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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Latest Zarjaz hits the stands, bursting with 2000AD-inspired weirdness!
The latest issue of the 2000AD-inspired zine Zarjaz – Issue 29 – is now available from FutureQuake Press, also publishers of the brilliant anthology title FutureQuake and the Strontium Dog-inspired comic Dogbreath. Wrapped in a smashing cover by 2000AD artist Simon… Read More ›
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Next “illustrators” Magazine Special spotlights British War Comics
illustrators is the art quarterly from publishers The Book Palace devoted to the finest illustration art ever published from around the world. It also guides you through the stories behind the artists and their art, with features by the leading… Read More ›
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Rare Tom Jung Star Wars film poster concept art goes up for auction – and many more cinematic gems too!
. Just when you thought you had seen everything, this amazing Star Wars artefact arrives after being hidden away for forty years – and goes up for auction through Heritage Auctions later this month, along with rare Casablanca, a rare… Read More ›
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Assassin’s Creed Origins “Pop Up” exhibition in London today, Titan Comics tie-in launches in January
Fans of Titan Comics Assassin’s Creed comic may be interested in heading to a pop-up promo event at the Hospital Club in London today for UbiSoft’s latest blockbuster video game title Assassin’s Creed Origins with a Time Travel Photography Exhibition. (Titan’s… Read More ›
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Looking Back at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival with the Festival Podcast Team
In the latest episode of the Lakes International Comic Art Festival Podcast, hosts Ian Loxam and Nikki talk about their experiences at the awesome Lakes International Comic Art Festival 2017. They look at each of their days at the event… Read More ›
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Fifty Freakin’ Years of the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers? Party on, at GOSH, with Gilbert Shelton
Counter culture hero Gilbert Shelton will be at London’s GOSH Comics on Saturday 25th November, signing his work to celebrate fifty freakin’ years since the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers first debuted, For those who’ve been in a green haze since… Read More ›
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In Preview and Review – “It’s Cold In The River At Night” by Alex Potts
Created by Alex Potts Published by Avery Hill Publishing 112 pages – Full Colour – £9.99 The Story: Somewhere in an isolated area of Western Europe, Carl and Rita rent a house on stilts. Due to the pressure of spending… Read More ›
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British Comics Flashback: “The Phantom Footballer of Amiens” by “Charley’s War” artist Joe Colquhoun
Joe Colquhoun, co-creator of the seminal World War One comic strip “Charley’s War” with Pat Mills for Battle, had a long and accomplished career as an artist, providing not only strip work to many British boys comics but covers and… Read More ›
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Dangerous secrets revealed and deadly Nazis exposed in latest Commando comics!
Brand new Commando (Issues 5067-5070) are out tomorrow from DC Thomson, on sale in all good newsagents and via various digital platforms. In this latest batch of war-inspired comics Nazis are at large, attempting high profile assassinations, seeking prestigious medals… Read More ›
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V&A Illustration Awards 2018 Opens
The V&A Illustrations Awards 2018 – the UK’s most prestigious annual illustration competition – has just opened. Now’s the time for illustrators to enter for the chance to win up to £8,000 – and join an illustrious list of past… Read More ›
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“You are the Ref” and Roy of the Rovers comic artist Paul Trevillion’s latest exhibition opens tonight
You Are the Ref and Roy of the Rovers comic artist and illustrator Paul Trevillion‘s latest exhibition opens tonight at the recently-opened Black Gallery in Tring, Hertfordshire. Paul himself will be at tonight’s private view of the new exhibition, which runs… Read More ›
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Titan Books completes its “Modesty Blaise” collections with “The Killing Game”
We’ve been remiss in not noting – and celebrating – the completion of Titan Books collections of the Modesty Blaise newspaper strips with the release of The Killing Game last month. Spanning 28 collections in this series, Titan have now… Read More ›
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Warning: The latest 2000AD may nuke you from orbit… and it’s on sale now! (and grab some classic “Nemesis”, too!)
2000AD Prog 2055 is on sale today in all good newsagents and comic shops, offering a smorgasbord of thrills, complemented by another stunning “Slaine” cover from Simon Davis. My favourite story this issue is the latest episode of “Absalom” –… Read More ›
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Join Bram Stoker’s great grand-nephew for a literary fright night at Northumbria University
Dacre Stoker, the best-selling co-author of Dracula the Un-Dead, the official Stoker family endorsed sequel to Dracula, due for Release next year, is set to appear at Northumbria University next week. In his free public lecture, Stoker on Stoker, author… Read More ›
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Sector 13, the Belfast-based 20000AD zine, is back!
Belfast-based 2000AD fan group, Sector House 13, launch the second issue of their Sector 13 fanzine on Friday 3rd November from 7.30pm in their regular haunt of the Parlour bar on the city’s Elmwood Avenue. Bigger, and more ambitious than… Read More ›
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It’s snow joke – artist Graeme Neil Reid’s Halloween art raffle is not for the nervous!
All things spooky and creepy crawl out for Halloween and this month’s art raffle from artist Graeme Neil Reid features two nasty hags riddled with evil and murderous intent! Graeme is a Scottish artist who now works primarily in traditional… Read More ›
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Moominvalley, the new Moomin animated show, heads to Sky next year
Moominvalley is to air on Sky late next year, bringing the characters from the award-winning author Tove Jansson’s classic books back to life in a new Sky Original Production made by Finnish company Gutsy Animations, who successfully secured over $250,000… Read More ›
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Daily Mail goes berserk over Beano “farting statue” idea for new V&A Museum
British daily newspaper the Daily Mail has gone into outrage overdrive over a leaked memo which it claimed suggested London’s Victoria & Albert Museum had plans to turn its galleries over to the Beano, which apparently include augmenting the cast of… Read More ›
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Massive Guest List for Malta Comic Con 2017 continues to grow, includes many British comic creators
Malta Comic Con 2017 tickets will be on sale exclusively during Wicked Comics Halloween Party, which will take place today, Saturday 28th October 2017 at the St. Andrew’s Band Club in Luqa. The Halloween Costume party is free of charge and… Read More ›
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Egmont launches Disney Descendants magazine
Egmont Publishing recently launched a new magazine inspired by the Disney Channel’s original movie, Descendants, coinciding with the release of the follow up, Descendants 2, released on 20th October. The original movie, which has a huge fan base, followed the story of… Read More ›