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 International Comic Art Festival 2014: The View from the Twittersphere
I think everyone who attended is still reeling from the fantastic weekend the 2014 Lakes International Comic Art Festival proved to be, which began with the amazing 24 Hour Comics Marathon organised by Dan Berry and the announcement of… Read More ›
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Dave Gibbons Named UK’s first Comics Laureate
Bestselling graphic novelist Dave Gibbons is to become the first Comics Laureate. The announcement was made by internationally acclaimed comics authority and graphic novelist Scott McCloud at the launch of new charity Comics Literacy Awareness (CLAw) at the Lakes International… Read More ›
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Lakes Festival Focus 2014: Doctor Who Comics and Storyboard Artist Mike Collins
We round off our “Lakes Bound” interviews to highlight the guest list for this weekend’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival with a very special artist, one who I have worked with many times down the years (and hope at… Read More ›
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Strangehaven returns in new Meanwhile… anthology from Soaring Penguin Press
This weekend sees the launch of Meanwhile…, a superb-looking new bi-monthly British comics anthology from Soaring Penguin Press. On sale at this weekend’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival, the new magazine features the long-awaited, eagerly-anticipated return of Gary Spencer… Read More ›
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Lakes Festival Focus 2014: Artist Lew Stringer
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival starts tomorrow and I’m delighted that, despite a punishing work schedule, Beano and Doctor Who cartoonist and writer Lew Stringer found time to answer my questions about his work and creating comics. Lew (who I’ve… Read More ›
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Panel Borders: Pat Mills’ Great War comics
Continuing a month of shows about war comics, on today’s Panel Borders radio show Alex Fitch talks to Pat Mills, one of the acclaimed masters of the genre. Alex and Pat discuss the completion of Titan Books’ reprints of… Read More ›
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London Super Comic Convention announces first guests for 2015 event
British comic creators Charlie Adlard and Ian Churchill are among the first guests to be announced for the 2015 London Super Comic Convention, taking place 14th-15th March at the Excel Centre. Joining them will be Turkish comic book artist… Read More ›
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British Comic Award judges announced
The judges for this year’s third British Comic Awards have just been announced and include comics writer and TV chat show host Jonathan Ross, film director Jonathan Entwistle and Suzy Varty, a comics creator and tutor known for her work in the… Read More ›
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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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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 ›


