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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Latest Comic Art Festival Podcast offers full LICAF Live Preview
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Comic Creator Spotlight: ComicScene editor and Tony Foster
Tony Foster produced the comic Atomic in the late 1980s and early 90s to great critical acclaim. Then he simply disappeared from comics into the world of family and work. 30 years later, after successfully editing ComicScene magazine since early 2018, he’s… Read More ›
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Howl’s This! New Anthony Petrie “Wolfman” Posters from Vice Press
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Coming Soon – Panel Borders: Ladies of the Lakes
On next week’s Panel Borders comics radio show, Alex Fitch interviews two women working in the comic book industry, in Q and As recorded at previous Lakes International Comic Art Festivals. Deborah Tate discusses her former role as editor at… Read More ›
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SHIFT, a new British strip anthology, gets launch date
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Lakes Festival Focus 2020: Cartoonist and Caricaturist Jason Chatfield
Every year, in the countdown to the Lakes International Comic Art Festival in October, this year running as the virtual LICAF LIVE, we bring you a series of interviews with both guests and participants in the Comics Clock Tower (This… Read More ›
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Crowdfunding Spotlight: Brawler #2 from Time Bomb Comics
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Meet the zombies of “Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War” (no, no, not the Lead Writer…)
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Lakes Festival Focus 2020: Illustrator and Writer Sarah McIntyre
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“MAD Magazine” may be a pale shadow of its former self, but at least, hopefully, there will be “Claptrap”!
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Now We Are Eight: Aces Weekly celebrates digital birthday
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Creepy Commandos, an SF adventure – and the new Commando Calendar out, too!
There’s something for everyone in this brand-new set of Commando comics (Issues 5371 – 5374), on sale this week from DC Thomson Media, a set that marks the debut of award-winning comics writer Colin Maxwell to the creative team: from… Read More ›
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LICAF Live reveals free online “Thinking Comics” line-up, launching next week
LICAF Live, the virtual version of the Lakes International Comic Art Festival running 9th – 11th October 2020, includes a thought-provoking “Thinking Comics” programme that promises a host of lively presentations by some of comics’ leading thinkers. Comics Laureate Hannah Berry, Elyon’s, Paul… Read More ›
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Lakes Festival Focus 2020: Cartoonist and illustrator Robert Wells
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Children’s Books and Annuals auction includes first British Mickey Mouse annual and more
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A Curious Coincidence for The Adventures of Charlotte Corday
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AirTV offers a British Comics Chat with Tim Quinn and Lew Stringer
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Who gets to get ahead in comics? Find out tonight in third online UK Comic Creator Survey debate
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Last Geek in Space podcast brings you… “Al’s Angels”!














