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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Rollerskating Bears? Oh my!
Glasgow-based cartoonist MJ Wallace, a regular submitter to Team Girl Comic, has a collection of her light-heared and funny comic Rollerskates and Breakfast Dates on sale now. Rollerskates and Breakfast Dates comprises some wonderful autobiographical… Read More ›
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New AAIIEEE!! horror anthology on sale now
The latest issue of the British indie horror anthology comic AAIIEEE!!! is on sale now, an issue that includes a great story from writer Si Spencer. Inspired by the 1970s Amicus portmanteau horrors films, this collection of tales, edited… Read More ›
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Madefire Motion Book Tool offers digital comic creators new vistas
With abject apologies to my old friend, artist Liam Sharp who is integral part of the project team (it’s been a busy old month), the launch of the Madefire Motion Book Tool to create digital comics with added animation and… Read More ›
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Amazon issues statement on eBook pricing
The online bookseller Amazon has issued the following statement about their aim to reduce eBook prices, and comment on their ongoing dispute with publisher Hatchette, who have resisted price drop requests from the multinational company . We’re running it… Read More ›
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Plok! From video game star to comic strip hero!
Veteran video game designers The Pickford Bros have released an eBook of the first volume of their weekly webcomic, Plok The Exploding Man, starring the hero of their 1993 SNES game. At the end of his Super Nintendo game… Read More ›
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Titan Magazines bites into “Wolfblood” magazine rights
Titan Magazines is to publish a one-off Wolfblood magazine to tie in with the return of the cult werewolf teen drama to CBBC in the autumn. Created by Debbie Moon, the BAFTA-nominated supernatural series, a co-production between CBBC and ZDF/ZDFE,… Read More ›
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Tartan Squirrel release official Thunderbirds pins
Tartan Squirrel, an official licensees to ITV and have produced a range of impressive-looking Classic Thunderbirds limited edition collectable pins to celebrate the 50th anniversary in 2015. The company has released a range of eight pins including the Classic… Read More ›
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All-New Thunderbirds Revealed
Pictures of all five of the new Thunderbirds vehicles from ITV Studios new Thunderbirds Are Go! have appeared online, revealing most have, in the main, retained the iconic design of the originals, apart from Thunderbird 5. ITV previously released images… Read More ›
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Comic Creators set to invade LonCon 3
London’s Excel Centre will host Loncon 3 – the 72nd World Science Fiction Convention from Thursday 14th – Monday 18th August and there are a number of comic creators on the guest list over the long, busy weekend to… Read More ›
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Creating Comics is No Disaster for Alex Potts
South London-based Avery Hill Publishing will be releasing A Quiet Disaster by Alex Potts later this month and we’re delighted to be able to publish this short interview with him on downthetubes. Alex Potts – Animation Showreel from Alex Potts… Read More ›
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2000AD’s John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra headline first Preston Comic Con
Lancashire city Preston will host its first ever major comic con event, Preston Comic Con, on Saturday 25th October, a one day event Preston’s Guild Hall, with comic artist Carlos Ezquerra and 2000AD writer John Wagner heading up the guest… Read More ›
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HOAX cross media project nominated for £10,000 Medicine Unboxed Creative Prize 2014
Seven artists have been shortlisted for the inaugural Medicine Unboxed Creative Prize 2014, a single £10,000 prize for a creative work that explores the interface between art and medicine, including Manchester-based graphic novel author and cross-media writer Ravi Thornton…. Read More ›
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Award-winning graphic novel author Ravi Thornton heads to MancsterCon
MancsterCon has announced that author Ravi Thornton of Ziggy’s Press will be giving a talk on Friday 8th August, about her work and acclaimed graphic novel, HOAX Psychosis Blues. Ravi Thornton is an award-winning cross-media writer from Manchester. She is keenly… Read More ›
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Jamie Smart’s Whubble Gets A Sponsor
There’s good news for fans of Jamie Smart‘s web office-woe-oriented comic, Whubble, this week with news that he’s secured US company WorkCompass as a sponsor for the strip. Pity poor Pete Whubble, the reluctant hero of Jamie’s strip, which he… Read More ›
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In Review: Thrones & Bones – Frostborn
By Lou Anders Cover by Justin Gerard Published by Crown Books (Random House Children’s Books) Out: 15th August 2014 The Book: Fantasy fans of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and John Flanagan’s Ranger’s Apprenticeseries will embrace this first novel in an adventure-filled, Viking-inspired… Read More ›
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Looking Back: New Mirabelle, 1977… a girls’ 2000AD?
In February 1977, Fleetway released two new titles. One was 2000AD, still going strong today, but artist David Roach reminds us that the other was New Mirabelle – a radical re-launch of one of the UK’s first and longest-running romance… Read More ›


