Myth Makers

Zine
Title:	Myth Makers
Publisher:	Doctor Who Information Network (DWIN)
Editor(s):	Colleen Hillerup (1991); James Bow (1993-98); Matt Grady (1998-2002); Richard Salter & Scott Clarke (2003-present)
Date(s):	1991-present
Series?:
Medium:	print & online
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	Doctor Who
Language:	English
External Links:	Myth Makers website earlier version
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Myth Makers is the Official Fiction Zine of the Doctor Who Information Network. 1-2 issues per year/irregularly. It has at least 15 issues. It contains fan fiction and art. Plans for the fanzine were orginally announced in 1980 in the first newsletter of the Doctor Who Information Network (DWIN). In 1985, fan artist Martin Proctor produced a cover in 1985 for Myth Makers #1. However, a lack of submissions, stories lost in transition between editors, and university/work schedules all factored into the delay of the first issue which finally debuted in 1991. It has a sister zine called Myth Makers Presents, a zine that published novel-length fiction. In 2009, Myth Makers Retrospective 1991-2001, a special commemorative issue was published online in pdf form.[2]

Issue 1

cover of issue #1 by Martin Proctor

Myth Makers 1 was published in 1991 and is 80 pages. Cover by Martin Proctor.

• The Empire Trilogy (Daleks vs Cybermen) by James Bow
  • "End of Empire"
  • "Corporate Empire"
  • "Shattered Empire"
• "Adric's Last Stand" by Peter McAlpine
• "The Letter" by Colleen Hillerup
• "Tight Squeeze" by James Poll

• Editor: Colleen Hillerup | Layout & Design: CH & Cathy Leeson
• Illustrations: Lisa Truant, Nick de Grot, Colleen Hillerup, Darrin Egan

Issue 2

cover issue #2 by Martin Proctor

Myth Makers 2 was published in 1993 and contains 44 pages.

• "The Robophobe" by Fiona Moore
• "Strata (Variations)" by Nancy Louise Freeman
• "Secrets of the Mastermind" by Melanie Dixon
• "Pictures at an Exhibition" by James Bow
• "The Stones of Xalphar" by Debra Reuss

• Editor / Layout & Design: James Bow
• Illustrations: Lisa Truant, Martin Proctor, Alan Ivins

Issue 3

cover issue #3 by Daniel Bishop

Myth Makers 3 was published in 1994 and contains 44 pages.

• "Impostor" by Matt Grady (7th Dr., Cybermen)
• "The Final Death" by Andrew Gurudata (last Dr., Susan)
• "Carnival" by Derek Edwards (4th Dr., Leela)
• "Twilight of the Gods" by Joseph Keeping (7th Dr., Ace)

• Editor / Layout & Design: James Bow
• Illustrations: Matt Grady, Martin Proctor, Alan Ivins

Issue 4 cover issue #4 by Alan Ivins Myth Makers 4 was published in 1994 and contains 44 pages. "Nexus" by Pat Degan (last Dr.) "Footsteps" by James DiBenedetto (1st, 6th Drs, Peri, Master) "The First of May Stratagem" by Chris Kocher (2nd, future Drs, Jamie, Victoria) "In an Unexpected Place" by Tina Stitzer (7th Dr., Ace, Benny) Editor / Layout & Design: James Bow Illustrations: Martin Proctor, Alan Ivins

Issue 5 cover issue #5 by Martin Proctor Myth Makers 5 was published in 1995 and contains 44 pages. "Enter the Hawk" by Jason Cantwell (future Dr.) "Down the Shaft" by Graeme Powell (4th Dr., Romana II) "Time Distortions" by Melanie Dixon (7th Dr., Ace) Editor / Layout & Design: James Bow Illustrations: Martin Proctor, Keith Morris, Graeme Powell, Alan Ivins

Issue 6 cover issue #6 by Pat Degan Myth Makers 6 was published in 1995 and contains 44 pages. It won the 1996 FanQ Award for Best Dr Who Fanzine. "Remembrance" by Joseph Keeping (7th Dr.) "The Client" by Jeff Szpirglas (Magnus Greel) "A Man at Intervals" by Erin Noteboom (7th Dr., Ace, Merlin) (Winner of the 1996 FanQ Award for Best Doctor Who Story) "Traders of the Corpriarch" by Dennis Valdron (4th Dr.) "The Last Longship Has Departed" by James Bow (5th Dr., Nyssa) Editor / Layout & Design: James Bow Illustrations: Martin Proctor, Pat Degan, Matt Grady

Myth Makers Presents 1: In Tua Nua cover Myth Makers Presents In Tua Nua by Pat Degan Myth Makers Presents: In Tua Nua was a special edition fanzine published in 1996. It contains 86 pages. It won the 1997 FanQ Award for Best Dr Who zine. "In Tua Nua" by James Bow & Joseph Keeping (7th Dr., Benny) "Interview with Kate Orman" by James Bow & others "Virgin Experiences" by Lance Parkin "A Brief History of In Tua Nua" by Joseph Keeping Editor / Layout & Design: James Bow Illustrations: Martin Proctor, Pat Degan, Erin Noteboom

Reactions and Reviews I think the points of view are unique for a Who story. We view events through the eyes of a narrator, Bernice and the Doctor. A dream of the Doctor incidentally permits cameo appearances by all his previous incarnations. We accompany Bernice and the 7th Doctor to a Newfoundland outpost holiday. Their host is introduced as a Time Lady friend of the Doctor who is researching the Celtic roots of the area. Bernice soon meets a local children's fairy tale writer who had been literally enchanted several decades earlier by a creature from a parallel fairy world. Bernice cannot tell him she is his fan, since she has read books he has not yet written. Spillage from the fairy world into this outport, Newfoundland, and gradually the rest of the world draws the Doctor into crossing over into the land of Celtic fairies. There is resolution without closure. Bernice and the Doctor learn more about themselves while arranging a compromise that is the lesser evil for all concerned. This is a late New Adventure Doctor, for part of the story paralyzed by guilt for his past actions. The stimulus for this story is the album 'The Visit by Canadian singer Loreena McKennitt. The novel was considered by Virgin as a New Adventure, but eventually not accepted because it lacked a double plot line. Interestingly, a much more attractive volume has been created than Virgin can manage, at the same cost Although In Tua Nua does contain a dreamworld sequence, it is in no way post-modern. In Tus Nua is self-defining; it does not have any essential irony or definition with reference to what has come before in any way. The most jarring parts of the narrative, although they contribute to the themes, are in fact the authors' tips of the hat to New Adventures continuity:the Doctor's gratuitous self-trial for the destruction of Skaro, and Bernice's recollections of her childhood on Beta Caprisis. To be sure, at one or two points there is little left to the imagination with respect to sex, although Bernice Summerfield isn't involved in anything more than verbal innuendo. Although she still drinks, Benny's habit for cussing and paranoia is conspicuous by its absence, and her sincere familiarity with 20th Century Faux mysticism and romance novels is inexplicable. This is a Bernice that was torn away from her parents, but not before they had taught her fairy tales. It's a refreshing approach for more traditional fans; perhaps would be more appropriate if it was Lisa Bowerman's interpretation, or even a throwback like Sarah Jane Smith.The characters are familiar to Myth Makers readers; somewhat bland, thoughtful, and wistful. Not intense, caffeinated and plot-driven as too many in the New Adventures were. Bovine rather than equine. Martin Proctor illustrates all the women as slim and hauntingly beautiful, and all the men as craggily handsome. The monsters are all Rumpelstiltskin figures, half cartoons. Pat Degan's chapter cover art must be some sort of personal best; I've never seen better work from him. Erin Noteboom's dropcaps are an almost seamless extensions of the headers. [snipped] All in all, In Tua Nua is an interesting experiment. It would have had no future as a New Adventure without extreme rewrites and a change in writing style, but as a piece of fan fiction it breaks ground for more and hopefully still consistent Faerie Who. Issue 7 cover issue #7 by Pat Degan Myth Makers 7 was published in 1996 and contains 48 pages. It won the 1997 FanQ Award for Best Dr Who Zine. "Keep Watching the Skies" by Alan Ivins (4th Dr.) "Rainswept" by Sean Twist (5th Dr., Tegan, Nyssa) "The Corporal" by Kathy Wesley (7th Dr.) "Black Box" by Erin Noteboom (7th Dr.) "Dr. Foreman's House of Horrors" by Jeff Szpirglas (1st-7th Drs) "I Want Tomorrow" by Dan Kukwa (8th Dr.) "Last Dance" by Joseph Keeping (7th, 8th Drs) Editor / Layout & Design: James Bow Illustrations: Martin Proctor, Alan Ivins

Myth Makers Presents 2: Transformations cover Myth Makers Presents: Transformation by Douglas Petersen Myth Makers Presents: Transformations was published in 1997 and contains 82 pages. Pell's Keep" by Judith Smith (3rd Dr., Jo) "A Most Human Quality" Best Doctor Who Story (1998) by Kathy Wesley (7th Dr., Ace) "Ten Points For Style" by Jenifer Hancock (5th Dr., Tegan, Nyssa) "Freezing Now" by Sean Twist (1st, 5th Drs, Tegan) "Life is a Dream" by Dan Kukwa (5th, 6th Drs) "Like Follows Like" by Audra Rourk McHugh (8th Dr.) "True Canadian History" by Cameron Dixon (Monk) "The Dreamspeakers" by Joseph Keeping (3rd Dr.) Editor / Layout & Design: James Bow Illustrations: Matt Grady, Alan Ivins, Pat Degan

Reactions and Reviews The second offering from Myth Makers Presents was released recently. I was fortunate enough to be one of the first people to acquire a copy of it. Although not as enjoyable as In Tua Nua, the first of the exciting new series from DWIN's publications dept., it was well-crafted addition to the series.Its production values standards have been met and I noticed few if any typographical errors, something that the Target books (and a few New Adventures) are unable to lay claim to. Transformations by Douglas Petersen was a wonderful piece. Doug's creativity at using the Chronovers, and at explaining the strange and bewildering inter-relationship between the Doctor and his 'Old Girl" surpasses the ingenuity of many of the New Adventure authors. The only flaw if any in this story was not in the writing itself, but in the accompanying artwork. Although modifying the artwork was a good idea the technology necessary to make the pictures less obviously constructed would probably have outweighed the benefits of producing a fan-written story. Issue 8 cover issue #8 by Pat Degan Myth Makers 8 was published in 1997 amd is 43 pages long and contains many stories, illustrations, cartoons and poems. It won the 1999 FanQ Award for Best Dr Who Zine. "Pell's Keep" by Judith Smith (3rd Dr., Jo) "A Most Human Quality" Best Doctor Who Story (1998) by Kathy Wesley (7th Dr., Ace) "Ten Points For Style" by Jenifer Hancock (5th Dr., Tegan, Nyssa) "Freezing Now" by Sean Twist (1st, 5th Drs, Tegan) "Life is a Dream" by Dan Kukwa (5th, 6th Drs) "Like Follows Like" by Audra Rourk McHugh (8th Dr.) "True Canadian History" by Cameron Dixon (Monk) "The Dreamspeakers" by Joseph Keeping (3rd Dr.) Editor / Layout & Design: James Bow Illustrations: Matt Grady, Alan Ivins, Pat Degan

Myth Makers Presents 3: The Fires of Prometheus cover Myth Makers Presents: Prometheus by Pat Degan Myth Makers Presents: The Fires of Prometheus was published in 1998 and contains 80 pages. The Fires of Prometheus" by Joseph Keeping (4th Dr., Sarah Jane) "The Love of a Dalek" by Clive May (4th Dr., Sarah Jane, Harry) "Mistaken Identity" by Jeri Massi (3rd Dr., Jo, Brigadier, Benton) - 1999 FanQ Award Winner For Best Doctor Who Story Editor / Layout & Design: James Bow Illustrations: Martin Proctor, Pat Degan

Myth Makers Presents 4: Jade cover Myth Makers Presents: Jade by Pat Degan Myth Makers Presents: Jade is subtitled: "Celebrating 35 Years of Doctor Who." It was published in 1998 and has 80 pages. Dirt" by Edward Beach(1st Dr.) "Little Green Men" by Edward Chan & Brad Connors (1st Dr., Polly, Ben, Monk) "The Uncertain Savages" by Cameron Dixon "Two of a Kind" by Jeri Massi (3rd Dr., Jo, Brigadier) "Intermission for the Jaded pt 1" by Matt Grady (Decalog & Short Trips authors) "String Theory" by Andrew Kearley (4th Dr., Romana II, K-9) "The Gift" by Dan Kukwa (1st, 5th Drs) "London Girl" by Sean Twist (6th Dr.) "Intermission for the Jaded pt 2" by Matt Grady (Decalog editors) "Adventurer By Fate" by Matt Grady (7th Dr.) "Possession" by Melanie Dixon (8th Dr.) "Perfect Beauty" by Erin Noteboom & James Bow (Master) "The Immortality Box" by James Bow (last Dr.) Editors: James Bow & Matt Grady | Layout & Design: JB Illustrations: Martin Proctor, Matt Grady, Mary Ellen Sandahl

Issue 9 cover issue #9 by Pat Degan Myth Makers 9 was published in 1999 and has 44 pages. It won the 2000 FanQ Award for Best Dr Who Zine. "Escape" by Edward Beach (future Dr.) "Knowing How It's Done" by Stephen Wolterstorff (alternate 8th Dr.) "Much Ado..." Best Doctor Who Story (2000) by Joseph Keeping (7th Dr., Benny) (winner of a 2000 FanQ) "The Travellers" by Melanie Dixon (3rd Dr.) "Joyride" by Margaret Millar (Romana I) "Fear in a Handful of Dust" by Robin Carroll-Mann (4th Dr., Romana II) "Democracy and Proper Drains" by Elizabeth Shaw (2nd Dr.) "Green Planet Mars pt 1" by Tim Jones (8th Dr., Sam) Editor: Matt Grady | Layout & Design: James Bow Illustrations: Martin Proctor, Lillith Rael, Mary Ellen Sandahl, Matt Grady Reactions and Reviews It's a normal edition of Myth Makers; 42 pages instead of 80. A new Chapter is definitely par for the course, though. The highlights are a couple of stories by Elizabeth Shaw and Joseph Keeping. 'Democracy and proper drains' is a proverbial Second Doctor story from the veteran Elizabeth K. Shaw. The story won first prize at the Cosmic Hoboes of Peterborough's 1998 short story contest, and rightly so. Nobody will care whether this vignette takes place at the end of Season 6 or in the mists of the post-trial Season 6B; this is on a completely different level. The plot is almost secondary to the Doctor's conversations and musings about things like the English seasons and bucolic social orders. At heart it is the story of a precocious young man with a future who wants to be a companion. But even that is left unsaid. Most of the important parts of the story are implicit. The time period, the importance of names, and even the Doctor involved aren't that important. The story tries to convey an image of the English people as a nation of shopkeepers, as Goering once said. The English can kill Fascists (or Daleks) with the best of them, but left to their own devices they triumph over less glamourous problems of everyday life. There are no monsters here, just faulty plumbing. Very well-written faulty plumbing. 'Much Ado' is written in the New Adventures style, but with an eye towards propriety. It's an anniversary story, and as such features crossovers and cameo appearances from several different genres, hence the Shakespearean title. It's the anniversary of the Doctor's graduation, but he has little reason to celebrate his third-time-lucky Double Gamma, so he has a silly little adventure with Bernice to avoid attending. They visit a lot of other television programs, and make milk jokes about them. The Ancient Greece of Xena:Warrior Princess is revealed to look a great deal like New Zealand, except for the Koala bear which is unique to Australia. The Tick and his sidekick Arthur are revealed to be very silly people, which is rather the point. And a fifth of a page implies that the Doctor and Bernice run through sets of .... but that would be telling. J has experience, so although 'Much Ado' is a doodle rather than a meaningful story, at least it reads well. Not just acceptable fan writing, but this may be the kind of writing the editors of the BBC books look for. [snipped] Apart from those two high points, Myth Makers #9 is rather average. There are several stories that don't feature any particular era of Doctor Who, and don't characterise any one of the nine or so incarnations of the Doctor we are more familiar with. [snipped] The illustrations are pretty good. Pat Degan's cover is a bit of a reinterpretation of cloisters and is quite original. Martin Proctor has admitted his sidebars are a bit too jumbled and Alister Pearson-like this time around, but he doesn't give himself enough credit. Matt Grady lends hand, too. His style is acceptable and it's obvious he's not tracing from publicity photos. What's more his drawings have a twist; the joke about Jamie's kilt in the ventilation shaft is a new spin on a old joke. Mary Ellen Sandahl, if I recall correctly, did a bunch of ills for another recent Myth Makers and she's quite good. The only one of the bunch to use pencils, her figures are well drawn and her backgrounds leave no empty spaces. Lillith Rael (Skye Carlson?) illustrations of 'Proper Drains' and 'Much Ado' are well-shaded, and it looks like she comic-ised what looks like publicity photos in a neat way. I felt this issue of Myth Makers lacked a coherent direction. Perhaps event issues like the Jade Anniversary have spoiled me, but since Matt subtitled this issue 'A new chapter' I was expecting more than a random collection. What I got were two or three quite good stories, making up the larger part, and a few sophomore efforts from folks that are still learning - and are experiencing the pitfalls of learning - how to tell a good story

Issue 10 cover of issue #10 by Mary Ellen Sandahl Myth Makers 10 was published in 2000 and is 48 pages long. Green Planet Mars pt 2" by Tim Jones (8th Dr., Sam) "Stigmata" by Rebecca Dowgiert (alternate 8th Dr.) "Lost Future" by Sharon Ann Clark (6th, 7th Drs, Peri, Ace, Master, Rani) "As Long As There's Gallifrey" by Elizabeth Danna (4th Dr.) "Lab Mice" by Jeri Massi (3rd Dr., Liz, Brigadier) Editor: Matt Grady | Layout & Design: James Bow Illustrations: Mary Ellen Sandahl, Pat Degan, Alan Ivins, Michael Leis, Matt Grady Reactions and Reviews The latest addition to the DWIN fan fiction collection is beautifully illustrated, and although the prose is inconsistent some of the five short stories are truly memorable. [snipped] Jeff Massi has written a short story for Myth Makers 10 that is easily the equal of of Elizabeth Shaw's superb 'Proper Drains' from MM9. 'Lab Mice' is balanced storytelling with comic relief and believable threats of tragedy. And cute mice. The aftermath of Doctor Who and the Silurians threatens Sargeant Benton with a respiratory infection; interestingly, the actor that played Benton has survived tuberculosis himself. Reasons are given on both sides in the argument over the use of mice in medical tests, which is the best perspective to have on such an issue. I has some faint memories of reading Rebecca Dowgiert's contribution 'Stigmata', as it is a reprint from an E-mail fan fiction club that I first read more than a year ago. It was one of the better pieces in the collection both there and here. The gallant Jason Carter Doctor isn't a far cry from the gallant Paul McGann Doctor. The period is well-represented. The medieval peasants have a strong fear of witches and magic, so much so that I had to trust the author that the main character, a midwife, was not a outcast herself. The references to fairies have special significance this year, after years of sporadic appearances in fan fiction like Myth Makers and Trenchcoat, several BBC novels since last summer have brought fantasy into Doctor Who. [snipped] The artwork in the fanzine is completely wonderful. Mary Ellen Sandahl produced the front cover and two lovely Third Doctor sketches for Jeff Massi's Lab Mice. Michael Lels, who serialzed a rather Sawardesque comic strip in Enlightenment this year, put together a dramatic back cover. Pat Degan took Jason Carter to heart as the Ninth Doctor in four illustrations for the medieval Stigmata, and Matt Grady himself continued his accompaniments to Tom Jones' Green Planet Mars from the previous issue. And while I admit some apprehension at the return of Alan Ivins, it must be said the usual pertness of his subjects is healthily subdued in his action-packed sidebars to Lost Future and As long as there's Gallifrey.

Issue 11 cover issue #11 by Michael Leis Myth Makers 11 was published in 2001 and contains 48 pages. Split" by Doris Keller (4th Dr.) "Mea Culpa" by Kyle Bastian (1st, 6th Drs, Steven) "The God Machine" by Tim Jones (7th Dr.) "The Goblins of the Bakerloo" by Elsa Frohman (5th Dr., Tegan) "Living the Dream" by Richard Green (8th Dr., Sam, Fitz) "Global Search and Replace" by Jeri Massi (3rd Dr., Jo, Benton, Yates) "Staring into the Abyss" by Dale Smith (2nd Dr., various companions) "Doctor Who and the Animaniacs" by Dances With Frogs (8th Dr., Daleks) Editor: Matt Grady | Layout & Design: James Bow Illustrations: Michael Leis, Pat Degan, Denise Rajauski, Elsa Frohman, Joanna Davidovich, Matt Grady

Reactions and Reviews Myth Makers may well be the 'Old Faithful' of Doctor Who fanzines. There now comes the eleventh issue in ten years (sixteen issues if you include the specials.) Myth Makers 11 has a very broad base to its fiction. All of the Doctors appear somewhere or other, though not always in headline roles. There are two feel-good stories that are very nice reading. Jeri Massi and Elsa Frohman write in similar genres, emphasizing the Britishness of the series from the outside. 'Global search and replace' is a case of mistaken identity at UNIT, and guest stars the never before seen UNIT cleaning lady. 'The Goblins of Bakerloo', obvious from the title, ties in a great deal wit the London Underground. [snipped] There are also a few rather angsty, depressing stories. 'Split' is about a doomsday virus. 'Mea Culpa' is a moment of reflection on the violence of The Daleks' Masterplan. Tom Jones' 'The God machine' is about ecological catastrophe, and it is an improvement over his 'Green Planet Mars' last year. The fanzine has some lovely illustrations by Michael Lels, Pat Degan and Mary-Ellen Sandahl. The artwork maintains a consistent standard that's evolved over several issues. Matt Grady, who edits Myth Makers for a couple of years, is solidifying a definite house style. Myth Makers Presents 5: Doctor Who: An Adventure in Time and Space (Canceled) add for 'An Adventure in Time and Space' by Pat Degan Myth Makers Presents: Doctor Who: An Adventure in Time and Space was a novel written by Andrew Kearley. "It was intended for release in 2002 as the fifth issue of Myth Makers Presents, with preliminary artwork submitted by Pat Degan and Max Ellis, cover artist for the BBC's Doctor Who soundtrack CDs. The project was cancelled during the shuffle of editors that year.

Issue 12 cover of issue #12 Myth Makers 12 An all-new story from LANCE PARKIN A Prelude to History 101 from MAGS L HALLIDAY James Bow (Trenchcoat) Robert Smith? (Missing Pieces, Walking in Eternity) Richard Salter (Decalog 4) Greg McElhatton (Missing Pieces, 365 Scary Stories) Plus: illustrations by Patrick Degan, Michael Leis, Denise Rajauski and Laura Riccomi and a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure story by Graeme Burk (Short Trips and Side Steps) . A Deleted Scene from Anachrophobia by JONATHAN MORRIS

Reactions and Reviews None of the stories are mind bendingly awful, a better success rate than many of the official collections. You might be a little frustrated if you are looking for stories with the first four Doctors - the only time one of them appears is the 'Time and relatives' parody. Doctor Who at present is more about the last four Doctors than any one particular Doctor due to their higher profile and changes on the various audio adventures. The layout is generally good; of the same quality that you already come to expect if you are reading Enlightenment. However, the formatting of the otherwise hilarious choose your own adventure 'The inheritors of reality' is a little frustrating, as it became difficult to find the various parts. It would be wrong not to mention the artwork. It's one thing that makes this different from an official collection. And since both the book and audio covers all tend to use the same style, the greater variety that appears in the novel is particularly appealing. I think the various images created by Laura Riccomi are particularly effective, and I'm very fond of the picture accompanying 'The School of Doom' by Denise Rajauski. Myth Makers is well worth reading and supporting, and is a good example of how a fanzine can stand on its own two feet and make good and contemporary Doctor Who Issue 13 cover of issue #13 Myth Makers 13 is subtitled, "From Gallifrey with Love." The unused The Book of the War entry by LANCE PARKIN available for the first time An original Prelude to the Telos novella Wonderland by acclaimed novelist MARK CHADBOURN A try-before-you-buy extract from Blue Box by KATE ORMAN A new story from Relative Dementias author, MARK MICHALOWSKI featuring Miss Gallowglass New Faction Paradox fiction from JONATHAN DENNIS (The Book of the War) and a new story from MARK STEVENS (A Life of Surprises) Enter TOMORROW WORLD, the groovy new spy-caper from JOHN ANDERSON Discover the secret Mole in Victorian London. COSTUME DRAMA is the new story from GRAEME BURK, author of THE INHERITORS OF REALITY and contributor to Short Trips and Side Steps New fully-illustrated stories from CAMERON DIXON, GEOFFREY D. WESSEL and RICHARD SALTER (Decalog 4) Includes specially commissioned original illustrations by MICHAEL LEIS, MARK STEVENS, RON SCHIDING, LAURA RICCOMI and PATRICK DEGAN

Reactions and Reviews Received in the mail yesterday: MythMakers 13, the Doctor Who fiction fanzine of the Doctor Who Information Network, a Canadian fan group. While I own a number of charity fanthologies, I own very few fanzines, among them Jean Airey’s “The Doctor and the Enterprise” and James Bow’s Trenchcoat series. One of the points of interest to this issue of MythMakers is Lance Parkin’s unused entry for The Book of the War, telling the tale of Mister Saldaamir, a character who turns up in, I believe, Trading Futures, the eighth Doctor novel released last year. The final story in the collection, Graeme Burk’s “Costume Drama,” is simply superb. What could have been a recipe for disaster–the first Doctor meets John Merrick, the Elephant Man–instead springboards into an examination of nature versus nurture in the person of Mohl, a Sontaran warrior stranded on Earth. Two people, considered by society to be freaks of nature, attempt to live normal lives, but could Victorian society really accept people outside the norms of nature and appearance as being normal and not treat them as a part of a freakshow? The short tale moves more on the strength of mood and style than on plot, but the whole thing feels authentic, and the ending is quite touching. If you're looking for value, you're going to get here. The art styles can be quite varied at times, but I think the presentation of all of the stories is still very good. I particularly liked Mark Steven's image for his story 'Oktember', and I thought it worked very well with the story. If there's one complaint, it's that since the Doctor Who universe is so vast these days, it might take some time to figure out when stories took place: 'Falling in the forest' is an Ace story that takes place after the New Adventures Love and War, for example, or 'The Gateway' is a nice little story that takes place during the Eighth Doctor's amnesiac exile on Earth. 'Commune' is a lovely story as well, dealing with effects of the destruction of Gallifrey. 'She doesn't exist' by Jonathan Dennis might appear to be especially obscure to those that aren't familiar with the Faction Paradox, but I think it works quite well as a stand alone story, and tells you everything you need to know. I think this gets more and more important as the Doctor Who universe expands with all of the related items, even in fan fiction. While you may scratch your head if you never wondered who Mr Saldaamir is, if you know what a Dalek or a Sontaran are, you'll get wonderful stories that find elements of Doctor Who that are for you as well. I enjoyed it. Myth Makers Presents 6: Essentials cover of Myth Makers Presents: Essentials by Daryl Joyce Myth Makers Presents: Essentials is a high-quality, 60-page, colour-cover special issue. Andy Lane (The Banquo Legacy, Original Sin) Daniel O'Mahony (The Cabinet Of Light, Falls The Shadow) Jonathan Blum (presenting a prelude to Fallen Gods) Mark Clapham (Hope, Beige Planet Mars) Mags L Halliday (History 101) Dale Smith (Heritage) Graeme Burk (Short Trips & Side Steps, Short Trips: Steel Skies) Richard Salter (Decalog 4, Short Trips: Steel Skies & Life Science) Plus Robert Smith?, Pete Kempshall, Dave Hoskin, Nate Gundy and Scott Clarke Cover artwork by Daryl Joyce Internal illustrations by Michael Leis

Issue 14 cover of issue #14 Myth Makers 14: Personal Reflections Simon A Forward (Emotional Chemistry, Shell Shock) Mags L Halliday (History 101, Warring States) Dale Smith (Heritage, Myth Makers Presents: Essentials) Ian Mond (Life During Wartime, Short Trips: Past Tense & Monsters) Stephen Hatcher (Short Trips: Past Tense & Monsters) John Anderson (Myth Makers #12 & #13) Pete Kempshall (Myth Makers Presents: Essentials) Dave Hoskin (Myth Makers Presents: Essentials) Plus James Milton and Richard Booth Illustrated by Michael Leis, Mark Stevens, Carolyn Edwards, Kamael Heru-ur Smith, Pat Degan Edited by Scott Clarke and Richard Salter (Short Trips: Steel Skies, Life Science & 2040) Reactions and Reviews The two high points of Myth Makers 14 are by novelists from BBC Books; Dale Smith's 'Blossom' and Simon A. Forward's 'Pincer Movement'. Smith's writing style and use of language is beautiful in 'Blossom', able to evoke a real sense of atmosphere and wonder in a incredibly short space. It's a subtle little story, one that may sneak up on the reader even as all of the pieces are there waiting to be noticed. On the flip side. Forward's look into Peri's life immediately after the events of 'Timewarp' is one of the longer stories in Myth Makers but it's no less powerful. His mixing of Peri's past and present works well, and of all of the possible 'this is what happened next' iterations that have appeared over the years, Forward's is the most believable and interesting that I've encountered; he stays true to the character and her growth, and keeps the reader's attention fixed firmly on the page. [snipped] For 'Blossom' and 'Pincer movement' alone you'll want to buy Myth Makers 14, and your money will be well spent. Fortunately, you'll get additional enjoyment thanks to Anderson, Kempshall, and Milton in particular; all in all, the pluses outweigh any minuses.

Issue 15 cover of issue #15 Myth Makers 15: Across The Universe Fluke by Kelly Hale (Grimm Reality, Erasing Sherlock) People are disappearing from churches in the American South. Is there a suicide cult at work? And who is the mysterious stranger in the leather jacket who just seems to be hanging around. Go Plastic by John Anderson John Anderson puts Doctor Who back in the blender and comes up with another concoction that will tickle your tongue and leave you licking your martini glass for more. The Weight of Posterity by Melinda Selmys Jamie, Victoria and the Second Doctor are about to get themselves in trouble again as they arrive amidst the Mik-Mar and their dragon worshipping neighbours the Narananti. Home by Robert Mammone Does your neutron flow need reversing in the polarity department? Check in for some classic Third Doctor/UNIT fun. Twist of Destiny by Rachel Steffan Choices make the man or woman. Samson and Gemma (from the Big Finish audio "Terra Firma") return with the Eighth Doctor. Deperately Seeking by Steve Hatcher (Short Trips: Past Tense, Short Trips: Monsters) The Doctor is brooding. Susan is gone. But has he made a heartless decision? Partly Cloudy by Chris Heffernan They can open CVEs to E-Space, feed millions from Necros and even cure common Lazar's disease! Why, oh why can't the peoples of the universe predict the weather right? Mel and the Seventh Doctor investigate. Present Tense by Graeme Burk (Short Trips and Side Steps, Short Trips: Steel Skies) Rose looks up and sees a gun. "Please Doctor...don't kill me." Illustrations by Michael Leis, Van Donovan, Dean Betton and Jason Phillips. Edited by Scott Clarke and John Anderson

Reactions and Reviews "Doctor Who has such a long, rich history, and it is so refreshing to find a collection of stories that makes such excellent use of this legacy; whether you come from the 'rad' of 'trad' camp, or love them both (as I do). What's more interesting is that some themes and ideas that have been explored before in 'official' Doctor Who are revisited, often to much better effect than in the authorized versions. Steve Hatcher's 'Desperately Seeking' visits a post-Dalek invasion Earth in much the same way as John Peel's Legacy of the Daleks does. In Hatcher's version, however, the First Doctor expresses concern that he has done his granddaughter a disservice by stranding her with David Campbell, and the results are much more gratifying and seem to fit better with established Doctor Who continuity. [snipped] One of the things that I love about fan fiction is the fact that that often it revisits events or ideas that may only have been used in passing during so-called 'official' releases. Rachel Steffan's 'Twist of Destiny', for example, takes us back to the world of the Eighth Doctor and his companions Samson and Gemma, characters you will only be familiar with if you listened to the Big Finish audio Terra Firma. By delving into this world, initially forgotten by the Doctor during the Davros/Dalek audio, Steffan explores an era that - provided you accept the audios as part of the Doctor Who continuity - is an unexplored but very valid part of Doctor Who history. Melina Selmy's 'The weight of posterity', on the other hand, is a Second Doctor/Jamie & Victoria story that takes us into an era that has already been used again and again. Like Robert Mammone, however, Selmys demonstrates an excellent ability to recreate the the 'feel' of the era while still giving us something new. [snipped] Although 'Fluke' by Kelly Hale seems to follow a fairly standard narrative structure, it is the plot and theme that offer something more challenging. It is always nice to see the Doctor in America; in this case it is alone Ninth Doctor helping a woman in the Deep South who is desperate to find her family, who have disappeared along with a fairly substantial part of the population. Tackling, in part, the mature themes of brainwashing and cult involvement (which only represent the very surface of what is really happening) Hale, who is one of the few published authors to grace this collection, shows us a Ninth Doctor unencumbered by Rose, Mickey, or Jackie, facing the universe on his own terms. [snipped] 'Present Tense' is a carefully-plotted story that begins , deliciously, with Rose begging the Tenth Doctor not to kill her. I've always loved stories that play with the narrative structure, and Burk's tale is no exception, as it winds back through events that brought the Doctor and Rose to this point. 'Go Plastic' is likeDoctor Who on acid, taking established characters and icons from the series and transplanting them in an anime/manga-type world. If you ever wondered what our beloved series would feel like if it were combined with Power Rangers and say Cowboy Bebop, look no further than this hysterical tale. Issue no. 16: Pseudoscope Ad Reactions and reviews "Indeed, the glue that binds all these together stories together is the collection's theme of distorted realities. It's a theme that had potential to go horribly wrong(think the obsession with parallel universes in the BBC books a decade ago), but credit to the editors for largely choosing stories that either have a fresh perspective on this or that aren't hung up on it and just get on with telling a good story. In summary, this is a fabulous collection, with only a couple of misfires, neither of which are enough to damn it Highly recommended. Myth Makers Present: Retrospective 1991-2001 cover Retrospective by Ian Robertson Introduction - Matt Grady 1 String Theory - Andrew Kearley 3 Rainswept - Sean Twist 23 Strata (Variations) - Nancy Louise Freeman 37 The Client - Jeff Szpirglas 46 A Most Human Quality - Kathy Wesley 55 A Man at Intervals - Erin Noteboom 60 Two of a Kind - Jeri Massi 98 The Dreamspeakers - Joseph Keeping 110 Living the Dream - Tim Jones 118 A Stone of the Heart - James Bow & Erin Noteboom 123 Little Green Men - Edward Chan & Brad Connors 135 Staring into the Abyss - Dale Smith 145 Biographies 150 Illustrations & comics: Mary Ellen Sandahl, Martin Proctor, Pat Degan, Denise Rajauski, Matt Grady

Myth Makers Presents Golden Years 1963-2013

All proceeds went to St John Ambulance Canada.

From the ordering page:

Featuring:

“The Doctor and the Dragon” by Violet Addison & David N. Smith (Re:Collections - The Best of Short Trips, Faction Paradox: A Romance in Twelve Parts)
It’s the oldest of tales, and everyone knows the ending… A young girl is about to be sacrificed to a dragon, but a wandering hero arrives just in time to rescue the girl and slay the monster. Which is an incredibly inconvenient spoiler, given he doesn’t want to kill it.

“Observer Effect” by Pete Kempshall (Short Trips: Transmissions, Bernice Summerfield: Old Friends)
1996 should be the best year of Jay’s life. Instead, when unexplained blackouts begin robbing him of his memories, he finds himself on the brink of madness. Where has his lost time gone? Why is a maniac clown hunting him across London? And how can the Doctor’s umbrella save the day?

“The Two Scientific Advisors” by Samuel Marks (Gallifrey Base fan fiction forum)
The Doctor and Jo Grant have been traveling the stars and seeking adventure for some time, leaving their responsibilities at UNIT behind. When they return, it seems that everything has changed. There’s a new scientific advisor in town, and the Doctor isn’t happy about it.

“The Sleeping Ones” by Daniel Tessier (Shelf Life, The Doctor Who Project)
As the planet Polyxo prepares for its grand festival, something inhuman and deadly stirs beneath the surface. Ace investigates the ancient ruins of the Stickmen, while the Doctor pursues his own agenda – but will everything go according to his plan?

“PROBE Pour Homme” by Kelly Hale (Grimm Reality, Faction Paradox: Erasing Sherlock)
Tegan and Nyssa discover that the Doctor isn’t really a cologne person.

“With All Awry” by Blair Bidmead (Faction Paradox: A Romance in Twelve Parts, Iris Wildthyme: The Panda Book of Horror)
The Doctor has of late (but wherefore he knows not) lost all his memories and indeed it goes so heavily with his (Eighth) incarnation that this strange, Camden Town flat in which he lives with someone called “Reg” seems to him a sterile promontory.

“Best Served Cold” by Samuel Marks
Donna Noble goes undercover at a scientific research facility, where doctors are on the brink of the biggest medical breakthrough in years. But a terrible secret lies hidden in the basement, and the Doctor is determined to uncover the truth – whatever the consequences.

“Don’t Drink the Tea” by Matthew James (Short Trips: How the Doctor Changed My Life, Short Trips: Indefinable Magic)
It should be an ordinary meeting of the Church Ladies Circle, but an alien influence is at work. Can the Doctor and Jamie stop harmless old ladies turning into giant savage monsters? Desperate measures are called for and Jamie pays a heavy price. Whatever you do, don’t drink the tea.

“World of Tomorrow” by Chris Kocher (Myth Makers,Trenchcoat)
When a New York City teen stumbles onto a horde of Cybermen below the 1939 World’s Fair, he finds fast allies in the Doctor and Charley – but can they stop a mass slaughter by the heartless cyborgs?

“One Much Like Another” by Andrew K. Purvis (Short Trips: How the Doctor Changed My Life)
Stop me if you’ve heard this one. There is a dark wood carpeted with bones. A luminous monster that no mortal dares approach. A village with a secret. A recluse with a knife as bright as her smile. But the Doctor’s fury is roused by something else entirely.

“The White Ship” by Stephen Hatcher (Short Trips: Indefinable Magic, Short Trips: Defining Patterns)
The White Ship, the Titanic of the Middle Ages. As the doomed ship sets out on its final journey, the Doctor, Vicki and Stephen are aboard, trapped by royal intrigue and friendship. The Doctor is adamant: there is nothing they can do to help; even escape may be beyond them.

“Strays” by Cody Quijano-Schell (Bernice Summerfield: Secret Histories, Wildthyme in Purple)
In times of crisis and impending alien invasions, the Doctor has always been humanity’s greatest ally. The Time Lord has barely survived his darkest hour, and finds that he may have preferred the alternative of oblivion. Alone and with the TARDIS in ruins, who will help him cope with his own memories?

Artwork by Carolyn Edwards, Iain Robertson and Andy Walker
Design & Layout by Arnold T. Blumberg
Edited by Matt Grady and Andrew Kearley

Reviews

"This is good stuff, professional-quality fiction (which is not something that can be said of most fanfic), with our favorite Time Lord caught up in all manner of scenarios funny, serious, and sometimes both at once. As when the Eleventh Doctor meets a dragon (thanks to River). Or the Tenth Ninth Doctor gets a new furry companion. Or the Third Doctor and Jo meet UNIT’s new scientific advisor. If you need more escapism with the Doctor — and who doesn’t — here ya go."

Related Concepts, Fandoms, Terms, Fanworks
See also	Myth Makers Presents