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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Crucible: The Quest Episode 36
Giant Monster? Check. Odds stacked against survival? Check? Let’s hope Sylvana doesn’t annoy the Chrell, hey? Oh dear… • Click the image below for full size view For those who came in late (new readers start here!): deep below the… Read More ›
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In Review: Vietnam Zombie Holocaust #2
Writer: George Lennox Art: James Devlin Lettering: Colin Bell Publisher: Cult Empire Out: Now The Book:After the US Government creates and releases zombie soldiers into the jungles of Vietnam in an attempt to bring the war to an end, things quickly… Read More ›
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Beano becomes first comic to join hotel-focused digital download service
Gold Key Media has announced the addition of their first children’s comic, The Beano, to their innovative Media Box, a digital download service offered in hotels across the globe – meaning fans of the weekly comic won’t miss out on… Read More ›
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More Ladybird Books Exhibitions celebrate 100 Years of Publishing
Following up on our coverage of the Ladybird Books exhibitions at the National Football Museum and London’s House of Illustration, here’s a round up of other Ladybird-related happenings around the UK, as the much-loved brand celebrates its 100th Anniversary. Ladybird books… Read More ›
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Ladybird By Design Exhibition Comes To London
London’s House of Illustration’s summer exhibition will feature over 120 original illustrations from classic Ladybird titles, in celebration of 100 years of Ladybird Books. Specially commissioned illustrations, clever format and compelling design, combined with the quality of the writing, were key… Read More ›
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Twang Your Thing with The Beano!
Suitable for menaces of all ages, JHS have added an Electric Guitar to their range of Beano-inspired instruments, featuring classic images from the worlds longest-running comic, plastered over its single cutaway full-sized body. The Beano Electric Guitar is the latest addition to the… Read More ›
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Roads Not Taken: Renga, DC Thomson’s Abandoned Rival to 2000AD
Nestling for over 20 years on a long-forgotten hard drive incompatible with modern computers, we’re delighted to be able to finally bring you some of the work that featured in a stunning ‘dummy’ comic, Renga, commissioned by DC Thomson…
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Specsavers backs Lakes International Comic Art Festival with welcome sponsorship
This year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival will start with a bang, not a whimper, thanks to welcome sponsorship from Specsavers – one of several local businesses in Kendal that are backing the event when it returns for a third spectacular year… Read More ›
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Alan Burrows covers 100% Biodegradable, the digital action comic anthology
Top artist Alan Burrows – best known for his work on Eagle and Red Dwarf – has provided a cover for the latest issue of the science fiction and fantasy digital comic 100% Biodegradable (Issue 9) – available now. The latest… Read More ›
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The Comics That Shook 1950s Britain discovered in the National Archives
Britain’s National Archives is a wonderful repository for many odd things, but you might be forgiven for wondering just what a number of horror comics might be doing lurking in its catalogue. It was certainly a surprise to researcher Emily… Read More ›
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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 ›