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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Future of creating comics to be explored at free Cartoon Museum event this Saturday
London’s Cartoon Museum is to host an creating comics event entitled Sustaining Comics: What the Future Holds this Saturday. Join a host of comics professionals to explore the challenges of working in comics, the opportunities out there, and what the future might… Read More ›
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Who will be cast as Minnie the Minx in new live-action show?
Who will be cast as Minnie The Minx? That’s the question many Beano fans are asking, some wondering if this week’s anniversary celebrations will be accompanied by more news about the announced live-action TV show from Lime Pictures, in partnership… Read More ›
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Coming Soon: The Masters in Comics Podcast launches with Dave Gibbons as first guest
A new monthly comics podcast – Masters in Comics – launches in two weeks time, a new project offering insight into creating comics from the University of Dundee’s Phillip Vaughan. Masters in Comics will offer a chat with some of… Read More ›
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In Review: 2000AD Prog 2091 (plus, a plug for the new Brink and Lawless books out now from Rebellion)
Mark Harrison might have delivered a dramatic cover and a stunning episode of “Grey Area” for this week’s 2000AD (Prog 2091), but it seems it’s Dan Abnett who’s taken over Rebellion’s output this week more than anyone else, with collections… Read More ›
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Crowdfunding Spotlight: Talking Cryowulf, a gender-flipped take on Beowulf, with comic creator Sam Roads
downthetubes had a virtual chat with Cardiff-based writer, entrepreneur, musician and game designer Sam Roads about his latest comics project, the terrific-looking Cryowulf, now seeking support on Kickstarter – a gender-flipped retelling of Beowulf, set on a long-abandoned space-station. Sam trained as… Read More ›
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Dan Dare – The Audio Adventures rocket to BBC Radio 4 Extra
Dan Dare is returning to BBC radio, with broadcasts of the first three audio adventures from B7 Media on BBC Radio 4 Extra next month. The first three episodes (Volume One) of the Dan Dare – The Audio Adventures starring… Read More ›
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Space Kingley artist Ron Jobson’s Airfix art documented in latest Constant Scale magazine
What’s in the latest issue of Constant Scale? Find out here
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In Review: The Power Pack of Ken Reid (in a word – brilliant!)
Earlier this year, after years of waiting, a crowdfunding campaign was launched to collect all of humour cartoonist Ken Reid‘s Odhams comic strips of the 1960s – featured in Wham!, Smash!, and Pow! – into a pair handsome official hardback books. Those collections have now been printed,… Read More ›
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Pedantic Stan, The Comic Fan, returns in new collection from Lew Stringer, in time for London Film and Comic Con
Back in the days of the British comics fandom of the 1980s, when our community was very different and far less diverse than it thankfully is today, Lew Stringer and I created Pedantic Stan, The Comics Fan – and Lew… Read More ›
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New Spaceship Away plunges back to 1950s for plenty of action and adventure
The summer issue of Spaceship Away – Part 45 is available now, wrapped in cover art by the late Ron Jobson, utilising art from the 1950s space adventure “Space Kingley” stories. (Art that, it has to be said, may have… Read More ›
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Are you ready for Zena the Zombie? New all ages horror fun for all the family, from Telos Publishing
In the dark of night in a creepy old house … There are sounds that could not come from a mouse. Zena’s friend Zelda is missing her parts And Zena must find them before the fun starts … From the… Read More ›
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Billy Bunter art by “Magnet” artist C.H. Chapman offered on eBay
Five smashing pen and ink drawings of “The Fat Owl of the Remove” himself, Billy Bunter, are up on eBay, art created by C.H. Chapman, one of the character’s original artists for The Magnet. The seller of this delightful set… Read More ›
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In Review: Crucible of the Vampire Graphic Novel
The new graphic novel by Iain Ross-McNamee adapted from the feature film Limited signed 1st edition includes double-sided A3 poster by Charlie Adlard and fold out map 120 A4 PAGES | Colour | Mature | £10.99 The Book: Isabelle,… Read More ›
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Don’t delete this newsflash! Graeme Neil Reid has some great Cybermen art on offer in his latest art raffle
This month one lucky person will win an original acrylic painting of a Vogan War Cyberman in Graeme Neil Reid’s monthly Art Raffle. But now all his Patreon supporters win with an exclusive high resolution download of the raffle art…. Read More ›
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“Doctor Who – The Live Escape Game” on its way from Escape Hunt
BBC Studios has signed a five year licensing agreement with Escape Hunt to create a run of Doctor Who themed escape rooms in the UK. In an Escape Hunt you’re offered 60 minutes of pure, unadulterated excitement, during which you and your… Read More ›
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In search of Nazi gold – adventure in Switzerland in new Commando comics, on sale this week
Brand new Commando (Issues 5143 – 5146) are on sale from DC Thomson this Thursday in all good newsagents. Form an uneasy alliance with the Afrika Korps to rescue your squad from armed horsemen in North Africa, strike a truce with… Read More ›
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Vice Press celebrates 50 years of The Prisoner with new art from Paul Mann
Celebrating 50 years since it first aired in the United States, Vice Press has worked with legendary poster artist Paul Mann on an officially licensed, limited edition print for the 1960s television classic The Prisoner, which will be released later this week…. Read More ›
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“A secret shoot? Will this work?” New show secrets revealed in latest Doctor Who Magazine
In the new issue of Doctor Who Magazine showrunner Chris Chibnall reveals the meticulous preparations that went into announcing Jodie Whittaker as the Doctor. (Despite all the secret plotting, the plan nearly came off the tracks when their cover was… Read More ›
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Happy Birthday to the Beano at 80: Why It’s Still Much Loved
In the run up to the 80th anniversary of the Beano‘s debut in July 1938, I asked comic creators and fans of DC Thomson’s much-loved weekly humour comic (now produced by Beano Studios) who their favourite characters or strips were,… Read More ›
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Crowdfunding Spotlight: ES*EF, a new SF anthology from some great British comic creators
Just launched on Kickstarter is a campaign to fund a comics anthology, ES*EF, a collection of short SF and futuristic stories all drawn by Phil Elliott, written by Darryl Cunningham (Psychiatric Tales, Graphic Science) and Aces Weekly contributor, film historian and TASCHEN… Read More ›