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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Wizards Keep announces new Worlds End ashcan
Wizards Keep Publishing – the independent publisher run by comics creator and tutor Tim Perkins – has just announced their next publication – The Worlds End Ashcan 2. Due for release in time for the coming autumn/winter convention season, the… Read More ›
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Self Publisher Magazine interviews Sean Duffield and Mike Garley
The latest issue of the US title Self Publisher Magazine is available now and includes interviews with Sean Duffield, an integral part of the team behind the Paper Tiger imprint and the incredible War: The Human Cost collection, and Dead… Read More ›
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“Engaging with the Woman Fantastic’ collection call for papers
The past 30 years have offered a growing and changing body of scholarship on images of fantastic women in American popular culture. Collections from Marleen Barr’s Future Females (1981) and Future Females: The Next Generation (2000) to Elyce Rae Helford’s… Read More ›
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Andercon, Anderson Entertainment’s first Gerry Anderson convention, next year
Andercon, Anderson Entertainment’s first Gerry Anderson convention, will take place next April in London – and with its Kickstarter campaign for Gemini Force One up and running, new Thunderbirds merchandise, a new show and the 50th anniversary of Thunderbirds on… Read More ›
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Reading for pleasure helps kids in the classroom, says study (we know, say scientists)
Children who read for pleasure are likely to do significantly better at school than their peers, according to new research from the London-based Institute of Education. All the more reason to give them a comic, then – an ethos adopted… Read More ›
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Time Bomb announces ‘Squadron of the Screaming Damned’
Time Bomb Comics have just announced the immenent publication of Squadron of the Screaming Damned by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page, the follow up to London Calling, the critically acclaimed graphic album published by Time Bomb Comics in 2010. This… Read More ›
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Lancaster University goes ‘Beyond Twilight’ with Gothic Fiction Day
British Education Secretary Michael Gove recently suggested that teenagers should read Middlemarch rather than Twilight. But new research from Lancaster University shows that Gothic fiction aimed at Young Adults can be as rewarding a topic for study as the literary… Read More ›
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Thunderbirds: The Comic Collection details released
Egmont Classic Comics have very kindly sent over more information on their new Thunderbirds Comic Collection, set for release on 10th October, which will feature both early Thunderbirds strips and feature pages from their own 1990s Thunderbirds comic, including cutaways… Read More ›
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MCM Belfast Comic Con To Launch In June 2014
June 2014 will see MCM bring its celebration of sci-fi, games, comics, anime and cosplay to Northern Ireland for the very first time, with the inaugural MCM Belfast Comic Con. The announcement comes hard on the heels of last week’s… Read More ›
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Cult comic creation Octobriana returns in ‘The New Amazons’
Kult Creations, run by longtime comics creator John A. Short, has just announced The New Amazons – a new superhero team comic featuring the return of cult underground comic character Octobriana. This public domain Russian superwoman, who some readers may… Read More ›
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80,000 sign Dredd movie sequel petition, ‘Day of Action’ announced
More than 80,000 people have now signed a petition calling for a sequel to the DREDD film organised by Judge Dredd fans and backed by 2000AD publishers Rebellion and Judge Dredd actor actor Karl Urban. The response to the petition… Read More ›
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Grants for the Arts: Lakes International Comic Art Festival offers workshop
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival aims to support creators and the development of comic art in the UK. As part of this, they have announced theywill be presenting a special session at the festival about the support available to… Read More ›
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Panel Borders: Collecting comics in the National Art Library
Continuing a month of shows looking at the presence of comics in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, on this week’s new podcast and radio show Panel Borders, Alex Fitch talks to Jan van der Wateren (former chief librarian and… Read More ›
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Skin Deep tattoo magazine interviews Gary Erskine, Brian Williamson
Skin Deep has long been the UK’s best selling tattoo magazine, publishing profiles, interviews and features with the leading tattooists and tattoo artists working in the world today together with exciting new talent. Alongside of this, the magazine focus on… Read More ›
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Suffering Soviets! It’s your new Commandos!
The latest issues of DC Thomson’s war comic Commando are on sale now in all good Biriths newsagents and available digitally. This batch of pocket library titles includes another episode of the comic’s first ever female war hero, Soviet pilot… Read More ›
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Egmont to release Girls Comics, Battle comic postcard collections
(with thanks to Marionette at the Tammy Project): Egmont UK are to release a number of postcard sets featuring hundreds of images from their girls comics, Battle and the Thunderbirds TV series on 10th October, presented in special gift boxes…. Read More ›
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Button Man collection on sale next week
Rebellion has a very special collection of John Wagner and Arthur Ranson’s creator-owned crime thriller Button Man out in the US and Canada next week. Button Man, first published in 2000AD, is deservedly regarded as one of the greatest strips ever… Read More ›
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Lakes International Comic Art Festival gets its own beer!
The Kendal-based Lakes International Comic Art Festival (18th -20th October) continues to break new ground for UK comic events with the news that the event is to have its own beer, with branding supplied by Furry Freak Brothers creator Gilbert… Read More ›
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Park Leisure Launches new superhero outdoor Play Range
Imagine a make-believe world brought to life in your local parks and playgrounds which are populated by some of world’s best loved cartoon characters and superheroes. Batman, Superman, Looney Tunes and a whole host of other exciting and long-established children’s… Read More ›
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In Review: Resident Alien – The Suicide Blonde #1
Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse’s Resident Alien is back at Dark Horse Comics today (11th September), with Resident Alien: The Suicide Blond #1 on sale now in all good comic shops. A straightforward suicide . . . or a murder?… Read More ›