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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Dee-Con 2012 – Dundee’s Free Manga and Anime Convention
With most Scottish comics fans decamping this weekend for the Hi-Ex comics convention in Inverness, the next major Scottish event in the comics calendar will be the manga, anime and games convention Dee-Con at the University of Dundee Students Union… Read More ›
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Drokk track offered in new Megazine
The latest issue of the Judge Dredd Megazine (322) is on sale now with an exclusive downloadable track from a brand new album by Portishead’s Geoff Barrow and Emmy-nominated composer Ben Salisbury. DROKK is the pair’s ‘soundtrack’ for Judge… Read More ›
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David Lloyd’s ‘Kickback’ graphic novel arrives on the iPad
It’s the mask protesting about corruption and greed around the world, and its creator David Lloyd, the artist behind V for Vendetta, has just released an interactive graphic novel for the iPad addressing those very issues. “V for Vendetta was… Read More ›
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Latest Commandos Have A Chilly Theme
Just to prove Commando is read around the world here are four members of the British Services Antarctic Expedition 2012 reading Commando in Antarctica. They are (left to right) Lt Col Pete Davis, Surg Lt Simon Hornby RN, Major Justin… Read More ›
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CD Comics ‘Meadowhell’ reveals the true horror of shopping
Meadowhall Shopping Centre is located between Sheffield and Rotherham and is just like every other shopping mall – but independent comic company CD Comics has published a humorous Surreal Murder Mystery Graphic Novel on CD-ROM that has sold triple figures… Read More ›
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In Review: Turning Tiger Special Edition
Written by an Ulster man living in Scotland, drawn by an English woman, published by a Canadian company and set in small town America, Turning Tiger is quite the international collaboration. Originally published as a two issue mini-series, it has… Read More ›
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STRIP Magazine #4 on sale next week
Good news at last from Print Media Productions. STRIP Magazine #4 has finally arrived in the UK and will be on sale in British comic shops next week. In the latest edition of the all-ages adventure anthology comic, which features a cracking… Read More ›
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Latest Spaceship Away features new Don Harley paintings
Issue 26 of the Dan Dare-inspired Spaceship Away is now at the printers and will soon be winging its way to subscribers and stockists. Along with the regular strips the issue features three new Don Harley paintings, including a fabulous… Read More ›
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Eagle Times Reaches Its Quarter Century (Volume 25, Number One)
Eagle Times, the quarterly journal of the Eagle Society, has reached its twenty-fifth year of publication. By far the longest running British comics fanzine, Eagle Times has now been published some six years longer than the weekly comic that it… Read More ›
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British Comic Stamps: 2000AD
Here’s the final post to mark the release of the Royal Mail’s Comic Collection, celebrating 75 years of British comics. The Royal Mail have kindly sent us large versions of each stamp, so we thought we’d show them off in… Read More ›
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CamCon 2012 lines up its guests
A new British comic convention will take place in May and has an impressive line-up of guests that includes longtime indie creator Glenn Dakin, 2000AD artist Leigh Gallagher and many others. The brainchild of Ziggy Newman, CamCon – Cambridge’s new… Read More ›
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British Comic Stamps: Twinkle
Here’s the ninth of our ten posts to mark the release of the Royal Mail’s Comic Collection, celebrating 75 years of British comics. The Royal Mail have kindly sent us large versions of each stamp, so we thought we’d show… Read More ›
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In Review: Jennifer Wilde Issue 1
Set in 1921 Jennifer Wilde is the Eagle Award nominated lightly supernatural title from Atomic Diner, written by Maura McHugh, illustrated by Stephen Downey and based on a plot by Maura McHugh and Robert Curley. Jennifer Chevalier is an artist… Read More ›
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British Comic Stamps: Valiant
Here’s the eighth of our ten posts to mark the release of the Royal Mail’s Comic Collection, celebrating 75 years of British comics. The Royal Mail have kindly sent us large versions of each stamp, so we thought we’d show… Read More ›
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Panel Borders: Gods and Monsters by Bernie Wrightson and Rebekah Isaacs
Concluding radio show Panel Borders month of shows about iconoclastic American comic book artists, Alex Fitch talks to a master of horror comics, Bernie Wrightson, and a relative newcomer, Rebekah Isaacs who has made a name for herself in deftly… Read More ›
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British Comic Stamps: Buster
Here’s the seventh of our ten posts to mark the release of the Royal Mail’s Comic Collection, celebrating 75 years of British comics. The Royal Mail have kindly sent us large versions of each stamp, so we thought we’d show… Read More ›
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British Comic Stamps: Bunty
Here’s the sixth of our ten posts to mark the release of the Royal Mail’s Comic Collection, celebrating 75 years of British comics. The Royal Mail have kindly sent us large versions of each stamp, so we thought we’d show… Read More ›
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British Comic Stamps: Tiger
Here’s the fifth of our ten posts to mark the release of the Royal Mail’s Comic Collection, celebrating 75 years of British comics. The Royal Mail have kindly sent us large versions of each stamp, so we thought we’d show… Read More ›
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British Comic Stamps: The Topper
Here’s the fourth of our ten posts to mark the release of the Royal Mail’s Comic Collection, celebrating 75 years of British comics. The Royal Mail have kindly sent us large versions of each stamp, so we thought we’d show… Read More ›
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Stephen Downey guest artist on STRIP’s ‘Black Ops Extreme’
A sketch of BOX characters Karlita and Neroby Stephen Downey Print Media Productions has announced that Stephen Downey will be joining the STRIP – The Comic Magazine creative team – as a guest artist on two upcoming episodes of Black… Read More ›