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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Think of a City storytelling project attracts Dave McKean, JH Williams III
The City is our story – but what is a city? That’s the question being posed by architect Alison Sampson and comics artist Ian MacEwan through Think of a City, a tumblr-based, mass storytelling project involving a huge range… Read More ›
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Jason Cobley’s Bulldog set to return in Paragon
30 years after creating the iconic small press character, comics writer and author Jason Cobley is bringing Captain Winston Bulldog back to print in the long-running indie anthology Paragon comic, the brainchild of artist Davey Candish. The tales of anthropomorphic… Read More ›
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Twelfth Doctor Who Art Challenge: The Winner Is…
These are my ‘finalists’ in the downthetubes Twelfth Doctor Art Challenge, after a lot of umming and ahhing confronted by such an amazing range of entries, including terrific ‘cartoon’ interpretations as well as the realistic. When you have a competition… Read More ›
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Artist Mike Collins joins toy designers for this year’s Roll Out event in Southampton
If you're a fan of Transformers, G.I. Joe, Action Force, Masters Of The Universe or She-Ra, Princess of Power, then you need to get yourself to Jury's Inn, Southampton on the 12th and 13th of October for this year's Roll… Read More ›
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Veteran Countdown artist Gerry Haylock featured in latest Andersonic
Issue 16 of the excellent Gerry Anderson-inspired zine Andersonic, with cover art by Rob Caswell, is now available via their website (and eBay for a short period in the Collectibles > SF > Thunderbirds section). The team have pulled off… Read More ›
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Overstreet Comic Art & Animation Guide Goes to Press
US publisher Gemstone reports the second book in the new Overstreet “How To” series is off to the printer. The Overstreet Guide To Collecting Comic & Animation Art, with a Silver Surfer #1 recreation cover by renowned painter Joe Jusko,… Read More ›
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Dennis Publishing breaks into children’s market with Berty Squiggles
Dennis Publishing, also publishers of Viz, have launched Berty Squiggles – a colouring and activity title – which represents Dennis’ first venture into the children’s market in the company’s 40-year history. Berty Squiggles, a new title aimed at children of… Read More ›
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Age of Glamour revisited in new Robert Stewart Sherriffs exhibition
A unique collection of glamorous 1920s and 1930s portraits will go on display for the first time at London’s Cartoon Museum from 11th September, featuring the work of caricaturist Robert Stewart Sherriffs. The exhibition features illustrations of actors Charlie Chaplin,… Read More ›
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“The Unwritten” graphic novel “Ship That Sunk Twice” sails to bookshops
The Unwritten original graphic novel by Mike Carey and Peter Gross, on sale 1st October in the UK, features a stunning cover by Yuko Shimizu and includes 31 pages of fully painted art by Al Davison, with additional art by… Read More ›
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Get Weirded – Here’s a new A1 (and more…)
Here’s the rundown on three Titan Comics titles on sale from today in all good comic shops! A1 #4 WEIRDING WILLOWS: There’s a dinosaur from Hollow Earth loose in the Weir and she’s eating Farmer McGregor’s sheep! Can Alice and… Read More ›
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Doctor Who Twelfth Doctor Art Challenge – there’s a winner here somewhere…
Our Doctor Who Twelfth Doctor Art Challenge competition has closed, and you can view all the entries here. We’ve been blown away by the range of entries, both realistic and caricature/cartoon featuring Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor, which include… Read More ›
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Young Cartoonists of the Year Competition launches
(via ProCartoonists.org): The Young Cartoonists of the Year Competition 2013, which is run by London’s Cartoon Museum and the British Cartoonists Association, has opened – and for the first time, they are accepting artwork that has been created digitally. Judges… Read More ›
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Gerry Anderson’s “Gemini Force” funding campaign launched
Jamie Anderson, the son of Gerry Anderson, has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund Gemini Force One, a new science fiction series created by his father shortly before his death. Gemini Force One follows the story of a secret organisation… Read More ›
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Simon Furman drums up support for Bewdley Book Week event
A quick shout out for ace comics writer Simon Furman, who tells us he should be at the Bewdley Book Week in (you guessed it) Bewdley, near Kidderminster, Worcestershire on Friday 13th September to give a talk and book signing,… Read More ›
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Bisley back in 2000AD with special Slaine episode
Industry legend Simon Bisley returns to 2000AD today, for a special one-off episode of the strip that catapulted him to international fame in the 1980s – Sláine. To celebrate the Celtic barbarian’s 30th anniversary, in Sláine: Book of Scars creator… Read More ›
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MCM To Launch Ireland Comic Con, Expand Scotland Comic Con in 2014
Do you live in Ireland? Are you a fan of science fiction, videogames, comics, cosplay or anime? Well, mark 12-13 April 2014 down in your diary, because that’s the date that the inaugural MCM Ireland Comic Con comes to Dublin…. Read More ›
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Beano charity painting sells for £3200
We’re delighted to report that artist Gordon Tait‘s Beano-inspired painting, auctioned via eBay on behalf of the Willow Foundation, raised £3200 for this great cause. Founded by former Scotland and Arsenal goalkeeper Bob Wilson and his wife Megs in memory… Read More ›
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Best of Milligan and McCarthy – Preview Pages
Dark Horse Comics have very kindly sent us some preview pages from Best of Milligan and McCarthy – a deluxe collection of hard-to-find gems from Peter Milligan (Hellblazer, X-Statix) and Brendan McCarthy (Judge Dredd, The Zaucer of Zilk), due for… Read More ›
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Brendan McCarthy wraps Catalyst Comix #3
The third issue of Dark Horse Comics Catalyst Comix, on sale 4th September in UK comic shops and online, features a wrapround cover by Brendan McCarthy and more great art from artists Dan McDaid (Doctor Who) and Paul Maybury (Aqua… Read More ›
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Chronos Commandos #3 – Sneek Preview!
Next Wednesday (11th September) sees the release of Stuart Jennet’s Chronos Commandos #3 from Titan Comics – and we have a special preview for you below! In Chronos Commandos: Dawn Patrol #3 the time team are trapped in the past,… Read More ›