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.
-
Cliff Robinson covers latest Judge Dredd Megazine
Cliff Robinson has provided a stonking cover to the latest Judge Dredd Megazine (Issue 313) on sale now in all good newsagents and digital platforms. In this issue: Judge Dredd // Downside (Part 1) Mega-City One, 2130 AD. This vast… Read More ›
-
Rutu Modan in Comica Conversation with Hannah Berry
The Comica Festival, in association with Foyles and Jonathan Cape, brings you the rare opportunity to hear Rutu Modan, the award-winning author of Exit Wounds, discussing her new book The Property – perhaps the most hotly anticipated “literary comic” of… Read More ›
-
Raygun Roads ashcan released, stunning-looking multimedia project
The 22-page limited edition ashcan copies of Raygun Roads, the creation of Owen Michael Johnson, have only gone and knocked this fella’s boots off! Madness. For those of you who haven’t heard of this indie book yet, or indeed the… Read More ›
-
Want to be immortalized in comics? Audio comics publisher ROK offers the chance
ROK Comics – publishers of the audio comics Team MOBILE, Houdini Adventures, Master Merlini and more – is offering the chance for you to be drawn into an upcoming ROK Comic as a supporting character! All you have to do… Read More ›
-
Guardian Masterclass announced: How to Write a Graphic Novel
(with thanks to Kenny Penman for the heads up): The Guardian newspaper is running a masterclass titled How to Write A Graphic novel in September, curated by graphic novel publisher SelfMadeHero with tutors including Pat Mills, Audrey Niffenegger, author of… Read More ›
-
LICAF Guest Spotlight: Jose Muñoz
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival has over 70 guests lined up for its first out in October. As the event is on our doorstep (downthetubes is based in Lancaster), we thought we’d try and spotlight as many as we… Read More ›
-
Dave Shelton, editor David Fickling win 2013 Branford Boase Award
Cartoonist Dave Shelton and his editor David Fickling have won the 2013 Branford Boase Award given annually to the author and editor of the most outstanding debut novel for children for A Boy and a Bear in a Boat published… Read More ›
-
IDW’s Doctor Who comics license ends with 50th anniversary special
IDW Publishing and BBC Worldwide will conclude their joint celebration of Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary with the release of a Doctor Who Special in the final week of 2013. This oversize issue will be written by Doctor Who writer Paul… Read More ›
-
Temple APA Issue 14 spotlights work by Simon Mackie and more
The Temple APA Issue Fourteen – a fine assembly of creative talent – is now available to download as a totally free PDF file, containing contributions from the likes of Dave Hailwood, Paul Eldridge, Simon Mackie, Tony Suleri, and Malcolm… Read More ›
-
Gosh to host Blank Slate’s New British Comics Launch Party
Blank Slate have published so many books by new British talent in the last month that London comic shop Gosh! has decided to throw a launch party for a bunch of them all at once. All at once. They’re having… Read More ›
-
San Diego Comic Con: From One Side of the Show to — the other
Undaunted by the size of the event, Rich Johnston, he of Bleeding Cool, explores the Sand Diego Comic Con in living colour… Brave man!
-
Lakes Festival Guest List grows again, competition for accommodation, tickets announced
Media eyes may be turned toward San Diego Comic Con right now, the biggest comics convention in the United States – but in Kendal, Cumbria, the organisers of the Lakes International Comic Art Festival (18th – 20th October 2013) know… Read More ›
-
Gosh! It’s Adventure Time in Berwick Street!
If you’ve been lucky enough to catch one of the Free Comic Book Day activity days at Gosh! London, you’ll know how great it is, that thing they do where they sit a bunch of cartoonists at the same table… Read More ›
-
Comic ConQuest game, spoofing comics events, revealed
Those of you who can’t afford to shell out for the flight and hotel to attend San Diego Comic Con (save your money for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival or Thought Bubble!) can soon enjoy all the fun of… Read More ›
-
Beano goes vintage – Glasgow Vintage Festival that is
Beano staff past and present will be on hand at Glasgow’s Vintage Festival (27th-28th July) to talk about the comic in a special workshop. Morris Heggie, who’s written about The Beano and Editor in Chief Mike Stirling will be at… Read More ›
-
Alan Moore & Melinda Gebbie’s Lost Girls go digital
US publisher Top Shelf has announces an event some thought would never come: the digital release of the groundbreaking, literary, and fearlessly erotic masterpiece by Alan Moore and Melinda Gebbie‘s Lost Girls. Available for adults only in multiple digital formats/vendors,… Read More ›
-
Readers Summer Special Commandos go on sale
Here’s the latest issues of DC Thomson’s Commando, on sale now in all good newsagents across the UK and digitally from iTunes for iPad and iPhone. These releases comprise four re-presented stories, based on reader suggestions. The Commando team remind… Read More ›
-
Caption, the comics creator’s convention, guest list revealed
Oxford’s East Oxford Community Centre is once again host to Britain’s longest-running comics festival Caption next month – with a terrific guest list including of both new and experienced talent, including top comic artist and designer Rian Hughes, who created… Read More ›
-
Cats and Comics exhibition at Orbital Comics, London
Maybe it’s part of their masterplan to take over the world, or maybe it’s just that cool cats hang out with cool cartoonists, but have you ever noticed how often cats show up in comics? They turn up in autobiographical… Read More ›
-
New London convention “Nine Worlds” debuts in August
Nine Worlds is a new multi-genre convention in London taking place the weekend of 9–11 August 2013 for fans of science fiction, fantasy, gaming, cosplay, anime, science and having a big party. Covering film and TV, Doctor Who, Steampunk and more, the guest… Read More ›