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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Orbital Comics Marks “Fables” end with Mark Buckingham Guided Tour
As we near the end of Mark Buckingham‘s epic run on DC Comics’s Vertigo Fables with Issue 150, London’s Orbital Comics is presenting a retrospective of the artist’s work, featuring a variety of different pieces from throughout the years. The exhibition opens… Read More ›
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Top Greek cartoonist Arkas leaves Facebook after online attacks
Top Greek cartoonist Arkas – his identity outside cartooning unknown, by design – has suspended his only social media presence after online abuse. Arkas is one of the most popular and widely-read Greek cartoonists and comics artists snd regarded by… Read More ›
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Titan Comics to publish Manchette’s Fatale in November
Titan Comics have announced their impending publication of Manchette’s Fatale, a comics adaptation of the work of world-renowned noir crime author, Jean-Patrick Manchette. This edition, adapted by Doug Headline and illustrated by Max Cabanes, has been described by editor Lizzie Kaye as, “Lolita meets The Virgin Suicides.” In Manchette’s Fatale, Aimée is… Read More ›
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Jim Alexander, Barry Renshaw deliver new Strontium Dog for Dogbreath zine
Coming soon to the pages of FutureQuake’s Dogbreath is Strontium Dog – Tremor Wings by writer Jim Alexander and artist Barry Renshaw. Jim Alexander co-created Calhab Justice for the Judge Dredd universe but is best known these days for his… Read More ›
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Marvel UK Flashback: The Real Ghostbusters
Phil Boyce, who runs a wonderful blog devoted to the humour comic, Oink, is running a series of ‘Beyond Oink’ features, charting his comic reading down the years. He’s just posted an item on Marvel UK’s The Real Ghostbusters comic,… Read More ›
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British Comic Fanzines Digital Archive in the works
For several months now, British comics fan David Hathaway-Price had been gathering and scanning every British comics fanzine that he’s been able to buy or had loaned to him. His aim is to create a Fanzine archive / repository, celebrating… Read More ›
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British Comic Shop Releases (24th June 2015) – all-new Surface Tension and Resident Alien!
Here’s our guide to new comics and graphic on sale in British comic shops today (Wednesday 24th June 2015), complementing our monthly list of new British graphic novels and comic collections (June 2015 list here). This list. as usual, focuses primarily… Read More ›
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Enemy Spies Defeated! Intel on latest Commandos on sale now revealed
Despite the best efforts of enemy spies (and, possibly, a giant snake), the determined team at Commando have managed to slip us the intel on the latest issues of the war comic (Issues 4819-4822) on sale now in all good newsagents… Read More ›
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SICBA Award-nominated “Amongst The Stars” Sampler Released
Following on from the success of GoodCopBadCop at last summer’s True Believers/ Eagles awards, another Planet Jimbot title, Amongst the Stars has made the Scottish Independent Comic Book Alliance (SICBA) shortlist for Best Graphic Novel 2015. The full list of nominate titles… Read More ›
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Happy Birthday, Dogmatix!
To celebrate the Asterix album’s 50th anniversary of publication in France, Asterix and the Banquet returned to bookshops there earlier this month with two brand new editions – and began a tour of the country with a special exhibition featuring artwork and behind… Read More ›
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Ladybird Books “Story of Football” art exhibition at National Football Museum
The National Football Museum is exhibiting a display of original football-inspired artwork from Ladybird Books until the end of October 2015. Celebrating 100 years of Ladybird books, the display features artwork from the Ladybird footballing classic The Story of Football… Read More ›
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Alex Paknadel and Eric Scott Pfeiffer’s “Arcadia” goes to second printing
BOOM! Studios sci-fi thrillers Arcadia #2 and Broken World #1 have both sold out at the distributor level and the publisher has rushed to second printings to fill demand. Arcadia #2 – the debut work of Lancaster-based writer Alex Palnadel – second print ships… Read More ›
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Sneak Peek: Surface Tension #2 by Jay Gunn
This coming sees the release of Titan Comics Surface Tension #2 in comic shops by writer and artist Jay Gunn, and it’s a title I’m looking forward to reading after an impressive debut last month. Jay Gunn’s magnificent eco-horror fable continues in… Read More ›
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Strontium Dog Fan Film: First Look
The first pictures from the Strontium Dog fan film starring Matthew Simpson as Johnny Alpha have been released. The film also stars Kevin Horsham as companion Wulf Sternhammer. The film is directed by Steven Sterlacchini & Steve Green, is based on… Read More ›
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Marvel strikes new digital distribution deal with Comixology, Kindle editions announced
Marvel, comiXology and Amazon have announced an expanded and renewed exclusive relationship to distribute and sell Marvel’s digital comic books across the comiXology, Amazon and Marvel Comics platforms. This newly expanded relationship will continue Marvel’s single issue digital comic books… Read More ›
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Crucible: The Quest Episode 35
For those who came in late (new readers start here!): deep below the surface of Shaarn, our adventurers confront a terror of legend that has already killed… and threatens to do so again in its own quest! Crucible is an ongoing… Read More ›
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SEQUENTIAL re-offer free TCAF digital anthology featuring Hunt Emerson, Kristyna Baczynski and more
Digital comics publisher SEQUENTIAL are making this year’s Toronto Comic Art Festival anthology free again for a limited time, featuring great British comic creators like Hunt Emerson and Kristyna Baczynski. Earlier this year, the SEQUENTIAL digital graphic novel app for iPad and The Toronto… Read More ›
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DC Thomson Sponsors CITV In Run Up To Thunderbirds Magazine Launch
In a first for DC Thomson Publishing, the magazine business today announced it will become a new sponsor of the UK’s most watched commercial children’s channel, CITV. The deal, which includes broadcast, online, mobile and licensing elements, will see separate… Read More ›
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San Diego Comic Con Doctor Who Comics Panel details announced
Titan Comics has revealed details about its year’s Doctor Who Comics panel at San Diego Comic Con. Taking place on Saturday July 11th (3.30pm, Room 5AB), the panel, entitled ‘Doctor Who Comics Panel: Year Two, Cross-Over Event And New Mini-Series’, is part… Read More ›
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British Comic Shop Releases (17th June 2015) – All-New Judge Dredd Megazine, Bryan Hitch on JLA
Here’s our guide to new comics and graphic on sale in British comic shops this week, complementing our monthly list of new British graphic novels and comic collections (June 2015 list here). All-new stories start this month in Judge Dredd Megazine,… Read More ›