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.
-
Sneak Peek: Boom! Studios Regular Show #31, featuring art by Laura Howell
Here’s a sneak peek at the latest issue of Regular Show (#31) from Boom! Studios, written by Mad Rupert with art from The Beano‘s very own hugely-talented Laura Howell and a subscription cover by Will Kirkby! Join Mordecai the Bluejay and Rigby the Raccoon,… Read More ›
-
Sneak Peek and Review: Doctor Who: The Twelfth Doctor – Year Two #1
It’s a New Year for The Twelfth Doctor, and writer Robbie Morrison is back on board for the book, joined by terrific artist Rachael Stott as regular artist. It’s a terrific opener for a new story, with the creative team… Read More ›
-
Sneak Peek: Johnny Red Issue 3
Here’s a sneak peek at Johnny Red Issue Three from Titan Comics by Garth Ennis and Keith Burns, on sale on Wednesday (6th January 2016) in all good comic shops, with a terrific Alex Ronald variant cover on offer as… Read More ›
-
Graphic Novels and Comic Stories Among Top 100 Best Children’s Books
One smashing show screened over the Christmas break was on Channel 4, with author and comedian David Walliams presenting Britain’s Favourite Children’s Books chosen by author, critic and broadcaster and Sunday Times Children’s Books Reviewer Nicolette Jones. You can watch the programme… Read More ›
-
Awesome Comics Podcast Episode 27 – Dean Beattie and Random Trials!
This week Awesome Comic Podcast hosts Vince Hunt, Dan Butcher and Tony Esmond are joined by Dean Beattie, a creator with an ever growing fanbase due to his amazing series Random Trials. He talks about how the series came to be,… Read More ›
-
Bryan Talbot, Chie Kutsuwada join British Library “Alice in Wonderland” celebrations
To coincide with the Alice in Wonderland exhibition at the British Library in London, comic creator Bryan Talbot, author of Alice in Sunderland, will join leading comics authority Paul Gravett and manga artist Chie Kutsuwada on a panel discussion titled… Read More ›
-
Call For Papers: Graphic Justice at Lancaster University
Graphic Justice is a stream that’s part of a larger academic conference, the Socio-Legal Studies Association Annual Conference 2016 taking place at Lancaster University from Tuesday 5th – Thursday 7th April 2016. Convened by Thomas Giddens, from St Mary’s Univeristy… Read More ›
-
Marvel Fact Files Returns Attention to Marvel UK
The long-running Marvel Fact Files, available through most UK newsagents, turns its attention back on Marvel UK (and more) with Issue 149 later this month, having last given the British versions of the US publisher’s heroes back in Issue 97, released… Read More ›
-
Southport Goes Shojo (Shojo Manga, that is)
A stunning shojo exhibition hits Southport, Lancashire on Saturday, offering an amazing display of art. It’s the first major exhibition of Japanese girls’ manga to tour the UK, presented in association with the Kyoto International Manga Museum, some of it seen at the… Read More ›
-
Doctor Who Adventures – Back for the New Year with New Who stories!
It’s a new year and you can recover from the January blues with the latest edition of the greatest comic this side of the Medusa Cascade as Doctor Who Adventures Issue Ten hits the shops on 7th January! BIG IN JAPAN James… Read More ›
-
London’s House of Illustration to host “Comix Creatrix: 100 Women Making Comics” exhibition
London’s House of Illustration to host “Comix Creatrix: 100 Women Making Comics” exhibition from next month, running until May. The Kings Cross-based venue will offer visitor the opportunity to explore the world of comics through original artwork by one hundred women… Read More ›
-
Graphic Shakespeare Competition Launched
A new Graphic Shakespeare Competition has just been launched as part of the activities surrounding the Elsinore Conference: Shakespeare the Next 400 Years in Denmark this April. The competition is open to comics creators worldwide and challenges creators to bring their own… Read More ›
-
Desert Island Dix: The Globe at Hay probes “Klaxon” graphic novel co-creator
The Globe at Hay will be picking the mind of cartoonist Dix later this month, whose dark humour is often found in his cartoon work, and will make for a fascinating desert island picks night. Dix, vicar’s son from deepest darkest Wales, is a freelance illustrator,… Read More ›
-
Missing In Action: Marvel UK’s “Zip” anthology
Marvel UK published a huge number of anthology titles down the years, starting with Mighty World of Marvel in the early 1970s through to Overkill in the 1990s – but one that got away in the company’s final years was Zip,… Read More ›
-
Something For the New Year: New Comics On Sale This Week – Dan Dare and Dreaming Eagles!
As 2015 draws to a close, top writer Garth Ennis seems to have taken over the US comic release list this week, but of all the titles on sale, I think Dreaming Eagles #1 from much-talked-about publisher Aftershock Comics is well… Read More ›
-
2Tone Comics in Hebden Bridge and other Comic Creators Count the Cost of Christmas Storms
Fans of independent comic shop 2 Tone Comics in Hebden Bridge have rallied to help owners Mandy and Tom after the store was devastated by flooding over Christmas, wreaking havoc on many businesses in the Yorkshire town. The store is one… Read More ›
-
The Awesome Comics Podcast End of Year Special – A White Riot of Comics Goodness!
It’s been a fantastic year for the world of small press comics, and what would the last Awesome Comics Podcast of the year be if there wasn’t a talk about some of the highlights of the year that was 2015? There are… Read More ›
-
ARGH! Comics Need You! Or Rather, Bay TV Liverpool Need You For a TV Show About Comics…
Can you laugh out loud while someone drones on for hours and hours about bloomin’ comic books? If so, Bay TV Liverpool want you to be part of the audience at Liverpool’s Central Library on Saturday 30th January 2016. You will witness the… Read More ›
-
Panel Borders: Drawing The Beano
In Drawing The Beano, the latest Panel Borders podcast, Alex Fitch talks to writers / artists Laura Howell and Hunt Emerson who have contributed a number of strips to The Beano since 2002, including “Little Plum”, “Ratz”, “Minnie the Minx”… Read More ›
-
Starblazer remembered by legendary comic artist Enrique “Quique” Alcatena
DC Thomson’s 1970’s Starblazer – “Science Fiction Adventure in Pictures” – is remembered by Enrique “Quique” Alcatena in a new Spanish-language documentary titled, simply, Alacatena, directed by Diego Arandojo. Enrique “Quique” Alcatena is regarded as one of Argentina’s most prestigious cartoonists who also drew several… Read More ›