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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Panel Borders: Neal Adams’ Relevant Comics
Continuing a month of radio shows about creators whose passion for comics leads them to do more than just create strips for the medium, Alex Fitch talks to legendary creator Neal Adams this week on Panel Borders, one of the… Read More ›
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Is Anyone Reading Digital Comics? London Book Fair aims to find out…
In the UK, the impact of digital migration on the graphic novel market has been less pronounced than in other areas of the book industry. This is often attributed to graphic novel readers’ attachment to print: nothing, you’ll hear… Read More ›
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British Comic Shop Releases (8th April 2015) – 2000AD’s “Spring Salvo” continues, aliens in BeanoTown?
Here’s our list of both British and US comics on sale this week in comic shops today (Wednesday 8th April 2015), complementing our monthly list of British graphic novel releases (April 2015 release list here). The ’Spring Salvo’ surges… Read More ›
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Sam Glanzman’s “A Sailor’s Story” gets deserved re-release this week
Fans of Charley’s War may be interested in this new edition of legendary comic book artist Sam J. Glanzman’s A Sailor’s Story, first published in hardback by Marvel Comics in 1987 and now being re-released by US publisher Dover Publications,… Read More ›
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Doing the Elephant Walk – Oliver East Steps Out for Lakes Festival Project
Comics artist Oliver East is getting set to retrace the steps of a legendary Victorian walk with an elephant from Edinburgh to Manchester this week, for “Take Me Back to Manchester” – a project commissioned by the Lakes International… Read More ›
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Swift Comic’s Junior Dan Dare
The original Dan Dare series, now called Voyage To Venus, began in the first issue of Eagle comic 65 years ago this month. The strip ran weekly in Eagle until 1967 after which it went to reprint. The character has… Read More ›
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Tonight’s Gotham on Channel 5: The Scarecrow
Gordon and Bullock set out to stop Gerald Crane, a biology teacher who has been harvesting the glands of his murder victims. Meanwhile, after finding herself in an unusual setting, Mooney continues plotting to gain power, and Falcone… Read More ›
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Crucible: The Quest Episode 26
If you’re going to explore an ancient Dwarf Mine, it might help to know what the Dwarves are… and whatever you do, don’t switch them on!
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Thunderbirds Are Go: Scott Tracy and Thunderbird 1 Profiled
Just one day to go! 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…. Read More ›
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Crucible: The Quest Episode 25
Travelling to a dwarf mine – the dwarves long the stuff of legend – to recover an important artefact for a religious order seemed such a simple Task for our mercenary adventurers… But the mission has taken an unexpected turn…. Read More ›
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Rare toys uncovered in closed Welsh shop go up for auction
The Vectis auction house is lining up a treasure trove of a sale for British toy collectors, discovered in a former North Wales toy shop, including rare Action Man figures, Star Wars collectables and much more. The Frank Beech… Read More ›
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Eagle Times revisits the Dan Dare Spacemen’s Club and the work of L Ashwell Wood
The latest issue of Eagle Times, the journal of the Eagle Society is on sale now and includes another feature by our very own Jeremy Briggs on the work of illustrator L Ashwell Wood. In the issue: ‘I Designed Dan Dare’s Space… Read More ›
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Sneak Peek: 21st Century Tank Girl #1
10th June 2015 sees the glorious return of co-creator Jamie Hewlett (Gorillaz) to the character that made his name! Brace yourself for the debut issue 21st Century Tank Girl #1 by Alan Martin, Jamie Hewlett, Warwick Johnson-Cadwell, Philip Bond,… Read More ›
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Minions Head to Titan – Titan Comics, that is!
Titan Comics have announced they’ll be publishing an all-new Minions comic this summer, starring the usually servile but often rebellious characters that sprang to fame after their debut in Despicable Me. The new comic (and digests) will launch in June, shortly… Read More ›
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Charley’s War “Micro Site” joins DownTheTubes
The Charley’s War web site formerly hosted as part the SevenPennyNightmare sites has a new home here on DownTheTubes. I’d like to thank Moose Harris of SevenPennyNightmare for very kindly hosted the semi-official site dedicated to the World War One comic strip created by Pat Mills and… Read More ›
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British Comic Shop Releases (1st April 2015) – Jump On Board 2000AD and The Ninth Doctor!
Here’s our list of both British and US comics on sale this week in comic shops (Wednesday 1st April 2015), and it’s a big week for 2000AD fans – and not just because Tharg has persuaded Brian Bolland to draw the… Read More ›
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As Netflix gets set to debut “Daredevil”, “Luke Cage” showrunner is revealed
With Daredevil set to debut in the UK on 1oth April on the digital broadcaster, Cynopsis reports Netflix and Disney’s Marvel Television has tapped Cheo Hodari Coker (Ray Donovan) as Executive Producer and showrunner for Luke Cage, the hero series set to premiere next year. The… Read More ›
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Free British comic anthology OFF LIFE seeks new blood
The latest issue of the free street comic OFF LIFE (Issue 11) may have only come out a month ago, but the editorial team have already opened submissions for their next issue (due out July) and we’re more than happy to… Read More ›
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Who Remembers Blaam!?
Anyone who follows British comics will know that down the years it’s scattered with many great, well-received but short-lived comic projects, often published on a wing and a prayer by small independent publishers, working on them firstly because of the… Read More ›
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Hibernia Comics releases Dracula from the Scream archives!
Continuing their fine work re-presentng some classic British comic stories with collections of series such as The Very Best of Library of Death and The Tower King, Hibernia Comics have just released The Complete Dracula File, a strip first published in the… Read More ›