Publication Information
Author: Terrance Dicks
Cover artist: Mike Little / Mike Little (1978) / Alister Pearson (1991) / Harry Hunt (Junior) / Penichoux (Garancière)
Illustrations: Peter Edwards (Junior)
Publishing date: 23rd June 1977 Episode Information
TV serial: The Brain of Morbius
Writer: Terrance Dicks (writing as Robin Bland)
Transmission dates: 3rd - 24th January 1976 Fact and Findings
Despite appearances (the credits role with one Robin Bland), Terrance Dicks wrote the original script of Morbius, although it was heavily reworked by Robert Holmes.
Classic chapter title - A Graveyard of Spaceships (but only 1/12 on the exclamation-ometer!)
First edition cover price - 60p
Later editions were numbered 7 in the Doctor Who library.
The original edition was published by W. H. Allen / Wyndham. Reprinted in 1978 (W. H. Allen / Wyndahm, yellow background cover, 60p), 1979, 1981 and 1982 (W. H. Allen, £1.35). It was completely rejacketed by Virgin in January 1991 and re-released as Doctor Who - The Brain of Morbius, priced £2.50. The ISBN throughout was 0 426 11674 7.
A hardback edition was also released in June 1977.
In 1980, Terrance Dicks wrote an (even) simpler version of the novel, published as Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius - A Junior Doctor Who Book (the title given on the cover is not consistent with the title inside) on 13th November 1980 (ISBN 0 426 20063 2, 85p). It was originally due for release in July 1978 but was put back in the schedules on more than one occasion. The book contained illustrations by Peter Edwards and was of a slightly larger format than the standard Target releases. It ran to 80 pages. Doctor Who and the Giant Robot received a similar treatment. In the mid-to-late eighties, surplus stock of the junior edition had their covers removed and replaced with a blue version / neon logo cover. This reissue was priced £1.60.
In May 2002, BBC Books published a prequel to The Brain of Morbius. Written by original script writer Terrance Dicks, Warmonger saw the Fifth Doctor and Peri do battle with Dr Solon and Morbius. Dicks also managed to squeeze Maren, the Sisterhood, Draconians and Sontarans into the mix. The book cost £5.99 and had ISBN 0 563 53852 X. Cover Data
For the 1978 reprint, the original cover by Mike Little was altered slightly. The red background was replaced by yellow and the font colouring changed accordingly. This version of the cover saw out the 1980s and was replaced by Alister Pearson's artwork in the 1991. This final version of the cover used the same artwork as the unedited BBC Video release.
The cover for the Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius - A Junior Doctor Who Book was altered in the mid-1980's when the logo was changed to the Davison neon style and the background was turned blue. The actual pages inside were the same - simply a new cover glued around the old interior. Foreign Editions
The novel was translated into French as Docteur Who - Le cerveau de Morbius, published by Éditions Garancière as part of their Igor et Grichka Bogdanoff présentent... series. It was released in June 1987, ISBN 2.7340.0219.1. The translation was by Francine Mondolini, and the adaptation was by Corine Derblum. It was number 5 in a series of 8. UK Editions
The Target editions were published as follows:
1977, 23rd June (first edition, W. H. Allen, Little red background cover, black curve logo, yellow spine, colour Target, Wyndham W on back, ISBN 0 426 11674 7, 60p)*
1978, 19th October ("second impression", W. H. Allen, Little yellow background cover, black curve logo, white spine, colour Target, Wyndham W on back, ISBN 0 426 11674 7, 60p)*
1979 (W. H. Allen, ISBN 0 426 11674 7)
1980, 24th January (W. H. Allen, ISBN 0 426 11674 7, 75p)
1981 (W. H. Allen, Little yellow background cover, black curve logo, white spine, colour Target, ISBN 0 426 11674 7, 95p)*
1982 (W. H. Allen, Little yellow background cover, black curve logo, white spine, colour Target, ISBN 0 426 11674 7, £1.35)*
1984 (W. H. Allen, ISBN 0 426 11674 7, £1.35)
1987 (using 1984 contents, W. H. Allen, Little yellow background cover, black curve logo, white numbered spine, outline Target, ISBN 0 426 11674 7, £1.95)*
1991, January (retitled Doctor Who - The Brain of Morbius, Virgin, Pearson cover, McCoy banner, dark blue numbered spine, outline Target, ISBN 0 426 11674 7, £2.50)*
* copy in site owner's personal collectionMiscellaneous
Author
TERRANCE DICKS
Junior
Why do spaceships crash on the remote planet of Karn?
Why is the evil Solon creating a monster in his secret laboratory?
Why does the witch-like Sisterhood hate and fear intruders?
The Doctor and Sarah must find the answers or lose their lives like the other victims of this terrifying planet.
Due to popular demand, Terrance Dicks has rewritten this DOCTOR WHO story especially for 5 to 8 year olds.
Dicks wrote an simpler version of the novel, published as Doctor Who and the Brain of Morbius - A Junior Doctor Who Book (the cover title is not consistent with the title inside) on 13th November 1980 (ISBN 0 426 20063 2, 85p). Originally due for release in July 1978, it was put back in the schedules on more than one occasion. The 80-page book contained illustrations by Peter Edwards and was of a slightly larger format than the standard Target releases. Doctor Who and the Giant Robot received a similar treatment.
Cover artist: Harry Hants
1980 Target edition
Countries
France
Un milliard d'admirateurs à travers le monde!
Seigneur du Temps, héros de l'Éternité, le Docteur Who connaît aujourd'hui une fantastique popularité. Le succès inégalé de la série télévisée qui lui a donné naissance, la fascination qu'il exerce sur un immense public à travers plus de cent pays contribuent à faire de ce personnage un véritable mythe pour la premiere fois révélé en France.
Débarqué dans le monde hallucinant de l'infâme docteur Solon, le Docteur Who par-viendra-t-il à temps a déjouer les projets funestes du cerveau fou?
The novel was translated into French as Docteur Who - Le cerveau de Morbius, published by Éditions Garancière as part of their Igor et Grichka Bogdanoff présentent... series. It was released in June 1987, ISBN 2.7340.0219.1. The translation was by Francine Mondolini, and the adaptation was by Corine Derblum. It was number 5 in a series of 8. The sixth book was Docteur Who - Le masque de Mandragore.
Cover artist: Jean-François Penichoux
1987 Éditions Garancière