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.
-
Star Wars Dominates Diamond’s Top 500 Best-Selling Comics of 2015
Diamond Comic Distributors have announced the Top 500 Best-Selling Comics of 2015 sold through comic shops, including those in the UK, a year that saw Star Wars return to Marvel Comics in a big way in 2015 as Jason Aaron and… Read More ›
-
Comics and PartWorks Publishers get Top Marks in Battle for Readers from Licensing Industry Insider
Over on the Licensing Lookout, Start Licensing’s Ian Downes has been browsing at the latest partworks on the UK market including Hachette’s new Draw The Marvel Way and offers some interesting insights on comics in general from his point of view… Read More ›
-
Neil Gaiman Backs “My Library By Right” Campaign to Save Libraries from Cuts
Comics writer and author Neil Gaiman is among the high profile campaigners who have joined the battle to fight further library closures across the UK – with cash-strapped Lancashire County Council recently joining other local authorities in seeing possible closures as “easy… Read More ›
-
Birmingham Comic Festival Announces First Guests for 2016
The Birmingham Comics Festival returns to Britain’s second city with events being scheduled to take place throughout April. Yet again Edgbaston Cricket Stadium will plays host to a spectacular one day gala convention as part of the festival, and it will take… Read More ›
-
New Comics On Sale This Week – 2000AD, Doctor Who and Elephantmen!
Here’s our latest list of new comics on sale this week, focusing largely on new comics and graphic novels on sale in comic shops and as usual, highlighting those featuring the work of British and Irish creators and British publishers,… Read More ›
-
National Trust Announces First Ever Children’s Book Festival
The National Trust has announced its first-ever Children’s Book Festival Weekend will take place in March at Wray Castle in the Lake District, part of the organisation’s celebrations for author Beatrix Potter’s 150th birthday. Taking place 4-6th March 2016, the event offers an impressive… Read More ›
-
Preston Comic Con Returns in August
Preston Comic Con will return to Preston Guild Hall on 6th August 2016. No guests have been announced yet for the event but with a great cosplay element, last year’s event was well received, including media stars such as Star Wars Kenny… Read More ›
-
“Never Say Dai” creator Tim Harries dishes the dirt on a cartoonist’s life
New Statesman and South Wales Argus cartoonist Tim Harries will be giving a talk on his career and showing some of his original art at Newport Museum next week (Tuesday 12th January). Organised by the Friends of Newport Museum and… Read More ›
-
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 ›