Titan comic covers issue 2 - another rare unseen image

Last month’s launch issue of Titan Comic’s New Adventures With The Tenth Doctor treated us to a previously unseen photo portrait.

Issue two is out this month, and aside from a number of alternative graphic art covers, there is another photo based version using another previously unseen image.

I think this image dates to a shoot done during the latter part of series four.
He is wearing the same shirt (though its hard to see the tie) and he’s holding his trusty sonic.
Also, if you look closely at David’s hair, there is a distinct single point to his fringe which seems to match.

You can buy copies of the Titan Tenth Doctor range from their website

Graphic Novels @ Titan Comics

St George by Next

Last year I showed you a tie being sold at Matalan, which was the right colour combination and a similar design to the St George by Duffer as worn by David in The Day Of The Doctor.



The following month I also came across a tie being sold by Scott Allen which used the exact same loom-weave as the Thomas Nash from The Idiot’s Lantern, but again in a radically different colour way. It was thread-for-thread the same, just in an uninspiring grey and silver.

Well today, almost a year the the day later, one of my readers was out shopping and came across something quite surprising.

Next are currently stocking a tie which is a dead ringer for The Day Of the Doctor St George by Duffer, but in a striking pink colour scheme!

This was spotted in the Portsmouth branch. It’s only £8 (compared to the £14 of the original St George tie) with the flowers in pink and lilac on a navy blue background.

Looking at it closer, the flowers are really reminiscent of the St George tie.

I wondered if they did another colour that was closer to, or fingers crossed, the same as screen-worn.

So I went into my own local branch and found the tie - in a second colour choice, but still not the dark brown and sky blue. Damn.

Once I got it how I put it alongside my St George tie and realised it IS the exact same loom-weave.

As you can see from these photos, the flowers are IDENTICAL, it is purely the colour choice that differentiates them.

This, along with the Scott Allen version of the Thomas Nash tie, makes me think that manufactures in the Far East have designs on their books which they sell to retailers who then choose what colours they want them in.

Having now seen two versions, I’m wondering if there are further colour ways. Can you help?

Do you have a branch of Next near you? Does your branch stock a tie in a closer colour match? If so, drop me a line at tennantcoat@me.com 
and share what you have found.

As an aside, I also spotted a rather creepy tea-light holder in the form of a cherub which reminded me of those in The Angels Take Manhattan.

Don’t blink!!

Titan Comic covers - ComicCon specials

The launch of Titan Comics’ New Adventures With The Tenth Doctor graphic novels series seems to have gone into overdrive, with multiple cover variants to be had.

Last month’s San Deigo ComicCon often has convention exclusives, and Titan Comics jumped on the band wagon with not one but two sets are variants.
Both versions join with the New Adventures With The Eleventh Doctor to make a single panoramic image.

The first variant has The Doctor in his blue suit, worn with the burgundy shirt and Keno tie, wielding his trusty sonic in a pose I haven’t personally seen before.

This combination relates to the series four two part story Silence In The Library.

David’s hair seems to match the composites with Alex Kingston as River Song as show here.

I think the second variant (which was only available at the BBC Shop stand) originates from the photoshoot at the start of series four with Catherine Tate’s Donna Noble.

This too is an image I don’t recall being published before - probably due to its pose being so candid in nature.

Again, if you look at David’s hair it matches the photo shown here.

FOOTNOTE

Not to be out done, Forbidden Planet in the UK had their very own variant based on the BBC Shop version.

Using the same background, it has yet another previously unpublished image from the series four photoshoot.
Note again how David’s hair matches the sample shot above.

You can buy copies of the Titan Tenth Doctor range from their website

Graphic Novels @ Titan Comics

Titan comic covers issue 1 - unseen 10th Doctor photo

I was reading some of the Doctor Who news feeds recently, and something caught my eye.

As cosplayers we are always on the look out for good quality, unembellished photo reference to get those costume details spot on.
The launch of each new series is accompanied by such images, and we pour over them for the insight they give.

Well, this month Titan Comics are launching a range of New Adventures With The Tenth Doctor graphic novels and the cover of issue one has a real nice image of David in costume - an image I don’t recall seeing before.

What we often forget is that for every image we did get to see, there is likely a dozen shots not for public view where the actor isn’t quite looking their best, or the pose just doesn’t fit with what the publicity people want us to see at that time.

The first issue has a number of alternative covers, which are all graphic based.



But for one of the covers it seems Titan Comics have gained access to some of these previously unseen photoshoot images. I hope we get some more gems on the coming issues.

Issue one has an image of David in the blue suit, with the Kenzo tie and burgundy shirt.

Aside from the glasses, this matches publicity portraits to accompany the series four two part story, Silence In The Library.

He’s in an unusual stance - maybe a little off the wall and not entirely in the style of David’s typical poses as the Tenth Doctor.




FOOTNOTE
No sooner has this first issue hit newsstands (and sold out) there is already an exclusive cover variant of the Tenth Doctor conjoining with the Eleventh Doctor to make a single, and very clever image.

Remembering that these poses are from photoshoots taken several years apart, they are very cleverly chosen to create what appears to be a single photocall with both actors together.

It has you wondering what David was leaning on to get this pose.

Again, check out his fringe and how it matches the sample shown here.

You can buy copies of the Titan Tenth Doctor range from their website

Graphic Novels @ Titan Comics

Rocha John Rocha - grab a bargain while you can!

Today I’ve got a little gem for you - if you’re a completist when it comes to the Tennant ties!

A reader has highlighted an eBay listing from a seller who trades in surplus stock.

They are selling a range of Rocha John Rocha ties, among them is the tie bought by costume designer Louise Page, but which ultimately went unused.
The unused tie then sold as part of a job lot at the Bonhams 2010 Doctor Who auction.

The tie was initially selling for £9.99 - an absolute bargain!

Mens Rocha John Rocha by Debenhams Tie - Pure Silk NEW RRP £22 - Bargain

They had a few for sale, and after being told of the Doctor Who connection, restocked with over a dozen of the ties - at the higher price of £17.99!

You can buy the tie through the original listing (above) or a new dedicated listing (below).

Mens Rocha John Rocha by Debenhams Tie - as worn by David Tennant

GAP trousers on eBay - trading up

One of my readers brought this to my attention, and we ended up doing a mutually beneficial deal.

He spotted a pair of GAP trousers on eBay and was already speaking directly to the seller to secure them.
However, they are waist 36 which is a size or two too big for my friend.
Ends up he needs a waist 32 - which I have half a dozen pairs of.
I’d be happier with a pair of waist 36 as these will give me just a bit more fabric once dissected to use to make an Ultimate Tennant Suit.

So we agreed a straight trade - his 36s for a pair of my 32s. He’s actually ended up a bit better off as mine are mint and still with labels, where as these are pre-worn.

Eitherway, we both won!

GAP Brown Men’s Trousers
with A Blue Pin Stripe 36 Waist

Gap men's trousers.

Dark brown with a blue pinstripe.
Cotton. Waist 36 length 34.
2 back pockets with buttons.
Waistband with 7 loops for a belt Zip fly with button and hooks to fasten.

Very good condition.

The Value of St George

It’s funny how a £3.99 listing can transform itself into a £99 listing overnight - when someone tells the seller the tie is desirable.

I’m sorry, but as a cosplay community, isn’t it about time we all agreed to just keep quiet?

St George by Duffer tie - £3.99 listing

****Mens Beautiful Brown with floral print ST GEORGE BY DUFFER Silk Tie****

PLEASE CHECK OUT MY OTHER DESIGNER TIES, I will combine postage (where applicable).

Sold as seen. No returns.

!!See my designer tie feedback!!

I send everything recorded delivery, so never any issues, thanks.

St George by Duffer - £99 listing

The Definitive Magnoli fabric and GAP Comparison

By Alex Murphy

I had a great time at Gallifrey One last week, and met up with some old friends, as well as some new ones I had made online in the last year.
One is Alex Murphy, who I’ve been chatting to on and off for a while.

He has recently started his own blog, and has written a very informative comparison between the Magnoli replica GAP fabric and the real deal.

The Ginger Doctor

It is reproduced here with kind permission.

There has been much speculation in the cosplay community about where to get the best-of-the-best in terms of Tenth Doctor gear. Tennant’s Doctor is extremely popular at conventions and his iconic suits and jacket are a hot commodity.

Magnoli Clothiers began offering a custom reweave of both the brown and blue suit fabrics a few years ago, which they used on their Ten suits as well as selling by the yard. But at a hefty $60 per yard, cosplayers are naturally interested to know EXACTLY what they are getting for their money. I finally bit the bullet a while ago, after observing several Magnoli suits at various conventions, and decided that even if it wasn’t totally accurate, it was a damn good replica.

So after taking a huge financial leap and having a custom tailored suit from Magnoli’s brown suit fabric, I had a stroke of good fortune – someone sold me scraps of an old pair of GAP trousers!

Putting the two on top of each other, I hope I can give everyone who’s invested in the Magnoli fabric a huge sigh of relief!

While not 100% perfect, Magnoli’s current reweave is EASILY the best available option. The stripe spacing is the biggest problem, being too wide (1/2″) between stripes (the GAP fabric is approx. 1/16″ narrower between stripes). As you can see above, the blue on the stripes is nearly perfect in color, and although the Magnoli choice in browns appear too dark, this is a nearly brand new swatch, and many of the Magnoli suits I saw at Gallifrey One this year had faded to exactly the shade of the GAP trousers after some wear. Minorly, you can see that the stripes are SLIGHTLY too wide themselves, although woven correctly.

Feeling the two in my hands, the Magnoli fabric is ever-so-slightly thicker, which I think is merely a slightly thicker yarn used in the weave, which would account for the scale problems. Magnoli’s cotton is still a wonderfully lightweight choice.

But the above picture isn’t all I have to offer!

I met a fellow Ten cosplayer at Gallifrey One, introduced by some mutual friends. You may know him from Steve Ricks’ blog, as he is the one and only Kevin Coppa!

Kevin is an absolutely wonderful person, and was gracious enough to oblige me in wearing his GAP suit next to my Magnoli suit for a true side-by-side comparison!

He was even nice enough to let me wear his suit jacket!

As you can see, you’ve really got to put the two next to each other to even notice that they aren’t the same fabric.

Hopefully this can help to ease the minds of all who have shelled out the money for the Magnoli fabric – it’s WELL worth the investment! Hopefully they can even revise the stripe spacing so that a Magnoli jacket can be worn COMPLETELY seamlessly with a pair of GAP trousers! But even so, it’s an excellent investment to make, if you were on the fence about where to throw your money.

Alex also has a great blog where he makes Doctor Who inspired cocktails!
Well worth a look.

Doctor Who Cocktails
If the TARDIS had a bar…

Giorgio Armani - secured!

I’ve just secured myself a screen accurate Giorgio Armani tie!
But to get it I used some tactics that aren’t my usual style.

Genuine Giorgio Armani Tie

This gorgeous White Label Giorgio Armani tie is 100% silk and made in Italy. The background is a subtle two-tone weave of chocolate brown and sky blue, featuring chocolate brown ovals with sky blue squares offset inside them. The two-tone weave allows the background to catch the light differently based on which way it is turned, making it appear either dusty blue or dark brown. It is lined with a chartreuse woven lining with the words GIORGIO ARMANI patterned throughout.

After Doctor Who costume designer Louise Page purchased several of these ties, it became one of the most popular and iconic of David Tennant's ties during his run as the Tenth Doctor. It was first seen in the episode Love and Monsters and was later featured in Army of Ghosts, Doomsday, Smith and Jones, The Shakespeare Code, Gridlock, Fires of Pompeii, The Family of Blood, Turn Left, The Stolen Earth, Journey’s End, and Planet of the Dead.

This tie is in MINT CONDITION! It has no flaws, snags, rips, burns, stains, or fraying. It is 57" long and is 3⅝" wide at the widest point. It has had extremely good care taken of it in non-smoking home.

This tie is EXTREMELY RARE and highly sought after by cosplayers and collectors. It may be a very long time before another one appears. If you were looking for a special detail to bring that unique authenticity to your Tenth Doctor cosplay, this is it!




SECURING THE TIE
The tie has been listed by a friend of mine who amazingly has tracked down two such ties in as many months.

He then planned to sell the spare to get some pocket money for Gallifrey One next month.

I know the seller is a collector of the Tennant ties, so I offered him a unique swap for one of my screen accurate replica Eleventh Hour Christian Lacroix ties.

He wasn’t too sure, but when I told him the full story behind how I made the tie he was convinced and we had a deal!

He closed the eBay listing and when I get to Gallifrey One we’ll do the exchange.
Suffice to say he’s very excited to get his hands on one of my ties - and I’ve added another tie to my collection.

The murder of St George

In June last year I highlighted that Dara O’Briain was was seen sporting Tennant’s 50th Anniversary St George by Duffer tie during an edition of The Apprentice - You’re Fired!

Well one of my readers has spied the same tie in this week’s edition of Midsomer Murders.
Titled Let Us Prey, the episode was first screened on 8th January 2014.

It is worn by lead star Neil Dudgeon as Detective Chief Inspector John Barnaby.
He puts the tie on around mid-episode and wears it pretty much to the end of the investigation.

As an aside the episode stars Michael Jayston, who played the Valeyard during the Trial Of A Time Lord season in 1986.

GAP trousers - one pair going spare!

Now that I have my haul of nine pairs of GAP trousers in hand - enough for TWO whole suits - I discover I actually have one pair extra that I shan’t be needing.

They are size 32 x 32, mint, still tagged and unworn.

If you are a SERIOUS buyer, do get in touch and make me an offer!

I do have a figure in my mind, below which I cannot possibly sell them for - but it’s always worth getting in touch.

Thanks for all the offers, but these trousers are now SOLD

Christmas comes early

As you may have read, I’m slowly getting my GAP trousers together to make myself an Ultimate Tennant Suit.

Progress will always be slow as these were from the summer 2005 range, so haven’t been made for years.

That said, they do turn up from time to time on eBay, or through the forums where fans trade their costumes.

The last pair I found were on eBay in September, and I had to pay £150 to secure them.

So imagine my excitement this morning to find a pair on eBay with a £15 starting price - and on a BuyItNow!
I click that CommitToBuy button quicker than I could blink.

This puts me over halfway. I already have two pairs of waist 36 and one of waist 34, so these 32s will be forming the sleeves of my suit - when I can get on to making it!

It was only after that I checked their size - waist 32 - and noticed they were still tagged, so had never been worn!

I then started to write-up this entry you’re reading and was pulling in the description text from the listing, when I actually bothered to read it properly!

HERE WE HAVE BRAND NEW WITH TAGS GAP TROUSERS SIZE 32 X 32 INCHES I HAVE 1 PAIR SIZE 34 X 32 PLEASE REQUEST THIS SEPARATELY GAP SELLING PRICE £39.50. GRAB YOURSELF A BARGAIN WHICH SHIP IMMEDIATELY POSTAGE OR COLLECTION NOT A PROBLEM LIVERPOOL MANY THANKS

So this means there are actually TWO pairs on offer through this auction!
This will make FIVE pairs of GAP trousers - just one short of a suit!


I contacted the seller straight away to check he still had them and to make an offer for them. I gave him my number and within a few minutes I had a rather gob-smacking text.

Sorry? Hold on a minute. What was that????

We have gone from ONE pair (which would be great) to TWO pairs (which is even better) to a staggering EIGHT pairs??!!! E-I-G-H-T????

It wasn’t that I didn’t believe him - but I did want to see and confirm what we were talking about, so I asked him to text me a photo of all eight pairs.

And there they are - all EIGHT pairs - all mind and still tagged, unworn.
We agreed the price; I paid my money; and will be getting them very soon.

I do not want to be looking a gift horse in the mouth, but it’s a shame they are all waist 32. At least I have a couple of 36s to cover the larger panels of the suit when it comes to it.

This will put my tally to ELEVEN pairs - more than enough for my suit which I can’t wait to get on to making in the new year.

You can’t imagine how excited I am to finally complete this first stage of making the suit.

It’s like Christmas has come early!!!

UPDATE
Just to clarify, none of these trousers are for sale. I am using them to make myself a suit, and potentially for one lucky client in the future.
The begging letter have started and will be ignored. Sorry.