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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Great British Comic Characters Reinvented: Grimly Feendish
Artist Rob Moran has sent us a very different looking Grimly Feendish to the fun-filled would-be ruler of the world from 1960s comics for our Great British Comic Characters Reinvented competition. We hope you like it! Created by Leo Baxendale,… Read More ›
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Great British Comic Characters Reinvented: Nemesis the Warlock – and Night Raven!
Aces Weekly contributor Mal Earl simply couldn’t choose which of his favourite British comic characters he wanted to reinvent for our current competition – so we got three! Artist and writer Mal returned to producing comics three years ago, after a 15 year hiatus…. Read More ›
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Malta Comic Con’s Massive Guest List Just Gets Bigger, adding Erskine, Langley and many more
The star-studded guest list for this year’s Malta Comic Con has been accelerating so fast over the last couple of weeks we’re only now catching up with recent announcements. Although there’s some disappointing news that artist Jon Haward has had… Read More ›
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New “Mog the Cat” Book profits will be used for child literacy projects
You’ll just have to excuse this temporary aberration given my usual grumpy self, but I’m afraid I’ve been totally blown away by this year’s Sainsbury’s Christmas advert starring Mog the Cat, the creation of world renowned author and illustrator Judith Kerr,… Read More ›
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Matt Bucket Primes “The Weapon”, his debut graphic novel
The Weapon, a debut graphic novel from Devon-based artist and writer Matt Buckett, a 136 page graphic novel funded through Kickstarter. A fast paced action adventure dealing with imminent global catastrophe featuring fast cars, crazy technology and “the most tenacious female reporter on… Read More ›
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Something For The Weekend: US Comics On Sale 11th November 2015 – Anthologies, Mysteries and Bible Superheroes!
Our list of British creator-skewed new releases just has to headline with the release of the fifth Thought Bubble Anthology with the Festival itself taking place this weekend in Leeds. All the profits from this latest collection, which features a stack of great… Read More ›
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Dan Dare Recalled: Artist Jon Haward’s 1990s Designs
There’s plenty of interest in Dan Dare of late, with B7 Media‘s new audio series developing fast (I’m happy to report the pilot script from Bev Doyle and Richard Kurti is shaping up nicely) and the release of 2000AD‘s simply… Read More ›
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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 ›