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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Spaceship Away 35 Launched, featuring two “Dan Dare” tales and more
Notching up an impressive 35th issue, the latest 40-page issue of the Dan Dare-inpsired Spaceship Away is on sale now, available on subscription or as a single issue from the title’s official web site. This latest magazine – offering… Read More ›
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Crowdfunding Spotlight: A Tale of Shadows
British comic artist and illustrator Lyndon White recently launched his second Kickstarter campaign, for his new comic A Tale of Shadows, a fantasy comic set in a world ideologically split by the arrival of new technology. The comic is written by podcaster Paul Clark-Forse, who has… Read More ›
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Tonight’s Gotham on Channel 5: Welcome Back, Jim Gordon
Jim Gordon is back on the beat in Gotham tonight and investigates the death of a witness inside the station house – and quickly realizes that it’s an inside job. When no one on the force can help him, he… Read More ›
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Is Print Still King in a Digital World?
Across the globe, millions of us now read comics, newspapers, catch up on the latest bestselling novels, or research work or school assignments on digital devices. Reading onscreen has many virtues. It can be convenient, save money, and enable… Read More ›
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Big Finish to publish “The Avengers” from Diana comic
(With thanks to Jeremy Briggs and Shaqui le Vesconte): Big Finish, best known for its Doctor Who audio adventures, has announced it is to publish The Avengers: Steed and Mrs Peel, a collection of the adventures which appeared in… Read More ›
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Three Cheers for Professor Elemental – and his splendid comics anthology!
I recently stumbled across Professor Elemental Comics (no, I don’t know how I missed it, either) – a glorious comics anthology series filled with short, whimsical tales of adventure, centring around a mad Victorian scientist/explorer/inventor/drinker of tea named Professor Elemental and… Read More ›
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Titan Comics to publish “21st Century Tank Girl” as three-issue mini series
Titan Comics are to serialise the Kickstarter-funded Smash Hit 21st Century Tank Girl, starting in June 2015. After a break of more than 20 years, artist extraordinaire Jamie Hewlett has returned to the iconic character which made his name, which… Read More ›
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Celebrating Sherlock Holmes “The Hound of the Baskervilles” in comics as Blu-Ray Hammer film release announced
Arrow Video will release a Blu-Ray edition of Hammer Films‘ classic Sherlock Holmes adaptation, The Hound of the Baskervilles, on 1st June 2015, so we thought we’d chart some of the story’s comics retellings by way of marking the event. Sherlock Holmes… Read More ›
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Ladybird Books re-imagined by London College of Communication School of Design students
London College of Communication School of Design students are working with Ladybird books in their centenary year, a century after the first Ladybird book was published. The students are exploring, celebrating and reinterpreting Vintage Ladybird’s rich heritage as part of a… Read More ›
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Comics Go Pop! Artist Sean Phillips curates new exhibition for Lakes International Comic Art Festival
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival has just announced the first of several exhibitions to coincide with this year’s comics gathering in Kendal, which will feature record album artworks by numerous comic artists – including, among many others, Festival guests… Read More ›
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London Calling: Death Sentence returns in June
Death Sentence is back with a brand new ongoing series in June. Death Sentence: London continues the phenomenal critical and sales hit rampant with sex, drugs and superpowers in an all-new story by MontyNero, featuring art by rising star artist Martin… Read More ›
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An Instant Retrospective: Al Davison’s “Muscle Memory” event announced
Al Davison: A.K.A. The Astral Gypsy is creating an exhibition for a live audience, to support the completion of his new graphic novel memoir Muscle Memory, via crowd-funding platform Patreon. Founded in May 2013 and based in San Francisco, California,… Read More ›
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11 O’Clock Comics Podcast Goes Transatlantic!
The latest episode of the US comics 11 O’Clock Comics Podcast (Episode 360) features the hugely-talented UK-based comics artist Marc Laming and ace DownTheTubes contributor Antony Esmond. They join the regular team of Vince B, David Price and Jason Wood in a special… Read More ›
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Signature Publishing announces new title, “My Little Pony Equestria Girls”
Signature Publishing, licensed by Hasbro, are once again to launch a bi-monthly magazine for the brand My Little Pony Equestria Girls. Coinciding with the release of the My Little Pony Equestria Girls: Rainbow Rocks DVD, and the breaking news that a third… Read More ›
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Thunderbirds Are Go: Alan Tracy and Thunderbird 3 Profiled
The promotions for Thunderbirds Are Go are coming in thick and fast now as the launch date nears, with the new show’s official Facebook page featuring a countdown of Tracy brothers character profiles, inviting fans to back their favourite. Here’s Alan Tracy, in command of… Read More ›
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Crucible: The Quest Episode 24
Deep in the Deep Stone mine, the party have come across a strange metal-clad room… what is its purpose, and what dangers lurk there?
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Panel Borders: Richard McGuire, Here
Continuing a month of shows about architecture and landscape in comics, Alex Fitch talks to cartoonist Richard McGuire about his epic 300-page graphic novel Here, published by Hamish Hamilton / Pantheon Books. Here is told entirely in double… Read More ›
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2014 Manga Jiman Competition Winners Revealed
West London-based comic creator Lorenzo Fruzza has been announced as the overall winner of the 2014 Manga Jiman Competition organised by the Embassy of Japan, for his entry “Cogs”. The winners of the competition were announced at a reception held… Read More ›
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Tax Boost for UK Games, Film and TV Production in 2015 Budget
Both big screen films and small screen TV production has just gained a further boost in the UK, after the government announced it is to further enhance the tax credits offered for TV and film, along with expanding support for… Read More ›
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Doctor Who comic creator Mike Collins interrogated
Episode 25 of the excellent Doctor Who: Panel to Panel podcast is up and in this episode, Jeremy Bement covers recent news about the Three Doctors mini-series coming up from Titan Comics and chats with longtime Doctor Who Magazine writer… Read More ›