Author Archives
John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War" and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as 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.
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BBC Studios announce Doctor Who: The Evil of the Daleks animation, due for release 27th September 2021
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First Class! Dennis and BEANO friends mark his 70th anniversary on new set of Royal Mail stamps
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Full programme announced and tickets on sale for October’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival
The festival events programme is now online and tickets for this year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival are now on sale. More guests have been announced, joining an already star-studded line-up for the in-person weekend long celebration of comics in Kendal, Cumbria,… Read More ›
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Hibernia’s latest Fleetway Files collection revives “The Indestructible Man”
Independent publisher Hibernia Comics has just released its second Fleetway Files collection, The Indestructible Man, by Scott Goodall MBE and Jesus Blasco, first published in the short-lived JAG comic in 1968/69. Wrongly entombed in the ancient pyramids of Egypt for… Read More ›
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“Cartooning in Africa” conference in Paris aims to celebrate press freedom this weekend
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Film Rights Optioned for Bryan Talbot’s “The Tale of One Bad Rat”
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300 Contributors, 120 Stories, One World-Changing Book, out this October, delivering Stories to Save the World
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2000AD publishing plans for 45th birthday revealed: new Encyclopedia, first ever “Judge Dredd: Legends of the Law” in the works
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Bringing “Rivers of London” to comics: An exclusive interview with Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel
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Power Rangers Unlimited: Edge of Darkness #1 debuts this week
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Heritage Auctions smashes another sales record
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Josephine M.K. Edwards bewitching tale, “The Will O’The Wisp”, back in print
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New “illustrators” projects from Book Palace spotlight Edgar Rice Burroughs, Peter Jackson, Jesús Blasco, and more
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Rare, possibly unique Garth newspaper strip merchandise sighted
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Alan Austin, Britain’s first comics retailer, remembered in his own words in two new books
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Commando 60th Anniversary celebrations continue with cursed planes, an historic sequel, future war – and an origin story, too!

















