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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Oxford-based TORCH to host several comic-related events, Bryan and Mary Talbot on guest list
Launched in May 2013, Oxford-based TORCH provides an important opportunity for the city’s humanities scholars to collaborate with researchers across other disciplines, and institutions; work with academics across all stages of their academic careers; develop partnerships with public and private… Read More ›
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Mort Walker’s “Beetle Bailey” in Britain
How “Beetle Bailey” crossed the pond. You’ll be surprise who drew him!
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Knock me down with a kipper! downthetubes is 20 years old in… October!
Well, I’ve got egg all over my face this morning. Ever striving to bring accurate reports on the world of comics (largely, at present, British comics) and more, marking major events where we can between the demands of various editing… Read More ›
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Time to celebrate: Egmont UK’s long-running comic magazine TOXIC hits 300
Buried inside a gaudy plastic bag on British newsstands right now is TOXIC Issue 300, but no-one seems to have noticed the landmark except some of its creative team – and Phil Boyce over at the Oink! blog, who posted… Read More ›
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Web Find: Classics Illustrated World War Specials with John M. Burns covers
Back in 2014, Classic Comic Store published two Classics Illustrated special issues, re-publishing some of their World War-inspired material, but what I missed back then is that both feature new covers by ace British artist John M. Burns. Running to… Read More ›
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The Ballad of Halo Jones, M.A.C.H. 1 and Mazeworld – a guide to collections out in 2018 from 2000AD
A new colour version of Alan Moore and Ian Gibson’s all-time classic SF adventure The Ballad of Halo Jones leads an incredible year of graphic novel releases from 2000AD, which also includes the release of Alan Grant and Arthur Ranson‘s stunning… Read More ›
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Titan Comics teases “The Prisoner” projects, more new series revealed, lost Jack Kirby project collected
Titan Comics have revealed the covers and teased interior art on their celebratory The Prisoner comic first teased and reported on downthetubes last October. They’ve also announced the impending publication of an oversized artist edition of a lost The Prisoner… Read More ›
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Creating Comics: A Turn of the Millennium Interview with Alan Moore, Part Two
First published on the Engine Comics web site way back in 2002, this is the second part of a wide-ranging interview with Alan Moore specifically about writing comics with Daniel Whiston is a fascinating read, and is re-published here on… Read More ›
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In Review: 2000AD Prog 2065
The latest issue of 2000AD, on sale now in all good newsagents and comic shops, continues to stoke up the fires for all its protagonists, with some particularly grim outlooks for the ABC Warriors and Savage – and Dredd isn’t… Read More ›
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Artist and writer Nick Brokenshire joins Star Wars Adventures creators
Artist Nick Brokenshire, whose credits include IDW’s Amelia Cole series and The Once and Future Queen for Dark Horse Comics, is the latest creator to work on IDW’s all-ages Star Wars Adventures title. He’s both written and drawn a story… Read More ›
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Saga, Walking Dead top 2017 comic store books sales chart
Diamond Book Distributors has announced the top 25 best-selling graphic novels from publishers they distribute to comic shops through 2017, based on sales data gathered from their retailer network and retail partners – and it looks like US publisher Image Comics… Read More ›
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Crowdfunding Spotlight: Sliced Quarterly Volume 2, the Experimental Comic Anthology
Sliced Quarterly, an experimental comic anthology, is running a crowdfunding campaign to print its second trade paperback collection. The diversity of the strips included offers a fascinating snapshot of creative talent out there in the indie field right now and… Read More ›
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Blake’s 7 40th Anniversary marked with stunning new Inifinity magazine cover by Pete Wallbank
Happy 40th anniversary, Blake’s 7! This month marks 40 years since Terry Nation‘s SF adventure series launched on BBC1, and there’s been no shortage of celebrations – not least of them artist Pete Wallbank‘s marvellous cover art for an upcoming… Read More ›
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In Pictures: Orbital Comics “Kirby Consciousness” Exhibition, Image Comics-inspired exhibition on now
For anyone who couldn’t get to the “Kirby Consciousness” exhibition at Orbital Comics in London, here are a few hurried snaps Richard Sheaf took the other evening, offering plenty of examples of Jack Kirby comics and artists taking their own spin on his work. In… Read More ›
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New Year, New Commandos – on sale this week!
Brand new Commando comics from DC Thomson (Issues 5091-5094) go on sale in all good newsagents this Thursday (25th January 2018). This time out, a team of Nazi Fallinschirmjager paratroopers are in the loose in the Scottish Highlands during World War… Read More ›
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The Force is strong in Graeme Neil Reid’s January Art Raffle!
Doctor Who and 2000AD artist Graeme Neil Reid‘s first Art Raffle of 2018 is live and there is a brother and sister (spoilers) to choose between in this Star Wars: A New Hope themed month. Graeme is a Scottish artist… Read More ›
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British comic fanzines celebrated in style in FANSCENE – a new fanzine, of course!
I’m delighted to report the release of FANSCENE, a very special celebration of over fifty years of comics fandom in Ireland and the UK. It’s a privilege to have been asked to be part of this free mammoth publication put… Read More ›
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Johnny Nero’s strange new adventures in India: or, how Women’s Liberation helped a comics cheat
In the third of a series of articles, publisher, comics creator and historian of Tamil comics Nathan Viswa reveals some more disturbing and bizarre instances of British comics conflagration and copyright theft on the Indian sub-continent… In the previous case… Read More ›
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14-18 NOW “Traces of the Great War” international comic anthology announced
Kendal’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival has announced Traces of the Great War, a new and ambitious anthology publication exploring the traces and impact of the World War One on our lives today. Featuring over 20 internationally acclaimed comic artists and writers,… Read More ›
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London’s Lever Gallery to host Sixties-inspired “Uncovered” exhibition
London’s Lever Gallery – a commercial art gallery devoted to post-war lifestyle illustration – is to showcase a selection of rare, original cover Pulp Art illustrations from the 1960s and early 70s next month. Artists selected for Uncovered: Illustrating the… Read More ›