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20 Years and Counting – Thank You for supporting downthetubes!

By John Freeman on October 12, 2018

As I prepare to head northwards to this year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival, in Kendal, I’d just like to thank all our readers for their support as we celebrate 20 years of downthetubes. We wouldn’t be here without you!

My thanks also, to the amazing team of both regular and guest writers who work on this site, some of them also at the Festival. A shout out here in particular for Jeremy Briggs (you’ll be missed this weekend!), and many writers and artists, including Matt Badham, Tony Esmond, Joe Gordon, Colin Noble, Nick Miller, Wamberto Nicomedes, Tymbus Robins, Richard Sheaf, Smuzz, Bill Storie, Holly Rose Swinyard and Ian Wheeler – faces old and new!

Neither would we be here without the support of comic creators worldwide, publishers, media companies, occasional advertisers and many, many other people (most especially, my long-suffering partner, who remains bemused by my love of comics).

The early days of downthetubes

It’s been an incredible journey, from humble beginnings as a few pages on a personal web site back in 1998, through to today’s site with its “micro hub” off shoots dedicated to strips such as “Charley’s War” and Action, both delivered with thanks to Moose Harris, with a salute to the late Neil Emery and with thanks to Rebellion Publishing and Pat Mills.

We have some big plans ahead for downthetubes, with a new look in the works and additional content strands planned.

We’re working, for example, on the launch of a new imprint, Crucible Comic Press, with the aim of publishing new graphic stories; and we continue to offer editorial and promotional support to a variety of companies and individual creators, all of which helps fund the downthetubes project.

Exciting times ahead!

If you are at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival in Kendal this weekend, please do come along and say hello – apart from chairing two panels on Saturday, one with Cam and Ian Kennedy and the other with Bryan and Mary Talbot, you should find me at my table in the Comics Clock Tower in the Town Hall, alongside B7 Media, producers of the Dan Dare Audio Adventures I work on as Creative Consultant.

I’ll have a variety of old British comics on sale at very reasonable prices, Issue Three of Comic Scene (and back issues, too), plus copies of Pedantic Stan, created with Lew Stringer, and a few other bits and bobs.

I can’t emphasise enough how much I appreciate the support of readers. Thank you – there’s much more to come!

John Freeman – October 2018

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.