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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Ireland’s Cootehill International Cartoon Festival lines up UK guests
Via Bloghorn: The Cootehill International Cartoon Festival takes place in County Cavan, Ireland, over the weekend of 14-15th September and will feature workshops, exhibitions and live drawing, and guests such as John Berkeley, Hunt Emerson, Tim Leatherbarrow and Graeme Keyes…. Read More ›
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Marineman creator Ian Churchill first announced guest for Malta Con 2013
Wicked Comics has announced the internationally renowned British creator Ian “Marineman” Churchill as the first guest for this year’s Malta Comic Con, which will be held on Saturday 30th November and Sunday 1st December at St. James Cavalier (all floors), Valletta, Malta. The convention’s… Read More ›
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17th Japan Media Arts Festival Issues Call for Entries
The Japan Media Arts Festival has just launched its annual call for entries to its competition that reaches out to both comic artists and animators worldwide. A comprehensive festival of Media Arts (=Media Geijutsu), the event honours outstanding works from… Read More ›
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Vicious Vikings aplenty in Tim Hall’s ‘Skragbeard’
If vicious Vikings and demon lords are the kind of things that grab your attention when searching for a comic to read, then look no further!
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Award-winner Corbain Wilkins seeks backing for ‘Breaker’s End’
2012 Observer/Cape/Comica Graphic Short Story Prize winner Corbain Wilkins has a new graphic novel, Breaker’s End, in the works and hopes to release a special edition using the Kickstarter crowdfunding service. Breaker’s End tells the story of a fragile, ageing… Read More ›
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Sequart puts Warren Ellis’ Transmetropolitan under the spotlight
The Sequart Research & Literacy Organization (sequart.org) has just released its newest book of comics analysis, Shot in the Face: A Savage Journey to the Heart of Transmetropolitan, edited by Chad Nevett. Published in 1997-2002, Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson’s… Read More ›
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Aces Weekly back with Scarpa, Baskerville, Langridge and – Psycho Granny!
Volume Six of this revolutionary digital comic Aces Weekly begins its latest seven-issue, seven-week this week, once again showcasing some of the brightest talent from across the globe in an exclusively digital weekly comic art magazine published by David Lloyd…. Read More ›
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LICAF Guest Spotlight: Charlie Adlard
Award-winning Charles “Charlie” Adlard is a British comic book artist and penciller, one of over 80 comic guest at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival in October, is best known for his work on the long-running, best-selling Image Comics series… Read More ›
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Best of Milligan and McCarthy out in September from Dark Horse
One of comics’ most fruitful collaborations is to get its due in 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). There is… Read More ›
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Gordon Rennie and PJ Holden’s fantastic ‘Dept of Monsterology’ out in October
Gordon Rennie and PJ Holden‘s long-in-gestation project, Dept of Monsterology, is on its way at last from Renegade Entertainment – and having seen pages, read the original pitch and knowing the quality of the work of both creators, I have… Read More ›
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Manga Jiman winners capture the Choshu Five for this year’s competition leaflet
As we previously reported, the search for the best manga talent in the UK is on as London’s Embassy of Japan is now accepting entries for its manga writing competition, Manga Jiman. The Embassy recently caught up with Sara Ferreira… Read More ›
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Chronos Commandos #2 out next week, first issue sells out in UK
The second issue of Titan Comics’ Chronos Commandos by Stuart Jennett hits comic stores this coming Wednesday, 14th August and we’ve got a great preview for you. When the Allies and Nazis develop time-diving technology that could see the course… Read More ›
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Comics Forum issues Call for Papers: Comics and Cultural Work
“All artistic work, like all human activity, involves the joint activity of a number, often a large number, of people. Through their cooperation, the art work we eventually see or hear comes to be and continues to be. The work… Read More ›
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The Twelfth Doctor gets Smuzz-ified!
While illustrator and comics artist Smuzz is currently busy on many fronts – not least of them drawing the sixth episode of Crucible for STRIP – he couldn’t resist entering the downthetubes Twelfth Doctor Art Challenge, which has also attracted… Read More ›
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Batman: Arkham Origins Collector’s Edition Revealed
Yes, we know we’re talking US comics. And we’re talking about a game, not comics. But Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment has just unveiled details for the Batman: Arkham Origins Collector’s Edition that will be sold in the… Read More ›
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Prion release new Commando collections
On sale next week are four new collections of Commando naval stories from Prion, an imprint of Carlton Books. These mid-format compilations – featuring work by Commando veterans such as writers Alan Hebden and R.A. Montague and artists Gordon Livingstone,… Read More ›
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Thor Dark World trailer released, opens 30th October in UK
The official UK second trailer for the sequel to Marvel’s Thor – Thor: The Dark World has just been released. The film debuts in the UK on 30th October. Thor: The Dark World, which stars Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman,… Read More ›
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Slaine – Back in 2000AD today!
For 30 years he’s been carving his way through the enemies of the Land of the Young, and now Sláine the Barbarian is back with a brand new series starting next week in 2000AD. Written by the creator of 2000AD,… Read More ›
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2000AD’s ground-breaking ‘Trifecta’ storyline collected
Last year, 2000AD readers suddenly realised that three seemingly unconnected stories by three of the legendary title’s top writers were actually part of the massive multi-part crossover set in the world of Judge Dredd. It was the kind of crossover… Read More ›
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New Beano merchandise eases the pain of Back to School blues
It might only be the beginning of August, but no-one can have failed to notcie that supermarkets and other stores are already loading their shelves with Back to School gear (curses, eh?). But, if you’re a Beano fan, there’s plenty… Read More ›