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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Rare Ron Embleton UFO posters up for grabs
The official Gerry Anderson web site is currently offering limited copies of a rare facsimile UFO poster featuring art by comics legend Ron Embleton, inspired by the much-loved SFTV live action series
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Power Players readies for Cartoon Network launch, action figures announced
Flair – one of the UK’s top ten toy companies – is powering up its boy’s portfolio in summer 2020 with the addition of the Power Players master toy line, based on a new action-comedy animation series created by Zag… Read More ›
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Paul Fry, David Michelinie and Stuart Moore join Portsmouth Comic Con 2020 line-up
Portsmouth Comic Con – International Festival of Comics returns to the south coast on Saturday 2nd and and Sunday 3rd May, with top US comic creators David Michelinie and Stuart Moore and British comics artist Paul Fry just announced as… Read More ›
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Riverdale High’s autistic student Scarlet returns in a new comic with a Royal flavour!
Archie Comics Co-CEO Nancy Silberkleit has just launched another of her “Kindness Works Comics” featuring Scarlet, an autistic student at Riverdale High – a project with a royal connection that almost got taken over by recent events surrounding Prince Harry… Read More ›
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Webfind: Michael Kaluta’s unpublished strip for “Web of Horror “ – America’s nightmare magazine!
Web of Horror was an anthology horror comic published by Long Island-based Major Publications in the United States between 1969 to 1970. It ran for just three issues – but material from an unpublished fourth issue by some top comic artists is out there…
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Forbidden Planet “Death’s Head” Mega Signing Announced
Marking Marvel’s publication of their new Death’s Head: Freelance Peacekeeping Agent collection, the Forbidden Planet Megastore in London have arranged a mega signing event on on Saturday 29th February from 1 – 2.00pm. Signing at the event will be Death’s… Read More ›
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2000AD unveils its graphic novels for 2020, offering Slaine, Strontium Dog and much more
From folk horror to sci-fi fantasy mash-ups, from new series to old favourites – 2000AD’s graphic novel schedule for 2020 is a high-octane blast of the very best in comics. This year’s list combines the best of 2000AD’s newest output… Read More ›
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Canterbury’s The Beaney to host “Comics: Explore and Create Comic Art” touring exhibition
Canterbury’s The Beaney is the latest venue to host Comics: Explore and Create Comic Art, a family-friendly touring exhibition from Seven Stories, exploring the wonderful world of comics next month. Opening at The Beaney during February half term, Comics: Explore… Read More ›
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Danger Mouse, Forest 404 writers honoured in 2020 Writers’ Guild Awards
Writers behind some of last year’s most critically acclaimed works have been honoured at the 2020 Writers’ Guild Awards ceremony, including Danny Brocklehurst, Shola Amoo, Season Butler, Gillian Juckes and Jimmy McGovern. Awards also went to the writers of the Danger Mouse animated series, the… Read More ›
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Oozing Talent, new volume of Aces Weekly is up, running and blasting from your nearest screen!
Volume 43 of digital comics anthology Aces Weekly is running now – a seven-week, seven-part voyage of wonder offering a global reach of terrific talent including Chris Geary, Jok LP, Carlos Pascoa, Rodolfo Santullo, Anthony Smith, Ben Bernard-Smith, Tobias Taitt… Read More ›
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John Russell Fearn’s SF, including Golden Amazon stories, back in print
If you’ve been enjoying the adventures of the Golden Amazon, drawn by Ron Turner, in Spaceship Away, then you may be interested to know that a number of novels starring the warrior space heroine written by John Russell Fearn are… Read More ›
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In Memoriam: SF author Mike Resnick
Author Lou Anders pays tribute to award-winning American science fiction writer and editor Michael Diamond Resnick, whose death on 10th January 2020 was announced by his daughter Laura last week after battling cancer. A much-loved creator, he won five Hugo… Read More ›
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Don’t miss out on this limited edition Airfix calendar!
The Airfix Collectors’ Club has produced their Airfix Vintage Calendar for 2020 featuring 13 Airfix box top paintings by Eagle and Swift artist Roy Cross
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Reality TV takes a grisly turn in Markosia’s “Stay Alive”
Coming soon from Markosia is Stay Alive, a new graphic novel created and written by James Harberson and Mackie Wildwood, pencilled, inked and coloured by Stephen Baskerville
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Limited edition Wally Wood exhibition catalogue now available to order from Festival International de la Bande Dessinée d’Angoulême
Three of the major exhibitions at this year’s Festival International de la Bande Dessinée d’Angoulême in France are accompanied by a substantial, deluxe, limited-edition hardcover catalogues, including the Wallace “Wally” Wood exhibition
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Crowdfunding Spotlight: The Penned Guin – Vision by Alan Henderson
Just launched on Kickstarter is a campaign for a print edition of the wonderfully silly, critically-acclaimed comic strip The Penned Guin by Alan Henderson, an all new collection titled Vision, comprising of the daily cartoons that appeared on-line throughout 2019…. Read More ›
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Brian Bolland’s iconic “Amazing Heroes” Judge Dredd cover included in ComicLink auction next month
Published in 1984, Fantagrahics Amazing Heroes magazine (#52), ran a Judge Dredd cover by Brian Bolland which on publication promoted a “European Invasion” of US comics – and the art itself is up for auction next month at ComicLink
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New Essential Judge Dredd graphic novel line launches in September
The ultimate introduction to the ultimate lawman – Essential Judge Dredd – launches this September
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ComicScene Announces upcoming Comic Creators Directory
How would you like to be in the new ComicScene Comic Creators Directory in 2020? It’s free for creators to do so from UK, Ireland, Europe, the United States, Australia and Canada
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Latest Doctor Who Magazine “Deluxe Edition offers “Past Masters” comics treat!
The Deluxe Edition of the latest issue of Doctor Who Magazine, out now in WHSmith stores in a card-backed envelope, has a fantastic “bonus item” for comic strip fans in the form of a 32-page “Past Masters” collection, reprinting strips… Read More ›