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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Phoenix Comic Reaches Issue 200, Heads For WH Smiths This Week
Weekly British children’s comic The Phoenix is celebrating its 200th issue this week by becoming the first independent weekly comic in the UK to reach this milestone since 1969 – and will now be on sale in selected WH Smiths stores across… Read More ›
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Thought Bubble Festival reveals full 2015 line up
As we mentioned last week, Thought Bubble, the UK’s largest annual comic art festival which is now in its ninth year, takes place in Leeds from 9 – 15 November 2015. Supported by Leeds Dock, Leeds Inspired and Travelling Man… Read More ›
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Sneak Peek: Beast Wagon #2
The second chapter of Beast Wagon, the British Comic Award nominated black comedy from writer Owen Michael Johnson (Raygun Roads, Reel Love) and artist John Pearson, with letters by Colin Bell (Curb Stomp, The Fiction, And Then Emily Was Gone) goes… Read More ›
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Origins of 2000AD’s Dan Dare Revealed in new Thrillcast with Pat Mills and Dave Gibbons
To celebrate the imminent release of Dan Dare: The 2000 AD Years Volume One, Michael Molcher talks to Pat Mills and Dave Gibbons about 2000AD‘s reboot of the British character, which began in the first Prog in 1977 in a new Thrillcast from… Read More ›
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Fright Night on Radio 4 with Nigel Kneale’s “Stone Tape” and more
This Saturday (31st October 2015), BBC Radio 4 is broadcasting new radio adaptations of Nigel Kneale’s The Stone Tape and Koji Suzuki’s Ring as part of its Hallowe’en inspired “Fright Night“. Directed by top British filmmakers of his generation… Read More ›
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Awesome Comic Podcast Episode 17 Hallowe’en Special: Redshift Press
Vince Hunt, Dan Butcher and Tony Esmond are joined by the guys from Redshift Press this week for their latest and hugely-popular small press podcast. Chris Sides and Chris Travell are marking out a big old creepy cave in the… Read More ›
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Martin Eden’s acclaimed “O Men” Return!
After a six-year hiatus, O Men creator Martin Eden is bringing the series back to finally complete the story. The O Men – an epic superhero soap opera – began in 1997 and was one of the most prominent UK… Read More ›
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Online Classic UK Comic Zines Archive Repository Launched
After months of hard work scanning and contacting their original creators for permission to publish them online, David Hathaway-Price has launched his much-anticpated archive of British comics zines – a fascinating online repository of classic print fan magazines devoted to comics, spanning… Read More ›
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Haggarty and Brockbank’s “Mezolith” to get US publication, new adventure in works
Mezolith, the much-praised, award-winning graphic adventure created by performance storyteller Ben Haggarty and storyboard artist Adam Brockbank, first published in The DFC comic, is to get a US publication through Boom! Studios imprint Archaia – and Ben tells us this new edition… Read More ›
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Carlisle’s EdenCon Returns in April
Carlisle’s EdenCon returns for its second year on 23rd April 2016, raising money for cash4kids. Guests have yet to be announced (last year they included myself, Gary Erskine, Mal Earl and a very rare convention appearance by Steve and Annie Parkhouse) and but… Read More ›
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First Impressions: A Beginner’s Guide to the Lakes International Comic Art Festival
As a newbie to the Lakes International Comic Art Festival (LICAF) Norman Boyd wondered how he was supposed to tackle a big event like this. Some of you will think “what’s he on about?” but experience tells me Norman’s not the… Read More ›
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Something For The Weekend: Wild’s End Collected (US Comics On Sale 21st October 2015)
Here’s this week’s run down of new comics on sale in comic shops across the UK, with the emphasis, as ever, on titles that are the work of British creators and published by British publishers. If you missed the monthly… Read More ›
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Sneak Preview: Johnny Red #1 from Titan Comics
4th November sees the launch of the hotly anticipated Johnny Red series from legendary Preacher creator Garth Ennis and artist extraordinaire Keith Burns (The Boys, Castles in the Sky). The explosive new series features original adventures of the fighter ace… Read More ›
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Thought Bubble 2015 Programme Announced
The team behind Thought Bubble, the annual and hugely-popular comics festival held in Leeds, have lined up a terrific week of comics celebration, bringing some of the best creators in the world to the city. The programme for this year’s festival… Read More ›
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European Literature Night 2016 Date Set
European Literature Night (ELN), the British annual literary showcase which brings the best of the continent’s writers to the British Library, has announced its Call for Participation for 2016 is now open with the Night itself set to 11th May 2016. A EUNIC… Read More ›
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Sunderland Literature Festival features Liz Million, Bryan and Mary Talbot and Daniel Weatheritt
The Sunderland Literature Festival, the city’s annual celebration of the written word, has something for everyone and includes events with top children’s book illustrators Liz Million and Daniel Weatheritt, and award-winning comic creators Bryan and Mary M. Talbot. Liz Million appears at the Festival on Monday 26th… Read More ›
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Lakes Festival Announces 2015 Windows Art Winners, chosen by public vote and creator judges
This year’s Windows on Comic Art Trail – organised by the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, whose annual event took place last weekend – made an incredible impact across Kendal, involving local business, clubs and schools as well as local and national artists…. Read More ›
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Doctor Who and Iris Wildthyme Author Paul Magrs creates the “Lovely Levy Colouring Book”
With Christmas just around the corner, Levenshulme’s very own ‘Artist in Residence’ – Doctor Who, Brenda and Effie and Iris Widthyme author Paul Magrs – has turned his daily obsession of painting a different scene of village life into a… Read More ›
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Manchester Animation Festival line-up includes “Simon’s Cat” team and new “Danger Mouse” creators
The Manchester Animation Festival – a celebration of the animated art form – is taking place on 17, 18, 19th November 2015 and passes and tickets are on sale now. Animation is everywhere, from the smallest smart phone screen to the largest… Read More ›
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“Walking The Line” Exhibition Featuring Work of Oliver East Opens
The University of Cumbria Institute of the Arts, working with the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, is hosting an exhibition of sequential illustration based around the theme of walking, which launched last week with a guest lecture for students from top… Read More ›