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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Lakes Festival Focus 2014: Beano artist Kev F Sutherland
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival is almost upon us – in fact, it’s next weekend (17th – 19th October 2014). In the run up to the event, which has already taken over the Cumbrian town of Kendal with comics exhibitions, warm… Read More ›
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Captain America writer Jonathan Maberry to make UK comics festival debut in Birmingham in 2015
The recently-announced 2015 Birmingham Comic Festival, whose line-up already includes the UK debut of top artist Lucio Parrillo, has just announced another exclusive: the first UK comic event appearance of New York Times bestselling and multiple Bram Stoker Award-winning author… Read More ›
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Lakes Festival Focus 2014: Manga and Games artist and designer Kate Holden
In the run up to the Lakes International Comic Art Festival (17th – 19th October), we’re aiming to run a number of interviews spotlighting at least a few of the huge number of guests and comic creators who will be at the… Read More ›
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IDW Publishing To Bring Douglas Adams’ Dirk Gently to Comics
IDW Publishing has announced that Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy author Douglas Adams’ Dirk Gently will be appearing in his first-ever comic-book series in 2015, helping to prove the interconnectedness of all things, the precept by which this… Read More ›
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Garth Ennis to pen new Johnny Red story for Titan Comics, Rivers of London artist revealed
Titan Comics has announced its 2015 slate at the New York Comic Con Diamond Retailer Presentation, including the eagerly-anticipated, official, canon continuation of the Rivers of London saga written by Ben Aaronovitch and Andrew Cartmel, joined by Doctor Who and… Read More ›
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Comic Creators Get Cross, launch appeal to fund new British satire comic
An impressive group of British comic creators have joined forces to launch a Kickstarter campaign for CROSS, a 64-page anthology of satire, born from a group of people who wish Spitting Image was still around to keep us all… Read More ›
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Air Aces and Communist Sympathisers in new Commandos
Here’s the low down on the latest issues of DC Thomson’s Commando (Issues 4747-4750), on sale today in all good newsagents and digitally for iPad and iPhone… Commando No 4747 – In Flanders Sky… Story: George Low Art: Keith… Read More ›
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The Beano YouTube Channel revamp announced as part of new digital plans for title
As we indicated in earlier reports, DC Thomson has revealed extensive plans to launch The Beano still further into the the digital realm, introducing a roster of new interactive content for its official website and social media platforms. “These… Read More ›
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Lakes Festival Focus 2014: Comic Artist Rob Davis
In the run up to the Lakes International Comic Art Festival (17th – 19th October), we’re aiming to run a number of interviews spotlighting at least a few of the huge number of guests and comic creators who will be at the event,… Read More ›
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DC Thomson snags rights to Thunderbirds Are Go Comic and Annual
ITV Studios Global Entertainment has announced its first licensing partners for Thunderbirds Are Go, with products set to debut in 2015, and on the list is DC Thomson, who will publish the official Thunderbirds Are Go annual and monthly magazine. Other… Read More ›
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James Bond returns to comics in 2015, top British comic artists involved
James Bond is returning to comics. US publisher Dynamite Entertainment, has announced their partnership with Ian Fleming Publications Ltd., the company that owns and administers the literary copyright of Ian Fleming’s published works, including his fourteen James Bond books. Under… Read More ›
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The Beano, Dennis and Gnasher, calling at St Pancras and… St Pancras!
Echoing the hugely successful promotion for the The Beano on London’s South Bank last year, DC Thomson’s most famous comic characters will be taking over London’s iconic St Pancras International in the run up to Christmas, as part of an ongoing… Read More ›
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Lakes Festival Focus 2014: Rian Hughes
In the run up to the Lakes International Comic Art Festival (17th – 19th October), we’re aiming to run a number of interviews spotlighting at least a few of the huge number of guests and comic creators who will be at the event,… Read More ›
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Pat Mills “Requiem Vampire Knight” continues on Comixology
Millsverse – Pat Mills new e-comic publishing imprint – has just released Requiem Vampire Knight Volume 4: Vampires Ball on Comixology. In this fourth digital volume of the stunning story drawn by Olivier Ledroit, first published in print in France… Read More ›
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Dundee Comic Day 2014 lands Pat Mills as headline guest
There has been a major change to the line up for this year’s Dundee Comics Day which we first reported on back in August, with events running on both 25th and 26th October as part of the Dundee Literary Festival…. Read More ›
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Sunday Post celebrates 100 Years with special edition
Today’s Sunday Post – famous for ‘The Broons’ and ‘Oor Wullie’ comic strips – is celebrating its 100th birthday this weekend, marking the milestone with a free souvenir special which tells the extraordinary history of the publication dubbed… Read More ›
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Horror theme for 2014 2000AD Winter Special
2000AD have released the cover for this year’s Halloween-celebrating, horror-themed Winter Special for 2014 featuring a cover by Ben Templesmith. Horror-themed Winter Special contents are… “Judge Dredd: Sorebone” by T.C. Eglington and Riccardo Burchielli “Defoe: Frankensteiner” by Pat Mills and… Read More ›
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Gerry Anderson’s Firestorm is Go!
In a stunning show of support for the work of the late Gerry Anderson and the team keeping his legacy alive at Anderson Entertainment, we’re delighted to report that a plan to raise enough funding through Kickstarter to make the… Read More ›
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24 Hours Comics Day is Back!
On Saturday 4th October, will you take up the worldwide challenge and make a 24 page comic in 24 hours? A 24-hour comic is a 24-page comic book written, drawn, and completed in 24 hours and the rules of the challenge… Read More ›
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Crouch End Comic Art Festival debuts next month
The inaugural Crouch End Comic Art Festival (CECAF) will take place at the Earl Haig Hall, London on 8th November 2014. The show will host the best and brightest cartoonists and independent publishers currently active in the UK comic scene…. Read More ›