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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Finnish Comic Village rises up in Kendal, featuring Tove Jansson photographic exhibition and more
The Finnish Institute in London launches The Finnish Village at the The Lakes International Comic Art Festival held in Kendal, Cumbria this weekend. The festival, which will take place 13th – 15th October, brings some of the biggest international names… Read More ›
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Frank Bellamy “Garth” strip sells for over $600 at Heritage Auctions
Heritage Auctions offered this Frank Bellamy Garth daily comic strip first published in the Daily Mirror in 1975 in its latest auction at the weekend, which sold for over $650. J214 dated 8-29-75 sees Garth use a pilot’s trick to throw… Read More ›
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New Comics and Graphic Novels set to launch at this year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival tales place this weekend in Kendal (13th – 15th October 2017). Along with its free Family Zone, comic creator talks, signings, exhibitions, illustration portfolio reviews, Finnish Village (and sauna!) there are a number of… Read More ›
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US Naval Academy Museum explores how the Navy has been portrayed in SF
On 18th November 2017 from 1200 – 1700 EST, the United States Naval Academy Museum will host #NavyCon, a conference on how fleet forces have been portrayed in science fiction and how those apply to what the US navy does… Read More ›
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New York Comic Con 2017: Day One
Tony Esmond reports from across the Atlantic on his first day at New York Comic Con 2017… Last night was a doozy. I met up with Marc Laming, Amri and Adrian Hashimi (check out www.adrianhashimi.com for some of the best… Read More ›
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Walking Dead exhibition opens in New York today at the Metropolis Gallery
If you’re in New York for New York Comic Con right now, then you may be interested to know the Metropolis Gallery is hosting a free Walking Dead Comic Art Exhibit …just a ten-minute stagger from the Javits Center. The… Read More ›
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Netflix orders “Raising Dion”, based on director Dennis Liu’s young superhero comics project
Netflix has ordered a ten-episode season of Raising Dion, a new SF drama series based on a comic book of the same name by award-winning director Dennis Liu, illustrated by Jason Piperberg. In the comic, Nicole, a young, African American single… Read More ›
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Parables of Care – a free comic about dementia that will touch your heart
Here’s a touching new comic you can read for free online: Parables of Care. Creative Responses to Dementia Care, as Told by Carers is now available. This16-page publication presents true stories of creative responses to dementia care, as told by… Read More ›
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Cold War Commando!
Here’s the intel on the latest issues of Commando (Issues 5059-5062) from DC Thomson, on sale now in all good newsagents across the UK and various digital platforms. Expect Cold War espionage, Battle of Britain aerobatics, lost Napoleonic treasures and… Read More ›
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Monad Journal Launch Symposium at the University of Northampton
The University of Northampton is to host the launch of a new peer-reviewed open access online journal MONAD next month – and comics writer Alan Moore is among invited guests for the Launch Symposium. The Monad Journal Launch Symposium on Thursday… Read More ›
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Call For Papers: Storytelling Conference 2018
The organisers of the Storytelling Conference 2018 (10th – 11th July) at the University of Suffolk have announced the call for papers is now open. They are inviting papers that theoretically and empirically engage with a broad range of disciplines… Read More ›
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Jurassic World expected to be popular draw at Brand Licensing Europe next week
2018 is going to be a perfect storm for the popular Jurassic World franchise, so it’s no surprise the franchise is expected to be a big attraction at this year’s Brand Licensing Europe show, taking place at Olympia, London (10th… Read More ›
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There’s no escape: The Prisoner is returning to comics
Not for the first time, the short-lived, highly regarded 1960s TV series The Prisoner is being adapted for comics. Titan Comics has announced they are to publish all-new comic books written by Peter Milligan, drawn by Colin Lorimer, to celebrate… Read More ›
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Lakes Festival Focus 2017: An interview with cartoonist Lynn Johnston
An interview with the creator of “For Better of Worse”
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Out Now: 2000AD Prog 2051
The latest issue of 2000AD, on sale now in all good newsagents and comic shops, comes wrapped in a smashing cover from David Millgate and features the following Thrills (and plenty of spills…) Favourite story this issue? Well, apart from… Read More ›
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downthetubes Site Update in progress
We’re doing some behind the scenes maintenance on downthetubes, which means there won’t be as many posts as usual here for the next few days. In the mean time, for your British comics news fix (and other distractions), we’ve reignited… Read More ›
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It’s Grimm Up North! Manchester’s Grimmfest offers cult classics and scary shorts
Grimmfest 2017, Manchester’s film festival of new and classic horror, cult, fantasy and sci-fi movies, returns this week (5th – 8th October 2017) at the Vue Printworks. The festival will feature world premieres, cult classics and eclectic film shorts and the… Read More ›
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Lakes International Comic Art Festival Podcast with Paula Knight, Pikkli and Plink!
Oh, all right, Lakes International Comic Art Festival Podcast hosts Ian and Nikki don’t really give two puppets the Podcast Probe. But the team do talk to their creators, Jonathan Edwards and the Felt Mistress, about their brand new exhibition Archipelagogo –… Read More ›
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Panel Borders: Titans and Men of Action
Starting a new series of Panel Borders, Alex Fitch explores the work of two much loved American comic book writers. In a discussion recorded at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival last year, Alex talks to Joe Kelly about writing Spider-Man,… Read More ›
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Colour Like Carlos Ezquerra! 2000AD & Judge Dredd Colouring Book Out Now
One of the best-loved and most successful sci-fi fantasy creators in the world, 2000AD superstar Carlos Ezquerra, has collected 50 superb drawings of his top characters in Carlos Ezquerra’s 2000AD & Judge Dredd Colouring Book. It’s a colouring book guaranteed… Read More ›