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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FutureQuake Press Invade Thought Bubble with all-new issues of Zarjaz, FutureQuake, Something Wicked
The hugely-talented team behind the excellent FutureQuake Press titles – including FutureQuake, Something Wicked and Zarjaz – will be at the Thought Bubble Festival convention this weekend and have some great titles on offer. First up: FutureQuake is back! The… Read More ›
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2000AD Creator Competitions, New Posters At Thought Bubble 2015
It’s the Thought Bubble Festival in Leeds this weekend, Earthlets – and what a feast for any 2000AD fan, with the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic occupying tables #37-#38 in the Thought Bubble Marquee with the latest graphic novel releases, creator signings, exclusive… Read More ›
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Great British Comic Characters Reinvented: Professor Bernard Quatermass
Creator Jay Lowe has chosen a personal and truly British favourite for our challenge to reinvent great British Comic Characters (detail below), given that Nigel Kneale’s Professor Bernard Quatermass wasn’t created for comics – but he has appeared in print…. Read More ›
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Alternative Free Comics Day Announced After 2000AD dropped from 2016 Celebration
Following up on reports that the Free Comic Book Day Retailer Committee has rejected some publishers – including 2000AD – from offering their comics as part of the annual Free Comic Book Day promotion, the US-based semi-satirical comic book website TheOuthousers.com has announced plans to hold its own free… Read More ›
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Blistering Barnacles! New Tintin Exhibition opens at Somerset House
Just opened at London’s Somerset House is TINTIN: Herge’s Masterpiece, a new, free exhibition has just opened is well worth a visit that runs until January 2016. Stepping inside the wonderfully eccentric world of artist-author Hergé and Tintin, his intrepid young… Read More ›
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Top French Artist Barroux announced as guest of South Ken Kids Festival
As part of the South Ken Kids Festival the acclaimed French illustrator and cartoonist Barroux will orchestrate a special live drawing event around his graphic novel Alpha: Abidjan-Gare du Nord on 21st November 2015, about a man from the Ivory Coast… Read More ›
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Whatever Happened to “The Sun”, hero of Britain’s best-selling tabloid newspaper?
Former Marvel UK staffer and British comics legend Tim Quinn has unearthed an absolute gem from his archives this week – a superhero competition developed in the early 1990s in association with The Sun newspaper, long before many felt it went off… Read More ›
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“Assault on Fortress Doom” stirs memories of classic war comics
Just released by its talented creators – London writer Lex McDonald and Uruguayan artist Edgard Machiavello – Assault on Fortress Doom is an original, 172 page, full colour, World War Two set action/adventure graphic novel – and it looks terrific…. Read More ›
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In Review: Golden Campaign Volume III
Art and Story by Cristian Ortiz Daniel Martin – Co-Writer Alice Mazzilli – Calligraphy The Story: Monty and Caprille have joined a bunch of mercenaries. They really shouldn’t have, as they are far too young and inexperienced to stay alive… Read More ›
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The Fourth Doctor Returns to Comics for new Doctor Who Mini Series
Absent from the comics page for some time, other than cameo roles in various IDW series, the Fourth Doctor – played on screen by Tom Baker – will be the star of a new Doctor Who mini series, launching in… Read More ›
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2000AD announces “Misty” comic collections from the classic girls horror comic
Classic horror comic stories from the 1970s aimed at young girls will see the light of day once again thanks to 2000AD publisher, Rebellion, who has announced they are working with rights-holders Egmont to reprint Misty content. The initial strips to be re-published will be from creators… Read More ›
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Mal Earl’s “The Bridge” features in new Volume of Aces Weekly
Artist and writer Mal Earl returned to producing comics three years ago, after a 15 year hiatus. Along with many other projects, he has a new strip in the latest volume of David Lloyd’s brilliant digital anthology Aces Weekly (Volume 19!) on… Read More ›
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Creating Comics: Safeguarding Your Creations From IP Theft
Should comics creators, just like games creators and companies, be taking Intellectual Property law more seriously? The British comics industry may not be as big in monetary terms as the games industry, but perhaps, as creators, we should be thinking along… Read More ›
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Panel Borders: Canadian (Web) Comics with Stuart and Kathryn Immonen, and more
In a trio of interviews recorded at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival in Kendal, Alex Fitch talks to a quartet of Canadian comic book creators about their work on the Panel Borders radio show tomorrow. Husband and wife team Stuart… Read More ›
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In Review: The Khollected Khaki Shorts
Publisher: Braw Books Out: Now The Book: A fit-to-burst almanac of raw and rare pop-aware comic strip nourishment! Featuring a diverse yet complimentary array of art styles and content varying from laugh out loud social satire to portals into mysterious worlds… Read More ›
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There’s A Killing Moon at Thought Bubble This Year, thanks to Pigdog Press!
Back in 1985, a budding illustrator called Mark (PigDog) Roche wrote and illustrated a story for a Manchester based comic called Totally Alien. That story was “Killing Moon”, about a group of assassins lead by Moses Valentine. Now, 30 years later, his younger… Read More ›
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You Be The Judge! Planet Replicas Personalised Judge Badges On Sale
These have have been available from Planet Replicas for a while, but I’ve only just seen them thanks to a couple of social media posts. If you order now, you might just get a personalised Judge badge in time for Christmas… Read More ›
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2015 Lakes International Comic Art Festival nets £1.7 million for host town of Kendal
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival has published the results of its Visitor Survey and Event Evaluation for this year’s October 2015 – and it makes for positive reading for the event, the town and its team of dedicated volunteers. Now in its third… Read More ›
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Chicago to be home for George Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
The George Lucas Museum of Narrative Art – first announced last year – has been given the green light by Chicago’s City Council, which has approved revised plans for its design. Construction will begin next year on the Museum, which… Read More ›
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Beano Seeking Digital Content Creators for “Top Secret” Project
The Beano, Britain’s weekly humour comic published by DC Thomson, is on a recruitment drive for new staff for what looks like being a hugely ambitious new digital push for the title. Announcing the recruitment drive on their official web site… Read More ›