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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Paul Kidby’s Terry Pratchett Memorial Statue for Salisbury one step nearer to realisation
Back in 2015, a campaign was launched for the creation of a Terry Pratchett Memorial Statue, which we reported here on downthetubes. Artist Paul Kidby, who worked with Sir Terry, was put forward as the sculptor of choice to create… Read More ›
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Rebellion announces “The Journal of Luke Kirby” collection
(UPDATED 23/11/16): A series which trumped Harry Potter to the ‘young boy wizard’ trope by a number of years – but hasn’t been reprinted in its entirety before – is to be collected for the first time. Created by writer… Read More ›
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Titan Comics lines up new edition of Joe Haldeman and Marvano’s “Forever War” comic
Titan Comics has announced it has secured rights to Belgian artist Marvano‘s adaptation of the award-winning military SF novel The Forever War, written by Joe Haldeman. Drawn in ligne claire style and originally published in Dutch as De Eeuwige Oorlog, The Forever War was first… Read More ›
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In Review: Coelifer Atlas
Written by Alex Paknadel, Dan Watters Art by Charlie Adlard, Dan Berry, Nick Brokenshire, Joe Decie, Mike Medaglia, Bruce Mutard, Ken Niimura, Jake Phillips, Bryan Talbot, Craig Thompson, Petteri Tikkanen and Emma Vieceli Published by the Lakes International Comic Art Festival… Read More ›
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Illustrated Press announces Art of Jon Whitcomb book
Pre-orders are now being accepted for The Art of Jon Whitcomb, a new 224 page book that will be shipping in February 2017 about the work of the stunning US illustrator, who also became a media star. Whitcomb has been… Read More ›
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Lakes Festival art online auction starts on Wednesday – Jordi Bernet, Bryan Lee O’Malley items and more
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival has announced its latest online fund-raising art auction will begin on Wednesday – 23rd November 2016. Included in this year’s auction to raise funds for the Festival’s 2017 activities is original artwork produced by no less… Read More ›
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Dammaged Comics rounds off busy year with horror anthology, Short Sharp Shocks and Christmas tale OLF
UK indie comics publisher Dammaged Comics‘ first anthology, Short Sharp Shocks launched at Birmingham MCM Expo this weekend, their final release in what’s been a busy year for the team. Offering 50 plus pages that incorporate six short horror… Read More ›
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In Review: Preston North End – The Rise Of The Invincibles (and book launch news)
Bookings are being taken for seats and tables for the official launch of the new graphic novel Preston North End – The Rise Of The Invincibles, a full-colour, graphic history about the birth and early success of one of England’s most… Read More ›
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Sneak Peek: The Can Opener’s Daughter by Rob Davis
Next month sees the release of the eagerly anticipated follow up to Rob Davis‘s British Comic Award-winning graphic novel, The Motherless Oven – and there’s a signing in London at Gosh! Comics to mark the event. In the frankly brilliant The Motherless… Read More ›
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Something For the Weekend – Eighth Doctor Who, The Troop Collections out now! This Week’s New Comics in the UK (w/c 14th October 2016)
Here’s this week’s round up of new comics in British newsagents and comic shops skewed, as ever to highlighting British creators and publishers. There are collections aplenty from Titan Comics this week, well worth checking out if you missed the… Read More ›
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Comicraft Turns Japanese! (with an ambitious new font project, that is…)
Comicraft, the comic-book industry’s leading lettering and design company for over 20 years, is launching a Kickstarter to fund the creation of the first comic book-style lettering font for the Japanese writing system. What started as Wildwords Manga, a limited font… Read More ›
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In Review: Ron Turner’s Space Ace Volume 7
The latest issue of Ron Turner’s Space Ace (Volume 7) is out now, featuring three wonderfully retconned stories by the late comics artist (and writer) perhaps best known for his work on “The Daleks” strip for TV Century 21, but… Read More ›
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Goulash Grenadiers, Russians on the run – and a new Commando editor!
Here’s the lowdown on the latest issues of DC Thomson’s war comic, Commando (Issues 4967-4970), on sale now in all good newsagents and various digital platforms. This month sees a new editor in charge of the title – Kirsten Murray,… Read More ›
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New “Custom Lettering” in the works from top comics artist and designer Rian Hughes
Coming soon from London-based Korero Press is a new book from top artist and designer Rian Hughes, Custom Lettering of the 20s & ‘30s. The new book is a celebration of the beautiful and stylistically diverse hand-drawn lettering that dominated… Read More ›
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DC Thomson’s EPIC! magazine gets a makeover, new strips launched
Beano publishers DC Thomson have given their EPIC! magazine a spruce up, introducing new strips by VIZ’s Alex Collier, Steve Bright and Lew Stringer – and reviving an old Dandy strip by Jamie Smart. Aimed at 7-10s, the 48-page magazine… Read More ›
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Exclusive: Rebellion returns John Wagner’s One-Eyed Jack to duty in first Fleetway archive collection
As Judge Dredd prepares to celebrate his 40th birthday, downthetubes can exclusively reveal his publishers Rebellion are preparing to fire his ultra-violent origins from the 1970s and back into readers’ hands for the first time. The root of Britain’s biggest… Read More ›
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Feel the Power! New Doctor Who Magazine debuts, Steve Dillon remembered
The next issue of Doctor Who Magazine (Issue 505) is published in the UK tomorrow (Thursday 17th November). Alongside a cover feature paying tribute to the Second Doctor, Patrick Troughton (accompanied with rare photographs), there’s an affectionate tribute to artist… Read More ›
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“Rourke of the Radlands” returns after years in the wilderness
The SF fantasy character “Rourke of the Radlands” co-created by myself, John Freeman, and Wonder Woman artist Liam Sharp, first published in the largely creator-owned Marvel UK title STRIP, is about to get a new lease of life in the digital anthology… Read More ›
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Lakes international Comic Art Festival announces 2016 online art auction plans
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival has announced plans for an online fund-raising art auction, which will begin on 23rd November 2016. Full details of the 2016 on-line auction have yet to be announced, but included will be original artwork… Read More ›
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Sneak Peek – Improper Books “Porcelain: Ivory Tower” by Benjamin Read and Chris Wildgoose
Ace British independent publisher Improper Books released a free preview of Benjamin Read and Chris Wildgoose‘ upcoming Porcelain: Ivory Tower at Thought Bubble earlier this month, and supporting comic shops across the UK are giving them out too. They’ve kindly… Read More ›