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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Drawing The Line: 100 Comic Artists unite to Change the World
More than 100 comics artists and illustrators from around the world have launched Draw the Line – a lively, visual guide to positive political action that anyone can take. A reaction to dramatic social, environmental and political changes in the United… Read More ›
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Jack Fallows stunning “Cryptogram” available to pre-order
Comic creator Jack Fallows, whose work we’ve praised before here on downthetubes, has announced you can now pre-order what I can only describe as amazing-looking Cryptogram 0.1 Spring 2017 (March) | The Woods. “Cryptogram Puzzle Post is a monthly bundle of… Read More ›
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Morecambe Gets a Comic-Con for Easter
Morecambe, Lanacashire will play host to a Comic Con this Easter, although at present the announced guest list – which includes Sixth Doctor Who Colin Baker, who has written a comic strip – leans more toward TV and film guests… Read More ›
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Utopia/Valhalla, rare comics fanzine featuring early work by teenage Alan Moore offered for £2700
Over on eBay, there’s an auction running for a comics fanzine published in 1970 – Utopia/Valhalla Issue One – with a starting bid of over £2700. Before anyone starts scrabbling in their attics for fading issues of Comic Media News,… Read More ›
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Origins of “Doctor Who” revealed in new Sydney Newman memoirs
Exactly where did the idea of Doctor Who come from and how much of the show was the idea of Canadian film and TV producer Sydney Newman? That’s just one of the subjects tackled in The Man Who Thought Outside… Read More ›
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Roy of the Rovers comic artist David Sque confirmed for Lancaster Comics Day – making a rare comics convention appearance
The Lancaster Comics Day team have announced the appearance of Roy of the Rovers comic artist David Sque at Lancaster Comics Day 2017 (Sunday 11th June), who will be at the event alongside ROTR editor Barrie Tomlinson. Both creators – like… Read More ›
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BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe and Titan Comics team up for new “Little Nightmares” comic
BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe and Titan Comics have announced the creation of comics based on the upcoming, highly anticipated 3D puzzle-platformer Little Nightmares. The new comic is written by Dan Watters and Alex Paknadel (writers of Assassin’s Creed: Uprising) with… Read More ›
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The Galaxy’s Greatest Comic Convention? A Day out at the 2000AD – 40 Years of Thrill-Power Festival
The 2000AD – 40 Years of Thrill-Power Festival took place last weekend and downthetubers John Freeman (who was drafted to run a panel about British comics, Richard Sheaf and Tony Esmond (who got to interview Pat Mills on stage) share their… Read More ›
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Pick a Card, Any Card, it’s an Ace! (Aces Weekly, that is!)
Aces Weekly, the on-line comic magazine, founded in 2012 by David Lloyd and Bambos Georgiou, has announced the release of a set of collectable “trading cards”, which give purchasers access to volumes of the award winning publication. Each of the… Read More ›
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Fifth Lakes International Comic Art Festival Line-Up Announced, Tickets On Sale Now
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival has announced its full guest list for this year’s Festival Weekend in Kendal (13th – 15th October 2017) – and it’s simply crammed with amazing guests, including Stan Sakai, Sergio Aragonés, Ryan North, Mariko Tamaki – and… Read More ›
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Cartoonists Rights advocate Terry Anderson joins Granite City Con line-up
Terry Anderson of the Cartoonists Rights Network returns to Granite City Comic Con in Aberdeen in May 2017, to discuss the work of the group. Cartoonists Rights Network International is the human rights organisation specifically for cartoonists whose liberty or… Read More ›
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British Comic Heroes Abroad: Dan Dare’s first Asian Publication Recalled
We’ve covered some of the reprints the original Dan Dare experienced across the globe in the past on downthetubes and Richard Sheaf wrote a detailed guide to many of them In the Titan Dare collection, Safari in Space. But until… Read More ›
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New ComicPopUp Brighton revives indie comic creators cooperative ideas to sell comics
ComicPopUp Brighton is a new event happening on Saturday 13th May 2017, a one-day small-press/art comics shop that’s part of the Brighton Artists Open House Festival. Selling comics to comics readers and a whole new audience in a family-friendly pizza… Read More ›
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Celebrate 2000AD – Or Else! (In a new art competition, that is…)
Every month, fans of the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic have the chance to win a 2000AD graphic novel by entering a themed art competition inspired by the long-running SF weekly. The theme for February 2017 is, unsurprisingly, “Celebrating 40 Years of… Read More ›
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Sneak Peek: Fighting Fantasy’s “Freeway Fighter” Returns As All-New Comic
Spinning out of the legendary Fighting Fantasy series of game books created by Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson in 1982, the post-apocalyptic Freeway Fighter distinguished itself by deviating from the usual mix of orcs, goblins and cave-trolls. Now it’s back… Read More ›
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Beyond Dredd and Watchmen: The Art of John Higgins
Beyond Dredd and Watchmen: The Art of John Higgins, opening at Liverpool’s Victoria Gallery 10th March 2017, is the first major retrospective of the work of Liverpool-born artist. John Higgins found global success as a comic book artist, colourist and… Read More ›
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Egmont Publishing celebrates strong ABC performance for children’s titles
Following up on our report on the latest ABC sales figures for British comics, longtime comics publisher Egmont Publishing UK – which last year sold its classic comics archive to 2000AD publisher Rebellion – is celebrating strong ABC performance, just… Read More ›
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King Kong, wartime Beanos and banned Oz comics – quite a selection in latest ComPal comic auction!
The latest Compalcomics online auction has just launched and offers a fantastic selection of wartime Beanos, pre-war Mickey Mouse Weeklies and copies of Glasgow / Northern Looking Glass, considered the world’s first “comic”, published in Glasgow in 1825. Plus, there’s the chance… Read More ›
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DC Thomson celebrates as Beano sales figures climb in a difficult market
We reported on the latest ABC circulation figures for British news stand comics earlier today, and we can now reveal that Dundee-based publisher DC Thomson is delighted the Beano, 110% Gaming along with other titles No.1 and The Scots Magazine are celebrating… Read More ›
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Brian Bolland “Joker” Statue added to DC Designer Series
Straight from the Eisner Award-winning graphic novel Batman: The Killing Joke, acclaimed artist Brian Bolland’s rendition of The Joker gets the Designer Series treatment. Bolland’s version of the Clown Prince of Crime is one of the most iconic, recognisable renditions… Read More ›