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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Doctor Who Adventures 347 – on sale now
The latest issue of Immediate Media’s BBC Doctor Who Adventures magazine is out now and comes with a free glow-in-the-dark Slitheen. It’s perfect for frights in the night! Inside the magazine there’s a Top 10 of Cyber scares –… Read More ›
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Doctor Who’s “Uncharted Journeys” mapped in new guide from Hasslein Books
Hasslein Books has announced the release of Lost in Time and Space: An Unofficial Guide to the Uncharted Journeys of Doctor Who, written by Matthew J Elliott. Doctor Who is a significant part of British pop-culture and a cult favourite worldwide…. Read More ›
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True Believers Awards Launched as revamped “Eagle Award” site vanishes
It looks like plans to revive the Eagle Awards have hit a snag, because an all-new comic award has just been announced – with the ceremony scheduled at the exactly same time at London Film and Comic Con as… Read More ›
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Panel Borders: Graphic Lives
Continuing a month looking at work of female comic book creators on British radio show Panel Borders, Alex Fitch talks to writers Sarah Laing and Dr. Mary Talbot about their graphic novels which mix biography and autobiography in an extract… Read More ›
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Lakes International Comic Art Festival Promotional Film released
Digital Story Engine, the company behind the terrific “Graphic Novel Man” documentary series about Bryan Talbot, have released a fantastic promotional video for Kendal’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival. The short film includes comments from Charlie Adlard, Bryan Talbot,… Read More ›
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Sneek Peek: Great War in Comics Exhibition, featuring “Charley’s War”, “White Death”
Marking the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, Kendal’s Abbot Hall Art Gallery (currently exhibiting an incredible exhibition on British Surrealism) and the Lakes International Comic Art Festival are bringing together for the first time the work… Read More ›
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Spinning strange and creepy yarns: Torsobear Kickstarter launched
Brett Uren and over twenty other comic creators, including Hal Laren, Cy Dethan and Kieran Squires have been beavering away on an intriguing-looking toy-on-toy crime anthology book the Aylesbury-based creator has conceived and is now seeking crowdfunding – Torsobear: Yarns… Read More ›
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Channel 5’s Milkshake! and Signature Publishing sign Magazine Deal
Channel 5 has awarded Signature Publishing the license to publish a magazine for the hugely popular and award winning children’s strand, Milkshake! This new and exciting monthly title, whose launch date has yet to be announced, will feature content and… Read More ›
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Creating Comics: Writer Rob Williams on ‘Ordinary’ and ‘The Royals’
Ian Cullen recently interviewed British comics writer Rob Williams for SciFiPulse.net and has kindly given us permission to re-post the interview here on downthetubes… British comic book writer Rob Williams latest endeavour is the creator-owned series Ordinary, drawn by D’Israeli… Read More ›
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Skyjack to launch new 100% Magazine next week
Skyjack Publishing, the company behind the hugely successful Moshi Monsters Magazine, launch a new title, 100% Magazine next week. Aimed at pre-teen children, every issue of 100% Magazine will be devoted to a single entertainment brand, TV show, or the… Read More ›
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British Museum to host British Film Institute Science Fiction event
The British Film Institute’s science fiction blockbuster project “Days of Fear and Wonder” will blast off from the forecourt of the British Museum in spectacular style in August, with a trilogy of science fiction classics screening over three successive… Read More ›
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Thunderbirds Tabletop Game in the works from Modiphius Entertainment
Game publishers Modiphius Entertainment, who recently took over the running of the long-running DragonMeet convention, have just announced a licensing deal with ITV Studios Global Entertainment to develop a co-operative tabletop board game based on the classic 1960s’ television… Read More ›
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Manchester Children’s Book Festival announces Neville Johnson Comic Strip Competition
A trailblazer event for the biennial Manchester Children’s Book Festival (which takes place at the end of the month) will take place at Manchester Central Library tomorrow (Thursday 5th June), when novelist Curtis Jobling, creator of the globally successful Wereworld series, will be launching the… Read More ›
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Sun-soaked, free Temple APA Issue 16 available now, free
The sizzling Temple APA Issue Sixteen is now available to download as a totally free PDF file, containing contributions from the likes of British comic creators Dave Hailwood, Simon Mackie, Tony Suleri, Paul Eldridge, Malcolm Kirk and Ben Peter Johnson, (who also provides the… Read More ›
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Beano-branded guitars and Brewers Fayre “Menacing Meals” on their way
DC Thomson has announced to new Beano-related licensing deals in the past week, one for musical instruments and the other with restaurant chain Brewers Fayre, which will include the release of a limited edition Beano comic on Father’s Day. The… Read More ›
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Bryan Talbot, Graphic Novel Man – DVD and download winners!
Digital Story Engine recently released their ace documentary “Graphic Novel Man” focusing on the career of award-winning British comic creator Bryan Talbot (you can read our review here) and gave us six copies of the DVD and six HD Digital downloads to give away. All… Read More ›
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British Comic Shop Comic Releases (4th June 2014)
Here’s a list of comics – both US and UK releases – on sale in specialist UK comic ships on 4th June 2014, courtesy First Age Comics, Lancaster. We’ve picked out the UK titles in bold below: 2000AD Summer Sci-Fi… Read More ›


