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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Happy Birthday, Thunderbirds! A look back at TV21, the show – and birthday cake!
Fifty years ago today, millions of children (and their parents) sat down to watch the first ever episode of Thunderbirds, “Trapped in the Sky”, unaware that the series would have such a lasting legacy. All many of us of a certain… Read More ›
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Taschen to re-publish children’s illustrator Kay Nielsen’s “East of the Sun, West of the Moon”
Specialist art publisher Taschen is to publish a reprint of East of the Sun, West of the Moon next month, a stunning-looking collection reviving the most ambitious publication project of Danish artist Kay Nielsen, one of the most famous children’s book illustrators of… Read More ›
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2015 Harvey Award Winners Announced
This year’s Harvey Awards were presented Saturday night at a banquet in conjunction with Baltimore Comic-Con, with comics from Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics, and BOOM! Studios bringing those US publishers the most awards. The Harvey Awards are nominated and voted… Read More ›
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Massive “New Eagle” collection offered at Heritage Auctions
Up for auction on Heritage Auctions right now is a massive collection of New Eagle – 500 comics that include issues ranging from the the first revamp issue (cover dated 24th September 1983) issue to the February, 1993 issue, with skips and some duplication…. Read More ›
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Lakes Festival Focus 2015: An Interview with Walking Dead artist Charlie Adlard
Last year, in partnership with the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, downthetubes brought you a number of interviews with creators attending the event – and we’re delighted to be able to run a series in the run up to their… Read More ›
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Sneak Preview: Psychopathic Black Humour in Norman: Teacher’s Pet by Stan Silas
Missing Dexter? Child’s Play a little too gentle for you? Did it need more laughs? Then Titan Comics have the graphic novel for you, on sale from Wednesday in all good comic shops: Norman: Teacher’s Pet by French artist Stan Silas –… Read More ›
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Titan Comics snags “Independence Day Resurgence” comics rights
Titan Comics has announced it has secured the license to publish all-new Independence Day comics from Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products, to tie in with the sequel movie due for release on 24th June 2016. In 1996, Independence Day wowed… Read More ›
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Sneak Preview: Night Post by Benjamin Read and Laura Trinder
Improper Books will release Night Post by Benjamin Read and Laura Trinder through comic shops in December, a picture book telling the story of the other mail service; the one you haven’t heard of, the one that starts work at midnight… Read More ›
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Porcelain: A Gothic Fairy Tale to be re-released in new edition
Improper Books is to publish a new edition of its truly stunning title Porcelain: A Gothic Fairy Tale, which longtime downthetbes readers will recall I gushed about on its debut back in 2010. A much-anticpated sequel, Porcelain: Bone China, will debut at… Read More ›
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People’s Show of Sc-iFi Planned
The team behind the upcoming SciFest Yorkshire 2015 are preparing the People’s Show of Sci-Fi Collectables at Tolson Memorial Museum this autumn, which will feature a range of Doctor Who, Star Trek and Star Wars artefacts (among others). They put… Read More ›
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Music to Watch Vampires By, courtesy of Pat and Lisa Mills!
Do you have favourite tracks for favourite comics? Top British comics creator Pat Mills, whose latest creator-owned digital comic, Requiem Volume 8: The Queen of Dead Souls, is out now via Comixology, has always encouraged the inclusion of rock n roll in comics,… Read More ›
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Stuart Manning Doctor Who posters half price sale
Those of you who enjoying Stuart Manning‘s terrific Doctor Who promotional posters for the show may be interested to know that prints of last year’s designs are still available from Big Chief and are half-price for all of September. Stuart… Read More ›
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Thunderbirds Are Go Magazine Launches Next Month
DC Thomson has confirmed that its much-anticpated new Thunderbirds Are Go magazine will launch in October and that it will include comic strip as part of its content. A promotional page and subscription offer for the new comic is already online…. Read More ›
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Rare First Issue British Comics, Star Wars comics, Gerry Anderson merchandise in Cardiff auction today
Langley and Jones – a company specialising in vintage collectables, toys, comics, annuals, movies, TV and sporting memorabilia – is hosting its first auction today in Cardiff and includes a number of rare British comic lots as well as other rare and… Read More ›
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George Snow Dan Dare goes under the hammer as part of Felix Dennis estate sale
A comic sketch featuring Dan Dare and his arch nemesis The Mekon by George Snow inspired by early Eagle strip work is just one item from the diverse collection of the late Felix Dennis, extrovert publisher, planter of trees, poet and successful entrepreneur going under… Read More ›
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Sneak Preview: Eerie’s “The Rook” Back in Action at Dark Horse
The most popular series ever introduced in the pages of Warren Publishing’s Eerie anthology – the time-travelling adventurer The Rook – returns to comics next month from Dark Horse. Many of us who grew up enthralled by British comic anthologies in… Read More ›
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Something for the Weekend: US Comics On Sale 23rd September 2015
Due to catching up after a break on an island where comics seemed in even more short supply than Skaro, I’m afraid I’m unable to bring you a detailed listing of this week’s new US comic releases this week. If I… Read More ›
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2000AD Script Droid Kek-W Defects to Commando, Convict Commandos Back in Action!
Here’s the intel on the latest issues of DC Thomson’s pocket library war comic Commando (Issues 4847-4850), on sale today in all good newsagents and via various digital platforms. Good news this week is that the Convict Commandos are back… Read More ›
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Eagle Times spotlights “Lightning”, the Comic That Never Was
The new issue Eagle Times (Volume 28, Number Three), available from the Eagle Society, features an article by David Slinn telling the background story of a new children’s magazine, Lightning, that never saw the light of day, but was proposed for publication… Read More ›
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Marc Michael Jackson revamps “Man from Space” strip for Tapastic
Last week saw the launch (blast-off) of Marc Michael Jackson‘s new Man from Space series on the digital comics platform Tapastic, a service we’ve mentioned before as a great place to read a range of new comics (and which I… Read More ›