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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Lucille Clerc’s take on Jungle Book offered as new print
Print Club London is offering a stunning new, limited edition Jungle Book-inspired screen print, Jungle Book – Aqua Green by illustrator Lucille Clerc
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In Review: Illegal by Eoin Colfer & Andrew Donkin, with art by Giovanni Rigano
Writers: Eoin Colfer & Andrew Donkin Art: Giovanni Rigano Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books Out: Now Review by Jonathan Rigby of Page 45, Nottingham The Book: This is an award-winning powerful and timely story about one boy’s epic journey across Africa… Read More ›
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Doctor Who writer Ed Hime part of ITV’s “Sapphire and Steel” reboot
Research for the downthetubes review of Doctor Who – It Takes You Away has revealed award-winning writer Ed Hime is part of the team working on the reboot of ITV’s fantasy drama Sapphire and Steel.
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Liam Sharp, JM De Matteis join Portsmouth Comic Con line up
Comic creators JM De Matteis and Liam Sharp have joined an already impressive guest list for Portsmouth Comic Con next May, and Star Wars actor Clem So has been announced as the event’s first media guest
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“Unseen Art of Ron Embleton” exhibition announced
London’s Messum’s Gallery is to host an exhibition of work by Eagle and TV21 Ron Embleton in January, one of Britain’s best known comic and historical illustrators, with a reputation that stretched far beyond our shores
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Thunderbirds art sells for £4550 in latest ComPal auction
The Bob Monkhouse Archive featuring his collection of original artwork produced some record-breaking results in the latest auction at Comic Book Auctions – with a Frank Bellamy double page artwork for TV Century 21 breaking the record for any Thunderbirds piece sold… Read More ›
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London Cartoon Museum move to Wells Street gets underway
After 12 years at 35 Little Russell Street, London’s Cartoon Museum is moving to brand new premises at 63 Wells Street, London WC1 – very near Oxford Circus. We previously reported on the reasons behind the move, which include a… Read More ›
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Rawhide Kid: Slap Leather exhibition opens at San Francisco’s Cartoon Art Museum
The San Francisco-based Cartoon Art Museum is celebrating the art of John Severin‘s final Marvel Comics western series, Rawhide Kid: Slap Leather, in an exhibition that will be on display from now through April 2019. Johnny Bart made his debut in… Read More ›
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ROK Comics action series “Team M.O.B.I.L.E.” returns – and this time around, it’s in print!
Working with Antarctic Press, digital comics publisher ROK Comics, now based in the United States, is back in action – delivering its flagship title Team M.O.B.I.L.E. to comic shops. The first of an initial three-issue mini series, based on a… Read More ›
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Happy Birthday, Thomas & Friends – 30 Years Young!
The UK’s biggest specialist children’s publisher, Egmont Publishing, is celebrating the 30th birthday of Thomas & Friends magazine with licensing partner Mattel. The title is based on the popular railway stories by Reverend Wilbert Awdry (who I met as a youngster… Read More ›
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Avery Hill Publishing reveal four new graphic novels for 2019
Avery Hill Publishing have announced details of four new publications for 2019 – new projects from Claire Scully and George Wylesol, and debut authors Shanti Rai and Scott Jason Smith
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Roy of the Rovers gets his own app
Good news for those of you who can’t get enough of Rebellion’s Roy of the Rovers reboot – there’s an app out now, too!
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Charity Auction offers 30 comic artworks by Bisley, Jock, McCrea and many more
The latest People First Merseyside Charity Auction, which ends Saturday 8th December, is offering 30 unique pieces of original comic art from some of the top names in comics to raise money for people with learning difficulties
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The Future’s Here: 2000AD Prog 2110 is on sale now
With a smashing cove from Chris Weston, the final regular issue of 2000AD – Prog 2110 – for 2018 is on sale now, and several of the current stories reach a momentous conclusion. It all kicks off, however, with Rory McConville… Read More ›
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Dan Dare creator Frank Hampson centenary exhibition opens in Ewell, Surrey
One hundred years after his birth, another exhibition commemorating Dan Dare creator Frank Hampson‘s work has just opened at Bourne Hall Museum in Ewell, Surrey. The museum just a hop and a skip from Bayford Lodge, Epsom, where he lived… Read More ›
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Tharg goes fully multimedia, announcing global film studio – in Oxfordshire
British company Rebellion, publishers of 2000AD and Judge Dredd Megazine, the creators of numerous successful computer games including Sniper Elite and more, has acquired a new facility in Oxfordshire to convert into global film studios
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Bill Sienkiewicz unpublished Big Numbers #6 cover up for auction
Bill Sienkiewicz‘s unpublished cover for the sixth issue of the Alan Moore-scripted series Big Numbers is going under the hammer over at Heritage Auctions this weekend. The story behind the creation of the ill-fated 12-issue series Big Numbers from Mad Love… Read More ›
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New Hunt Emerson exhibtion opens in Birmingham
Just opened at the Primitivo Bar in Birmingham is a fantastic exhibition of art by this year’s Sergio Aragonés International Award for Excellence in Comic Art winner Hunt Emerson, which runs until February 2019. It includes a splendid Calculus Cat silkscreen print,… Read More ›
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Striker comic battles for second round of crowdfunding
We’re almost at the end of the first 12 weekly Striker comics – and the team behind the project are back on Kickstarter to raise funds for issues 13 to 24. This time around, they’re chasing a target of £45,000… Read More ›
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Unbound’s graphic novels Commissioning Editor Lizzie Kaye latest Festival Podcast guest
The latest Lakes International Comic Art Festival Podcast co-hosted by Ian Loxam and Nikki Bates features an exclusive interview with crowdfunding publisher Unbound‘s comics and graphic novels Commissioning Editor, Lizzie Kaye. Unbound launched one of their latest graphic novels, Reel Love by Owen Michael Johnson, at this… Read More ›