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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“Blankets” creator Craig Thompson joins 2016 Lakes International Comic Art Festival line-up
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival (14th -16th October 2016) has confirmed an appearance by one of the most critically-acclaimed cartoonists of his generation, award-winning author Craig Thompson, alongside current collaborator, the acclaimed French artist Edmond Baudoin. Thompson is the writer and artist of… Read More ›
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New Star Trek TV show heads to Netflix in world rights deal outside US and Canada
Streaming network Netflix and CBS Studios International have inked a landmark international licensing agreement for the new Star Trek TV series, expected to launch in early 2017 and “introduce new characters seeking imaginative new worlds and new civilisations”. Netflix – already… Read More ›
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Vice Press get set to release limited edition Judge Dredd prints by Jock
Vice Press has announced the upcoming release of its Judge Dredd Letterpress Set by Jock this week – an officially licensed, Limited Edition Portfolio Set featuring some of the artist’s stunning work on 2000AD‘s most popular character. This new release – following… Read More ›
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“Striker” collections in the works, bringing entire football strips to book for the first time – and “Psycops” too?
Dropped from The Sun‘s print edition earlier this year, popular football strip Striker, created by Pete Nash, looks on course to make a come back – both in the paper and online, via YouTube. Collections of the strip, first published in… Read More ›
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Sneak Peek: 2000AD Summer Special 2016 – Dredd, Ace Trucking, Robohunter and more! (No, not that Moore).
This Wednesday (20th July) see the release of the 2000AD Summer Special 2016 – and it’s a cracker! Do your duty and pick this up, along with 2000AD Prog 1990 and Judge Dredd Megazine 374. Crammed with thrill power ,… Read More ›
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Doctor Who artist Paul Hanley delivers “Steampunk Iris” (Wildthyme, that is)
Don’t miss “A Clockwork Iris” by Paul Magrs
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Johnny Red Volume 4 On Sale Now
Out now from Titan Comics is Johnny Red Volume 4: Flying Gun, the long-awaited fourth collection of classic strips featuring Britain’s Easter Front-seconded air ace. Written by Tom Tully and drawn by John Cooper – two immense talents of British comics sadly… Read More ›
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Something For The Weekend: New Comics On Sale (w/c 11th July 2016): Judge Dredd and Johnny Red!
Comic shops are telling us they have stock of this week’s top-selling comic collection in the UK, Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth Uncensored, but once they’re gone, they’re gone, because publisher Rebellion has announced the book has sold out, so no… Read More ›
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Reader requests help shape the latest re-presented Commando stories
The latest editions of DC Thomson’s Commando (Issues 4931-4934), on sale now in all good newsagents and through various digital platforms, features four classic stories from the long-running title, some chosen by readers themselves. Commando No 4931 – Mark Of The… Read More ›
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In Review: Spaceship Away Issue 39 – highlights Ian Kennedy, offers new Dan Dare adventures
The latest issue of Spaceship Away, the magazine devoted to Dan Dare, Eagle and its many creators is out now, offering a great line up of strips and features behind a cover by the late Frank Bellamy. Tim Booth continues… Read More ›
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Judge Dredd: The Cursed Earth Uncensored sells out in just 24 hours
The uncensored edition of the legendary Judge Dredd epic, The Cursed Earth, has sold out in the UK – less than a day after going on sale. Unprecedented demand for The Cursed Earth Uncensored has resulted in distributors being cleared… Read More ›
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Film director Ben Wheatley’s success down to 2000AD, he says
He’s one of the most prominent independent directors of his generation, with a string of critically-acclaimed movies under his belt, but Ben Wheatley still pegs his success to reading 2000AD as a child. The director of Sightseers, Kill List, A… Read More ›
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Sneak Peek: Titan Comics New “Hard Case Crime” Imprint
Titan Comics is bringing titles from the hardboiled crime novel publisher Hard Case Crime to comics in the form of a new imprint edited by Tom Williams, which will include a slate of noir series from all-star creators. Award-inning imprint Hard… Read More ›
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Kettering hosts new comic exhibition featuring work by Frank Bellamy, Bill Sienkiewicz and Barry Windsor Smith
Kettering, Northamptonshire is currently the location of a free ‘Comics Unstripped!’ exhibition, examining the history of comics and graphic novels and featuring works by artist Frank Bellamy, who lived in the town and includes some examples from his work for the… Read More ›
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Gosh store offers Dark Judges Brian Bolland Print as Cursed Earth Uncensored debuts
London’s Gosh comic store is offering 2000AD fans an exclusive print of Brian Bolland’s cover for the classic Prog 225. The print will be released at the shop’s Cursed Earth Uncensored signing with Brian Bolland and Mick McMahon on Saturday… Read More ›
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Leeds Library partners with Thought Bubble for Young People’s Comic Award, Submissions Invited
Leeds Library and Information Service and Thought Bubble (returning 1st – 6th November 2016) is inviting submissions for the Young People’s Comic Award, the only category of the British Comic Awards that will be presented this year as the others are on… Read More ›
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Awesome Comics Podcast Episode 54: Shane Chebsey and Shrewsbury Comic Arts Festival
Comic conventions are an integral part of being a small press creator, and this week marks the first time the Awesome Comics Podcast team talk to one of the hard working folk behind the events. Shane Chebsey, the man behind the… Read More ›
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SelfMadeHero’s Autumn 2016 Revealed: Motherless Oven follow up by Rob Davis out in November
A graphic history of Tetris, Rob Davis‘ eagerly-awaited follow up to his utterly brilliant The Motherless Oven and a superb-looking biography of Salvador Dalí by Edmond Baudoin are just some of the treats in store from SelfMadeHero this autumn. September… Read More ›
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In Review: I Drank Holy Water: A Visual Diary by Zen Bucko
By Zen Bucko Experimental comics can be a gamble, one that in my opinion more often than not does not pay off. Combine that with the often also overplayed hand of the autobiographical comic and you are betting something of… Read More ›
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Lakes International Comic Art Festival Tickets On Sale Now
Tickets for the main events at this year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival are on sale now – and a special “Clash of the Toon Titans“, pitting Tintin against Asterix, will launch this year’s weekend-long celebrations in October. Guests at this year’s Festival (14th – 16th October… Read More ›