Simon Bradshaw (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
major_clanger) wrote2014-06-15 09:25 pm
major_clanger) wrote2014-06-15 09:25 pm
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Second Empire - or Daleks like they were in the Good Old Days
If you grew up in the '60s or '70s you might remember the Dalek Chronicles comic strip, either in its original run in TV21 magazine or (as I saw them) in later reprints. Written very early in Doctor Who's run, the strip established a continuity about Dalek origins that consistent with what had been alluded to in the first Dalek serial, although it was later rendered non-canonical by Genesis of the Daleks. It also followed the original depiction of the Daleks as having a somewhat wider emotional range and even degree of personality than the near-automatons they later became - although New Who reversed this to an extent.
Well, if you liked The Dalek Chronicles you'll probably love Second Empire, an amazing fan-produced CGI comic strip of some seven hundred pages that gloriously hearkens back to the old comic's design aesthetic and approach. The author/illustrator - who goes by the name MechMaster - clearly has immense enthusiasm and affection for the subject, beautifully capturing the aesthetic of not just the original strip but other classic comic-strip sf of the era such as The Trigan Empire.
Second Empire is set in a continuity of its own, neither that of The Dalek Chronicles nor of Classic or New Who. These Daleks are far more human in their behaviour - they even have names - and the strip at times heads into outright parody and humour. But it's also well-written, chock-full of references, and features an amazing gamut of Dalek designs based on everything ever seen in comics or on TV (or in some cases, only in early concept art). I actually think MechMaster's rendering of the basic Dalek design is perhaps the most convincing-looking I've seen, even more so than the more realistically-rugged redesign done for New Who. (The less said of the godawful New Paradigm Daleks the better, and Second Empire even gets in a joke at their expense.)
I came across Second Empire looking for comments on a rather different Dalek-related spin-off I'm planning to review. Second Empire could hardly contrast more in tone with I, Davros but it certainly pleased my inner 9-year-old, whilst giving the actual 45-year-old me some good chuckles of recognition.
Well, if you liked The Dalek Chronicles you'll probably love Second Empire, an amazing fan-produced CGI comic strip of some seven hundred pages that gloriously hearkens back to the old comic's design aesthetic and approach. The author/illustrator - who goes by the name MechMaster - clearly has immense enthusiasm and affection for the subject, beautifully capturing the aesthetic of not just the original strip but other classic comic-strip sf of the era such as The Trigan Empire.
Second Empire is set in a continuity of its own, neither that of The Dalek Chronicles nor of Classic or New Who. These Daleks are far more human in their behaviour - they even have names - and the strip at times heads into outright parody and humour. But it's also well-written, chock-full of references, and features an amazing gamut of Dalek designs based on everything ever seen in comics or on TV (or in some cases, only in early concept art). I actually think MechMaster's rendering of the basic Dalek design is perhaps the most convincing-looking I've seen, even more so than the more realistically-rugged redesign done for New Who. (The less said of the godawful New Paradigm Daleks the better, and Second Empire even gets in a joke at their expense.)
I came across Second Empire looking for comments on a rather different Dalek-related spin-off I'm planning to review. Second Empire could hardly contrast more in tone with I, Davros but it certainly pleased my inner 9-year-old, whilst giving the actual 45-year-old me some good chuckles of recognition.
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There was a fan made CGI animated version of the Century 21 Daleks: Dalek Chronicles. I think it's unique in visual SF in being the only story that doesn't feature a single humanoid being.
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