Two of the biggest sci-fi titles of all-time — Doctor Who and Star Trek: The Next Generation — will join forces in their first officially commissioned comic-book crossover. Released by IDW Publishing, Star Trek: The Next Generation/Doctor Who: Assimilation2 will launch in May. In the eight-issue series, the Doctor and his companions will team up with Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise against an unholy alliance between the Borg and the Cybermen. Scott and David Tipton, the authors behind Star Trek: Infestation, will be assisted by Doctor Who writer Tony Lee, with artwork by J.K. Woodward.

Here’s the cover:

How disappointed will the Doctor be when he discovers the U.S.S. Enterprise is not actually bigger on the inside?

Here’s what else is going on:

• Doctor Who is set to return to production on February 20, but Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith has kept busy in the off-season. Matt, a product of the stage, is giving back to the Royal Court Theatre that gave him his first professional acting job back in 2004: he’s been named patron of the Royal Court’s Young Writer’s Festival, a showcase of new playwriting talent from around the UK.

As we love listening to this guy talk about the stage, here he is talking to The Guardian’s Andrew Dickson. Notably, at the end of interview, he talks briefly about the upcoming season of Doctor Who:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuD5JTf2jHs

• Matt also revealed, in a recent interview with the Sunday Mirror, that he’s a big fan of the director Steve McQueen, whose recent film Shame featured fellow Who alumnus Carey Mulligan, alongside Michael Fassbender: “I think Shame was brilliant and Michael magnetic in it. One day I would love to do something similar and maybe work with Steve ­McQueen.

And here’s the reason we’re telling you this. Matt continued: “Of course I would get naked for a role. I’ve got naked on stage so why not on screen?”

• And now, a romantic bit for Valentine’s Day: an entirely different Mr. Matt Smith proposed to his girlfriend at the Doctor Who Experience in London, in front of a waxwork model of his namesake. The marriage offer, which Matt had been planning for weeks (with some help from BBC Worldwide), came as a complete surprise to his girlfriend who was under the impression she was visiting the capital for a shopping trip. Here’s the video:

• And of course, romantic types won’t want to miss our smoochy Who gallery, taking a trip aboard the TARDIS of love.

• The Doctor Who Facebook page has celebrated reaching 2 million fans with a message from Matt Smith: “Doctor Who facebookers!!! All 2 million of you, thank you for your support!!!! I hope you enjoy the new season!!! We start filming very soon!!! Will keep you posted on Facebook!!!! The monsters are coming!!!!”

• We’ve heard many renditions of the Doctor Who theme. This one, from YouTube user KenneThermic, is particularly inventive. Instruments he used include ukulele, stylophone, Jewish harp, keyboard, violin, electric guitar, and kazoo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrod5-Z5A3A

• Sega America have released a “making of” video for the game, Doctor Who: Worlds in Time. Doesn’t matter if you’re a gamer or not: this video will warm the cockles of your Whovian heart(s).

• Here’s a DVD extra from The Three Doctors release, in which producers discuss William Hartnell‘s cameo in the 10th anniversary special that aired in 1972 and 1973, bringing together all three of the actors who had played the Doctor to date. Apparently, Hartnell, who played the First Doctor from 1963 to 1966, was in such declining health that producers didn’t know if he could appear, but he powered through it with some help from the crew and some script changes. (He sadly passed away in 1975, at the age of 67.)

• This week’s companion is Harry Sullivan, the action man doctor who struggled to keep up with the action man Doctor.

• Speaking of companions, here’s three of Doctor Who‘s most popular ’70s female pinups/sidekicks – Caroline John, Katy Manning, and Louise Jameson – Liz Shaw, Jo Grant and Leela – reminiscing about old times and expressing their gratitude to the series.

• And while we’re on Louise, here she is on her own: “The thing I remember most about Robots of Death is nearly killing a cameraman…”

• Second Doctor companions Frazer Hines and Deborah Watling – Jamie and Victoria – chat about goofing off on-set and causing mayhem with some ab-libs during live filming:

• And bringing the reminiscences right up to date, here’s Eve Myles speaking about wild times on the Torchwood set with “the big Barrowman”:

• And let’s end with something a little exciting. BBC America is looking for a few good Whovians in the Austin, Texas and New York City areas for “a series of short documentary pieces about a few extraordinary Doctor Who fans. Ideally these Whovians should have an interesting job/life/handcrafted TARDIS and be willing to be filmed for a day or so.”

If you fit the bill or know someone who does, email DoctorWhoDoc@gmail.com.