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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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 ›
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Thunderbirds Are Go: Gordon Tracy and Thunderbird 4 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 Gordon Tracy, in command of… Read More ›
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Zoom Rockman heads to Lakes International Comic Art Festival
Talented 14-year-old comic creator Zoom Rockman, the award-winning teenager who has been publishing his own humour title – The Zoom – since the age of nine, with 10 biannual issues under his belt, is to be another guest at the Lakes International Comic… Read More ›
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Lakes Festival guest on board for Marvel’s Star Wars
US publisher Marvel has announced that artist Stuart Immonen, one of the guests at this year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival, will replace John Cassaday on Marvel’s flagship Star Wars title starting with #8, which ships in July. Stuart began his comics career in… Read More ›
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“Celebration of Life: A Cancer Anthology” comic project announced by Matt Crehan Comics
(Updated, added Kickstarter link): Writer, letterer and professional athlete Matthew Crehan is the man behind the Kickstarter-funded The Art of Running graphic novel, a biography of Steve Prefontain, drawn by Indonesian artist Sigit Nugroho which will will be launched on 30th May 2015 to tie… Read More ›
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Crucible: The Quest Episode 23
And down the rabbit hole we go, dear readers. What, you were expecting cuddly dwarves? A dragon? We hope you aren’t disappointed. We do hope you’re at least a little taken aback…
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Crucible: The Quest Episode 22
And so, into the Deep Stone mine, where unexpected mysteries await… be prepared for some mind-benidng surprizes that will make you go back and look at previous pages in a new light!
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WarWorldz: Origins – Episode Five
A crash landing – but where? And just what is waiting to greet Daniel in a mysterious city? Story by John Freeman and Stephen Walsh, Script by Stephen Walsh, Art by Giancarlo Carazuzzo