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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British Comic Awards Shortlist announced, Beano artist Dudley D. Watkins enters “Hall of Fame”
After many, many months of planning, reading, more reading and even more reading the team behind the British Comic Awards have just revealed the nominees for 2014/15, selected from the Longlist of titles provided by the reading public, publishers and the creators themselves. The BCA… Read More ›
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Titan Comics’ Doctor Who: Four Doctors features in UK “Doctor Who Comic”
Titan Comics’s Doctor Who: Four Doctors saga, recently releaed in US format as a five-issue mini series in comic shops, is being re-presented in their UK news stand Doctor Who Comic, beginning in Volume 2 #1, on sale 8th October. What… Read More ›
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DC Thomson recovers Beano web domain from “internet squatter”
DC Thomson, publishers of The Beano, have taken control of the thebeano.co.uk domain name from a Norfolk businessman. The Dundee-based company, which has been publishing The Beano for decades, took action against Stephen Fisher from Ellingham, who had registered the domain name. Internet… Read More ›
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Miss out on “Yellow” at Your Peril! OFF LIFE book project launches on Kickstarter
Today the tease is over and – after a year of hard work and illustration – the team behind Britain’s only free street comic, OFF LIFE, have unveiled their plans for Yellow: the collected book and launched its Kickstarter campaign. Yellow is… Read More ›
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First issue of The Beano sells for £17,300 in latest Compalcomics auction
A rare copy of the first issue of The Beano, published in 1938, has sold for a whopping £17,300 in the latest Compalcomics auction – and other issues of the weekly humour comic also sold at good prices. “Bought for… Read More ›
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Caption, the small and indie press convention, goes to Coventry
Caption, the two day comics festival – now in its 23rd year – returns on 10th – 11th October. The popular event dedicated to British small press and indie publishing has moved from Oxford to Coventry as, we’re told, there aren’t… Read More ›
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Lakes Festival Original Comic Art Auction in London announced, Jonathan Ross to be auctioneer
In June 2012 London hosted the Olympics. But in November 2015 there’s something even bigger coming to the capital. Yes, it’s the Lakes International Comic Art Festival Grand Auction of Original Comic Art, featuring works by the likes of Ian… Read More ›
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Creating Comics: Adapting Sven Hassel’s “Wheels of Terror”
Today sees the release of the Wheels of Terror: The Graphic Novel by publisher Weidenfeld & Nicolson, an imprint of the Orion Publishing Group, adapting Sven Hassel’s famous and chilling novel of the same name, largely set on the Eastern Front in… Read More ›
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British Children’s Shows dominate eBay TV property searches
While the impending return of The X-Files is prompting many searches of eBay by its users. British children’s TV – including Thunderbirds and The Clangers – are prompting a lot of interest on the online auction site, no doubt stirred… Read More ›
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Sneak Peek: Ian Kennedy’s Johnny Red #2 cover, #1 Preview Pages
Here’s a sneak peek at the covers of the second issue of their eight-issue limited series written by Garth Ennis and drawn by Keith Burns, which launches on 4th November (see news story). Titan also sneaked out some preview art… Read More ›
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Something for the Weekend: US Comics On Sale 30th September 2015 – Jump On Board 2000AD!
Here’s this week’s list of comics on sale now in comic shops across the UK. As usual, our list highlights the work of British creators and publishers. 2000AD Prog 1950, on sale today, offers an ideal for new readers or… Read More ›
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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 ›