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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Dan Dare Reboot Competition: Mo Ali
Artist and writer Mo Ali has sent us his entry for our Dan Dare Reboot Competition – and we’ve got some great entries waiting in the wings, which will be posted after the closing date, now extended to 2nd December… Read More ›
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“The Wolverine” gets UK Blu-Ray, DVD release, offers sneek of “Days of Future Past”
British Marvel fans will be delighted to hear The Wolverine is out next Monday, in a three disc Blu-ray Unleashed Extended Edition, Blu-ray and DVD from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment with High Jackman facing his ultimate nemesis in a… Read More ›
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Alan Moore birthday treats from SEQUENTIAL
Digital comics publisher are celebrating the run-up to Alan Moore’s 60th birthday on Monday 18th November with a special sale on all books with work by Moore on their SEQUENTIAL app for iPad. That means Moore’s masterpiece, featuring art by… Read More ›
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Beyond 2000AD project reveals secrets of ‘Starlord’ and aborted ‘Eagle’ revival
Hibernia Books are back after the success of last year’s Comic Archive: One Eyed Jack and the Death of Valiant with the latest in their Comic Archive series: Beyond 2000AD. The book – available now – is packed with fascinating… Read More ›
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Lost for Words: new titles from Improper Books set to stun
Limited UK independent editions of Improper Books stunning wordless graphic story Butterfly Gate by Benjamin Read and Chris Wildgoose, and children-friendly, highly enjoyable Knight & Dragon by Matt Gibbs and Bevis Musson, will be available from Wednesday 20th November from… Read More ›
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Paul Magrs to chart Doctor Who – ‘The Annual Years’
Obverse Books are to publish a guide to the madcap publishing eccentricity the Doctor Who annual – The Annual Years. With cover art and internal illustrations by Adam Bullock, and commentary on every single story from Paul Magrs, author of… Read More ›
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Malta Comic Con 2013 announces full line up, exhibitions
Malta Comic Convention 2013 – the biggest and most awaited comics related event on the Islands – is less than a month away, and the organisers have just released full details of the event, which includes appearances by a number… Read More ›
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Wandering the Waste art exhibition announced for ‘Crowleymass’
The Atlantis Bookshop on London’s Museum Street will be holding an exhibition of original artwork from Martin Hayes and Roy H Stewart‘s graphic novel Aleister Crowley: Wandering the Waste, published by Markosia. The exhibition opens as part of The Atlantis… Read More ›
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British comic creators plan Haiyan Benefit Anthology
Comic creator Phil Woodward and the team behind the Sequentially British project have announced plans for a Haiyan Benefit Anthology to raise funds for victims of the natural disasters in the Philippines. While the project has only just launched, and… Read More ›
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Filipino comic artists unite to raise disaster funds
The Komikero Artists Group, a collective of Filipino comic book creators, whose work should be well known to many British comic fans, has announced some of its fundraising plans to raise money for the victims of Typhoon Yolande (Haiyan) and… Read More ›
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Happy Birthday, Striker! 28 today…
Debuting in The Sun on 11th November 1985, newspaper strip Striker has defied the odds and reached its 28th birthday today, despite a chequered history that has seen its cancellation and revival on more than one occasion. Today, it’s a… Read More ›
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SEQUENTIAL releases free Alan Moore Biography Comic
SEQUENTIAL, the digital graphic novel app, has today released a free biography comic of the legendary Alan Moore, to celebrate the writer’s 60th birthday on 18th November. Alan Moore: An Extraordinary Gentleman is free to download and is available exclusively… Read More ›
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Santa versus the Nazis? Only in Aces Weekly!
Astounding work continues in the digital Aces Weekly Volume 7, Week 5 from today with the wonderful Clara’s Shadow by Rachael Smith; Erricus Vane from Nardo Conforti and Laurence Beveridge of Fearless Vampire Killers; The Statue by Carlos Pascoa; Drell’s… Read More ›
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Showmasters announces first 2014 UK show dates
Showmasters, the organisers of the London Film and Comic Con, have just announced the dates for almost all their UK events in 2014. Other than the two held at Milton Keynes, all the shows have a comics presence. The July… Read More ›
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Time to Shine graphic novel integral part of Scottish arts strategy launch
Award nominated graphic novelists John Chalmers and Sandra Marrs – better known as Metaphrog – have been commissioned to produce a graphic novel by Creative Scotland, as part of the Scottish Government’s Time To Shine arts strategy for young people… Read More ›
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Sky releases Strike Back prequel comic
The British action adventure drama Strike Back, created by novelist and former Special Air Service soldier Chris Ryan, recently returned to Sky 1 for a fourth, penultimate series titled Shadow Warfare. As part of the promotion for the new series,… Read More ›
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I’ve got a good feeling about this… lunar calendar from Simon Gurr
Looking for Christmas Present Ideas for the film and comics fans in your lives? This clever lunar phase calendar, on sale here from 2000AD artist Simon Gurr, gives you advance warning of new moons, full moons and all the phases… Read More ›
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London’s Comica 2013 continues its amazing line-up
Comica 2013, the fantastic London International Comics Festival, continues its vibrant, visionary Programme right through till November 16th. Here are some of the upcoming highlights! It's already seen the appearance of an amazing delegation of Polish comics movers-and-shakers, including three… Read More ›
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Britain’s first science fiction weekly, Captain Scarlet art under the hammer
The Winter 2013 auction at Compalcomics is open, with 290 lots in the auction including 115 British comic-related items – among them, a further 64 issues of Ally Sloper’s Half Holiday from the 1890s and the complete 20 issue run… Read More ›
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In Remembrance: No Man’s Land by Eric Bogle
As Remembrance Sunday 2014 approaches, here’s the lyrics to a song by folk singer song writer Eric Bogle, which you can listen to on the White Poppy page of the Peace Pledge Union. The idea of decoupling Armistice Day, the… Read More ›