Why Doctor Who’s 60th Anniversary Special Credits A Watchmen Comic Book Legend
The first of Doctor Who’s 60th-anniversary specials credits a legendary Watchmen contributor who, despite his DC fame, has also worked on Doctor Who.
WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Doctor Who’s “The Star Beast.”
Doctor Who’s first 60th-anniversary special has a strange connection to a legendary Watchmen comic legend, but his credit on the episode is definitely earned. First airing in 1963, the British sci-fi series Doctor Who has become a titan of television, with its popularity soaring after its revival in 2005. In celebration of Doctor Who‘s 60th anniversary, the franchise is premiering a series of three special anniversary episodes starring David Tennant and Catherine Tate, reprising their roles as the Doctor and Donna, respectively, the first of which ties into not only the TV series but other pieces of Doctor Who lore.
While all three specials were written by showrunner Russell T. Davies, the first special, “The Star Beast”, also includes some unique acknowledgments in its credits. Although the names in the credits might not be instantly recognizable to Doctor Who’s audience, comic book lovers might recognize one of them as one of the geniuses behind the iconic comic miniseries Watchmen. Dave Gibbons was the artist for Alan Moore’s Watchmen, resulting in one of the most influential graphic novels of all time. Beyond the world of DC Comics, Gibbons’ work also includes Doctor Who.
Dave Gibbons Worked On Doctor Who’s “The Star Beast” Comic Story
Dave Gibbons is one of the contributors to the story that the special is based on, “The Star Beast.” During the late-1970s through the early-1980s, Dave Gibbons was the lead artist for the magazine Doctor Who Weekly/Monthly. During this time, Gibbons drew the magazine’s main comic strip for issues 1-69. “The Star Beast” was one of those comics, which was drawn by Gibbons and written by Pat Mills and John Wagner.
“The Star Beast” was chosen by Russell T. Davies for Doctor Who‘s 60th-anniversary specials because he considers it “an enormously fun adventure, with an edge and a serious threat.” (via Doctor Who Magazine #567). Mills and Gibbons’ original “Star Beast” comic is also significant for the worldbuilding and lore it introduced to the Doctor Who franchise, such as the Wrath Warriors and the Meeps, making it one of Doctor Who’s most important stories. Due to Dave Gibbons’ heavy involvement in creating the original “Star Beast” story, it makes sense that the legendary Watchmen artist was credited in the Doctor Who special.
What Dave Gibbons Has Worked On (Aside From Watchmen & Doctor Who)
Although Dave Gibbons is best known for his artistic contribution to Watchmen, his notable career highlights span far beyond that project. Throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, Gibbons contributed artwork for DC, working on iconic series like Green Lantern, Superman, and Batman. Gibbons is well-known for his collaborations with Alan Moore, who he also worked with on the Superman story “For the Man Who Has Everything” and Judgement Day outside Watchmen. He has also collaborated with Daredevil writer Frank Moore in the 1990s.
While most of Gibbons’ iconic projects have been for comics, he has been involved in contributing art to other works as well. During the 1970s, Gibbons did album artwork for bands like Jethro Tull and Kula Shaker. In 2014, Gibbons was recognized for his work and appointed as the UK’s first Comic Laureate, a role that acts as an ambassador for comic books and their potential to improve literacy. Doctor Who listing Gibbons and the writers of the comic in the credits for “The Star Beast” is more than deserved and acknowledges the importance of the Doctor Who comics to the franchise’s legacy.
