Author Archives

• Sevenpenny Pirates! Action comic web site content hijacked, for reasons unknown

  By John Freeman on August 18, 2016 • ( 1 )

  

  A quick warning for all British comic fans: the once invaluable Action comic website sevenpennynightmare is back in operation – but the domain is no longer owned by its original creator and whoever now owns it has scraped parts of the… Read More ›

• Jeff Hawke creator Sydney Jordan illustrates new SF time travel collection

  By John Freeman on August 17, 2016

  

  Shoreline of Infinity, the Scottish SF magazine, has announced their first book release under the Shoreline of Infinity Publications banner. The Elements of Time by Duncan Long, illustrated by the legendary Sydney Jordan, features classic time travel stories from the… Read More ›

• Something for the Weekend (w/c 15th August 2016): Doctor Who, Dream Gangs, Dredd and Mind Mines, Too!

  By John Freeman on August 17, 2016

  

  I’ve heaped plenty of praise on the fast-developing PJ Maybe -focused “Judge Dredd: Ladykiller” story (by John Wagner, Carlos Ezquerra and Annie Parkhouse) and “Scarlet Traces: Cold War” (by Ian Edginton, D’Israeli and Annie Parkhouse) in 2000AD in recent weeks in our weekly… Read More ›

• Steve MacManus, former 2000AD “Mighty One” Talks Unsolicited Submissions

  By John Freeman on August 17, 2016 • ( 1 )

  

  Next month sees the release of The Mighty One from Rebellion, the story of editor Steve MacManus’ time as editor of 2000AD – and we’re really looking forward to reading it here at downthetubes and delighted he’s had time to write… Read More ›

• Oor Wullie creator’s house up for sale

  By John Freeman on August 16, 2016

  

  Deadline News reports the house once owned by the creator of  cartoon character, ‘Oor Wullie’, is on the market for just under £500,000. Hillbank House in Blairgowrie, Perthshire was home to Oor Wullie’s ‘father’, Robert Low, for over 30 years… Read More ›

• Graphic Short Story Prize 2016 Launches

  By John Freeman on August 16, 2016

  

  Sharpen your pencils and wits and have a bash at entering this year’s 10th Anniversary Graphic Short Story Prize organised by The Observer, Jonathan Cape and Comica London and open to UK residents. Get working on your four-page comic and… Read More ›

• Alliigator Descartes latest Crucible Comic 3D Model Revealed

  By John Freeman on August 16, 2016

  

  Here’s the latest Crucible comic-inspired 3D model, based on the comic characters co-created by myself and Smuzz and designed by Smuzz, who many downthetubes readers will know as SMS, one of the artists who drew “ABC Warriors” for 2000AD. Crucible started out in… Read More ›

• Crowdfunding Spotlight: Bust #3 by Dave Cook and Chris O’Toole

  By John Freeman on August 16, 2016 • ( 1 )

  

  Creator Dave Cook dropped us a line about his latest Kickstarter appeal for Bust #3, in which a young girl holds the secret to curing a post apocalyptic world gone insane in this Mad Max-inspired comic. “Bust 3: A Sackcloth… Read More ›

• The Phoenix Comic Unbound for the Edinburgh International Book Festival

  By John Freeman on August 15, 2016

  

  Here’s a lovely little ad for a free Edinburgh International Book Festival Unbound event in the Spiegeltent yesterday – The Phoenix Rises. Unbound revellers were treated to some late night antics from gladiatorial Gary Northfield (creator of “Julius Zebra”), caped comic crusader Laura… Read More ›

• Titan Comics Announces English language launch date for “Masked” by Serge Lehmen and Stéphane Créty

  By John Freeman on August 15, 2016

  

  Titan Comics has just announced the upcoming launch of Masked – an English language edition of the stunning comic series first published as Masque in French by Delcort, written by author Serge Lehman (The Chimera Brigade, Metropolis) with stunning art by… Read More ›

• Striker Back in the Sun From Monday, collections confirmed

  By John Freeman on August 14, 2016

  

  Striker – one of Britain’s longest running newspaper strips, mainly published in The Sun – returns to the paper on Monday, thanks to its fans and some hard-won negotiations behind the scenes by creator Pete Nash. The paper acknowledged the strip is… Read More ›

• This Week’s Most Read Stories on downthetubes: a Rum “Comic Run”, the Mekon, and an amazing new exhibtion

  By John Freeman on August 12, 2016

  

  Here our are Top Five Most Read stories this week. Check out our most Recent Posts here – and thank you for reading! And don’t miss out on this week’s new comics! Comic-Con run turns sour, comic fans warned as… Read More ›

• British Comic Sales Figures: Winners and Losers (January – June 2016): TOXIC beats off sales woes

  By John Freeman on August 12, 2016

  

  While humour and political comment magazine Private Eye is celebrating another modest increase to its circulation this week, some British comic publishers may be scratching their heads after a mixed bag of sales results were announced – but there’s still plenty of… Read More ›

• Something For the Weekend (w/c 8th August 2016): New Spider-Man, Johnny Red bows out, Nick Dyer on “Judge Anderson”

  By John Freeman on August 12, 2016 • ( 2 )

  

  There’s changes on the UK new stand for Panini‘s Marvel Collector Editions this week with the launch of Volume 6 of Astonishing Spider-Man, on sale now in all good newsagents. A one hundred page special, priced £3.99 (higher than the previously advertised… Read More ›

• Etherington Brothers, ILYA, Sally Kindberg, McGarrys and more line up for Lakes Festival “Family Zone”

  By John Freeman on August 11, 2016

  

  The Lakes International Comic Art Festival (14th -16th October 2016) has announced full details of its Family Zone events, most of them free for comic fans – of all ages – which include an exclusive book launch for a new… Read More ›

• Remembering “The Cartoonist”, Britain’s short-lived broadsheet comic paper

  By John Freeman on August 11, 2016

  

  Yesterday, I did a quick interview with Lee Thomas at BBC Radio Stoke (starts about 11 minutes in, eventually), prompted by the sale of a rare first issue of Action Comics #1, for an eye watering price. The 1938 comic book,… Read More ›

• New Commando stories offer Ram Raiders and Flying Fleas!

  By John Freeman on August 10, 2016 • ( 2 )

  

  Here’s the intel for DC Thomson’s Commando Issues 4939-4942 – on sale now in all good newsagents across the UK and via various digital platforms. Two issues  are set in the Far Eastern grandeur of New Guinea’s truly impressive landscape,… Read More ›

• Comic-Con run turns sour, comic fans warned as similar events still being advertised

  By John Freeman on August 10, 2016 • ( 1 )

  

  Comic fans and running enthusiasts are being warned to be on their guard after families donned fancy dress costumes and headed to Sutton Park for a “fan-freaking-tastic” Comic-Con Run – only to find that it wasn’t taking place. A number of similar events… Read More ›

• Coming Soon: the first-ever Worcester Comic Con

  By John Freeman on August 10, 2016

  

  Taking place at the University of Worcester Arena on Sunday 21st August, with a promised one hundred traders of wonderful things, from comics to film and TV merchandise, the first ever Worcester Comic Con offers a great line up of comics creators as guests, plus appearances… Read More ›

• US Comics Grading Company CBCS Saves 2016 ICE Comic Convention from Cancellation

  By John Freeman on August 9, 2016 • ( 1 )

  

  Running a non profit making comic convention to the high professional standard of The International Comics Expo in Birmingham must be challenging enough, but when the Arts Council pulled their third and final year of funding from the event last… Read More ›