doctor Who roleplaying game utilised a revised version of the system developed for FASA's Star Trek: The Roleplaying Game. The game allowed players to assume roles as Time Lords and companions, and to work as operatives for the Celestial Intervention Agency. 

Although FASA only published modules for it during 1985-86, it nevertheless generated three supplements and seven adventure modules, some of which contained lore from the TV series that was not readily available to fans in the United States, and, for some, was actually their first introduction to Doctor Who. 

Although Tom Baker and Louise Jameson had long parted the show, it’s little wonder the Fourth Doctor and Leela featured in the first edition, such was their popularity stateside.

Photo with thanks to Edwin Patterson

All the FASA supplements. Photo with thanks to Edwin Patterson

Even if you didn’t ever play the game, perhaps put off by the complexity of play (although hardcore RPG fans appreciated it), many Who fans, including myself, were avid collectors of the tie-in figures created by Citadel Miniatures, a subsidiary of Games Workshop: a set of 25mm miniatures co-branded with FASA sold in conjunction with the game. (For the US market, the sets were actually produced by RAFM Miniatures).

It’s great to see Cubicle 7 still flying the flag for Doctor Who RPGs, particularly at a time when the series TV future seems uncertain. But you can’t help but admire the work of those who got there first.

Head downthetubes for...

• FASA Doctor Who Roleplaying Game Facebook Group

• Diary of Doctor Who Role-Playing Games Fanzine (DDWRPG)

• Rolling Boxcars: Time Traveling to 1985 – FASA’s The Doctor Who Role Playing Game

Article by Dan of Innsmouth

• The Other Side: FASA Doctor Who RPG: Part 1, Unboxing/Introduction by Timothy Brannan 

• The Other Side: FASA Doctor Who RPG: Part 2, Review by Timothy Brannan 

• The Other Side: FASA Doctor Who RPG: Part 3 - The Supplements by Timothy Brannan 

• The Other Side: FASA Doctor Who RPG: Part 4 - The Adventures by Timothy Brannan 

• The Other Side: FASA Doctor Who RPG: Part 5 - Jenny Everywhere by Timothy Brannan 

• The Other Side: Review: Time Lord the Doctor Who RPG Review by Timothy Brannan 

• The Other Side: Time Lord - Review by Timothy Brennan

• The Other Side: Review: Doctor Who: Adventures in Time and Space Review by Timothy Brannan

• Citadel Miniatures - Doctor Who figure Checklist 

• Doctor Who (RAFM) Miniatures Checklist

• Facebook: The Art of Jim Holloway 

James Holloway, who died 28th June 2020, was an American artist of fantasy and science fiction illustrations whose work appeared in role-playing games, on the cover of Dragon, and on the covers of board wargames

• Wayback: "Jim Holloway :: Pen & Paper RPG Database" | Archived from the original on January 3, 2009

• Silver Key: A Tribute to Jim Holloway 

DTT: Former Blue Peter presenter Anthea Turner drafted for Thunderbirds duty – again!

Former Blue Peter presenter Anthea Turner was recently brought her iconic Tracy Island build out of retirement, as Corgi launches its Thunderbirds die-cast anniversary collection.

Anthea Turner is teaming up with Corgi to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Thunderbirds, inviting fans to relive one of TV’s most memorable moments, her legendary build of Tracy Island on the BBC's children's magazine show.

As part of the anniversary commemorations, Anthea dusted off her original Tracy Island and has given it a facelift, including repairs to the back door of Thunderbird 2 and reinvigorating the palm trees. 

In a video, posted on her Instagram account, she’s also invited Thunderbirds fans, old and new, to share memories of their own 1990s creations or maybe even build a brand-new one from scratch. Fans who share their builds on Instagram, tagging Corgi, will be able to claim one of the free Corgi Thunderbirds anniversary sets to display upon it.

Older downthetubes readers will recall that such was the demand for plans on how to build the model seen on Blue Peter, when the show was repeated on the BBC in the 1990s, that almost every national newspaper published them, supporting the BBC's efforts to help the programme's millions of viewers.

“When I built Tracy Island all those years ago, I had no idea it would become such a treasured TV moment, or that people would still be talking about it 30 years later," Anthea Turner said. "I’m thrilled to team up with Corgi to celebrate Thunderbirds’ 60th anniversary and give fans the chance to relive the fun.”

In honour of six decades since Thunderbirds first blasted onto TV screens, Corgi announced it was  celebrating the milestone with the launch of its Thunderbirds 60th Anniversary Collection, featuring die-cast models of Lady Penelope’s FAB 1 car, Thunderbirds 1 and 2, plus the iconic Thunderbirds 2 and 4 pairing. Currently, the set is listed as out of stock on the Corgi web site, but you can pre-order your Corgi die-cast Thunderbirds models now from the Official Gerry Anderson store.

David Mather, head of Marketing at Corgi, said: “Thunderbirds has been sparking imaginations for six decades, and Anthea’s Tracy Island build is one of the most iconic moments in the show’s history. By teaming up with Anthea, we’re not just celebrating the 60th anniversary; we’re giving fans the chance to reconnect with the joy, creativity and adventure that Thunderbirds has always inspired”.

DTT: Save The Date: Sequential Scotland returns in August 2026; new Small Press Scotland CIC formed

Get your diaries ready! The next Sequential Scotland will be happening on Saturday 8th August, again at the Doubletree by Hilton on Cambridge Street in Glasgow. 

Next year the team behind the event – its focus firmly on the small press and independent creators – are hoping to have even more talks and workshops for comic fans, alongside the incredibly talented artists selling their amazing work.

 In related news, Faye Stacey, who runs Sequential Scotland, has joined up with the creators of TAGS Festival, Eve Greenwood (of Quindrie Press) and Brian Tyrell (Stout Stoat), to create Small Press Scotland CIC, a new non-profit organisation dedicated to uplifting Scotland’s small press scene. 

Its goals are to put on events that prioritise independent and self-published creators, and to host workshops and professional development sessions to educate and connect small press creators across Scotland. 

By joining forces under one organisation it means organisations can share resources, apply for different and bigger funding pots, and have a more formal structure in place to support the community.

­If you're an interested Scotland-based creator, sign up to the Small Press Scotland mailing list on the website here

­"In terms of Sequential Scotland, not much will outwardly change," Faye says. "Updates will still be sent out from this mailing list [sign up here] and the Sequential Scotland social media.

Ahead of 2026 events, if you're a fan of small press comics, game books and TTRPGS, then the next TAGS Festival will take place on Saturday and Sunday 25th & 26th October at Fruitmarket, in the heart of Edinburgh. There's a fantastic lineup of some exhibitors, including individual creators and small press publishers. 

TAGS (Tabletop & Graphic Storytelling) Festival is a free-to-attend market event dedicated to spotlighting Scotland's small press talent! It celebrates collaborative and visual storytelling in its many forms, from comics and roleplaying games to board games, zines and beyond.

• Sequential Scotland is online at sequentialscotland.co.uk

• TAGS Festival is online at tagsfest.co.uk

• Small Press Scotland CIC is online at smallpress.scot

DTT: Birds of a Feather set to Flock Together at Cartoon County

Comic creator Lucy Sullivan and film writer and director Dylan Southern will be at the next Cartoon County event, on Monday 22nd September, in conversation with Alex Fitch.

Lucy and Dylan Southern have worked together on The Thing With Feathers, an adaptation to screen of Max Porter's award-winning 2015 novella, which had its world premiere at the Sundance Festival earlier this year and opens in select cinemas next month. 

In The Thing With Feathers, following the death of his wife, a young father’s hold on reality crumbles, and a strange presence begins to stalk him from the shadowy recesses of the apartment he shares with his two young sons. A man-like crow, voiced by David Thewlis, is seemingly brought to life from the father’s work as an illustrator and is about to become a very real part of all of their lives, ultimately guiding them towards the new shape their family must take. 

Written and directed by Dylan Southern, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as "Dad", The Thing with Feathers is a lyrical exploration of love, loss and the strange ways we heal.

Benedict Cumberbatch in The Thing With Feathers

Lucy has created new comic book art for the film, that's shown as the work of "Dad", who's trying to capture a nightmarish crow on paper that continuously haunts his dreams. 

Alex Fitch will be talking to Lucy and Dylan about their collaboration, how comics art is used in cinema, and much more.

Lucy Sullivan, also a guest at this year's Lakes International Comic Art Festival next weekend, is a writer and artist from London, who creates stories around social concerns combined with folklore and expressive mark making. She’s best known for her acclaimed debut graphic novel BARKING, based on her own experience of a mental health crisis. A new edition launched in 2024 with Avery Hill Publishing, and is part the Required Reading List for UCLA’s Art & Trauma Collegiate.  

Alongside her own comics and zines, Lucy has created a variety of commissions for Dark Horse, Image Tiny Onion for titles including Hey, Amateur!, The Department Of Truth:Wild Fictions and Black Hammer, as well as the short comic Betwixt, Between, commissioned by Jeff Lemire. She is the artist on short comics including IND-XED, Metallic Dynamite, YOSHIN10 and Razorblades. 

 Her new Folk-Horror series SHELTER is currently in development, with support from Arts Council England. The first story, "Early Doors", is out now - and was winner of Broken Frontier’s “Best New Periodical Series” Award 2022. It was followed by the research zine, HAGBOUND, self-published in 2023. The second long-form story, "Mothers Ruin", is currently in development and scheduled for publication in 2026 (TBA).

This Cartoon County event takes place at 7.30 pm on Monday 22nd September, at The Walrus, 10 Ship Street, Brighton BN1 1AD, in the usual room, The Hideaway, at the back of the pub. Do note that Cartoon County is a week early this month, so that anyone attending the Lakes International Comic Art Festival the following weekend won't have to rush back to be in Brighton on time, on what would be the usual day!

Cartoon County is also hosting a free Autumn Fair, selling comics, cartoons and prints, on Saturday 18th October 2025 at Brighton's Open Market on London Road.

Cartoon County, the Sussex Cartoon and Comic Strip Association, is a Brighton-based community for everyone who makes or enjoys comics, cartoons and graphic story-telling. Every month, they invite a comic-maker to join them and talk about their work with host Alex Fitch. These interviews are recorded and subsequently broadcast on Resonance FM’s Panel Borders, of which Alex is also the presenter.

Cartoon County meetings are usually held on the last Monday of the month (exceptions occasionally apply, so check their Facebook page before setting out).

There is usually no need to register, except on rare occasions when their guest is so popular that they risk exceeding the capacity of the room – they will always announce this on Facebook, Twitter and Eventbrite beforehand.

• Not local to Brighton, or just prefer to stay at home? Cartoon County also provide a rough and ready livestream online, via Zoom. Please register on Eventbrite if you would like to join us for the Zoom session. You can follow us on Facebook or Eventbrite if you’d like a notification every time we post a new event.

DTT: Coming Soon: SHIFT Volume Three, featuring the lost “Terminal Man”

SHIFT Volume Three Issue One will be in newsagents from Thursday 2nd October 2025, and if you haven’t picked up this comic anthology before, this is the perfect jumping on point, with four new stories starting in the issue.

 The title has had a short break to recharge after wrapping Volume Two, which saw the conclusion of Simon Furman and Geoff Senior’s incredible “To The Death”. 

Incidentally, multipacks of To The Death are available now, bringing the original US format books to a new audience, with new covers. Each pack has a randomly inserted variant cover, and look out for chase packs featuring just variants! You can also buy To The Death collections now, direct from GetMyComics.

Now recharged, with several issues already in hand, SHIFT Volume Three his the ground running with the debut of “Terminal Man”, a strip originally serialised in CRASH and ZZAP64, two fondly-remembered long-running computer magazines published the mid 1980s. 

Two stories were created by the late Oliver Frey (“Dan Dare”, “Trigan Empire”), the first story, beginning in this issue, was written by Kelvin Gosnell (2000AD, Starlord), which will run over the next few issues. Twelve pages of a second story were also produced, but the story was never completed ... until now. 

“We are honoured to be wrapping up the story with Dan Abnett (Guardians of the Galaxy) writing the conclusion,” says publisher Adrian Clarke. Chris Geary (“Kora”) and Lee Milner (“SHIFT IT”) will deliver the art, arriving in Issue Two.

Also making its debut this issue is “Hypersonic”, originally intended to be published back in 1992 as “Pale Horses” by Tundra Publishing, written by Dan Abnett and Steve White (Marvel UK, 2000AD), with art by Gary Erskine (Dan Dare, Knights of Pendragon), eventually picked up by Dark Horse, who published the story as a four-issue limited series in 1998, coloured by the talented Dave Nestelle. 

“It certainly played to my creative strengths (hardware and sci-fi crap) and was great fun to work on,” Gary’s previously noted.

The story, set in a near future war scenario, centres on a pilot, Wesley Anger, who’s captured by a covert military team and introduced to captured alien technology that allows pilots to be 'jacked in' to the craft, forming a symbiotic link with the 'living' plane, providing full 360 degrees vision.

Also this issue, Baden James Mellonie (Edge of Extinction) and Brett Burbridge bring us the opening episode of the horror thriller, “2.57AM”, and the amazing Grayham Puttock writes and illustrates “Alsatian Cages”. 

Returning series, “Elena: Divinity Rising” really ramps up the intrigue and action for its latest episode, by Darren Pearce and Stuart Jennett, and you definitely don’t want to miss “Clock”, from Paul N. Neal and Lyndon Webb (Perfect Shot). 

(Although not included in this issue’s lineup, we’re told “Terminal City” will return in a few issues).

But wait, there’s more! The second issue of publisher SHIFT GMC’s all ages comic, SHIFT IT! is also on the way, as is the second issue of SHIFT Presents Sex Spies and Rock n Roll, brought to you in conjunction with Mixtape Comics. 

Finally, don’t forget Shift Presents PULP! is still on sale, so grab it while you can - a thrilling catalogue of strips from the best in UK indie creators, in a wonderful black and white digest format, at only £7.99 for 160 pages.

Be ready for SHIFT to arrive in select newsagents soon – check out the SHIFT section of the Get My Comics website here

DTT: National Railway Museum partners with Royal Mail

To coincide with the 200th anniversary of the modern railway, Royal Mail is set to release a set of stamps honouring Britain’s enduring legacy of steam locomotion.

The National Railway Museum has partnered with Royal Mail to create a new set of stamps celebrating the rich heritage of British steam locomotives and the pioneering development of the UK’s rail network.

The main set features six iconic locomotives in the National Railway Museum’s collection that helped to shape the history of rail travel in Britain, including Locomotion No.1, Rocket and Mallard. In addition, a miniature sheet containing four stamps marks 200 years since the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR).

The National Railway Museum in York has the largest collection of railway objects in the world. It is home to iconic locomotives and an unrivalled collection of engineering brilliance, celebrating the past, present and future of rail innovation.

David Gold, director of External Affairs and Policy, Royal Mail, said: “To coincide with the 200th anniversary of the modern railway, Royal Mail is releasing a set of stamps honouring Britain’s enduring legacy of steam locomotion. This stamp issue captures the spirit of an era that transformed travel and trade forever.”

Amy Harbour, head of Licensing and Commercial Partnerships at the Science Museum Group, said: “It’s always a pleasure to work with Royal Mail and we were thrilled when the Museum was approached to celebrate 200 years of the modern railway with this beautifully curated stamp collection. These stamps honour the ingenuity and legacy of railway pioneers, while showcasing the enduring impact of steam technology. It’s a privilege to bring this story to life for the nation, and to mark such a significant milestone in Britain’s industrial heritage.”

The stamps, and a range of collectible products, are available to pre-order from 18th September at www.royalmail.com/steamlocomotives and by telephone on 03457 641 641. A Presentation Pack including all 10 stamps is priced at £17.90. The stamps go on general sale from 25th September.

DTT: Master Replicas launches new Stargate models

Master Replicas has just announced two new Stargate-inspired models, both available to pre-order now: the first brand new, the second a classic that they’ve given an upgrade.

Asuran Cruiser from Stargate Atlantis

The new ship is the Asuran Cruiser from Stargate Atlantis. This powerful ship was operated by the Pegasus Galaxy’s version of the Replicators. We never found out for sure, but it looks like an Ancient ship since it was loaded with drones, had energy weapons and could cloak itself. 

“This ship is a sign of our commitment to Stargate and shows that we will go deep!” say Master Replicas. 

The model is 8.5 inches (22 cm) long and is packed with detail and available to preorder here.

X-303 class Prometheus

The upgraded ship is the X-303 class Prometheus, the first interstellar battleship developed by Earth. It was based on reverse-engineered Goa'uld technology and was later updated with Asgardian equipment to help it fight the Replicators. It played a vital role in defeating the System Lords. It was eventually destroyed by an Ori satellite.

The new model is 7 inches (18 cm) long.

The Eaglemoss version has been sold out for ages and Master Replicas say they have have been keen to bring it back, but this was one of the last ships Eaglemoss produced, and the company felt it wasn’t really up to their normal standards.

 

Rather than reissue something Master Replicas weren’t happy with, they’ve gone back in to increase the weight and to improve the level of detail in the painting. The original version will never be produced again, meaning it should now be considered limited edition and is likely to become a collector’s item.

 

From the advance photos, the new version looks much better. Check it out here. 

“If you bought the Eaglemoss model from us, we’ll be sending you something extra to help out if you want to make the upgrade,” say Master Replicas.