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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Top European comic artists at SouthKenKidsFest
Whoosh! South Ken Kids Festival wind is blowing in London with a blizzard of events to choose from! From Monday 17th to Sunday 23rd November, a score of children’s book artists will take over the Institut français and London-based… Read More ›
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Radio Luxembourg Dan Dare Music Find
Regular readers of downthetubes will recall we have featured news items on the The Adventures of Dan Dare radio show produced for Radio Luxembourg on numerous occasions, and that as far as we know, only two episodes of this much sought-after series… Read More ›
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What Makes A Cult Comic? Rob Davis, Ilya and others ponder That Question Tonight
Comica Festival 2014, the London International Comics Festival, continues its season of events and exhibitions across London with two special Comica Conversations at Foyles’ new bookstore of the future at 107 Charing Cross Road. Tonight, Friday November 7th 7-8.30pm,… Read More ›
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In Review: Foxglove Summer by Ben Aaronovitch
By Ben Aaronovitch Publisher: Gollancz Out: 13th November 2014 The Book: In the anticipated fifth instalment in The Sunday Times bestselling Rivers of London series, Foxglove Summer, Ben Aaronovitch takes Peter Grant out of London – to a small village in Herefordshire where… Read More ›
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New Beano fashion line from N16 announced
British design firm N16 Vintage has designed a range of Beano-inspired fashions for young men for the Asos.com web site that will be launched later this month, offering a “mischievous” clothing line featuring the comic’s most known characters. The new Beano clothing… Read More ›
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Sneek Peek: Titan Comics Michael Moorcock Library Series, launching in 2015
Titan Comics has announced the brand-new Michael Moorcock Library Series in February 2015, beginning with his greatest character – Elric – and released some tasty preview pages from the first collection. Collecting the first volume of the classic adaptation of Michael Moorcock’s bestselling… Read More ›
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New Commandos Released: Fighter’s Codes and Phobias revealed!
Here’s the rundown on the latest issues of DC Thomson’s Commando (Issues 4755-4758), on sale now in all good newsagents and digitally for iPad and iPhone. Commando No 4755 – Clash At Cambrai Writer: George Low Artist: Keith Page Cover:… Read More ›
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BBC heads to the frontiers of space and time with new Science Fiction programming
The BBC has announced a number of science fiction-related programmes, including a new four-part series on BBC Two in which Dominic Sandbrook explores how science fiction has offered a revealing window into our dreams and our nightmares that will… Read More ›
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Run Away to the Psircus with Daniel Bell and company
One of the things about the Web is that as it’s expanded, more often than not you come across stuff as if it’s new, when it actually isn’t. This is particularly true of social media such as tumblr, where stuff… Read More ›
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Panel Borders: … there is Joost Swarte
Starting a month of shows about the work of comic book creators who mix together different cultures and mediums in their work, on Panel Borders this week Alex Fitch talks to acclaimed Dutch cartoonist and graphic designer Joost Swarte about… Read More ›
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Oliver East talks “The Homesick Truant’s Cumbrian Yarn”
Comic creator Oliver East will be at the Beach Hut Gallery at Kents Bank Station, Cumbria on Saturday 8th November 2014 from 11.30am onwards to talk about his railway-inspired drawings that formed his Lakes International Comic Art Festival-supported exhibition “The… Read More ›
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Lakes International Comic Art Festival announces 2015 dates
After its hugely successful 2014 Festival, which featured a stellar cast of both British and international creators and a number of special exhibitions, the Lakes International Comic Art Festival team have announced the event will return in October 2015. This… Read More ›
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Free Comic events in Leeds (and beyond) in run up to Thought Bubble
With the Thought Bubble Festival proper starting in a few days time, the organisers have just plugged some great, free/drop-in events taking place across Leeds and beyond from 9th – 16th November. For the full festival line-up, visit the… Read More ›
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New Service tracks Independent Comic Publishers
Here’s an interesting and clearly well thought project: Indie Comics Tracker, a service enabling you to not only keep track of your favourite independent comic titles – but discover new ones, too. Indie Comics Tracker allows you to discover… Read More ›
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Doctor Who and Judge Dredd artist Dave Taylor publishes “Art Of” collection
It’s been a busy time for smashing comic artist Dave Taylor, who I first worked with way back in the early 1990s at Marvel UK, on Warheads and Gene Dogs. Not only is he hard at work drawing… Read More ›
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Charley’s War Comes to Plymouth
Artwork from the Battle comic strip “Charley’s War” which depicted the horrors of the World War One battlefields to audiences young and old goes on show at Plymouth University this week. “Charley’s War”, first published in the late 1970s by writer Pat Mills… Read More ›
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Doctor Who: Tenth Doctor #4 Preview
Here’s a sneak preview of the latest issue of Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor #4 on sale tomorrow, 5th November 2014 from Titan Comics in all good comic shops across the UK. This issue is offered in three variant covers…. Read More ›
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British Comic Shop Comic Releases (5th November 2014) – Doctor Who and Greysuit, too!
Here’s a list of comics – both US and UK releases – on sale in specialist UK comic shops from tomorrow, Wednesday 5th November 2014, courtesy of First Age Comics, Lancaster. We’ve picked out the titles published by British publishers in bold… Read More ›
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Norman Thelwell books back in print
London-based publisher Allison & Busby will reissue four classic titles from Norman Thelwell‘s cartoon collection later this month. Thelwell, who died in 2004, is regarded as the unofficial artist of the British countryside and is one of the most… Read More ›
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In Review: Space Precinct Unmasked
By Richard James Publisher: Anderson Entertainment Out: Now The Book: A thoroughly detailed, constantly amusing and heartfelt fly-on-the-wall-esque memoir…’ Screen Relish ‘The name’s James, Richard James. In 1994 I played a part in a TV series called Space Precinct…. Read More ›