Panic Moon

Zine
Title:	Panic Moon
Publisher:
Editor(s):	Oliver Wake
Date(s):	July 2010-present
Frequency:
Medium:	print
Size:
Fandom:	Doctor Who
Language:	English
External Links:	archived website; previous website
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Panic Moon is a gen Doctor Who anthology published in the UK. It contains art and articles covering Doctor Who from the 1960s through to the 2010 series and beyond. In March 2012, the zine went on hiatus. In November 2013, the publisher announced their plans to resume publishing with a December 2013 issue.

The editors say it is "small (A6 format and 32 pages) but perfectly formed. Just right for reading on the bus."

Summaries for the tables of contents listed below are from the publisher.

General Reactions/Reviews

"Just about a month ago, I wrote wonderingly about how some fans seem to be going retro with fanzines printed on paper… just like in the 1980s! Apparently, the meme is spreading — the second issue of Panic Moon has just been published....[quoted publisher summary snipped]."

"Oliver Wake produced seven issues of the excellent Panic Moon, a sexy little A6 Doctor Who zine, before calling it a day. Most of the issues are still available from him."

"There’s a mini-revival of Doctor Who fanzines at the moment (something dtb welcomes) with many Who fans still enjoying the experience of reading something on paper rather than just looking at all the assorted Doctor Who websites that are around these days.

An honourable mention, then, for Panic Moon, a terrific little ‘zine which is worthy of widespread support. We say ‘little’ because the publication is A6 in format. Yes, A6, but believe us, it works. Each issue is absolutely packed with well-written commentary and illustrative material that wouldn’t look out of place in DWM.

The latest issue has a lovely mix of stuff with a look at the Richard E Grant version of the Doctor, the Silver Nemesis ‘Making of’ documentary, a tribute to Nicholas Courtney and (as they say) much much more!

At £1.20 an issue, it’s worth a punt surely? Get a copy and let’s help keep printed ‘zines alive."

"This is one of my favorite fanzines. Panic Moon is published/edited by Oliver Wake and is unique in that it doesn’t conform to the typical size fanzines usually publish in (A4, A5 and Letter size). Published in the 4×6 inch or A6 format, other than the size, there is nothing small about this zine. Each subsequent issue seems to better than the one published before it. Oliver and his team of contributors present a zine that is well designed, well written and highly entertaining and interesting. Articles range from the lighthearted to the serious and every other page is illustrated by some.

"A Shouting Into A Well minion writes: The editor has asked me to say what a great read Panic Moon is, he can't comment directly on the grounds of having two articles in there (obviously those are best). First reaction on seeing the A6 format was surprise at how tiny the pages seemed (A6 paper size is A5 folded in half -TECHNICAL ED) but inside is lots of text and some brilliant illustrations. This issue concentrates on reviewing series five of Doctor Who with relevant articles in between to widen out the scope of the fanzine. Well worth the cover price and very highly recommended."

Now Panic Moon isn’t just one of those fairly common electronic fanzines. It’s a genuine, old-fashioned, paper and ink fanzine. But to add to it all, it isn’t a typical A5 or A4 fanzine. It’s a sexy, tiny little A6 zine, so cute and cuddly that you can just slip it in your pocket and take it anywhere with you. This may seem to be a pretty strange choice of size, but it works. This is definitely an attractive little zine. And the quality of the contents are nothing to sneer at, either. As with previous issues of Panic Moon, the standard of the contents is very high, covering both classic Doctor Who and NuWho, and illustrated with some very nice original artwork.

Issue 1

cover of issue #1, Dave Burson

Panic Moon 1 was published July 2010 and contains 28 pages. The front cover is by Dave Burson.

• reviews of each of the series five stories
• an exploration of the characters of the eleventh Doctor and Amy
• a review of the K9 series
• a look at the redesign of the Daleks
• a roundup of other recent paper zines in 2010’s fanzine renaissance
• a review of Big Finish’s recent output
• thoughts on the work of Chris Chibnall, on the use of death in Steven Moffat’s episodes, and on madness, monsters and metaphor in Vincent and the Doctor
• illustrations

Reactions and Reviews: Issue 1

A review by Paul Scoones:

Most of the issue is filled with individual reviews of each of the Matt Smith stories. All too often fan critics seem to feel the need to accentuate the negative, so it is are refreshing to see that the reviews, from a number of different writers, are fairly balanced in their critiques. Interspersed with these reviews are short features on controversial topics including Amy Pond's character, the redesigned Daleks, and Chris Chibnall's writing. Although almost all of the issue is taken up with coverage of the Matt Smith series, there is room at the end for commentary on a few other recent fanzines and the latest crop of Big Finish releases. The introduction explains that this emphasis on the new series is simply because it is topical and that the next issue will have 'more old series stuff'. The artwork, all in black and white, is of a high standard and is used sparingly throughout the issue, nicely complementing the writing. The layout is pleasingly straightforward and unfussy.

Issue 2

another version of the cover of issue #2, Lydia Butz

cover of issue #2, Lydia Butz

Panic Moon 2 was published in October 2010 and contains 36 pages. It has a front cover by Lydia Butz.

• the 2011 series split
• The Happiness Patrol
• the Doctor Who Prom
• a look at what was new and what familiar in series five
• The Adventure Games
• the design of TARDIS props
• growing up with Doctor Who in Germany
• Time and the Rani
• Genesis of the Daleks
• the origins and inspirations behind The Time of Angels/Flesh and Stone
• the influence of Terry Nation’s earliest sci-fi on his Doctor Who work
• Fear Her
• reviews of the latest fanzines
• Revenge of the Cybermen
• Silver Nemesis
• DVDs and the pursuit of the fan
• The Dominators; The Massacre; Big Finish reviews
• behind the scenes on Remembrance of the Daleks
• plus an old-fashioned fanzine letters page

Issue 3

art from issue #3, Draculasaurus

cover of issue #3

Panic Moon 3 was published in January 2011 and contains 32 pages.

• Reviews of the Christmas special, the recent series of The Sarah Jane Adventures, Doctor Who Live, Wiped!, the latest fanzines and Big Finish audios;
• A look at what the recent changes at the BBC mean for Doctor Who;
• Articles giving fresh perspectives on the recently/soon to be released on DVD stories The Mutants, The Ark, Meglos and The Seeds of Doom;
• A reappraisal of Daleks in Manhattan/Evolution of the Daleks;
• A examination of the TV career of Don Taylor, the man who was first offered the producership of Doctor Who in 1963, and how the series would have differed if he’d accepted;
• A guide to writing a Steven Moffat episode and an old fashioned letters page; something for everyone!

Issue 4

another version of the cover of issue #4

cover of issue #4

Panic Moon 4 was published in April 2011 and contains 40 pages.

• Nicholas Courtney tribute
• a review of the Comic Relief episode and the series six prelude
• Steven Moffat’s version of Doctor Who pitched against Russell T Davies’s
• a look at October 1966's other Cyberman debut story
• introducing a young child to the series
• the most unsuitable story ideas ever commissioned
• an exploration of the character of the other ninth Doctor
• thoughts on gods in Doctor Who
• a look at American documentary The Making of Silver Nemesis
• nomenclature for the new and old series
• Big Finish and fanzine reviews
• fresh perspectives on The Beast Below, The Seeds of Death, Carnival of Monsters, Resurrection of the Daleks, Kinda and Snakedance

Issue 5

Panic Moon 5 was published in July 2011 and contains 32 pages. The zine is A6 format, 32 pages, monochrome.

cover of issue #5

• Reviews of each episode from the first half of series six;
• New perspectives on the stories Spearhead from Space, The Gunfighters, Planet of the Spiders, Frontios and * Day of the Daleks, to tie in with these recent or impending DVD releases (or re-release in one case);
• A look at Terror of the Autons and Doctor Who in Parliament;
• A tribute to Elisabeth Sladen;
• Thoughts on the murky origins of the Sea Devils, on the Brigadier in season seven, and the connections between Robot and The Eleventh Hour;
• Plus the usual Big Finish reviews and the letters page.
• The fanzine is fully illustrated by a number of talented artists, including Adrian Salmon who has supplied two brand new illustrations.

Issue 6

Panic Moon 6 was published in October 2011 and contains 32 pages.

It includes reviews of each episode from the second half of series six plus Torchwood: Miracle Day, the latest from Big Finish and recent Doctor Who fanzines. New perspectives on the stories Colony in Space and The Sun Makers. Articles exploring the Pathfinders legacy for Doctor Who; the Hartnell factor; evolution in Doctor Who; the Day of the Daleks ‘Special Edition’; and what that Dalek was doing in the Thames. Plus a lively letters page and some beautiful artwork.

Issue 7

Panic Moon 7 was published in January 2012 and contains 32 pages.

cover of issue #7

• New perspectives on The Keys of Marinus, The Macra Terror, The War Games, Colony in Space, Invasion of the Dinosaurs, Dragonfire and the McGann film
• reviews of The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe
• the recently recovered ‘missing’ episodes
• the last series of The Sarah Jane Adventures and the latest from Big Finish
• plus behind the scenes on Death to the Daleks, thoughts on console design, a look at the reprinted Target novelisations, top ten of Big Finish, a letters page and some other stuff.

Issue 8

Panic Moon 8 was published in December 2013 and contains 44 pages.

cover of issue #8

This issue we welcome Peter Capaldi’s casting, review The Day of the Doctor, An Adventure in Space and Time, all series seven’s episodes, prequels and ‘minisodes’, plus missing-no-more stories The Web of Fear and The Enemy of the World. We also consider race in Doctor Who, look at the latest redesigns of the Cybermen, Ice Warriors and the TARDIS console, pay a heartfelt tribute to Dalek designer Ray Cusick and revisit An Unearthly Child from three different perspectives.

Issue 9

Panic Moon 9 was published in May 2014 and contains 36 pages.

cover of issue #9

It’s a real mixed bag this time, but has an unintended – but nevertheless welcome – slight first Doctor bias, with articles about An Unearthly Child, Marco Polo, The Time Meddler and The Savages. We also look at The Time of the Doctor, Doomsday and The Girl Who Waited, Doctor Who in Germany, missing episode animations and space opera in Doctor Who. As if that weren’t enough, we speculate on a connection between The Daemons and Ghost Light, and write in praise of Carmen Munroe, Michael Grade, the Raston Warrior Robot, Tanya Lernov, the TARDIS doors and moments from Planet of Giants and The Enemy of the World.