Blogtor Who: Doctor Who Magazine 490

Included here are the details and artwork for the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine, which hits the streets later this week - click on the image for a bigger version.

Doctor Who Magazine spoke to the show's executive producer and head writer, Steven Moffat, to give us a taste of what's in store over the next 12 episodes...

"Why not start with a blockbuster?” says Steven of the two-part opening story, The Magician’s Apprentice and The Witch’s Familiar. "Why leave it till the last two weeks? So yes, it’s like starting with a finale, and having a big, grand, movie-sized story, as opposed to a 45-minute story."

What does Steven like about the longer format? "It allows you to play with certain things," he replies. "There's a kind of scale that you can attain in a two-parter, that you can't have in 45 minutes. It's a scale that we're not used to at the moment, as we haven't done two-parters for quite a while. And in a way, it's sort of advertising the fact that we've got two-parters back this year. We do things in that first episode that I would say are very 'two-parter-y'."

He’s mad, bad and dangerous to know… and now, DWM has discovered the secret diary of the Master, which reveals the insane thinking behind his... er, her every scheme!

Why does nearly everyone in Doctor Who speak English? Steve Lyons investigates the mystery of universal translation throughout the history of the series – and comes to some intriguing conclusions...

Showrunner Steven Moffat answers more readers’ questions – and presents a brand new scene which explores what the Doctor called himself during the Time War...

The Fourth Doctor and Romana encounter creatures with a thirst for blood – and an ancient enemy of the Time Lords – as the The Fact of Fiction explores the 1980 story State of Decay.

Clara has a shocking reunion with her boyfriend in the brand-new comic strip adventure, Spirits of the Jungle, by Jonathan Morris, illustrated by John Ross.

The Time Team embark on a marathon viewing session as they sit down to watch David Tennant’s swansong as the Doctor, The End of Time.