The previous two specials were driven by reprints from the regular title but, presumably reflecting an increased origination budget (or a dearth of suitable reprints still in the cupboard), this featured all-new material.
The highlight (and revelation) of the issue must surely have been the interview with the Keeper of the BBC Archive Sue Malden which revealed to the masses how many episodes the BBC had managed to delete during the archive purges of the early seventies (an unfortunate combination of BBC culture, hard economics and a firm belief that the bulk of the productions would never be needed - much less transmitted - ever again). 417 of the 553 episodes transmitted to date were, at that point, retained but the hunt was already on for material dumped by previous regimes. That hunt still continues (with - amazingly - some success) today.
The original-for-the-special (another first) comic strips were Tales of the Time Lords: Minatorius by "Maxwell Stockbridge" and John Stokes and Skywatch-7 part two (bizarrely continued from issue 58 on the monthly) by "Stockbridge" (again) and Mick Austin.
- To Be Continued -
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