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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Peter Hogan signing at Orbital Comics, London
Peter Hogan will be signing copies of Resident Alien and other title he’s written at Orbital Comics, London on Saturday 17th August. A stalwart of the British comics scene, Hogan is probably best known for his work on Neil Gaiman’s… Read More ›
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Egmont gives Charley’s War away for free!
To celebrate the launch of Egmont UK’s new Classic Comics website, they’re giving away digital editions of Part One of Charley’s War and Volume 1 of Roy of the Rovers for free for a limited time on the iTunes store… Read More ›
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Wandering the Lakes – with Hunt Emerson
The Wordsworth Trust, in Grasmere, Cumbria, will be hosting the Hunt Emerson: Original works from The Ancient Mariner and Frankenstein exhibition between 4th October to 3rd November. The exhibition links with other exhibitions and comic events surrounding the first Lakes… Read More ›
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Brian John Mitchell’s Matchbook Comics – an eclectic mix!
American comic creator Brian John Mitchell (who kindly promotes downthetubes on his web site) has a novel twist to his comics creation – he’s been creating them at the size of a pack of matches in various genres, from auto-bio… Read More ›
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Call for Papers: Transitions 4
Transitions 4 is a one-day symposium in October promoting new research and multi-disciplinary academic study of comics/ comix/ manga/ bande dessinée and other forms of sequential art, now in its fourth year at Birkbeck. Transitions is part of Comica, the… Read More ›
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Cam Kennedy classic re-presented in new Commando
Along with two new Commando stories a classic war adventure drawn by Cam Kennedy is re-presented among the new issues of the last-remaing war comic on sale from today in all good newagents across the UK. Here’s the lowdown on… Read More ›
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Hammer Horror homaged in new comic, Cushing & Sons
The team behind the fab indie action-adventure title Paragon have just launched a free e-comic inspired by the Hammer Horror films and the work of one of its key actors – Peter Cushing. Written by Mark Howard (aka the Legendary… Read More ›
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Sophie’s World ‘Doctor Who’-inspired exhibition heads for Orbital
Way back in 1988 (yes – that long ago…) my first professional job in the wacky world of comics (thanks to Richard Starkings who suggested me and Sheila Cranna, who took him up on the idea) was designer on Doctor… Read More ›
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STRIP Issue 2 finally reaches the news stand
Print Media, the Bosnia-based publisher of STRIP: The Adventure Comics Magazine, has confirmed the much-delayed print edition of Issue 2 will be on sale in UK newsagents this week, with distribution to UK comic shops to follow soon. “Our distributors… Read More ›
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LICAF Guest Spotlight: Ed Brubaker
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival has over 70 guests lined up for its first out in October. As the event is on our doorstep (downthetubes is based in Lancaster), we thought we’d try and spotlight as many as we… Read More ›
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Egmont UK releases Hook Jaw, Rat Pack in digital collections
Egmont UK have made more strips from Battle and Action available with the launch of Hook Jaw and Rat Pack e-comics. Egmont launched its Classic Comics imprint in June last year with Roy of the Rovers e-comics for the nostalgia… Read More ›
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Knitters go nuts for comics in Kendal
We love left field stuff here at downthetubes, and (apart from comics themselves) you probably can’t get more left field than the news that Kendal’s knitters and crochet enthusiasts are so enthused by the upcoming Lakes International Comic Art Festival,… Read More ›
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Comic art takes over the Lake District!
Some of the best-known comic artists in the UK will be displaying work in showcase exhibitions at this year’s inaugural Lakes International Comic Art Festival in October. As well as a huge selection of events, workshops, a special family zone… Read More ›
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Hunt Emerson tackles some Myth Conceptions
Hunt Emerson continues to create numerous cartoons for a wide variety of publications and has just launched a new website, www.huntemerson.com, replacing his older one (although it’s still live) largecow.com. Hunt’s work features in the new Myth Conceptions, a collection… Read More ›
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Coming Soon: Garth Ennis Presents – Battle Classics
Titan Books – publishers of the ten volume Charley’s War series – have announced the October release of Garth Ennis Presents – Battle Classics, a new collection of strips from Battle Picture Weekly. Titan previously released one collection of some… Read More ›
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Design an Original Beano Character competition
We met up with Julie Tait, the organiser of the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, earlier this week, and among other things (like telling us about supporters of the Festival creating knitted comic charcaters to promote it, an amazing tie-in… Read More ›
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Cartoonists assemble in Herne Bay to celebrate the life of Dadaist Marcel DuChamp
Following Ralph Steadman’s lead, the cream of Britain’s cartoonists and illustrators will be in Herne Bay on Saturday 3rd August to celebrate the Marcel Duchamp Centenary Festival. Marcel Duchamp was a French-American painter, sculptor and writer whose work is associated… Read More ›
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Auto Assembly 2013 – pre-registration for Transformers event closing soon
If you haven’t already booked your tickets for Auto Assembly 2013 then time is running out fast. You now only have one week to pre-register for Europe’s Largest Transformers Convention online and then after that point you will only be… Read More ›
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I’m ready for my close-up: Reconstructing Nightbreed
Ahead of its tour of America, in a panel discussion recorded in Welwyn Garden City, actors Simon Bamford (who played Ohnaka) and Nick Vince (Kinski) – plus restoration producer Russell Cherrington and restoration editor Jimmy Johnson discuss the reconstruction of… Read More ›
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Which Way is the Frontline from Here?
A moving portrait of acclaimed wartime photojournalist and filmmaker Tim Hetherington who was killed covering the Libyan conflict in 2011, Which Way is the Frontline from Here? is directed by friend, journalist and Restrepo co-director Sebastian Junger. The film… Read More ›