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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On Sale This Week: 2000AD Prog 2102
With a great cover from Cliff Robinson, coloured by Dylan Teague, 2000AD Prog 2102 is out this week – and it’s rammed with action! In this issue: JUDGE DREDD: THE SMALL HOUSE by Rob Williams (Writer) Henry Flint (Artist) Chris… Read More ›
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Lakes Festival Focus 2018: Artist and Writer Mark Stafford
Every year, in the countdown to the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, we bring you a series of interviews with guests at the event. This “Festival Focus” for 2018 is Mark Stafford, co-creator of the Cherubs! graphic novel with Bryan… Read More ›
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Lakes Festival Focus 2018: Artist and Writer David Hine
Every year, in the countdown to the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, we bring you a series of interviews with guests at the event. This “Festival Focus” for 2018 is David Hine, who has been working in comics since the… Read More ›
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Lakes Festival Focus 2018: Ian Kennedy
Every year, in the countdown to the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, we bring you a series of interviews with guests at the event. This “Festival Focus” for 2018 is Ian Kennedy, a British comic artist whose work most downthetubes… Read More ›
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Comics Research Hub Launches at London College of Communication
Leading comics scholars, including Dr Ian Horton (of the Applied Comics Network), Dr Ian Hague (Comics and the Senses), Dr Nina Mickwitz (Documentary Comics) and Professor Roger Sabin (Adult Comics: An Introduction), have launched a new research hub focusing on… Read More ›
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Carlos Ezquerra: His Early Comics Work for Wizard
While Judge Dredd co-creator Carlos Ezquerra, who died this week, is well known for his work on 2000AD, he worked for other publishers, including Commando and Beano DC Thomson, which once published many more titles than they do today. One… Read More ›
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Lakes Festival Focus 2018: Kaisa Leka
Every year, in the countdown to the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, we bring you a series of interviews with guests at the event. This “Festival Focus” for 2018 is Kaisa Leka, a Finnish comics artist and adventurer who, together… Read More ›
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Lakes Festival Focus 2018: Drew Marr, the Festivals’s youngest ever exhibitor?
Every year, in the countdown to the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, we bring you a series of interviews with guests at the event. This “Festival Focus” for 2018 is possibly the event’s youngest exhibitor ever, Drew Marr from Dundee, Scotland… Read More ›
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Comichaus and British Library Team Up to preserve digital comics
Creators and publishers in the UK can now use the Comichaus database site to not only submit their digital comics to the Comichaus app – but with one click they can also send a copy to the British Library for… Read More ›
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Lakes Festival Focus 2018: Writer and Illustrator Owen Michael Johnson
Every year, in the countdown to the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, we bring you a series of interviews with guests at the event. This “Festival Focus” for 2018 is Owen Michael Johnson, a writer and illustrator who grew up… Read More ›
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Beano Studios announces Rocket Licensing as UK Licensing Agent
Beano Studios has announced the appointment of Rocket Licensing as their UK licensing agent and Angeles Blanco’s promotion to Director of Global Licensing. Rocket Licensing – whose clients also include US comics publisher Valiant Entertainment, MGM and Sony Pictures –… Read More ›
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Arthur Ranson signing tonight celebrates 10 years of exhibitions at London’s Orbital Comics
The Mazeworld signing and launch of The Art of Arthur Ranson exhibition is on tonight at Orbital Comics, London. The deluxe new edition of Mazeworld from Rebellion Publishing collects the entire dark fantasy he created with Alan Grant, and was… Read More ›
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Hammer Horror set to hit the High Street!
Aisle19 Solutions is to bring classic Hammer Horror style to the British high street, thanks to its new partnership with the British film studio, and its first port of call is Topman and Topshop. Aisle19 Solutions has secured the rights… Read More ›
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Work continues to celebrate the First Cat in Space with memorial statue
Late last year, artist Matthew Serge Guy launched a Kickstarter to create a memorial to Félicette, the first cat in space. The project clearly caught the mood of cat lovers worldwide, because he raised over £43,000 to make the project… Read More ›
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Crowdfunder in memory of 2000AD artist Carlos Ezquerra smashes target
Fans of 2000AD artist Carlos Ezquerra, who died earlier this week, have launched a JustGiving page in his memory, which has already raised £2600. “Carlos was one of the finest comic book artists of his generation,” says Dale Jackson, who… Read More ›
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Tales from Toxic! That Never Were: “Dino-Wars”, by Pat Mills and David Pugh
Toxic! was a British weekly comic book published in 1991 by Apocalypse Ltd. that ran for just 31 issues before numerous problems combined to bring the project to a halt and the publisher sadly went out of business. But it… Read More ›
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Roger Dean “Crossing the Line” Exhibition announced
Trading Boundaries in Uckfield, Sussex, has announced their 2018 official Roger Dean exhibition – Crossing the Line.
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Narnia comes to Netflix
Streaming service Netflix is to be the new home for C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia, working with Entertainment One (EOne) and the C.S. Lewis Company to create movies and series based on all seven of Lewis’ fantasy tales. Considered a… Read More ›
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Thunderbirds Lady Penelope focus of new merchandise from Half Moon Bay
Award-winning wholesaler Half Moon Bay has secured the licensing rights for both Moomin and Thunderbirds, adding the classic brands to its expanding gift and publishing portfolio in the UK, with new launches early in 2019. The Bath-based company, established in… Read More ›
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Blackpool Tower gets an Iron Man makeover, re-named Stark Tower!
Known as a national icon, it’s been announced that The Blackpool Tower has changed its name to Stark Tower to honour Marvel Super Hero Iron Man – a move that surprised residents of the seaside town. Stark Tower is of course… Read More ›