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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Panel Borders: Ben Katchor, architectural strips
Concluding a month of shows about comics and graphic novels drawn from elements of real life on British comics radio show Panel Borders, Alex Fitch talks to award winning American cartoonist Ben Katchor about his weekly newspaper strips on tourism… Read More ›
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Heroes In The Night: Inside The Real Life Superhero Movement
The Watchman didn’t arrive in a Batmobile but drove a tan, four-door Pontiac. He was in costume, of course — a trench coat, motorcycle gloves, army boots, a domino mask, and a red hooded sweatshirt emblazoned with a W logo…. Read More ›
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Marvel’s Revolutionary War ends, but will its UK heroes be back?
The final issue of Revolutionary War, reviving many Marvel UK characters, is on sale now in all good comic shops. If you haven’t already gone out and bought it, here’s another preview to tempt you… and the collection is out… Read More ›
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Wonder Woman recruited for Mothering Sunday merchandise offensive
Warner Bros. Consumer Products UK and DC Entertainment have been busy ramping up the profile of their Wonder Woman licence in the run up to Mothering Sunday this weekend. (No, it isn’t “Mother’s Day” – that is the US celebration,… Read More ›
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Signature Publishing launches Littlest Pet Shop title
After its success with My Little Pony magazine, the fast-expanding Surrey-based Signature Publishing – whose titles also include Dinosaur Action, It’s Cosmic Magazine and Girls Love – has teamed-up with toymakers Hasbro again, to launch a bi-monthly magazine for their girls… Read More ›
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Stan Lee backs Free Comics Book Day on 3rd May
Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee is backing this year’s Free Comic Book Day in a promotional video to highlight this year’s comics giveaway in comic shops across the world, taking place on Saturday 3rd May. This year there are 60 free comics… Read More ›
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Doctor Who Adventures polls readers for their favourite Matt Smith story
Doctor Who Adventures magazine wants readers to vote for their ultimate Eleventh Doctor story in the current issue of the magazine for young Doctor Who fans. Actor Matt Smith appeared in 44 exciting stories as the Doctor – but which… Read More ›
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Jaime Hernandez and Locas feature in latest issue of Infinity
The latest issue of Infinity, SEQUENTIAL’s free iPad magazine of graphic novels and sequential art is available now for free download through the SEQUENTIAL app from Panel Nine. Infinity #7 collects great content from around the web and presents it… Read More ›
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Batman at 75: Official Celebrations announced
Marking the milestone 75th anniversary of DC Comics’ Batman, Warner Bros. Entertainment and DC Entertainment have revealed plans for a year-long celebration befitting one of the world’s most popular comic heroes. We imagine Titan Magazines, who publish Batman comics under… Read More ›
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Comics Grid crowdsources comics news and feature sites “Master List”
The Comics Grid, the Journal of Comics Scholarship is crowdsourcing a directory of feeds from blogs or sites that cover comics, particularly comics criticism, history and scholarship. “We are keen on following blogs that review, discuss and/or link to articles about comics,”… Read More ›
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Keep your eyes peeled – Bananaman is heading for the big screen
Typical! Just as you go on holiday, some big news breaks about British comics and now we’re playing catch up… but it’s surely good news that one of DC Thomson’s best-known characters, Bananaman, looks set to star in his own… Read More ›
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New Commandos tunnel into newsagents
The latest issues of DC Thomson’s war comic Commando are on sale now, offering a great mix of action and adventure, including a new Great War tale from script writer Ferg Handley and artist Vila. Here’s the checklist. Regular readers were… Read More ›
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Skyjack launches “Poppet Magazine”, new girls title aiming to inspire technology learning
Poppet Magazine, a new four-weekly magazine for girls based on the character from Moshi Monsters hoping to inspire an interest in technology goes on sale today (27th March), priced £2.99. Published by SkyJack Publishing who also publish the Moshi Monsters magazine,… Read More ›
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Underground Treasures: 18 years, 1,344 pages = Classic Crumb
Specialist publisher Taschen has just published an upmarket English edition of the Robert Crumb Sketchbooks – a special slipcase release priced at £650. This six-book boxed set is based on the original hard-bound, slip-cased, seven-volume series released by the German publisher Zweitausendeins… Read More ›
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Immediate Media set to launch Peter Rabbit magazine
Immediate Media is to launch Peter Rabbit magazine on 9th April, the first and only magazine to bring the tales of Beatrix Potter to life. Based on Potter’s popular children’s book characters and creatively re-imagined in the successful CBeebies animation, Peter Rabbit magazine aims to encourage… Read More ›
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Bristol brought to Booked! – a new one day convention in November
Fantasy Events, the organisers of various British comic conventions, have announced a new event they’re working on alongside Back Cover Promotions in November. “BOOKED! will feature special guests, authors, publishers, panels, book launches , question and answer sessions, workshops and much more! Organiser… Read More ›
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Look Out, Britain! Psycho Gran is Back!
Psycho Gran is back – and Titan Comics think they’ve got her! Little do those poor darlings down in that there London know how dangerous this much-loved silver surfer character really is… and the things she gets up to! … Read More ›
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Doctor Who’s Bernice Summerfield returns in new Big Finish audio tales
Bernice Summerfield – the Seventh Doctor’s companion created by Paul Cornell and designed by Lee Sullivan, who made her debut in the Doctor Who: The New Adventures novels and the Doctor Who Magazine‘s comic strip – will return in… Read More ›
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Paragon’s “Spencer Nero” stars in new collection
Thos clever chaps behind the brilliant Paragon (check out our glowing plug for Issue 15, for example, here) have just released The Collected Spencer Nero – Volume One; By Jupiter’s Jockstrap! Featuring 64 pages of the adventures of the Civil Centurion… Read More ›
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Herik Hanna and Sean Phillips’ VOID saga heads to the UK
Following up on last week’s item on Titan Comics upcoming hardcover publication of Elric: The Ruby Throne in September, here’s some more about the company’s other bande dessine release that month, VOID, by Herik Hanna and Sean Phillips. The English edition of the gripping… Read More ›