Vworp Vworp The Dr Who Fanzine

Absolm Daak - Dalek Chainsword Massacre Strip

Absolm Daak - Dalek Chainsword Massacre Strip

Back when we drew up our initial wish lists in the early days of Vworp Vworp!, one name was never far from the very top.

We would have moved mountains for the chance to speak to Steve Dillon, the artist who would go on to global acclaim for his work on Preacher and the Punisher had enjoyed success in the first issues of Doctor Who Weekly.

Aged just 16, his work on Abslom Daak and Kroton: Soul of a Cyberman ranks amongst some of the best work ever seen in British Comics before or since.

So when the chance finally came in 2010, it was not one to be wasted. What started out as a brief chat, turned into an evening with Steve in his local in Luton, the Bricklayers Arms. It was an honour to get his thoughts on these early strips in Vworp Vworp, strips for which he had a huge affection and love, as Steve recounted to us that balmy evening in Luton.

VV: Is it really a fun thing when you get a script and the first thing you read is 'Abslom Daak: Dalek Killer'?

SD: Until you draw the Daleks.

VV: How much of a pain were they to draw?

SD: It’s because they’re so detailed. And you’ve also got to know your audience on this one. It’s like, people who are buying Doctor Who stuff know a lot about Doctor Who. Basically the Daleks look the same. Even the new ones in the recent series, they didn’t change that much. Maybe they’re not allowed to.

So, no, the people who know what they’re talking about will look at these Daleks and know if I’ve got it wrong. It’s not like if I draw a New York police department police car and I get it a bit wrong. Only a New York copper would worry about that, you know, or unless someone’s really really autistic about it.

VV: So what do you think of the Abslom Daak stuff now? I know you say there’s always things you’d change, but he’s quite a timeless guy, you know.

SD: It’s one of the favourite things that I did, to this day because in terms of the superhero-y stuff I’ve done, it’s where I did get it right. There’s a bit of Conan in there; the science-fiction-y bits. I was a science fiction fan really, before getting into superheroes.

I used to watch Doctor Who as a kid, like most kids, and hide behind the sofa. Jon Pertwee was the first one that stuck in my head, but my favourite one was Tom Baker. Really, that’s when I started drawing Doctor Who stuff. Just because he was completely mad.

This is one of my favourite pages that I ever drew, still to this day.

You can read the whole interview in VWORPVWORP! 1 & 2 collected Order your copy here.