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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Top designer Jennie Maizels snags Dennis the Menace license
Jennie Maizels Ltd has signed up with The Beano‘s Dennis and Gnasher to produce a range of iron-on patches for the UK and overseas. The firm will develop a range of patches based on classic images supplied by DC Thomson’s… Read More ›
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Titan Comics gears up for New York Comic Con, new titles to be announced
Britain’s Titan Comics will be announcing brand-new comics and collections at New York Comic Con, along with hosting several panels and unmissable signings. The next wave of publications features special advanced copies of classic fantasy epic Marada The She-Wolf by… Read More ›
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2000AD Art Competition goes steampunk
Over on the 2000AD official forum, comic creators are regularly encouraged to take part in a monthly themed art competition – and this month the theme is steampunk. “It had to happen,” enthuses organiser and freelance artist himself, Owen Watts…. Read More ›
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Zombies on the loose! ‘Dead Roots’ Kickstarter launched
Comic creator Mike Garley has launched a Kickstarter campaign to try to gain funding to print a deluxe collection of Dead Roots, a four-part shared-world zombie comic anthology, featuring top talent from TV, film and comics. Dead Roots has 38… Read More ›
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The Punisher Comes to Town; Thomas Jane and Tim Bradstreet to Guest at MCM
Film actor and comic book writer Thomas Jane and top cover artist Tim Bradstreet will attending to this month’s MCM London Comic Con (25-27th October) at the Excel, to promote comic book company RAW Studios which they co-own along with… Read More ›
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Digital comics publisher Madefire gains new funding
Madefire, creator of the 5-star rated Madefire App for iOS, the brain child of Liam Sharp, Ben Wolstenholme and others, has announced it has closed $5.2 million in Series A funding to further develop its digital comics publishing program. Madefire’s… Read More ›
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2014 Glyph Comics Awards announced, open to all
The Glyph Comics Awards is a US-based annual ceremony and celebration that aims to honour the best Black-themed images and stories of this year. The GCA Committee is now accepting submissions for potential nominees – and we can confirm that… Read More ›
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‘The Mob’ comics project raises money for cancer charities
The Mob is an A3 drawing made in six weeks during July and August this year, the brainchild of Dave Kirkwood and others with the aim of raising money for cancer charities. Over 1,400 people, including many celebrities, showed their… Read More ›
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2000AD set to storm New York Comic Con, offers show exclusives
The Galaxy’s Greatest Comic will be arriving in the Big Apple next week for New York Comic Con, one of the biggest dates in the convention calendar! 2000AD promise the event will be alive with Thrill-power as the droids bring… Read More ›
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Knockabout, SEQUENTIAL to release free Neil Gaiman Special
Knockabout Comics, publishers of Gilbert Shelton, Hunt Emerson and Alan Moore, amongst others, and SEQUENTIAL, the digital graphic novel iPad app, have announced the forthcoming release of Neil Gaiman’s Lost Tales, a special, free, digital collection of Neil Gaiman’s ‘lost’… Read More ›
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Paul Gravett’s new ‘Comics Art’ book out in time for Lakes Festival
“Comics are not funny any more. Well most of them are not,” says Peter Stanbury in a plug on his web site for Comics Art from Tate Publishing, by Paul Gravett and him — as designer. Officially due for release on 7th… Read More ›
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Ten Questions: ‘Lighter Than My Shadow’ creator Katie Green
Lighter Than My Shadow, on sale now from Jonathan Cape, is a powerful, thought-provoking hand-drawn story of struggle and recovery, a trip into the black heart of a taboo illness, an exposure of those who are so weak as to… Read More ›
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Gemini Force One project secures crowdfunding goal
We’re pleased to report that Jamie Anderson’s Kickstarter, aimed at getting his father Gerry Anderson’s Gemini Force One concept launched as a series of novels, has been a success, reaching its initial funding target of £24,350 ahead of the 5th… Read More ›
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Comics Forum 2013 Registration Open
Registration is now open for Comics Forum 2013: Small Press and Undergrounds, which will be running at Leeds Central Library on the 21st and 22nd of November. This year features a fantastic lineup of speakers and papers, including a talk… Read More ›
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Limited edition Garth collection on sale at London Film and Comic Con
Huw J Davies-Matsumura has announced a further limited edition Garth release for this weekend’s upcoming London Film and Comic Con – a limited signed convention edition of a collection of his Garth strip “The Gold of Ragnarock”, which was initially… Read More ›
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Paragon 14 offers new ‘Jikan Chronicles’ and ‘The Major’
CLiNT is dead. STRIP: The Adventure Comics Magazine is missing in action (although we’re hoping Issue 3 might reach newsagents later this month, behind the scenes developments permitting). So where do you go for an action anthology these days? PARAGON… Read More ›
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Raygun Roads project gets set for full launch at Lakes International Comic Art Festival
Regular readers will recall we plugged the upcoming launch of indie project Raygun Roads back in July – an incredible-looking multi-media project that includes a music album, written by Owen Michael Johnson, designed by Andy Bloor, drawn by Indio and… Read More ›
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Cinebook launches ‘Lament of the Lost Moors’
Cinebook, publishers of a huge number of French graphic albums in English, have announced the release of Lament of the Lost Moors: Siobahn, a wonderful story of magic, war and revenge penned by veteran Belgian comics writer Jean Dufaux, author… Read More ›
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Happy Birthday, Aces Weekly!
David Lloyd’s fab digital anthology Aces Weekly celebrates its first birthday this week with a knees up tonight at the Star and Garter, 62, Poland Street, Soho, London from 6.00 – 11.30pm. David Lloyd, Dave Hine, Kev Hopgood, Steve Marchant… Read More ›
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Eagle Times Volume 26 Number Three profiles cutaway artist Laurence Dunn
The latest issue of Eagle Times (Volume 26, Number Three) is now available from the Eagle Society. (Autumn 2013 Contents ‘Laurence Dunn – Maritime Artist’, reviews the career of Eagle‘s third most prolific cutaway artist (after L. Ashwell Wood and J…. Read More ›