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 Commandos Capture War on the Home Front and in the Air
Here’s the intel on the latest issues of DC Thomson’s war comic, Commando (Issues 4959-4962), on sale in all good newsagents from Thursday 20th October 2016, and on various digital platforms. There are a lot of behind the scenes changes… Read More ›
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Alan Lee to illustrate new edition of JRR Tolkien’s love story, “Beren and Lúthien”
HarperCollins will publish a new JRR Tolkien title, Beren and Lúthien, in May 2017, a love story that has inspired many creators to illustrate scenes from their story. This edition will feature art by Alan Lee, an award-winning artist long associated with… Read More ›
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Something For The Weekend – Rogue Trooper and Torchwood – in This Week’s New Comics in the UK (w/c 17th October 2016)
There’s another cracking issue of 2000AD on sale now in all good newsagents and comic shops, featuring more crazed violence and a frisson of dark humour in “Judge Dredd: Get Sin” by Rob Williams, Trevor Hairsine, Dylan Teague and Annie Parkhouse; “Savage:… Read More ›
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Lakes Festival’s “Beatrix Potter Reimagined: Competition Winners Announced
The winners of the Lakes International Comic Art Festival’s Beatrix Potter Reimagined competition have been announced. A creative project by the organisation, supported by the University of Cumbria, the competition attracted entries from across the UK. The overall winner is artist Beatriz Lostalé Seijo, for her… Read More ›
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Thought Bubble Festival Programme 2016 Announced
2016’s Thought Bubble runs from 1st – 6th November in Leeds and a quick guide appears below. The full festival programme is on the event’s offial site here and you can buy tickets here. 2016’s convention runs on the 5th… Read More ›
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Asterix pips Tintin to top Greatest Hero vote in Lakes Festival opening debate
It was neck and neck at the end of the Lakes International Comic Art Festival‘s opening night debate, but in the end, the audience voted by just one vote to establish Asterix as the character most deserving that cherished place on your oversized… Read More ›
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Walking Dead artist Charlie Adlard appointed UK’s new Comics Laureate
Charlie Adlard, best known as the comic artist behind The Walking Dead series, has been appointed as the UK’s Comics Laureate. The Comics Laureate is an ambassadorial and educational role for the comic genre and aims to raise awareness of… Read More ›
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Sergio Aragonés fronts new International Cartooning Award
The US-based National Cartoonists Society, in partnership with the Lakes International Comic Art Festival has announced the creation of The NCS Sergio Aragonés International Award for Excellence in Comic Art. This honour, named for the famed MAD Magazine cartoonist, will be given annually to an… Read More ›
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Manga Jiman 2016 Competition Closes Soon, “Sights of Japan” theme
Rats. Apologies to our regular readers, but I’ve totally missed mentioning this year’s Manga Jiman competition – the Embassy of Japan‘s quest to find the best creators of comic short-stories, celebrating its tenth year. The competition, which unfortunately closes on 24th October… Read More ›
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Rising Stars from Japan – manga artists feature in Kendal exhibition, London event next week
Here’s some pictures of two free exhibitions at this year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival, taking place this weekend. The first pictures are from “Making a Scene” by top comics artist Ken Niimura and it’s on at the Brewery Arts… Read More ›
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Out Now: Eagle Times Volume 29 No 3 (Autumn 2016)
The new Eagle Times, the magazine of the Eagle Society, is out now, with articles about Frank Hampson‘s art, Martin Asbury‘s film storyboard work, Jeff Arnold’s hat – an informative piece about real western headgear, according to downthetubes contributor Steve Winders… Read More ›
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Sneak Peek: Rivers of London: Black Mould #1
Well, all right, that headline’s a bit of a cheat as this was released by Titan Comics on Wednesday, but given the number of former conspirators from my days as editor of Doctor Who Magazine working on this, a plug… Read More ›
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Something For the Weekend – “The Name’s Bond” in This Week’s New Comics in the UK (w/c 10th October 2016)
Quite beside the continuing mayhem, action and general all-out fun within the pages of 2000AD (favourite line: “Obliterate the capitalist quadruped scum!” in “Judge Dredd“, thank you Rob Williams!), my pick of the week is the first issue of Dynamite… Read More ›
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Lakes International Comic Art Festival – Frequently Asked Questions and Top Tips
One of this weekend’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival‘s most dedicated team members, Sharon Tait, has been answering questions about the weekend-long on their Facebook page, with a mix of useful information and some very funny answers. They’re so good – and… Read More ›
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Benoit Peeters: How comic books help us to relive our childhood
Benoit Peeters, Professor of Graphic Fiction and Comic Art at Lancaster University, who will be one of those championing Tintin in the “Asterix vs Tintin” debate tomorrow at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, discusses how comic books help us… Read More ›
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The Comics Laureate Dave Gibbons and Oxford University Press create a new way to introduce children to classic stories and poetry
Current Comics Laureate Dave Gibbons has teamed up with comprehension expert, Lindsay Pickton, and global education publisher, Oxford University Press, to create 28 brand new Graphic Texts, now available, as part of their wider Project X reading and writing programme. Authors… Read More ›
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New Thunderbirds Are Go magazine, new season UK launch date announced
The latest issue of DC Thomson’s Thunderbirds Are Go magazine is on sale now in all good newsagents, and the second season’s UK launch date on ITV has been announced. Inside the inevitable poly bag, lurking behind that creepy… Read More ›
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Awesome Comics Podcast Episode 67: The More Things Change…
Change is coming! That sounds a lot more dramatic than it actually is, but Vince Hunt, Dan BUtcher and Tony take a moment to give a message about what the Awesome Pod will be like going forward from now on…. Read More ›
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Awesome Comics Podcast Episode 66: Prog 2000, Indie Superheroes and more!
In this podcast Vince Hunt, Dan Butcher and Tony Esmond let loose and talk comics and more. The two main topics of conversation this year are the epic event that was the release of 2000AD Prog 2000 and a discussion on… Read More ›
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2000AD: 40 Years Of Thrill Power Festival Tickets On Sale Today
The ultimate 2000AD experience is coming for one day London mega-event coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the long-running science fiction weekly comic! Next February (2017), Rebellion toasts 40 years of the publication of legendary British weekly comic 2000AD by presenting a huge celebration in the… Read More ›