About TARBIS
Time and Relative Blackness in Space is an exploration of speculative fiction from a Black AF perspective. Though the properties it covers may not always represent Black experiences, or speak to Blackness specifically, TARBIS will always center the perspectives of Black folks. Black TARDIS succeeds Who Watch, and continues to cover Doctor Who under TARBIS. TARBIS will take various forms, such as blogs and podcasts, and will cover speculative fiction from multiple mediums.
The Past
Black TARDIS was originally conceived by LaShaunda & Nicole as a space for Black fans of Doctor Who to commiserate and find community, outside of the larger fandom, which was overwhelmingly white and unwelcoming.
They’d built and began to cultivate their community, but later realized they lacked the time and resources necessary to maintain it. They also lost interest in the show to varying degrees. And because they lacked the emotional investment to put in the effort such a community deserves, they decided to shut it down.
Years later, with LaShaunda’s blessing, Black TARDIS relaunched under the stewardship of Nicole, as a blog by and for Black Doctor Who fans and other Whovians of color. It has been solely maintained by Nicole for several years, serving as a personal exploration of Doctor Who from their Black, queer perspective. But Black TARDIS was never meant to belong to one person.
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Who Watch: Time and Relative Blackness in Space (TARBIS) was a Doctor Who aftershow podcast, where rotating members of Black Nerds Create recapped and discussed episodes of the show. Black TARDIS was a tumblr blog/community for Black Whovians that (d)evolved into a nebulous social media entity critiquing and kiki’ing about the Whoniverse. Independently, but concurrently. Black TARDIS and Who Watch became voices for Black Doctor Who fandom, and created space and community for BIPOC fans of Doctor Who. Both coexisted, intersected, and shared in enjoyment—and critique—of Doctor Who and its fandom. Niq eventually joined BNC, and became a cohost of Who Watch themself, blurring the line between Black TARDIS and Who Watch.
The Present
After ten years of creation and critical fandom, the book of Black Nerds Create is closed. And while BNC has written its final chapter as an organization, its legacy remains and its work continues. The keys to TARBIS were handed to Niq. TARBIS—Time and Relative Blackness in Space—has expanded to cover speculative fiction across different mediums. Black TARDIS continues to explore Doctor Who under the TARBIS umbrella.
The Vision
TARBIS will explore speculative fiction, including Doctor Who, from a Black AF perspective. TARBIS will publish articles and reviews by BIPOC fans and critics, and feature art and cosplay by BIPOC creators. TARBIS will accept submissions from BIPOC fans who want to contribute or have their work featured on the site. Creators of color will be able to work with one another on projects, podcasts, and more. TARBIS will cultivate a community that exists across multiple platforms, which will offer various ways for fans of color to connect and collaborate.
The Reality
TARBIS is maintained by one person, and will require additional support to reach its full potential. If you are interested in contributing to or working with Niq for TARBIS x Black TARDIS, please reach out.
The Person
Nicole is an escapist, and lover of fiction in all its mediums. They are often engrossed in stories, some they create themselves. They write commentary and critique about film, television, and popular culture and have been published on Nerdist, Den of Geek, and Black Girls Nerds Create. They can be found on Twitter, opining about their current binges, and blogging at Delete This When I’m Dead.
Learn more about them at niqfury.com.
Who Watch
Black Nerds Create Who Watch: Time and Relative Blackness in Space (TARBIS) spans five seasons, and covers Doctor Who from series 10 to 14. It includes special Blue Ballot Box episodes where the audience voted on topics for the hosts to discuss. The original Who Watch will remain available to listen to on Spotify and wherever you get your pods!