More than anything else, comics sell on their covers, but which ones stick most in your mind in your years of collecting? For me, there are plenty, but here are just a few that caught my attention at an early… Read More ›
Month: June 2018
Let’s show writers Leah Moore and John Reppion some comics community support
Leah Moore and John Reppion are two talented and, usually, hard working British comic book writers, perhaps best known for their work on 2000AD, their Sherlock Holmes titles for Dynamite Entertainment and Damsels – but right now, they could do… Read More ›
Out This Week: the 2000AD Sci-Fi Special 2018
This Wednesday (20th June) sees the release of the latest 2000AD Sci-Fi Special, crammed with new strips featuring Judge Anderson, Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper and more. This edition is entirely created by women – from writers to artists, colourists to… Read More ›
Original Frank Hampson studio reference material used to create “Dan Dare” for sale
Rare original reference material from Frank Hampson’s Dan Dare studio, including Astronomical Photographs, are currently for sale on eBay. These boards of “Astronomical Photographs”, which come from Frank Hampson’s estate, were reference files from his Dan Dare studio. As with… Read More ›
In Review: “Knocked out and Loaded” by Michael Jantze
By Michael Jantze Out: Now Includes a gallery of “Norm” inspired art by creators including Sergio Aragones, Jim Borgman, Chris Eliopoulos, Norman Feuti, Paul Gilligan, Rick Kirkman, Kelly McNutt, Joe Murray, Mark Parisi, Lincoln Peirce, Jerry Scott, and many more Young professionals include… Read More ›
Countdown to ELCAF 2018 – Publisher Spotlight: Centrala Books
The East London Comics Art Festival (ELCAF) is the sort of open marketplace that you can find comics of all different hues. There is much to be tasted visually over the weekend and it is always worth stepping out of… Read More ›
Look Alive, London! Here’s some rare dinosaur invasion art by Don Lawrence
Regular readers of downthetubes will recall we previously covered the short-lived replacement to Look and Learn, Look Alive, highlighting an early appearance of the Alan Grant penned story “The Chronicles of Genghis Grimtoad”, drawn for the title by Angus McBride,… Read More ›
VIZ’s Davey Jones in the publicity spotlight (even if he doesn’t want to be)
I’ve known ace VIZ cartoonist Davey Jones since the 1980s, back when he contributed some of his amazing early strips to a fanzine I published (a chaotic assemblage with inconsistent numbering and format sizes, including one edition that literally, physically… Read More ›
George Herriman’s “Krazy Kat”: First Appearances
George Herriman was an American cartoonist, best known for the influential comic strip “Krazy Kat” – but did you know its much appreciated characters sprang from an entirely different strip? Harriman established a name for himself as a much in… Read More ›
ELCAF 2018 Creator Spotlight: Andy Poyiadgi
Here’s another feature with some ideas for which comic creators you need to look for at the East London Comics Art Festival (ELCAF) 2018 next weekend … Do you like drinking tea? (Told you.) Do you like big ideas told… Read More ›
Frank Bellamy featured in latest “Hot Lead” magazine
Justin Marriott publishes a series of terrific fanzines through Amazon’s Createspace service which are primarily dedicated to vintage paperbacks, but often cross over into comics material. The latest example of this is Hot Lead, which although mainly focused on vintage… Read More ›
In Review: Glorious Wrestling Alliance – Grappling Road by Josh Hicks
Created by Josh Hicks The Story: The Wrestling foundation is gathered to listen to an announcement of Ricky Lovett Jr, the CEO of the Glorious Wrestling Foundation. He is telling them that they are going old school, mostly as a… Read More ›
Countdown to ELCAF 2018 – Get Excited!
As if this summer hadn’t already been a cracking time for UK comics fans with events like the Cardiff Independent Comics Expo (report here) and Lawgiver (report here) just only popping into our rear view mirrors, next up is the East London… Read More ›
Matt Garvey chats about writing comics and more on latest Lakes International Comic Art Festival podcast
Comics writer Matt Garvey is the guest on the latest Lakes International Comic Art Festival podcast. He’s written a whole host of comics including The Either, Chunks, White Noir and The Devil in Disguise. Hosts Ian Loxam and Nikki Bates talk… Read More ›
Kaboom! Comics arrive at Preston’s Harris Museum, launch event next Saturday!
Love Comics? This is your chance to enjoy an eclectic mix of original comic art that will impress and inspire most comics’ fans, with a free exhibition of comic art at Preston’s Harris Museum in Lancashire, brought to the city… Read More ›
In Pictures: Treasury of British Comics Exhibition – Orbital Comics, London
Here’s a few snaps from the Treasury of British Comics exhibition currently on at Orbital Comics in central London. The art is being exhibited courtesy of 2000AD publisher Rebellion Publishing in a celebration of their imprint, The Treasury of British Comics. Rebellion have been lovingly… Read More ›
In Review: Murder Most Mundane
Writers: Ash Deadman and Matt Hardy Art: Clark Bint Colours: Edward Bentley Letters: Rob Jones Publisher: Mad Robot Comics The Book: Everyone loves a murder mystery… but how many murders are too many? Welcome to Fadfield – a tranquil, idyllic village where… Read More ›
In Pictures: NoBrow’s “Studio Dreams” at the SPACE Gallery, Hackney
I have to admit that few things these days get me to head into London’s East End, an area that I spent a lot of time in during the late 1980s and early 90s. A place that was an altogether… Read More ›
Cover Reveal: Posy Simmonds’ new graphic novel, Cassandra Drake, out in November
Here’s the cover of Posy Simmonds‘ much-anticipated new graphic novel, coming out from Jonathan Cape Graphic Novels on 1st November 2018, titled Cassandra Drake. Comics guru Paul Gravett tells us he’s been lucky enough to read the first half and… Read More ›
When Alan Moore wrote football comics…a look back at Marvel UK’s “Not the World Cup: The Official Souvenir Brochure”
downthetubes contributor and comics archivist Richard Sheaf has shared plenty of strange British comic one shots and short-lived titles over on his brilliant Boys Adventure Blog, and while his recent coverage of Gilbert’s Fridge intrigued, I think it’s more than… Read More ›