The latest issue of Book and Magazine Collector, issue 294, is now available and has a selection of interesting articles. David Ashford and Norman Wright’s Great British Comic Artists series hits number 28 with Philip Mendoza who worked for Thriller… Read More ›
Month: April 2008
Thunderbirds Specsavers Ad
(Updated 11 April): Now being screened in the UK is this fun Thunderbirds-inspired advertisement for Specsavers featuring an updated Virgil Tracy and The Hood in a mini adventure to promote their Specsavers Reaction lenses. The advertisement was shot using the… Read More ›
Friday Fun: Unsold SciFi Pilots
After getting a phone call from a TV producer this week seeking comics that could be adapted for TV – and suggesting a few British independents and UK publishers he should try — it seems it’s TV pilot pitching season… Read More ›
More Local Heroes Events In Edinburgh
The National Library of Scotland have released details of more free events to tie-in with their Local Heroes exhibition on the art of graphic novels. In addition to the events already mentioned here on downthetubes, two more talks plus two… Read More ›
William, not Billy the Cat
The Beano‘s Billy the Cat artist Nigel Dobbyn tells us he has completed his script for his Victorian-style Billy the Cat adventure “William the Cat”, a ten page strip will appear in the Beano Annual 2010 (out in 2009). “I’m… Read More ›
In Memoriam: Terry Maloney
Over on Bear Alley, Steve Holland has just paid tribute to writer and illustrator Terry Maloney, who died on 16 March 2008, aged 90. In the 1930s, Maloney joined the Communist Party and renounced his Catholic upbringing and the church… Read More ›
By Sea, By Land, By Air: An Interview with Calum Laird
This interview was first published on 9th April 2008 on downthetubes and was merged with this blog in 2013. First published in 1961 Commando is Britain’s last war comic. Indeed, of those British comics that many of us grew up with,… Read More ›
By Sea, By Land, By Air
First published in 1961 Commando is Britain’s last war comic. Indeed, of those British comics that many of us grew up with, only the ubiquitous Dandy and Beano are older – however, since there are eight Commandos a month, its… Read More ›
Eagle Awards voting begins
Voting for the 2007 Eagle Awards is open now at the Eagle Awards site. The Awards will be presented in May at the Bristol International Comic Expo on the 10th May 2008. While downthetubes is not one of the comic… Read More ›
Every Letter Printed Wins A T-Shirt!
…is how the editor of The Victor, James Halley, enticed his readers to write into the comic’s letters page, Tupper’s Talk-In. The Tough Of The Track was runner Alf Tupper who of course mixed competitive running with eating fish and… Read More ›
Leicester Has A Hero
The winner of the Hero for Leicester competition – part of the Blam! comics season organised by Leicester library earlier this year which included appearances by Bryan Talbot and others – was Fox Spirit by Giles Meakin. Eight entries were… Read More ›
Live Star Wars Art and Competition
It’s the biggest team-up in UK SF: Forbidden Planet and the Sci-Fi-London Film Festival are joining forces with the 501st UK Garrison to bring you live Star Wars Urban Art, from the Forbidden Planet Megastore, 179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London between… Read More ›
ITV seeks Sanctuary
Trade magazine Broadcast reports ITV4 has secured broadcasting rights to the first season of Sanctuary, a new show starring Stargate-SG1 and Stargate: Atlantis star Amanda Tapping, which started life recently as Internet webisodes. The 20-minute web pilot gained more than… Read More ›
Blogging Till You Drop…
The New York Times reports some professional bloggers complain of physical and emotional strain created by an Internet economy that demands a constant stream of news and comment. It’s worst, apparently, for tech bloggers but let’s be honest, sedentary jobs… Read More ›
London Comics Exhibition
London’s independent book distributor bookartbookshop is hosting an exhibition of comics this month from London Underground Comics and the Camden Comics Stall. Regular titles such as Modern Monstrosity, Summer Ball Tongue of the Dead, Monkeys might Puke, Ninja Bunny and… Read More ›
Alan Davis’ new CI Cover
Courtesy of Comics International editor Mike Conroy, downthetubes is one of the first sites to be able to post a sneak peek of Alan Davis’ stunning cover for Issue 206 of the comics news magazine. The issue includes a competition… Read More ›
Solar Wind Collected
The Bumper Book of Solar Wind, a two-volume collection of all of the issues of the award-winning and very funny Solar Wind and its equally madcap companion titles, are now available from Lulu.com thanks to publisher and editor Paul Scott…. Read More ›
Sound of Drowning #11 On Sale Now
The Sound of Drowning #11 from creator Paul O’Connell is out now and available from eponymous web site priced just £3. The issue includes strips such as ‘The Optician’, ‘Mexican Surgery’ and Daze: The Post Apocalyptic Avon Lady in Happy… Read More ›
The Kitten Problem
Garfield animated cartoon writer Mark Evanier (also writer of the brilliant Groo comic and more) is having a hard time trapping a stray cat he’s (sort of) adopted — as much as you can adopt any cat. His aim is… Read More ›
Woo Who! Another Hugo?
Can we drag you away from last night’s interminably cute Adipose (and how much do you want to bet that a few of them missed getting picked up by the mother ship and will turn up on Sarah Jane Adventures?)… Read More ›