Editorial

It was pointed out to me yesterday that the words 'It's Back!' on the front cover might be interpreted as referring to the return of TSV. I mean it's been three long months since we last put out an issue. When I stated a few issues back that TSV was no longer a bi-monthly publication. I was envisaging two and half month gaps between issues, but if three months becomes the norm', then this zine will well and truly become a quarterly publication. Real life rather got in the way of the issue this time around. I worked for quite a lot of those three months (it can now be revealed that the great shocking secret of successful fanzine production is in one word: unemployment). I trust you feel suitably compensated for the longer than expected wait by the 96-page count - our second longest to date - and of course the excellent news we have for you.

'It's Back!' of course really refers to the production of Doctor Who. Almost four years ago - on 3 August 1989 to be exact - production on the series came to an end with the final recording of Season 26. Now it's set to resume. If all goes well, the cameras will start rolling 24 August 1993 on a ninety-minute thirtieth anniversary special, starring all five surviving Doctors. This is official, not speculation or suspected hoax this time. It's actually happening.

I first heard the news via a phone call from a friend on the other side of the world on my birthday two weeks ago. Since then, snippets of information on the special have been pouring in from all directions - from friends in-the-know, computer bulletin boards, and various publications - making the compilation of this issue's news pages an unusually challenging and time-consuming task. I am aware that rumours and speculations have undoubtedly already got tangled in amongst the true facts, so I have scrupulously weeded out anything which has not been corroborated by a second source - or at the very least I have identified such items as mere rumour. What appears on page 5 of this issue is therefore what I consider a fair and accurate overview of the situation as it appears to me on this day, 5 July 1993. Of course, two and a half to three months down the track, there's going to be a hell of a lot more information to process on this subject - so spare a thought for me, pouring over numerous pieces of paper and magazines into the wee small hours of the morning as you wait with mounting anticipation for the next informative issue of TSV to hit your mailbox!

This is as usual the last page to be typed, pasted up and stuck into the issue. I always feel at this point like a floor painter who gets to the last spot to paint and then realises that it's the one he's standing on - so, with virtually no room left to me, I would like to cover a couple of points that somehow haven't quite fitted into the rest of the issue.

Firstly, I hope all of you who made it to DefCON'93 back in June enjoyed yourselves. I know I did, and receiving the award for Best Clubzine had to be one of the highlights!

Finally, did anyone else pick up on the remarkable coincidence whereby The Daemons Episode Five screened here on 2 May - just one day after Beltane?

Paul