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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Comic Marketplace Applications Open for this year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival
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Leap of Eighth, new unofficial Doctor Who book, out in May
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Propstore Doctor Who Online Auction 2026 offers full size Dalek, Fifteenth Doctor’s costumes
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Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman headline guest at this year’s London Book Fair
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Doctor Who – Terror from the Deep: Episode 88
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VIP Brands announces Comics-to-Animation Rights Market plans for Annecy 2026
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Crowdfunding Spotlight: Time Bomb Comics Dick Turpin and the Restless Dead
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Real Roy of the Rovers Stuff! New collection out in June
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New Ghost in the Shell scheduled for July 2026
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How Much For Will Eisner’s The Spirit?
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New UNIT: Eras and Eleventh Doctor audio adventures in the spotlight
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Substack Data Breach hits comic creators
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Assassination ahead? Trouble for Judge Dredd!
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Video Review and Picture Gallery – Comics: The Famous & Forgotten Exhibition at The Beacon, Whitehaven
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Exclusive: Comics Laureate Bobby Joseph’s “2026 – 2027 Comics Laureate Reading List”
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Road Safety Campaigns: Do you remember Tufty Squirrel, or “The Beacon”?
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BAFTA Games in Concert Earns Rapturous Standing Ovation at Festival Hall, UK tour to follow
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In Memoriam: Comics Archivist Alan Vince
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DC Thomson teases this year’s annuals, and new comic collections



















