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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British Podcast Awards open – vote for your favourite in the Listeners’s Choice category
Got a favourite British comics Podcast? The 2000AD Thrillcast perhaps, or the Awesome Comics Podcast? Panel Borders? Newcomers like the Lakes International Comic Art Festival Podcast? There are a huge range of of great podcasts out there produced here in… Read More ›
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Cardiff Indie Comic Expo Line-Up Announced
The Cardiff Indie Comic Expo – Cardiff’s original independent comic show – is back on Saturday 2nd June 2018, 2018 and it returns to its original venue of the Mercure Holland House Hotel on Newport Road. CICE is an annual… Read More ›
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Create the Break, a British professional development course for emerging comic artists, announced
Well, there’s no end of great comic-related news today. After months of planning behind the scenes, the launch of ‘Create the Break’ has been announced – a professional development course for emerging comic artists based in the West Midlands. Marvel… Read More ›
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The Simpsons co-creator David Silverman joins Lakes International Comic Art Festival 2018 line-up
The Simpsons co-creator and cartoonist David Silverman will be joining the line-up at this year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival weekend in Kendal (12th – 14th October 2018). David will be on stage during the weekend chatting with cartoonist and fellow animator Steve… Read More ›
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Why news of the Adventures of The Three Musketeers collection is – hopefully – great news for classic British comic fans
The Book Palace is to publish a limited edition of Adventures of The Three Musketeers, collecting the work of the brilliant Chilean comic artist Arturo Del Castillo, first published in Film Fun and Lion in the 1960s. Collected in a… Read More ›
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Out Now: Aces Weekly, Volume 33, the comics non-paper, no short of quality comics!
It’s here! Aces Weekly Volume 33 has now opened its doors, offering superb-quality, high-talent, low-cost, original cyberspace comics. The team are still offering the same incredible deal of 20 pages a week for £1 in any currency because they can, and… Read More ›
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Writer James Peaty reveals more about “The Road to the Thirteenth Doctor” on latest Doctor Who: Panel to Panel
Episode 98 of Jeremy Bement‘s excellent podcast Doctor Who: Panel to Panel is live and is well worth a download for its interview with writer James Peaty, who was just announced as the writer of the three-issue series The Road… Read More ›
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Cover Reveal: The Road To The Thirteenth Doctor from Titan Comics
Titan Comics and BBC Studios recently announced The Road To The Thirteenth Doctor – a three-part comic event beginning this July and leading into Titan’s all-new Thirteenth Doctor ongoing comic series launching this autumn. The Road To The Thirteenth Doctor features… Read More ›
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Bradford LitFest backs comic creators with Comico 2018
Comico 2018 is Bradford’s first dedicated comics and manga weekend and will be held at University of Bradford, alongside the annual Bradford Literature Festival (29th June – 8th July 2018). Comico will combine a traditional convention setup with specially curated… Read More ›
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If only comics publishers had the marketing budget of Avengers: Infinity War…
ComicBookMovie is reporting that the US marketing spend for Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War, on general release 26th April in the UK, is likely to be around $150 million, the spend boosted by licensed TV promotions from companies such as Coca-Cola,… Read More ›
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How I Got Used to digital comics “Guided View” – and it’s all down to Shang Chi, Master of Kung Fu!
I was away on a long course for a full week recently, so began reading quite a lot of comics digitally again. US publisher Marvel had a large and outrageously priced sale recently and I picked up loads of old… Read More ›
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Digital Comics at the British Library – more “Digital Conversations” event details revealed
Ian Cooke, Head of Contemporary British Publications at the British Library, has outlined a little more about the “Digital Conversations” event downthetubes has partnered with at the Library on Wednesday 18th April 2018. A panel on archiving digital comics will… Read More ›
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2000AD and Rick and Morty and indie comic creators head to Leamington Comic Convention
The fourth annual Leamington Comic Convention is fast approaching, taking place on Saturday 14th April at All Saints Parish Chuch, Leamington Spa. This is a convention that makes comics its central focus and there’s a huge line up of guests… Read More ›
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Etherington Brothers latest project is the most successful British comics crowdfunder, ever!
Lorenzo Etherington just dropped us a line at downthetubes this morning, to share the exciting news that his latest crowdfunder – the chance to grab a copy of their new book, How to Think When You Draw – has achieved the… Read More ›
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Charley’s War art offered on eBay, bids reach over £600
A smashing item of “Charley’s War” art by Joe Colquhoun, created for the cover of a 1980 issue of weekly war comic Battle is being offered on eBay. Bidding, which closes this evening, is currently at £650. “Charley’s War”, created by… Read More ›
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In Review: 2000AD Prog 2075
After its recent “Jump On Board” issue, well received by many regular readers from the look of the letters page, the action hots up in 2000AD Prog 2075, on sale now in UK newsagents and digital platforms, fronted by a… Read More ›
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First impressions of the first issue of new comics magazine, ComicScene UK
ComicScene UK, the new subscription only title, launches 1st May 2018 in print and digital format – and publisher Tony Foster is hoping to fund comic workshops for young people with part of the profits. I really hope you’ll give this… Read More ›
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In Review: Spaceship Away 44
The first issue of Spaceship Away for 2018 has been out for a few weeks now but this is the first chance I’ve had to give it a plug. Wrapped in a smashing new piece of Dan Dare related art… Read More ›
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Korky the Cat artist Charlie Grigg’s life work celebrated in new exhibition
A long-planned special exhibition celebrating the work of Sandwell-born cartoon artist Charlie ‘Chas’ Grigg as an illustrator for The Beano and The Dandy opens today in Wednesbury in the Black Country. The exhibition at Wednesbury Museum and Art Gallery highlights… Read More ›
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Dust ups in the desert and archaeological adventures in new Commando comics!
Brand new Commando (Issues 5111-5114) go on sale this Thursday (5th April 2018) from DC Thomson, on sale in all good newsagents and via various digital platforms. There’s brawling in desert dust ups, U-Boats under attack by Bristol Beaufort torpedo bombers,… Read More ›