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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Something For The Weekend (w/c 19th September 2016): New Aces Weekly, 2000AD 1999!
Just one week to go before 2000AD Prog 2000! (And oh, it is worth the wait… but don’t miss this week’s stonking Prog 1999 in all the excitement. Beating a path to the door of WHSmith stores for it on… Read More ›
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Creating Comics: Behind the Scenes on “The Marionette Unit” with James Boyle, Azhur Saleem and Warwick Johnson-Cadwell
Recently released, The Marionette Unit is a stunning, creepy and thoroughly enjoyable new Victorian mystery story, a graphic novel created by filmmakers Azhur Saleem and James Boyle, and illustrated by ace comic artist Warwick Johnson-Cadwell (Tank Girl, Gungle, Nelson, 24×7, Off-Life). We haven’t had opportunity… Read More ›
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Creating The Chimeran: An exclusive look at a new comics project from Star Wars producer Gary Kurtz
Recently in the spotlight at the ICE convention in Birmingham was a new project involving some stellar talent, The Chimeran – a creative team that includes Ben Oliver and Simon Furman, Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back producer Gary Kurtz, Richard Bazley and Paul Goodenough. Hot on the heels of that, we caught up… Read More ›
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Ape Judge Harry Heston storms the Megazine, the co-creation of late 2000AD “super fan” Stewart Perkins
Regular downthetubes readers will recall Richmond Clements tribute back in May for one of 2000AD‘s greatest fans, army veteran Stewart Perkins, who sadly passed away earlier this year. Well, there’s some good news: Harry Heston, the ape Judge character he… Read More ›
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Creating Comics: Titan and Forbidden Planet’s Nick Landau and Vivian Cheung talk to ICV2
Comics site ICV2 has just published a two-part interview with Titan Entertainment Group Managing Director Nick Landau and Executive Director Vivian Cheung, the duo behind UK-based Titan Entertainment, which has a long history and broad business portfolio that’s invisible to many people… Read More ›
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A Broons Birthday Bash, Ian Kennedy Art Masterclasses and more at Dundee Literary Festival
Although the Dundee Comics Day has been completely subsumed into the Dundee Literary Festival, there’s still a number of events of plenty of interest to comics fans this year when the event returns in October. The highlight for many will be not one… Read More ›
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Martin Baines draws new Thunderbirds Are Go strip for official comic
The latest issue of DC Thomson’s Thunderbirds Are Go comic – on sale in all good newsagents and supermarkets – features the first issue to include all-new comic strip from artist Martin Baines, a departure from the previous “photo story”… Read More ›
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Hachette road testing Transformers: The Definitive Collection part work
Hachette already publish a number of comics-related partworks, but downthetubes contributor Richard Sheaf has come across a new one, which looks like being essential reading to any Transformers fans out there, collecting every comics appearance of the Hasbro creations. The… Read More ›
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Something For The Weekend (w/c 12th September 2016): Dredd Endings and Doctor Who (Three!)
It’s getting close – 2000AD Prog 2000 is just two weeks away, and the excitement is pretty much uncontainable – but the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic is building to it with some stonking, fully thrill-powered issues and Prog 1998 is no exception…. Read More ›
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Lakes International Comic Art Festival Exhibitions include Kendal floods tribute, Fringe events revealed
With just four weeks to go to the event, the Lakes International Comic Art Festival has revealed its full Exhibitions plans around this year’s three day-long weekend (14th – 16th October) in Kendal, alongside its ever-popular Fringe events, which include Guardian political cartoonist… Read More ›
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High School Zombies and Time Sharks! It’s happening in the latest all-new Doctor Who Adventures!
The summer’s over but the fun is far from done! Get ready for the thrill of a zillion lifetimes with the latest issue of Doctor Who Adventures (Issue 19), on sale in all good newsagents from tomorrow! (15th September). FEAR… Read More ›
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Awesome Comics Podcast Episode 63: Fraser Campbell
Fraser Campbell, the writer of Sleeping Dogs and Alex Automatic, joins the Awesome Pod crew to talk about the new 1970s tv inspired book, his work process, influences and more. Alex Automatic – currently the focus of Fraser’s latest crowdfunding… Read More ›
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Dublin Comic Con’s 80th Anniversary Phantom Comic Gets Special Limited Edition Release
Earlier this year, the Dublin Comic Con was granted a special license by King Features Syndicate via AllSorts Media to produce a special comic celebrating The Phantom‘s 80th Anniversary. All proceeds from sales of the comic produced are being donated… Read More ›
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New Andersonic pays tribute to Sylvia Anderson, delves into UFO, Stingray
The latest issue of the excellent Gerry Anderson-inspired fanzine Andersonic, Issue 21, is available from the publication’s website www.andersonic.co.uk. Here’s what’s in the new issue: Deborah Grant Interview – a new interview with former Psychobomb Deborah Grant, who recalls her… Read More ›
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Big Finish to release Dan Dare Audio Adventures
December sees the arrival of Dan Dare at Big Finish Productions, courtesy of a new audio production from B7 Media starring Ed Stoppard as Dan Dare, Geoff McGivern as Digby, Heida Reed as Professor Peabody and Raad Rawi as the… Read More ›
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Creating Comics: An Interview with Russell Mark Olson, creator of “Gateway City”
As regular downthetubes readers know, we’ve given a couple of mentions to the digital comics platform Tapastic here, highlighting some of the great strips featured. One of these is the intriguing Gateway City, a crime noir/ SF mash up by… Read More ›
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Art & Hue Goes 60s with new hair-inspired pop prints
Art & Hue has created a new collection of stylish pop art prints inspired by the sharp bobs and modernist cuts of the 1960s hairdressing revolution. With the invention of the 60s bobs, geometric crops, and the five-point cut, women… Read More ›
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Creating Comics: Declan Shalvey reveals Moon Knight creation secrets
Over on YouTube, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou is the man behind Strip Panel Naked, a great series of “How To” videos analysing and breaking down comics art in detail, which includes items featuring Mike Mignola and Jordie Bellaire. His latest is the… Read More ›
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Sneak Peek: Doctor Who – The Third Doctor #1
Next Wednesday, 14th September 2016, sees the release of the first issue in Titan Comics brand new Doctor Who series – focusing on new adventures featuring the classic Third Doctor, as played by the legendary Jon Pertwee. Fresh off last… Read More ›
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Something For The Weekend (w/c 5th September 2016): Misty steps back out of the shadows!
With the countdown to Prog 2000 of 2000AD looming ever closer, and celebrations aplenty planned, Rebellion also tips its hat to the girls comic equivalent of the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic this week – Misty. On sale now is a smashing… Read More ›