Imagined Doctor Who merchandise

Here's some tongue-in-cheek packaging mock-ups for imagined Doctor Who playsets. These were inspired by the far wittier and accomplished art of Andrew-Mark Thompson.

Often appearing near the bottom of results tables in DWM polls regarding favoured Doctor Who serials, the seventh Doctor story Paradise Towers also attracts a cult of affectionate devotees.

Seemingly inspired by the J.G. Ballard novel High Rise, Paradise Towers is an entertaining piece of dystopian pantomime featuring some memorable robotic creatures which form the focus of these imagined toy sets...

#1: Deluxe Pool Playset
(Click to enlarge)

#2: Robotic Cleaner Playset
(Click to enlarge)

#3: Kroagnon Head Boppers
(Click to enlarge)

20 years since... 20 years since

 

Yes, nostalgically looking back at something that was nostalgically looking back at something... albeit with a twist:

In the case of the 1997 special edition releases of the original Star Wars trilogy (episodes IV, V and VI) the twist was the addition of digital effects that weren't possible 20 years before.

George Lucas' decision to add these extra flourishes to his classic trilogy - most extensively in A New Hope - received a mixed reception from fans, particularly the insertion of Jabba The Hut. Some are an amusing addition to proceedings whilst others slightly distract from the experience rather than enhance it.

Still, the remastered sound and vision were spectacular - most notably in the confrontation between Ben and Vader in which their light sabres crackle and spit with an awe-inspiring ferocity.

One of the prominant promotions in '97 were the Tazos that came inside special packs of Walkers crisps. These tapped into the fun of collecting Star Wars trading cards in the '70s, except instead of a stick of gum you got something crunchy to go with your lunchtime sandwich - a ploy that resulted in my eating way too many bags of cheesy Doritos!