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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Doctor Who Adventures artist Russ Leach joins Hull Comic Con Line-Up
Following on from a very successful event last year, Hull Comic Con is back on Saturday 18th June 2016, and will be a much bigger event, taking over over all three floors of its venue, the Hull University Union building…. Read More ›
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ELCAF Back This Weekend, Celebrates Fifth Year In Style
Celebrating its fifth birthday across three days and three new venues, ELCAF 2016 is back this weekend (10th – 12th June), offering an exciting roster of international cartoonists, picture book illustrators and digital creators, included in the mix are Adrian Tomine,… Read More ›
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Beano Studios Launched, revamp on the way for comic, web site and new Dennis the Menace TV show in the works
DC Thomson – publishers of The Beano, Commando and other comics, as well as newspapers and magazines – has just launched a new creative company called Beano Studios, which aims to become the number one choice for seven to ten year olds… Read More ›
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Comichaus Closes In on Funding for New British Monthly Comic Book Anthology Launch Issue
Comichaus – the web-based comic book market place launched last year which among other services offers independent comic creators the means to sell their books online with no seller fee commission – looks on course to gain funding for its… Read More ›
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Comic Creator Spotlight: The Life and Work of Alberto Breccia – Part One by Ron Tiner
He’s perhaps best known to British comic fans for his work through the Bardon Press Features office in Barcelona for Fleetway Edtions in the 1960s, first on Super Detective Picture Library Number 172 “Passport to Peril” (an adaptation of the novel, Assignment Helene by Edward… Read More ›
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In Review: Darwin’s Diaries Book One: The Eye of the Celts
by Sylvain Runberg & Eduardo Ocan Publisher: Cinebook Reviewed by: Paul H. Birch (previously reviewed for downthetubes by Jeremy Briggs here) The Book: Victorian England. In Yorkshire, several men and horses working on a railway line have been killed. The… Read More ›
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Cam Kennedy, John Wagner and more head to Moniaive
Here’s the details of this year’s Moniaive Comic Festival Weekend (11th – 12th June) – two days of all things related to comic books in Moniaive, a village in the Parish of Glencairn, in Dumfries and Galloway, South-West Scotland. Some… Read More ›
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Dave Gibbons Returns to Doctor Who Magazine
As we’ve already mentioned, Doctor Who Magazine has just published its 500th issue, and is celebrating with a special 20-page comic strip adventure, “The Stockbridge Showdown” – and writer Scott Gray kindly took time out of his schedule to give… Read More ›
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Awesome Comics Podcast Episode 49 – Gareth A Hopkins and The Intercorstal
This week, the Awesome Comics Podcast gang are joined by Gareth A Hopkins, the creator of the abstract sequential comic book The Intercorstal. He talks about how the creation of this unique book came to be, the creators who have… Read More ›
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Something For the Weekend: Awesome Slaine and Sold Out Rebirths! (New Comics w/c 30/5/16)
Yes, yes, we know it’s Saturday already and you’re on the way to the comic shop already. We’re a bit busy at this end, getting ready for Lancaster Comics Day on Sunday, revamping the Lakes International Comic Art Festival web… Read More ›
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When Tiny Skulls Attack! Kek-W’s and Lukasz Kowalczuk’s new strip for 100% Biodegradable
Here’s a sneak preview of “Tiny Skull Attack” – a brand new strip by 2000AD‘s Kek-W and Aces Weekly‘s Lukasz Kowalczuk – coming to Issue 13 of the digital anthology 100% Biodegradable (due out this month). The quarterly sci-fi digital… Read More ›
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Sneak Peek: Ron Turner’s “Space Ace” Volume 6
Space Ace Volume 6 – re-presenting stories created by Ron Turner (best known, perhaps, for his work on TV Century 21‘s “The Daleks” strip but whose body of work encompasses much, much more) is now available from publisher John Lawrence… Read More ›
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Half Pint Soldiers and Trials by Combat! New Commando comics On Sale Now
Here’s all the intel you need on the latest issues of DC Thomson’s Commando, (Issues 4919 – 4922), on sale now in all good newsagents and available via a number of digital platforms. And what a treat – not one,… Read More ›
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Ian Kennedy’s Dan Dare cover for new 2000AD collection revealed
Here’s Ian Kennedy‘s specially commissioned cover for the second collection of the “Dan Dare” strips from 2000AD, which will be released on 3rd November 2016. Ian drew just one “Dan Dare” strip featuring the 2000AD incarnation, for the 1979 Dan Dare annual, the… Read More ›
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Star Trek: The Exhibition Set to Beam Into Blackpool
Star Trek: The Exhibition will beam in to Blackpool at the end of June (Thursday 30th June). Designed by the stage designer Andrew Edwards, The Exhibition will be an experience for fans and families to visit, as it takes audiences on… Read More ›
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downthetubes: Our Top Ten Stories for May 2016
Halfway into 2016 already and we had another upswing in visitor numbers on downthetubes in May – thank you for your continued support. We have lots of news and features and new projects yet to come! • In Memoriam: Stewart… Read More ›
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The Finns Are In! Top Finnish Creators join Lakes Festival Line-Up
Working in partnership with The Finnish Institute in London, the Lakes International Comic Art Festival is delighted to announce the forthcoming appearance of several top comic creators from Finland – a country steeped in storytelling often inspired by its rich mythology… Read More ›
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Awesome Comics Podcast Episode 48 – Dead Canary Comics
The minds behind Dead Canary Comics, Chris Baker and Matt Fitch, join the gang this week to talk about how they started in indie publishing, the impressive books they’ve released so far and the awesome books they’ve got coming up. There’s… Read More ›
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Dave McKean’s “Black Dog” Premieres, Show heads for France Next Week
Last night saw the world premiere of illustrator, filmmaker and musician Dave McKean‘s multimedia performance of his new graphic project Black Dog – The Dreams of Paul Nash in Kendal Town Hall – the first of a number of shows across the… Read More ›
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Super Meerkats Back in Action, Competiton to Win Hardback Edition Launches
The second episode of the CompareTheMarket Meerkat Movies comic has just been launched online , written and illustrated by DC legends Tony Bedard and Neal Adams – and there’s a competition to win a very limited edition hardback of the story, too…. Read More ›