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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New indie humour comic SPLANK! makes a splash with first issue now on sale
After a successful launch at the recent Enniskillen Comics Festival, the Belfast originated anthology comic SPLANK! , eited and published by Peter Duncan, is now available, featuring some fabulous new strips from Mike Higgs (creator of “The Cloak”, first published in… Read More ›
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Vworp Con – a new independent Doctor Who event – heads to Manchester
There’s a new dawn ahead for Doctor Who events in the UK as Manchester based ‘Vworp’ launches their first event with a bang at The Printworks on 9th September 2018 – an independent event offering an impressive looking line up… Read More ›
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Cartoon Museum launches Life on London Streets, a cartoon competition
In the 1960s, cartoonist Ralph Steadman created the ‘New Cries of London’ – a series of cartoons published in Private Eye that depict London’s mid-century streets and their traders – the street walkers, the touts, the waiters, the cabbies. He… Read More ›
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SF action adventure “Skip Tracer” debuts in 2000AD
A terrific new series with a hot-footed new anti-hero: this week’s 2000AD unveils Skip Tracer, new SF action from Doctor Who and Supergirl writer James Peaty. Nolan Blake is a former colonial shock trooper turned tracker-for-hire for hire living in vast outer… Read More ›
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Lakes International Comic Art Festival to host Lorenzo Etherington’s “Art of Stranski” Exhibition
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival will be hosting The Art of Stranski this October, an exhibition of Lorenzo Etheringon‘s 1940s opus, Stranski. The exhibition showcases what remains of the concept art, production stills and merchandising mock-ups that once accompanied the creation of… Read More ›
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Convict Commandos back in action!
The latest issues of DC Thomson’s war comic, Commando (Issues 5123 – 5126) are on sale now! Hunt ‘wolf warriors’ with the Convict Commandos, infiltrate a POW camp full of bloodthirsty Nazi fanatics, team up with Italian partisans in the… Read More ›
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Original Tintin art by Hergé may sell for over £500,000 in Heritage’s First European Comic Art Auction
An extraordinary, 12-panel page of original Tintin art by Belgian cartoonist Hergé may sell for as much as $720,000 (over £533,400) in Heritage Auctions’ first European Comic Art Auction next month. The sale offers nearly 300 lots, including vintage artworks by… Read More ›
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Incognegro: Renaissance hardcover out in October by Mat Johnson and Warren Pleece
The hardcover edition of Incognegro: Renaissance by Mat Johnson (Loving Day, Pym) and Warren Pleece (The Invisibles, Life Sucks) is now available for preorder. Published by Dark Horse, this new novel is a perfect companion and prequel to the tenth-anniversary edition… Read More ›
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Oldham Sounds from the Lakes International Comic Art Festival Podcast!
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival Podcast took a trip out to Oldham Comic Con 2018 last weekend and landed plenty of conversations with some terrific comic creators. “We had a great time and it really was a well ran… Read More ›
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In Preview: Apollo, a stunning new graphic novel about the first Moon landing, touches down in stores next month
Out next month from SelfMadeHero is the eagerly- anticipated Apollo, written Dead Canary Comics founders Chris Baker and Matt Fitch with art by Mike Collins – and this story of the first moon landing is looking absolutely stunning. Apollo is… Read More ›
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Crowdfunding campaign on the way to bring Ken Reid’s Frankie Stein, The Nervs and more back to print
After years of waiting, fans of the brilliant cartoonist Ken Reid will be delighted to hear that an official collection of his contributions to Odhams comics of the 1960s –Wham!, Smash!, and Pow! – look set to be collected in two handsome official hardback books. The… Read More ›
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Jack & Lucy, a free comic by Rachael Smith and Jacob Phillips, tackles teen mental health issues
Jack & Lucy is a 16-page free mini comic written by Rachael Smith, illustrated by Jacob Phillips (editor of The Mancunian Way, a small-press magazine celebrating all things Manc through illustration, writing, design and photography), edited by Tim Pilcher, and designed… Read More ›
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Royal Wedding plans changed in secret, venue moves to Beanotown — and chaos ensues!
Ahead of the much-anticipated wedding of HRH Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, this week’s issue of Beano comic pays homage to the Royal couple in a satire strip – and Royalists heading to Windsor this weekend will be disappointed to… Read More ›
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Beano storms the V&A, but did they create a “farting statue”?
The Beano has stormed London’s Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum, and is holding out there until August, poking fun at anyone who dares moan about the idea, until August. Unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock, you’ll already know 2018… Read More ›
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Markosia gets set to launch “The Cosplay Journal”
We’re delighted to report the imminent launch of The Cosplay Journal,from independent publisher Markoisa – a great looking guide to the hobby, edited by Holly Rose Swinyard, who has written some great articles for us here at downthetubes. Launching next… Read More ›
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Roy of the Rovers new Melchester Club Crest revealed – and relegation woes revealed!
Following up on news on the new Roy of the Rovers creative team, publishers Rebellion have unveiled the brand new Melchester Rovers club crest – and a hint of dark times for the famous fictional football club. Featuring a modern,… Read More ›
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Nanits, another digital platform for independent creators launched
Last month Nanits Universe, a crowdfunded-backed project, launched its new digital comics via a new mobile app, Nanits Reader 2.0, with a way for indie comic book artists to create and distribute their digital comics, the Nanits Composer, soon to… Read More ›
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Tube Surfing: new Thunderbirds are Go toy line in the works, Joy of the Rovers and Deadpool (2)!
A quick snapshot of some comics-related news from across the web… • ITV launched season three of Thunderbirds Are Go on CITV and ITV earlier this year, and the launch weekend saw really strong ratings. Steve Green, EVP Kids Content… Read More ›
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Titan Books new Marvel fiction line launched with Dan Abnett-penned Avengers tale
Titan Books recently launched its new publishing programme in collaboration with Marvel of original fiction books. Titan Comics, a sister imprint of Titan Entertainment Group, has had a long, proud history of producing magazine products to support some of Marvel’s… Read More ›
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Watchmen rarity on offer from comic creator Tim Pilcher in bid to attend San Diego Comic Con
Author, comics writer and editor Tim Pilcher has not one but two books nominated for an Eisner Awards this year – How Comics Work, co-written with comic artist and writer Dave Gibbons, which we really liked, and Deconstructing The Incal,… Read More ›