1980 was a year that found Doctor Who Weekly trying to build on its success whilst having the rug pulled from under it. Financial constraints during the middle of the year forced it to become predominately comic-strip orientated, as there was no money to pay writers for features! Out of this chaos came memorable comic strip adventures for the Doctor. Most notably with Beep the Meep in The Star Beast, but also including the Sontarans in Dragons Claw and even his earlier selves in Time-slip. The Doctor also gained a comic strip companion, in the shape of Blackcastle schoolgirl Sharon. Meanwhile readers were signing up for U.N.I.T. membership, and building models of K-9... The biggest change would come in Issue 45 with the change to monthly publication and a change of name to Doctor Who Monthly