Book illustrations: Look Who's here

This book is finally released today, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who this month. I'm a fan of the show (though nowhere in the same league as Neil, the author of the book) so it's fun to be a very small and unofficial part of the celebrations.

This is the original drawing. Faber, the publishers, added the colour. And below is the illustration I drew for the back cover, a shelf full of mundane kitchen stuff alongside Doctor Who paraphernalia.

It's a bit small to see the detail here, but I had fun coming up with the titles of the books on the shelf, such as Cybermen Behaving Badly and The Doctor's Day Off. I'd like to read that last one, though there's no sigh of him taking a break any time soon.

For more on the original Wife in Space blog cartoons click here.

Happy Birthday, Doctor Who!

Finally made it to the Letters page

It has long been an ambition of mine to make the letters page of Private Eye, preferably in a missive from a "Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells" type, foaming at the mouth and threatening to cancel his subscription because of his anger at a cartoon. Instead, I seem to have pleased some people and moved them (right, click to enlarge). Ah well, that will have to do.

The cartoon is question is this one. [Note to Private Eye sub-editors: My surname is Robertson. I did meet someone once called Roberton -- imagine spending your life with a typo for a surname!]

Doctor Who cartoon: Goodbye Sarah Jane

This cartoon was intended as a genuine tribute to the actress Elisabeth Sladen, who died last week, rather than an exercise in humour. It appears in the current Private Eye.

I think I got the balance right -- it is intended to be moving without being too sentimental -- as I've had a positive reaction to it.

Since I drew it, I've seen similar cartoons on the web. This is inevitable with topical cartoons. Any cartoonist who sat down to think about this subject may well have thought of K-9, who was inextricably linked to Sarah Jane, Sladen's Doctor Who character. And as death is the subject it's a short logical leap to a Greyfriars Bobby scenario.

Topical cartoons are drawn quickly and sometimes mistakes are made. There is one in this cartoon. I'll give points to any Doctor Who fan, or anyone else, who spots it! Comment below if you know.

Click here to buy Royston's cartoon book

There's no escape

Top Dr Who cartoon is from Private Eye, the other unpublished.