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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Poppy Cat Magazine to launch next year from Kennedy Enterprises
Coolabi, the creators of the Poppy Cat show (and the new Clangers series) has announced a deal with Bristol-based magazine publisher Kennedy Enterprises for a new stand-alone Poppy Cat magazine, which will launch next year. Poppy Cat, starring the voice… Read More ›
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Mister Maker, Tickety Toc magazines in the works
Immediate Media, publishers of Doctor Who Adventures and other BBC-related titles, has snagged the rights to publish magazines based on the pre-school TV series Mister Maker – while Signature Publishing has acquired rights to the Nick Jr and Channel 5-screened… Read More ›
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London’s Cartoon Museum ‘Big Give’ Funding Appeal – details released
Via Bloghorn: London’s Cartoon Museum is taking part in The Big Give Christmas Challenge next week, which means that for a limited period donations to support the museum’s valuable work will be matched by other funders, making all contributions go… Read More ›
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100% Biodegradable, new indie anthology comic launched
After over 15 years beavering away in the indie comics industry, comic creator Dave Hailwood decided it was probably about time that he put out his own comic anthology. With the aid of John Kirkham, Paul Harrison-Davies, Stuart Giddings, Simon… Read More ›
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Doctor Who Adventures goes interactive with celebration edition
Doctor Who Adventures, the biggest-selling UK pre-teen magazine for boys, has linked up with a new companion – the mobile-augmented reality and image recognition platform Blippar – to produce an edition that comes to life. Helping celebrate the 50th anniversary… Read More ›
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Egmont’s ‘All About Sonic the Hedgehog’ launches today
(Updated with comic credits): Egmont UK’s new All About Sonic the Hedgehog magazine lands in newsagents and other outlets today. The magazine, aimed at children aged between six and ten, is available for £3.99 and contains facts, games, puzzles, things… Read More ›
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London Christmas Zines Social announced
South West London and Surrey Zines, in association with London’s Housmans Bookshop, have announced a free event Christmas Zine Social on Saturday 7th December, where zine sellers can sell their wares in the run up to Christmas. Zine readers and… Read More ›
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British Comic Award Winners 2013 announced, Leo Baxendale honoured
The winners of this year’s British Comic Awards were announced at Thought Bubble at the weekend. We’re told the voting was very, very close this year as the Judges tangled with the decision to pick a winner amongst such superb… Read More ›
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Titan Comics A1 Annual on sale today in all good comic shops
Here are full details of the A1 Annual, on sale in all good comic shops from Titan Comics today (26th November)… Writer(s): Ron Marz, Matt Wagner, Dave Johnson, Tom Raney, Rufus Dayglo, Andy Kuhn, Dave Dorman, Mark A. Nelson, W.H…. Read More ›
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Daleks versus Dennis the Menace: Daleks triumphant
The Daleks proved the winners in the Professional Publisher Association‘s long-running Cover the the Century Poll (see news story), revealed at a Gala Dinner to mark its centenary at the Park Lane Hotel on 21st November, which was attended by… Read More ›
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Radio interviews with 2000AD alumni including Milligan and McCarthy(s)
On today’s Panel Borders radio show, Alex Fitch talks to a pair of 2000AD fanzine contributors and a quartet of acclaimed 1980s 2000AD alumni about their work. Dogbreath and Zarjaz contributors – Lee Robson and Bryan Coyle – discuss their… Read More ›
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Production, institution and sedition… the comic industry goes under the academic spotlight
After successful conferences in Bournemouth, Glasgow and Dundee, the 2014 Fifth International Graphic Novel and Comics Studies conference, to be held 23rd – 25th June next year in Manchester, has announced its theme – production, institution and sedition – and… Read More ›
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Egmont partners with SEQUENTIAL for new ‘Charley’s War’ iPad release
Digital graphic novel storefront app SEQUENTIAL has released the first four parts of Charley’s War, the classic comic created by industry legends Pat Mills and Joe Colquhoun and first published in Battle Picture Weekly over 30 years ago. The Charley’s… Read More ›
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Glenn B Fleming tackles the Kennedy Conspiracy
Comic creator and publisher of the British comics magazine Crikey! Glenn B Fleming has sidestepped once again into the world conspiracies and unanswered mystery with S-172: Lee Harvey Oswald's Links to Intelligence Agencies. Over the past half century, opinion has… Read More ›
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Titan Comics – Thought Bubble Bound with Monty Nero, Mike Dowling plus portfolio reviews
Titan Comics has announced its schedule for the Thought Bubble Festival in Leeds this weekend where the company will have brand-new comics and exclusive prints on sale, as well as a packed schedule of events including portfolio reviews and unmissable… Read More ›
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Comics Forum to talk courses at Thought Bubble
In addition to the Comics Forum conference which forms part of this weekend’s Thought Bubble in Leeds this week, the academically-focused organisation also be running a table at the Thought Bubble convention this coming weekend where team members will be talking… Read More ›
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Black Out Horror anthology debuts at Thought Bubble
Live fast. Die young. On 23rd November the horror-comedy anthology, BLACKOUT II: YOLO, will launch at Thought Bubble Festival in Leeds. BLACKOUT II: YOLO was created by P M Buchan (La Belle Dame Sans Merci, The Times Literary Supplement), Jack… Read More ›
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Titan Comics releases ‘Marada the She Wolf’ collection
A stunning new edition of Marada The She-Wolf by Chris Claremont and John Bolton has just been released by Titan Comics – telling a story of the white-haired, blood-soaked swordswoman and mercenary, object of unearthly desire and descendant of Julius… Read More ›
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New ‘Necessary Monsters’ to debut at Thought Bubble
Necessary Monsters, published by First Comics and created by by Daniel Merlin Goodbrey and Sean Azzopardi, debuts Issues 3 and 4 at Leeds Thought Bubble Festival this weekend. There exists a world of horrors beneath the one we know. Where… Read More ›
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Dogooder Comics launches first title, ‘Dungeon Fun’
Dogooder Comics, a new Scottish small-press comics publisher, will launch their first book Dungeon Fun with a launch party at Plan B Books in Glasgow this Wednesday, before debuting UK-wide at Thought Bubble this weekend. Dungeon Fun is a story… Read More ›