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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Lost in Translation: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Ships are disappearing all over the world and it believed to be caused by a sea monster. Professor Pierre Aronnax, author of the book The Mysteries of the Ocean Deep, his companion Conseil and Canadian harpooner Ned Land are hired… Read More ›
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Doctor Who Adventures offers chance to win a full-size Dalek
Doctor Who Adventures magazine, the biggest-selling UK pre-teen title for young boys and girls who love Doctor Who, is running a competition for readers to win their very own life-size Dalek worth over £3,000, to keep in their home or… Read More ›
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Cats as Humans: “Playing Out” by Jim Medway
Released last year, Playing Out by Jim Medway is a 48-page story about Connor, Kieran and Jamal mooching around Manchester City Centre – but these youths are cats portrayed as humans. downthetubes contributor Matt Badham has just re-plugged the title,… Read More ›
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Don’t miss the Comicraft New Year’s Day Font Sale!
Comicraft fonts are created by Comic Book Letterers for Comic Book Lettering. Every New Year, the US company created by British lettering supremo and Elephantmen creator Richard Starkings give their faithful customers – and even casual browsers who stumbled into… Read More ›
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Veteran ilustrator, TV21 artist Jon Davis awarded MBE
We’re delighted to report that science fiction illustrator Jon Davis – best known to British comics fans for his work on TV Century 21, Lady Penelope and Countdown comics in the 1960s and 70s – has been awarded an MBE… Read More ›
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The Really Heavy Greatcoat Review of the Year 2013
The Really Heavy Greatcoat by myself and Lancaster-based artist Nick Miller was published fairly regularly for about 20 years, last featuring regularly in print in Comics International (yes – it was that long ago, now!). The strip was published for… Read More ›
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Bristol Comic Expo back in May at new venue
With Bristol’s Temple Meads Station undergoing a massive £100m re-development over the next four years as the hub of the governments new high speed electric rail link, the 2014 Bristol Comic Expo (BCExpo) has had to seek a new home, since the… Read More ›
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aniManga goes Pop – in Plymouth
The South West will kick start the 2014 convention season with a special one day celebration of anime, manga and pop culture in February. The Comic Expo team has just announced it is teaming up with Kawaii store Keep it… Read More ›
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In Memoriam: José Ortiz Moya
We’re sorry to report the passing of veteran Spanish artist José Ortiz Moya (best known in the UK as José Ortiz), whose work British comic fans will recall from comics such as Scream, the 1980s Eagle and 2000AD. Reporting his… Read More ›
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Happy Christmas to all Charley’s War fans
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Panel Borders: Designing Comics
Designing comics: In a coda to a trio of shows about the use of fine art in comics, Alex Fitch looks at graphic design in comics, in a panel discussion with Rian Hughes (2000AD), Karen Rubins (V and A artist… Read More ›
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Merry Christmas from 2000AD!
Merry Christmas Eve! It’s Pro Day on the 2000AD Advent Calendar – a thread for one and all to post some fextive cheer and fun and the droids have really knocked it out of the park this year, with artworks… Read More ›
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2000AD Free Comic Book Day details emerge
2000AD are in the advance stages of putting together their Free Comic Book Day title for 2014 – a 48 page Free Comic Book Day edition with a cover by Henry Flint. The line up includes work from writers John… Read More ›
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Official Star Wars Fact File launches in January in the UK
The Official Star Wars Fact File, a new national partwork for the UK from part work publishers De Agostini, launches on sale 1st January 2014, initially priced at 50p. Aimed at fans of all ages, The Official Star Wars Fact… Read More ›
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Looking back on 2013: A Good Year for British Comics?
Here at downthetubes.net we think it’s been a great year that’s included the 100th issue of The Phoenix and has been named one of the top comics of 2013 by TIME Magazine, and we’ve been able to enjoy a growing… Read More ›
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‘Caught Unaware’, an exhibition by Doctor Who illustrator Paul Vyse, opens in January
Back in my days as editor of Marvel UK’s Doctor Who Magazine, I commissioned a number of illustrations to accompany a plethora of text stories that formed part of the title, new tales of the Doctor and companions to keep… Read More ›
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Simpsons Comics UK goes digital
Titan Comics has partnered with Comixology to bring its licensed Simpsons Comics the comic to tablets and smartphones in the UK and Eire for the first time. Featuring both classic and new issues, the Titan Comics range is now available… Read More ›
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Latest Commandos bring you War Dogs and Nazi Raiders!
Here’s the details of the last of DC Thomson’s Commando titles of 2013, on sale from today, 19th December 2013, in all good newsagents and digitally for iPad and other mobile devices. Commando No 4663 – The Eagles Return Story:… Read More ›
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Horizon: The Fear continues Andrew Wildman’s rite of passage adventure
‘We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are’ – Anais Nin Comic creator Andrew Wildman very kindly sent me a copy of Horizon: The Fear, the second book in his HORIZON trilogy recently – what… Read More ›
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Accent UK’s “Thaddeus Mist” gains wider distribution
(With thanks to Owen Michael Johnson): Who On Earth Was Thaddeus Mist?, a terrific anthology book published by AccentUK to much praise last year, is now available on Amazon. At the funeral of her mysterious and eccentric husband, widow Zelda… Read More ›