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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Family Zone Fun for All promised at this year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival
Children (of all ages) will find the amazing world of comics to discover and explore at the Family Zone, part of this year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival (Saturday 17th – Sunday 18th October 2015). Special events and workshops will offer a… Read More ›
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Birmingham Comics Festival – back by popular demand in 2016
Debuting earlier this year, the Birmingham Comics Festival made good on its promise: to put the second city fairly and squarely back on the UK comic convention map, placing comics and their fans at the absolute heart of all its events…. Read More ›
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It’s Lancaster Comics Day!
Typically, of course, it’s raining cats and dogs, but Britain’s finest weather casters inform us things will improve later – and everything is now indoors. The fun starts at 1100 at Lancaster Library with a “Breaking Into Comics” panel with… Read More ›
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Lancaster Comics Day: A Really Heavy Greatcoat Special
With Lancaster Comics Day tomorrow, what better way to celebrate than with a special Really Heavy Greatcoat special, which will also feature in a special “Jam” comic, Frankenzine, on sale on the day? The strip sees current Greatcoat owner Kevin… Read More ›
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Doctor Who hits San Diego Comic Con – Literally, in Titan Comics Special
Cavan Scott and George Mann are among the creators involved in a special issue of Titan Comics Twelfth Doctor Doctor Who comic, which will be on sale at San Diego Comic-Con next month. Drawn by Rachael Stott and coloured by Ivan Nunes,… Read More ›
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Glenn Fabry Sketch Book in the works after successful Kickstarter campaign, other projects hinted at
Top comics artist Glenn Fabry has easily secured funding for his planned Sketchbook 3 book project, which will feature over 40 full colour pages of never seen before exciting images by the artist perhaps best known for his work… Read More ›
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Toronto Comic Art Festival confirms Lakes Festival guests, adds Estelle Bachelard and Samuel LeBlanc
The Toronto Comic Arts Festival has announced the outline of its 2015 trips to England and Japan, to exhibit at festivals in both countries and fulfil their mandate of promoting Canadian comics culture on the world stage. As we previously reported, TCAF have partnered… Read More ›
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Dave Gibbons Copyist Protest Art up for auction in aid of Hero Initiative
Up for auction with proceeds being paid to Hero Initiative now is Dave Gibbons one off diptych artwork entitled ‘Whaat??’, commissioned for the Image Duplicator exhibition in 2013 in London to coincide with the Roy Lichtenstein exhibition at the Tate Modern… Read More ›
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Sneak Peek: The Blacklist #1
Out next month from Titan Comics is the brand-new original official comic series to the critically acclaimed NBC crime drama The Blacklist, starring James Spader. When the FBI is framed for the public killing of a political activitist at an… Read More ›
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James Bond, Thunderbirds and other rarities offered in latest Bonhams Entertainment Memorabilia Sale
Bonhams Entertainment Memorabilia Sale, taking place on 24 June at Bonhams Knightsbridge, features a varied selection of lots with interesting connections to the silver screen and television, including James Bond and Doctor Who items, as well as some Gerry Anderson-related… Read More ›
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Titan Comics set to publish “Heroes Reborn” tie-in comics
Titan Comics has announced that the company has been granted rights to publish comics based on US TV network NBC’s upcoming event series Heroes Reborn, which launches in the autumn. The licensing agreement awarded by Universal Partnerships & Licensing begins with… Read More ›
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Panel Borders: My So-Called Secret Identity
Continuing a month of shows about comic book creators who have used crowd funding to launch various titles on Britain’s only regularly radio broadcast comics show, Alex Fitch, with the help of guest presenter Nicola Streeten, discusses the crowd-funding campaign for the… Read More ›
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Phoenix Comic now on sale in selected Waterstones
The Phoenix Comic – the brilliant children’s comic published by David Fickling Comics – has extended its distribution a step further and is now on sale in selected Waterstones bookshops. The Phoenix is a weekly story comic for children, packed… Read More ›
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TorsoBear – Back in the Game with new Kickstarter target
Brett Uren, the creator of the acclaimed Torsobear project, has re-launched his bid for funding a second volume of stories on Kickstarter, his enthusiasm undimmed after an ambitious bid to secure £13,500 earlier in the year fell short of target, despite… Read More ›
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British Comic Shop Releases (8th June 2015) – 2000AD, Tank Girl and a Death Sentence that’s a must!
Here’s our guide to new comics and graphic on sale in British comic shops today (Wednesday 8th June 2015), complementing our monthly list of new British graphic novels and comic collections (June 2015 list here). New Readers: Jump-on 2000AD this week! Three… Read More ›
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Blast from the Past: An Interview with Alan Class
I came across a lovely little item by Howard Fuller on his meeting with Alan Class at Putney’s 30th Century Comics, the now retired publisher of those black and white anthologies that many of us used to buy in the… Read More ›
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In Review: Doctor Who – Tenth Doctor #11
DOCTOR WHO: THE TENTH DOCTOR #11 Writer: Nick Abadzis Artist: Elena Casagrande Ink Assistant: Michelle Pasta Layout Assistant: Giorgia Sposito Colour: Arianna Florean Publisher: Titan Comics On Sale: Wednesday 10th June 2015 The Book: New Yorkers Cindy and Gabby have a falling… Read More ›
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Saltire Fan Art Competition Launched
The team behind the Scottish superhero story Saltire are running a Fan Art Competition – and the winners will see their artwork in print. Saltire , published by Diamond Steel Comics, is a series centring around a Scottish comic book superhero,… Read More ›
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Doctor Who: Four Doctors Trailer Released
Titan Comics has released the brand-new trailer for Doctor Who: Four Doctors five-part weekly summer event written by Paul Cornell and illustrated by Neil Edwards, which stars Tenth, Eleventh and Twelfth Doctors and their comics companions. The weekly event, running… Read More ›
