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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Manga Jiman 2016 Competition Closes Soon, “Sights of Japan” theme
Rats. Apologies to our regular readers, but I’ve totally missed mentioning this year’s Manga Jiman competition – the Embassy of Japan‘s quest to find the best creators of comic short-stories, celebrating its tenth year. The competition, which unfortunately closes on 24th October… Read More ›
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Rising Stars from Japan – manga artists feature in Kendal exhibition, London event next week
Here’s some pictures of two free exhibitions at this year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival, taking place this weekend. The first pictures are from “Making a Scene” by top comics artist Ken Niimura and it’s on at the Brewery Arts… Read More ›
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Out Now: Eagle Times Volume 29 No 3 (Autumn 2016)
The new Eagle Times, the magazine of the Eagle Society, is out now, with articles about Frank Hampson‘s art, Martin Asbury‘s film storyboard work, Jeff Arnold’s hat – an informative piece about real western headgear, according to downthetubes contributor Steve Winders… Read More ›
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Sneak Peek: Rivers of London: Black Mould #1
Well, all right, that headline’s a bit of a cheat as this was released by Titan Comics on Wednesday, but given the number of former conspirators from my days as editor of Doctor Who Magazine working on this, a plug… Read More ›
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Something For the Weekend – “The Name’s Bond” in This Week’s New Comics in the UK (w/c 10th October 2016)
Quite beside the continuing mayhem, action and general all-out fun within the pages of 2000AD (favourite line: “Obliterate the capitalist quadruped scum!” in “Judge Dredd“, thank you Rob Williams!), my pick of the week is the first issue of Dynamite… Read More ›
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Lakes International Comic Art Festival – Frequently Asked Questions and Top Tips
One of this weekend’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival‘s most dedicated team members, Sharon Tait, has been answering questions about the weekend-long on their Facebook page, with a mix of useful information and some very funny answers. They’re so good – and… Read More ›
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Benoit Peeters: How comic books help us to relive our childhood
Benoit Peeters, Professor of Graphic Fiction and Comic Art at Lancaster University, who will be one of those championing Tintin in the “Asterix vs Tintin” debate tomorrow at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, discusses how comic books help us… Read More ›
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The Comics Laureate Dave Gibbons and Oxford University Press create a new way to introduce children to classic stories and poetry
Current Comics Laureate Dave Gibbons has teamed up with comprehension expert, Lindsay Pickton, and global education publisher, Oxford University Press, to create 28 brand new Graphic Texts, now available, as part of their wider Project X reading and writing programme. Authors… Read More ›
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New Thunderbirds Are Go magazine, new season UK launch date announced
The latest issue of DC Thomson’s Thunderbirds Are Go magazine is on sale now in all good newsagents, and the second season’s UK launch date on ITV has been announced. Inside the inevitable poly bag, lurking behind that creepy… Read More ›
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Awesome Comics Podcast Episode 67: The More Things Change…
Change is coming! That sounds a lot more dramatic than it actually is, but Vince Hunt, Dan BUtcher and Tony take a moment to give a message about what the Awesome Pod will be like going forward from now on…. Read More ›
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Awesome Comics Podcast Episode 66: Prog 2000, Indie Superheroes and more!
In this podcast Vince Hunt, Dan Butcher and Tony Esmond let loose and talk comics and more. The two main topics of conversation this year are the epic event that was the release of 2000AD Prog 2000 and a discussion on… Read More ›
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2000AD: 40 Years Of Thrill Power Festival Tickets On Sale Today
The ultimate 2000AD experience is coming for one day London mega-event coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the long-running science fiction weekly comic! Next February (2017), Rebellion toasts 40 years of the publication of legendary British weekly comic 2000AD by presenting a huge celebration in the… Read More ›
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Saturation Point: Have We Got Too Many Comic Cons?
I was very sorry to hear yesterday that Jeff Chahal, organiser of the highly-regarded, comics-focused NICE convention in Bedford, has reluctantly decided to cancel his 2017 event – although he hopes to be action next year. The decision followed news… Read More ›
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2015 Winter Flood Stories inspire powerful new Lakes Festival Comics Exhibition, “Five Bridges”
Ahead of Kendal’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival this weekend (14th – 16th October), some of the event’s Exhibitions are now open, with others to follow on 12th October. Beatrix Potter Reimagined, which runs until 28th October 2016 is open now at Kendal Library, as are Making… Read More ›
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IDW picks up English rights to David Foenkinos “Lennon”, adapted by Eric Corbeyran and Horne
The year was 1975 and an ex-Beatle, at the height of his fame, chose New York City to raise his young family, setting career, adoring fans, and creative contemporaries aside. Just five years later, John Lennon was dead. Now, US… Read More ›
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Sneak Peek: Madius Comics shakes up the latest Papercuts & Inkstains (#6)
There’s something strange, in your neighbourhood, who’s to blame? Probably the smashing independent comics publisher Madius Comics, who are back with another spine-busting, game-changing, fist-pumping mega issue of Papercuts & Inkstains, wrapped in cover by Angela Sprecher, who has conjured up a… Read More ›
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2000AD’s Tom Foster among first guests announced for Malta Comic Con 2016
Following quickly on the announcement of the dates for this year’s Malta Comic Con, organisers Wicked Comics have unveiled the official poster for the event and their first guests, who include 2000AD artist Tom Foster and Southern Nightgown artist Collette… Read More ›
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Cor! By Gum! It’s a Comiket loads of comic creators – in Woking… Tomorrow!
Not only is the Cor! By Gum! Zarjaz! exhibition at The Lightbox in Woking (reviewed here) going great guns, but tomorrow (Saturday 8th October) sees the venue hosting a sparkling Comica Comiket – followed, as we reported earlier in the week,… Read More ›
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Titan Comics announces new Dan Dare title
Hot on the tail of the entirely separate Dan Dare Audio Adventures, Titan Comics has just announced a new Dan Dare comic at New York Comic Con. The creative team has not been revealed. Talking about the new title, which will… Read More ›
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Titan Comics Announces Jack Campbell’s “Lost Fleet: Corsair”
Titan Comics has announced the upcoming release of an all-new comic series based on the New York Times best selling Lost Fleet SF novels written by best-selling author Jack Campbell, pencilled by Andre Siregar, inked by Bambang Irawan and coloured by Sebastian Cheng. I’d best… Read More ›