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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Bash Street brought to life for real in Dundee
DC Thomson and Dundee City Council have finally brought ‘Bash Street’ to life, the official street unveiling coming in the same month that the Bash Street Kids celebrate their 60th anniversary. Named after the mischievous Bash Street Kids, the pedestrianised street – plans for… Read More ›
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Titan Comics releases details of its first Doctor Who comics
Titan Comics has announced the first of its three Doctor Who ongoing series will launch in July and gave US web site Comic Book Resources an exclusive first look at the covers (which they plastered with their own branding). Lucklily for us, the BBC’s… Read More ›
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Nottingham’s Page 45 shortlisted for Independent Bookshop of the Year award
Nottingham’s Page 45 comic shop is celebrating after being shortlisted for The Bookseller’s Independent Bookshop of the Year award. The renowned store, which was established in 1994 and will be celebrating its 20th anniversary “on the road” at the Lakes International Comic… Read More ›
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Green Berets, Secret Agents and Nazi Scientists – it’s all go in Commando!
Here’s the full run down on the latest issues of DC Thomson’s Commando (Issues 4683 – 4686) on sale now in all good newsagents and for iPad and iPhone. Commando No 4683 – The Cold War Story: C.B…. Read More ›
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Calvin & Hobbes artist Bill Watterson’s film poster for “Stripped”
US artist Bill Watterson seems to be making forays back into the world of comic art, some 20 years after he ended his world-famous and much-loved newspaper strip Calvin & Hobbes about a boy and his talking tiger. Watterson has… Read More ›
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This Week’s Top Ten Posts on downthetubes
Here are the Top Ten most visited posts on downthetubes this week (not counting our home page): • “Does Your Dad Draw for Roy of the Rovers?” Antony Harding pays tribute to his father, the brilliant artist Tony Harding •… Read More ›
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Two days of comic goodness in Glasgow this weekend
The Big Glasgow Comic Page – described as “a hub of comic awesomeness run by comic fans for comic fans” – is holding its “Ultimate Comic Mart” at the Buff Club tomorrow, 1st March, and Sunday. The Big Glasgow Comic Page aims to bring… Read More ›
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Arts Council Touring funding could support comic creators
Applications for next round of funding from Britain’s Arts Council Strategic Touring Programme are now being accepted (deadline Friday 2 May 2014). Why is this relevant to comics? Well, comic festivals offering comic creation workshops should qualify for funds from this,… Read More ›
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WebFinds: Looking back on Speakeasy, a comics magazine that crashed and burned
(Updated on learning of Natasha’s passing in 2012): Tim Pilcher’s reminiscences of his experiences at Vertigo UK, recounted in the recently-released, Kickstarter-funded Comic Book Babylon (current stockists below), reminded me of another aspect of 1980s comic publishing – Speakeasy, a title… Read More ›
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Second Self Publisher Conference to spotlight children’s books, cover design
Britain’s Second Self-Publishing Conference takes place on 30th March 2014 at the University of Leicester, aimed at any author wishing to self-publish. The event will bring together key figures in the self-publishing sphere for the benefit of self-publishing authors. “Last year’s Conference was… Read More ›
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Rochdale’s “Black Box” comic shop on a mission
A new comic shop joined the ranks of Britain’s comics retailers last December – The Black Box in Rochdale, Lancashire (or Greater Manchester, if you want to get pedantic). Specialising in supplying graphic novels, manga and children’s books to the… Read More ›
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Neil Gaiman at London’s Barbican in July
Neil Gaiman will be at London’s Barbican Centre on Friday 4th and Saturday 5th July for two performances of his story The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains. Neil will read his story The Truth Is A Cave In The Black… Read More ›
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Alan Hebden and José Ortiz “Tower King” tale from New Eagle collected
From the the 1980s comic New Eagle comes the classic story “The Tower King”, written by Alan Hebden (one of the current writers on Commando, but whose credits also include many strips for 2000AD, including “Meltdown Man” and other comics)… Read More ›
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Comic Book Babylon event in Brighton
Author Tim Pilcher will be hosting an event to romote his book Comic Book Babylon in May, as part of the Brighton Fringe Festival. Comic Book Babylon is the candid and amusing odyssey of one comic fan’s quest to get… Read More ›
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Nemo: The Roses of Berlin gets digital launch in advance of print edition on SEQUENTIAL
Nemo: The Roses of Berlin, the latest League of Extraordinary Gentlemen tale from Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill, has been released digitally on Panel Nine’s SEQUENTIAL app today, in advance of its print release next week (3rd March). Following the… Read More ›
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Taking “Stok” of Vincent van Gogh – SelfMadeHero’s new “Art Masters” title
With London’s National Gallery now giving visitors a chance to compare two versions of Van Gogh’s iconic “Sunflowers“, there’s another unique interpretation in graphic novel form by Dutch illustrator Barbara Stok who explores the final years of the artist’s life… Read More ›
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New “Hilda” tale from Luke Pearson on sale next week
Next week 3rd March) sees the release of Hilda and the Black Hound by Luke Pearson from NoBrow Press, the latest in a glorious series of wonderful comic tales for children. I first encountered the Hilda series as a judge for… Read More ›
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Tom Plant’s “Sunshine Bay” – Every Bit as Good as People Say
On sale soon from The Beano and The Oldie cartoonist Tom Plant is Sunshine Bay: Not Half As Bad As People Say, two fantastiic, funny and beautifully drawn short stories based in the delightful seaside hellhole of the same name…. Read More ›
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“A Lovely Bloke”… Barrie Mitchell remembers Tony Harding
Following up on his son’s tribute, fellow comic artist Barrie Mitchell recalls working with artist Tony Harding… I first met Tony when he walked through the door, which he filled, at Link Studios. He was a big lad. I… Read More ›
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London-based Titan Comics seek new editor
How do you fancy Working in Comics? (And no, I’m not talking about my regular appeal for voluntary contributors to downthetubes.net – news writers and reviewers welcome!) Titan Comics – whose titles include a whole range of titles from Dan Boultwood’s It Came to… Read More ›