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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Beano’s Britain’s Funniest Class Revealed after nationwide joke challenge
Foxes class from Castlewood Primary in Horsham, West Sussex have today been revealed as the winners of Beano’s Britain’s Funniest Class national joke competition. Their joke, “At the bank a lady asked me to check her balance, so I pushed… Read More ›
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Tintin in the Land of the Soviets cover art sells for $1.12 million
The very first original cover art featuring the beloved comic character Tintin, Hergé’s The Adventures of Tintin Volume 1: Tintin in the Land of the Soviets, sold for more than $1.12 million by Heritage Auctions on Saturday, 8th June, in… Read More ›
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Tammy & Jinty Special 2019 Cover and line-up Reveal, Forbidden Planet Signing announced
Rebellion have revealed the cover of their eagerly-awaited Tammy & Jinty Special by Roy of the Rovers artist Lisa Henke, and more information on the content has now been revealed via Rebellion direct – and in an interview with editor Lizzie Boyle and writer Rob Williams conducted by Stephen Jewell online, ahead of coverage by Richard Bruton for the next issue of Comic Scene
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Coming Soon to Radio 4: The Jon Pertwee File
Designer Stuart Manning, perhaps best known for his stunning Doctor Who posters and promotional work has co-produced a new radio documentary with Sean Pertwee celebrating the centenary of the Third Doctor and his childhood hero, the brilliant Jon Pertwee
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“Bookmarks” cartoon exhibition opens at Westminster Reference Library
Bookmarks, an exhibition of cartoons on the theme of books, literature and libraries drawn by the UK’s finest and funniest cartoonists, is running now at London’s Westminster Reference Library until 22nd June 2019.
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In Memoriam: Star Trek artist Keith Birdsong
There have been a number of tributes to acclaimed Star Trek artist Keith Birdsong, renowned for his photorealistic renderings of Star Trek actors, who passed away on 4th June 4 2019, the result of injuries sustained in an earlier car… Read More ›
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French “Summer Adventures” comics campaign highlights plight of abandoned pets
Art director Nicolas Amiard has taken a creative approach to highlight the plight of abandoned animals in his native France, borrowing some globally-recognised comic characters for awareness-raising non-profit project he’s called “Summer Adventures“. It’s estimated more than 100,000 pets are… Read More ›
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Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award announced for Thought Bubble Director Lisa Wood
Independent publishers Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, Kyung Jeon-Miranda and Thought Bubble Director Lisa Wood – who creates comics as Tula Lotay – will receive the 2019 Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award at this year’s San Diego Comic Con, created to honour people in comics and the popular arts who have worked to help others
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Details of University of East Anglia’s MA in Comic Studies revealed
Earlier this year we revealed the University of East Anglia was initiating a Master’s in Comic Studies, and full details about the course has just been announced.
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Worzel Gummidge returns to TV
A modern adaptation of Worzel Gummidge is coming to BBC One in two hour long films, inspired by the classic books of Barbara Euphan Todd
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Who remembers Kenny Everett’s Captain Kremmen newspaper strip?
After radio DJ Kenny Everett left BBC Radio 1, he landed at London’s brand new commercial station Capital Radio, which came on air in 1973, where his love of reel-to-reel tape recorders and his amazing arsenal of sound effects… Read More ›
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Comics: Explore and Create Comic Art open at Telford’s Coalbrookdale Gallery
The touring British comics exhibition, Comics: Explore and Create Comic Art, from Seven Stories, The National Centre for Children’s Books, is currently being hosted at the Coalbrookdale Gallery, adjacent to Enginuity, part of Coalbrookdale Museum of Iron, until 1st September 2019…. Read More ›
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WebFind: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, illustrated by Salvador Dali
In 1865, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, an Oxford mathematician and Anglican deacon, published Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, a story about a little girl who tumbles down a rabbit hole, first introducing the world to Alice and her pseudonymous creator, Lewis Carroll…. Read More ›
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Commemorating D-Day: A Look Back at Eagle’s “The Happy Warrior”
Marking the 75th anniversary of D-Day, we feature some pages from Clifford Makins and Frank Bellamy‘s classic 1957 Eagle biography of Sir Winston Churchill, “The Happy Warrior“, which revolutionised the presentation of historical documentary in strip form for British comics…. Read More ›
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In Review: The Leopard from Lime Street Volume Two
The next book from the Treasury of British Comics sees the return of Buster comic’s The Leopard from Lime Street, with Volume Two of the strips collecting his adventures published between June 1977 and 1978. The “UK’s answer to Spider-Man” returns… Read More ›
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The Dream is Over: 34 years in the making, Striker finally bows out
Striker creator Pete Nash has announced the grim news that his football strip, a long time staple of The Sun, is to finally end – and despite two successful crowdfunding campaigns, the Striker comic will not be returning, apart from one final “wrap up” Special
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Amazing Fantasy #15 sells for £9600 in UK Compal Auction, Dandy 2 for £4550
There was clearly some fierce bidding in the latest ComPal comic and comic art auction, with some high prices paid for the top lots, among them a copy of Amazing Fantasy #15, the first appearance of Marvel’s The Amazing Spider-Man,… Read More ›
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Director’s Commentary and Sneak Peek: Black North by Mark McCann and Steven Austin
Black North is a new, 96-page gritty SF action adventure graphic novel from Mark McCann and Steven Austin which will soon be seeking crowdfunding. We asked Mark, an author and writer from Belfast, to give us the lowdown on how… Read More ›
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Raymond Briggs’ “Time For Lights Out” due in November
Time For Lights Out by Raymond Briggs is a 256-page hardcover out on 14th November from Jonathan Cape. In his customary pose as the grumpiest of grumpy old men, the award-winning graphic novelist contemplates old age and death… and doesn’t… Read More ›
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Dads can be Heroes, just for one day!
London’s National Theatre loves David Bowie – singer, musician, actor, writer, fashion icon – and their Bowie inspired products have proved incredibly popular, and the organisation reckons they’d make for perfect Father’s Day presents. The bestselling Ziggy tea towel (one… Read More ›