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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Kieron Gillen, Si Spurrier debate “What Is A Superhero?” at Comica
Supermen and Wonder Women are living amongst us, not only in comics, films, games and television, but as cosplay escapism, alternative personas, communities and lifestyles. As part of this year’s Comica Festival in London, Alex Fitch will be discussing with… Read More ›
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Humanoids reveals UK publishing plans as company’s 40th anniversary nears
Following up on our news item yesterday about the roll out of their UK-dedicated social media program, Humanoids Inc., the international publisher of high quality graphic novels, is has announced that its titles are now available directly in the UK… Read More ›
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‘Gigantic Beard That Was Evil’ nominated for Waterstones Book of the Year
If you needed some assurance that the form of graphic storytelling is very much ascendant right now, then you need look no further than the nominations for this year’s Waterstones Book of the Year award. The Gigantic Beard That Was… Read More ›
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Happy Hallowe’en from SEQUENTIAL!
Happy Hallowe’en! (Well, almost.) Here are some spooky SEQUENTIAL suggestions for you, offered through Panel Nine’s ace digital comics app for iPad. Let us know your favourite – or if you’ll be reading any other scary stories this Halloween. • Download SEQUENTIAL… Read More ›
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Dan Dare Reboot Competition: Hal Laren
We’re starting to receive entries for our Dan Dare Reboot Competition, with this from Hal Laren – best known to comics fans for his amazing strips published under his Reaper Comics imprint. Hal is a 2D & 3D graphic designer,… Read More ›
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Humanoids UK launches, Tim Pilcher UK Liaison
Humanoids UK has begun marketing its brand on Facebook and Twitter, the latest development from the company the graphic novel publishing company founded in Los Angeles in 1998. Its catalogue – considered as one of the most prestigious and innovative… Read More ›
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Beano artist Jim Dewar’s whale of a creation boosts kidney charity funds
Wilfred Whale, the creation of Beano artist Jim Dewar, helped the kidney cancer charity the James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer raise more than £2000 in a special auction run by radio and tv host James Whale at the Castle… Read More ›
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Beano, Dandy Annuals mix the old and the new for 2014
With folk buying for Christmas even earlier than ever to spread the cost, here’s a quick reminder that Britain’s best-selling comic, The Beano celebrates its 75th birthday this year and the annual is still sale now in all good bookshops,… Read More ›
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Slaine storms social media as “Book of Scars” nears release
To celebrate 30 years of the Celtic barbarian and the release of Sláine: Book of Scars on 7th November, the 2000AD team are posting some of Sláine’s greatest covers from the past three decades on their social media feeds, such… Read More ›
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Pass me a chain gun, Lou Scannon is back
The wait is over – Lou Scannon #6: Loose Cannons is now available from www.louscannon.co.uk! Uniting plot threads and characters from the first five stand-alone issues, Loose Cannons is Lou’s most explosive, action-packed small-press comic entry yet! And it still… Read More ›
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“Best of Britain’s Political Cartoons 2013” on sale soon
Australian publisher Scribed launched its first UK catalogue earlier this year. Rubbing shoulders with new books such as High Sobriety: my year without booze, by Scottish-born Melbourne-based journalist Jill Stark and Viennese Romance, the first-ever English edition of the previously… Read More ›
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Si Spurrier’s new web comic, “Disenchanted”, launches from Avatar
US publisher Avatar Press has just launched Disenchanted, a new weekly webcomic by 2000AD and X-Men: Legacy writer Si Spurrier and Night of the Living Dead artist German Erramouspe that takes the fantasy genre in new directions. Once upon a time,… Read More ›
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Celebrate Christmas Past with special Beano and Dandy Covers Book
Under licence from DC Thomson, auction site Phil’s Comics is offering a limited edition full colour hardback book, The Dandy and The Beano – Classic Christmas Comic Covers 1937-1969. The nook – limited to a 1000 print run – will be… Read More ›
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Ellen Lindner’s ‘Black Feather Falls’ joins SEQUENTIAL digital line-up
SEQUENTIAL, the digital comics app created by Panel Nine, has just added The Black Feather Falls, the first of a range of books by Britain’s Soaring Penguin Press. The Black Feather Falls is by Ellen Lindner, the American author of… Read More ›
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Oscar Zarate, ILYA on Living and Loving in London
Oscar Zarate and ILYA are both London-based graphic novelists who record and reflect their individual relationships with urban life. Both creators are in conversation with Paul Gravett as part of this year’s Comica Festival, revealing how London has helped shape… Read More ›
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In Memoriam: Eagle editor Bob Bartholomew
Steve Holland has reported on the passing of Bob Bartholomew, best known to the comics’ world as the editor of Eagle and Boys’ World in the 1960s, who died on Wednesday, 9th October, at the age of 90. “Bob had… Read More ›
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Panel Borders: Great British Horror Comics
Today’s Panel Borders radio show concludes a month of episodes looking at horror comics, and includes interviews with a quartet of British creators who work in that genre. Alex Fitch talks to David Hine, author of Strange Embrace and writer… Read More ›
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Emily Haworth-Booth wins 2013 Observer/Cape/Comica graphic short story prize with ‘Colonic’
33-year-old Emily Haworth-Booth has been announced as the winner of this year’s Observer/Cape/Comica graphic short story prize, for her story ‘Colonic’ – and Michael Parkin as runner up, for his story ‘Lines’. On of this year’s judges, Stephen Collins, author… Read More ›
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“Comica Conversations” kick off with UK exclusive preview of Dave McKean’s “Nine Lives”
Comica 2013, the London International Comics Festival, kicks off its season of Comica Conversations with the UK exclusive preview of Dave McKean‘s latest storytelling experiment, which premiered earlier in October at the Graphic festival in Sydney Opera House, entitled Nine… Read More ›
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Spandex Special launches this weekend at MCM Expo
After seven issues of gay superhero shenanigans, Spandex series creator Martin Eden is bringing his comic saga to and end in a Spandex Special! To celebrate, the comic will be a whopping 52 pages and will feature five ‘variant covers’,… Read More ›