In every installment of I Love Ya But You’re Strange I spotlight strange but ultimately endearing comic stories. Feel free to e-mail me at brianc@cbr.com if you have a suggestion for a future installment!

The other day, I did an article about how Steve Enghelart, Al Milgrom and Joe Sinnott briefly modeled Doctor Hank Pym after the famous British science fiction adventurer, Doctor Who. Reader Michael K. noted that he recalled a team-up between Power Man and Iron Fist and an ersatz Doctor Who and I figured, hey, let's spotlight that story!

The comic book was released at the end of 1982 and was written by Jo Duffy and drawn by Kerry Gammill and Ricardo Villamonte (it was edited by Denny O'Neil, which actually plays a role later on).

The issue opens with Power Man and Iron Fist marveling at the special effects for a new play starring their friend, Bob Diamond, as Professor Gamble. He fights against the evil robots known as the Dredlox (Professor Gamble, of course, is Doctor Who and the Dredlox are the Daleks)...

However, people keep getting attacked and finally, Power Man and Iron Fist figure out the truth - the Dredlox are for REAL and they're pissed!

The robots' deadly blasts send the heroes running for a nearby box store for cover...

Once inside, though, they discover that it is much larger on the inside than on the outside (just like Doctor Who's TARDIS) and they meet the REAL Professor Gamble!

When they explain to him that that is impossible, since Professor Gamble is a fictional character from a play written by Sergius O'Shaughnessy (Sergius O'Shaughnessy, of course, was the pseudonym that Denny O'Neil would use when he was just starting out in comics and working for different comic book companies at once. The name comes from a Norman Mailer play, The Deer Park). Gamble, though, just explains that he decided to write a play using his diaries and he used that name as a pen name...

The problem is that since the Professor has changed his appearance so many times over the years (just like how the Doctor is constantly reincarnated in new forms), the Dredlox believe that Bob Diamond actually IS the REAL Professor Gamble!

So the Professor needs Power Man and Iron Fist to occupy the Dredlox long enough for him to finish building a device to get rid of the Dredlox from this time.

He eventually succeeds...

But then he vanishes, along with his book store!

What a charming tribute to Doctor Who by Duffy. And Gammill really nailed the look for the Daleks! The Professor doesn't seem to be based on any specific Doctor, although perhaps the Third Doctor a bit, with the bow tie?

Thanks for the suggestion, Michael!

If anyone else has a suggestion for a future I Love Ya But You're Strange, drop me a line at brianc@cbr.com!