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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Charting the best in SF? Science Fiction: The 101 Best Novels 1985-2010
If you’re looking for a book as a Christmas present for the SF fan in your life that will potentially keep them quiet for hours – not just reading it, but the novels they buy as a result of reading… Read More ›
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Temple 12, free comic showcase, available now
Have you forgotten how good it tastes? The 66-page Temple APA Issue Twelve is now available to download as part of a complete breakfast a totally free pdf file, containing contributions from the likes of Dave Hailwood, Paul Eldridge, Simon… Read More ›
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BBC’s Merlin turned into a game – so, where’s the comic?
Right, there’s a Merlin game, so where’s the comic?
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Kayla Hillier and Oliver East on Panel Borders
Panel Borders: …for travel’s sake In the last in a month of episodes of Panel Borders looking at depictions of travel in comic books and graphic novels, Alex Fitch talks to a pair of cartoonists whose small press and collected… Read More ›
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Happy Retirement, Sid Burgon
Sid Burgon has finally retired
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From Superheroes to SuperSized exhibition opens in Rome
Ernesto and Mirella © Katia Ravaioli and Giancarlo CaracuzzoView the blog (in Italian) Who said that fatties are all unhappy and unpleasant? “From Superheroes to SuperSized”, a new exhibition in Rome featuring the work of Giancarlo Caracuzzo, who drew ROK… Read More ›
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Bolland, Campbell, Sienkewicz join London SuperCon 2013 line-up
London Super Comic Convention has announced our next wave of comic creators for their next show on the 23rd – 24th of February 2013 as follows, including British artist Brian Bolland, whose credits include Batman: The Killing Joke, Judge Dredd… Read More ›
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Nominees and Judges for British Comic Awards announced
The nominees for this year’s (and first) British Comic Awards have been announced. The awards are intended as the definitive guide to what the very best in UK comics, focusing on great British comic work in five categories: Best Comic,… Read More ›
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Marvel Heroes Unleashed
Gazillion Entertainment, publisher of the highly-anticipated massive online action RPG, Marvel Heroes, took the recent New York Comic Con by storm, unveiling three all-new playable heroes from the legendary Marvel Universe: Jean Grey, Nova and Luke Cage. These iconic Super… Read More ›
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Battered but undaunted, Print Media continue Strip Magazine
After innumerable delays, the combined Issue 5/6 of the action adventure anthology STRIP is finally on its way to the shops and to subscribers. “It’s a case of if anything could go wrong, it did,” explained Mike Conroy, head of… Read More ›
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Dave Gibbons guests at Dundee Literary Festival
Another reminder about events in Dundee next weekend, that are part of the Dundee Literary Festival. On Saturday 27th October Dundee University welcomes special guest Dave Gibbons, one of the most famous comics artists in the world, and best known… Read More ›
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AAIIEEE!!! It’s a new horror comic from Dave Candish and Matthew McLaughlin!
Inspired by their love of the 1970s magazine Tomb of Dracula and 1980s comics Scream and Misty, Paragon editor Dave Candlish and Matthew McLaughlin – creator of El Bigote, the undead Mexican bandit – combine to bring a new indie… Read More ›
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Aline & Robert Crumb at Comica Festival 2012
Aline and Robert CrumbPhotograph: Lora Fountain The Comicica Festival is starting to announce this year’s stunning line-up for the 9th London International Comics Festival, spreading across the month of November and across assorted venues all over the capital. And it… Read More ›
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"Heroes and Idols" up and running in Edinburgh
Heroes and Idols is a new retail presence at the Games Hub, Edinburgh. The store stocks a whole range of comics and related merchandise, and tells downthetubes theywill be organising exclusive signing events and comic and toy marts in the… Read More ›
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Grant Morrison headlnes Dundee Comics Day
A reminder that one of the world’s most successful comics writers, Grant Morrison, heads the stellar line-up of top industry talent appearing at this year’s Dundee Comics Day. The annual event, part of the Dundee Literary Festival, takes place on… Read More ›
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Transitions 3 – Keynote announced
The Transitions symposium is fast approaching, taking place on Saturday 3rd November at Birkbeck College, London. Transitions is a one-day symposium promoting new research and multi-disciplinary academic study of comics/ comix/ manga/ bande dessinée and other forms of sequential art…. Read More ›
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Hobbycrafts and Art Materials Live back at Birmingham NEC
The Crafts for Christmas, Hobbycrafts and Art Materials Live! Event takes place from 8-11 November at the NEC, Birmingham. With everything you need for a beautiful handmade Christmas, the organisers say it’s the perfect way to add some sparkle to… Read More ›
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Panel Borders featuring Hannah Berry and Julian Hanshaw
Panel Borders: Sussex to South Asia and stops in-between Continuing a month of shows about travel in comic books and graphic novels, Alex Fitch talks to Julian Hanshaw about his new collection of short stories, I’m Never Coming Back which… Read More ›
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Creating Aces Weekly: Behind the Scenes with editor Bambos Georgiou
Interest in Aces Weekly, a new weekly digital comic conceived by David Lloyd, has accelerated now the title is up and running, with the project attracting plenty of press attention at last weekend’s New York Comic Con