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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Andrew Wildman talks HORIZON and Transformers at Literary Festival
If you’re in the Chipping Norton area on the 21st April, then get along to the Chipping Norton Literary Festival. Andrew Wildman, co-creator of the recently-published weird western Frontier and artist on the new IDW Transformers title will be… Read More ›
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British Comic Stamps: The Eagle
Here’s the third 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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ThunderCats, Ho! Cartoon Network’s heroes head for newsagents
Panini UK’s new ThunderCats Magazine will be hitting the shelves on 22nd March 2012, a four-weekly magazine based on the brand new series of ThunderCats currently being shown on Channel 5 and Cartoon Network. The new title features stunning strips… Read More ›
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British Comic Stamps: The Beano
Here’s the second 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 Comics Stamps Launch this week
Stand by for First Class fun and frolics as Britain’s Royal Mail pays homage to the great British comic on ten new stamps launched this week. As we previously reported, The Comics Collection, commemorating Britain’s rich comic book heritage, features… Read More ›
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US publisher IDW announces Judge Dredd title
US publishers IDW have announced they’re to publish a Judge Dredd ongoing series, which will launch this autumn. No creators have yet been announced but the title will feature original stories alongside classic reprints from 2000AD – a combination that’s… Read More ›
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Thrill Electric now on iTunes
At long last the wait is over. The Thrill Electric is now free to read on iPad and iPhone via iTunes. This free ten-part (150 page) enhanced comic is set in Victorian Manchester and demonstrates the extraordinary parallels between the… Read More ›
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Vanguard 2 anthology now online for free
The second issue of the UK indie anthology comic Vanguard is on sale now, continuing the stories that began in issue 1. As before, art duties on the International Woman of Mystery tale “Atomic Call” are by David Blankley, while… Read More ›
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Charting the Marvelman saga
Comics expert Pádraig Ó Méalóid has posted story about the complicated story of Neil Gaiman and Todd McFarlane’s ongoing disputes, presented as a timeline, which you can see here. “On the 27th January, Neil Gaiman and Todd McFarlane finally settled… Read More ›
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Marvelman Challenge!
As it’s recently been noted on several blogs and forums that the Dez Skinn-created Warrior was first published 30 years ago (including Lew Stringer’s terrific blog, see: http://lewstringer.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/30-year-flashback-warrior-no1.html), I thought I’d throw down a challenge to readers and members of… Read More ›
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Flesh chomps back into 2000AD
Time-travelling cowboys and murderous lizards are rampaging back into the pages of 2000AD, as Flesh returns again. One of the all-time classic strips from early 2000AD, Flesh made a thrilling, blood-splattering return to the weekly British anthology title last year… Read More ›
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Go Undercover, Low Life!
From the world of Judge Dredd, comes Mega-City Undercover 02 – four tales about the idiosyncratic members of Justice Department undercover unit, known as the ‘Wally Squad’. But they patrol no ordinary patch – this is the Low Life, the… Read More ›
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Middle England unites to save The Hobbit
Neil Gaiman, Stephen Fry and Sir Ian McKellen are just some top creative names backing a campaign to stop a small English pub from having to change its name at the instruction of American corporate lawyers. The Hobbit in Southampton,… Read More ›
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Save The Hobbit!
Neil Gaiman, Stephen Fry and Sir Ian McKellen are just some top creative names backing a campaign to stop a small English pub from having to change its name at the instruction of American corporate lawyers. The Hobbit… Read More ›
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Mixing with Freaks – Darren Craske illustrates new short story collection
Harper Collins is to release Freaks next month under it Friday Project imprint – a unique collection of short stories dedicatd to dedicated “To all who, if only for a moment, felt that they didn’t belong”, featuring comic book style… Read More ›
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In Memoriam: Jean Giraud
The world has lost a Grand Master of the Ninth Art
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Leeds Alternative Comics Fair back in April
The Leeds Alternative Comics Fair is back once more on Saturday 28th April, and the fourth fair is once again going to be held at A Nation of Shopkeepers, which has proved itself an ideal venue with its great atmosphere,… Read More ›
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The Really Heavy Greatcoat: Death Comes in Threes
With the greatest of respect to all creators, of so many hues and four dimensions, everywhere… • More Really Heavy Greatcoats on the original downthetubes web site
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In Review: Superior
By Mark Millar and Leinil Francis YuPublisher: Titan BooksOut: NowISBN: 9780857685940 The Book: Simon Pooni had it all going for him – plenty of friends at school, good looks, and his coach called him one of the most talented basketball… Read More ›