DALEK BOOKS

The Daleks have featured in many publications over the years since their T.V. debut in 1963.
In this section we'll be taking a look at some of our favourite books and magazines.

	THE DALEK BOOK (1964) This was the first Dalek annual to be published. The cover picture illustrates a major improvement to Dalek feasability that BBC special effects (and budget) just could not provide - Transolar Discs. These flying platforms allow Daleks to fly and even travel through space. Transolar Discs make the Daleks far more formidable. Hiding upstairs won't help you - these Daleks can just fly up the outside of a building and either blast their way inside - or destroy the whole building. The Dalek Book contains both comic strips and text stories following the adventures of two brothers Andy and Jeff and their sister Mary as they fight against the Daleks. There is some very nice artwork in this book, including a cutaway plan of a Dalek. Also of interest is a story about Susan, the Doctor's grand daughter, based on using stills from Doctor Who to make up a new tale. This story has lots of photos of Daleks on Skaro from the Daleks very first encounter with the Doctor.
	THE DALEK WORLD (1965) This annual is very similar in format and style to the Dalek Book above. The stories feature different characters but is also set in the future. This time Unispace Security Agents Brit and Meric are the human heroes. The robotic Mechanoids also feature as enemies of both the Daleks and the humans. Features include a cutaway of a Dalek flying saucer. There is also a story to write - thirty five stills from the Doctor Who and the Daleks movie for the reader to add their own captions to.
	THE DALEK CHRONICLES (1994) This magazine consists of the Dalek comic strips featured on the back pages of TV21 in the 1960's. The artwork inside is far better than that produced for the cover. The stories start with the origin of the Daleks. This is a different beginning to that depicted later by the BBC in 'Genesis of the Daleks'. In this version, there is no Davros - the Daleks have an Emperor. He's a little different in appearance from the other Daleks, having a large spherical 'head'. The Dalek Emperor also features in the Dalek annuals.
	A PAGE FROM THE DALEK CHRONICLES Here is a page from the Dalek Chronicles. In this strip the Emperor's second in command is the Black Dalek.
	DALEK ANNUAL 1977 The Daleks on the cover are more accurately drawn than the previous issues and are also sporting the solar panels that later TV Daleks had fitted. There are two comic strip stories from TV21, also contained in the Dalek Chronicles magazine. There are three text stories each featuring different characters. The rest of the annual consists of puzzles and quizzes and articles. Whilst the annual is pretty good it lacks the sense of continuity and direction that the earlier books have.