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.
-
International Graphic Novel and Comics Conference announced
The fifth International Graphic Novel and Comics Conference will take places between Friday 19th – 20th July 2014 at the Conference Centre in the British Library in London. Now in its fifth year, this conference brings together comic and graphic novel… Read More ›
-
Duncan Fegredo, Audrey Niffenegger and more join Lakes Festival guest list
Not content with an already-announced guest list that includes top comic creators Scott McCloud, Gail Simone, Jock and Becky Cloonan, plus a Doctor Who-inspired group that features publisher Dez Skinn and top creators Nick Abadzis, Mike Collins and Robbie Morrison,… Read More ›
-
Rebellion releases A.B.C. Warriors – The Mek Files featuring Bisley, Smuzz art
Recently released from from the 2000AD Thrill-vaults in a 304-page pulse-pounding collection, are everyone’s favourite war droids: the Atomic, Bacterial, Chemical-proof A.B.C. Warriors. Beautifully bound in a stunning hardback edition, for the first time, all of the full-colour splash pages and… Read More ›
-
Titan launches first Dragons: Riders of Berk
Swooping in from DreamWorks Animation’s smash-hit TV series Dragons: Riders of Berk, Titan Comics has just released the first volume of a series of all-new original adventures of Hiccup and Toothless. Dragons: Riders of Berk Volume One is a thrilling all-ages publication… Read More ›
-
Dynamite Entertainment previews Peter Milligan’s “Terminal Hero”
US publisher Dynamite has released some preview pages from Terminal Hero, the second book in its “Creators Unleashed” series of creator driven comics, written by 2000AD‘s Peter Milligan with art by Piotr Kowalski, with a cover on #1 by Jae Lee. In… Read More ›
-
Eleventh Doctor makes his final regular Doctor Who Magazine comic strip appearance
The new issue of Doctor Who Magazine is on sale from Thursday 29th May and makes the most of its feature on the most popular stories of the first five decades of the series, as voted for by readers of the… Read More ›
-
Leave your brains by the door, here’s Biodegradable Four!
Hard boiled detectives, high speed car chases, brain harvesting aliens and adulterous Martians are just some of the attractions awaiting readers of the digital comics anthology 100% Biodegradable, available now Edited by David Hailwood and John Kirkham, the title… Read More ›
-
Alan Moore backs digital comics creation app project, Electricomics
Britain’s best known modern comic book writer Alan Moore is leading a research and development project, Electricomics, to create an open source app enabling digital comics to be made by anyone, a digital comics project that will include the publication of… Read More ›
-
Azzopardi does ArtHouse! (Exhibition, that is…)
Ace artist Sean Azzopardi is exhibiting some prints at the ArtHouse, a new venue in Crouch End. London-based cartoonist Sean has been making and self publishing comics for eleven years and is a regular face at comic conventions… Read More ›
-
DC Thomson, Elstree Studio Productions release Bananaman movie poster
DC Thomson and Elstree Studio Productions have just released the first poster to promote the upcoming Bananaman film, due for release sometime in 2015. Very little is known about the film, announced back in March, so far –… Read More ›
-
Kingsman: The Secret Service trailer released
Twentieth Century Fox released its first trailer to promote the upcoming release of Kingsman: The Secret Service recently, based on the comic created by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, which is due for an October release. I’ve only just seen it,… Read More ›
-
Revolutionary War collection, reviving Marvel UK heroes, on sale today
The collected edition of Marvel Comics “Revolutionary War” limited series, is on sale this week (28th May), a story that revived many of the Marvel UK characters. The series was created by Andy Lanning and Alan Cowsill and features art… Read More ›
-
Leren Conor’s comics-inspired designs hit the catwalk
Inspired by the antics of several Batman villains, young designer Leren Conor has created a series of comic-inspired costumes for her final year university graduate collection, “A Twisted Love Affair For The Society Of Outcasts’. “For our final project at… Read More ›
-
First issue feast, Odhams titles and girls comics among ComPal auction’s latest offerings
ComPal has just announced the lots for its May/June comics auction, which features what are likely to be some sought after lots of British comic first editions, artwork from The Eagle, 2000AD and TV Century 21 – and plenty… Read More ›
-
Comic Creators on board for Fifth Stoke Newington Literary Festival
Comic creators Oscar Zarate and ILYA and SF authors Ben Aaronovitch and Stephen Hunt will be rubbing shoulders with Mog the Cat (and a host of mainstream authors) at the Stoke Newington Literary Festival which returns for a fifth year for the weekend 6th-8th June 2014. The pair… Read More ›
-
Sarah McIntyre announced as judge for Sainsbury’s first Children’s Book Awards
Sainsbury’s, Britain’s third largest supermarket and a major player in children’s book retailing, has announced details of the first “Sainsbury’s Children’s Book Awards” – and comic creator Sarah McIntyre is one of the judges. Sainsbury’s is inviting all their current… Read More ›
-
Creators set to assemble in Lakes Festival’s “Comics Clock Tower”
Along with a huge line-up of comic creator events, including panels, workshops and signings, this year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival will again feature the Comics Clock Tower – a gathering place for creators, publishers and fans with its own schedule of events and other happenings…. Read More ›
-
In Memoriam: David Torrie
We’re sorry to report the passing of former Dandy editor and writer David Lindsay Torrie, who died at the age of 73 on 16th May. Mr Torrie from The Dandy‘s publisher, DC Thomons in 2006 after 45 years’ service with… Read More ›
-
downthetubes Needs You!
Are you interested in writing about British comics? Are you a comics reviewer? Since downthetubes.net changed formats last year, we’ve seen a growing audience for our coverage of British comics. Hand in hand, that we’ve also seen a massive rise in… Read More ›
-
Convict Soldiers, Snipers and Viking Warriors in action in new Commandos!
Here’s the full intel on the latest issues of war comic Commando from DC Thomson, on sale today in all good newsagents and for iPad and iphone. Commando No 4707 – Target America Story: Alan Hebden Art: Manuel Benet Cover:… Read More ›