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.
-
Titan Comics releases Devil May Cry: The Vergil Chronicles
Titan Comics has just released the first issue of Devil May Cry: The Vergil Chronicles comic, based on the all-new re-imagination of Capcom’s world-famous eponymous videogame saga. Both issues of the two-part ‘prequel’ comic series are already available digitally, to… Read More ›
-
Orbital Comics announces Comic Book Creators launch event
Orbital Comics in London have announced a special discussion panel to celebrate the launch of the new Comic Book Creators magazine from Twomorrows Publishing, taking place on Saturday 8th June. Learn more about how John Morrow and his wife started… Read More ›
-
SEQUENTIAL gets set to launch
SEQUENTIAL, the free digital graphic novel storefront app for the iPad created by Panel Nine, is launching next Wednesday in the UK, bringing you loads of great titles from the likes of Hunt Emerson, Gilbert Shelton, Alan Moore, Krent Able… Read More ›
-
Dravn to Succeed: Dave Elliott on A1, DRAVN and the lure of the anthology comic
Dave Elliott has more than 25 years of experience working in every aspect of the comic book industry from writer and artist to editor and publisher, and his latest project, the return of A1, is about to be launched, in… Read More ›
-
Keith Page seeks a publisher for "Tommy Atkins’ Tour of the Trenches"
Commando artist Keith Page (whose credits also include Paint It Black, the Charlotte Corday saga with Stephen Walsh and the Bryant and May series by Christopher Fowler) has created a smashing-looking 32-page comic called Tommy Atkins’ Tour of the Trenches… Read More ›
-
New venue, ace guest list for Glasgow Comic Con
There’s an impressive line up already announced for this year’s Glasgow Comic Con, which will take place at the CCA Glasgow. GCC is Scotland’s number one comic book festival, bringing in people from across the UK to celebrate the art… Read More ›
-
Sean Azzopardi exhibition announced
Flashback Records, Crouch End, will be hosting an exhibition of prints by cartoonist and publisher Sean Azzopardi next month. The event, on 7th June, is part of the Crouch End Festival 2013. Flashback Records 144 Crouch Hill London N8 9DX… Read More ›
-
Creating Comics: Copyright Matters
Some suggestions and advice on copyright. However, if you are seeking proper, professional copyright or trademark advice, hire a lawyer!
-
Creating Web Comics: Some Useful Books
If you’re thinking about creating your own web comic, I’ve found these three books useful reading. How to Make Web Comics by Scott Kurtz and Peter Straub For years young, creative men and women have dreamed about making a living… Read More ›
-
Andrew Skilleter’s Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet artwork in the spotlight
Illustrator and comic artist Andrew Skilleter has just launched an extensive new Facebook page based around the original art he created for the 1990s Gerry Anderson comics. Best known for his professional Doctor Who art, Andrew contributed many covers and… Read More ›
-
Jonathan Cape, Observer and Comica Comics Competition launches
Publishers Jonathan Cape and the London-based comic event Comica have got together with The Observer newspaper to offer you the chance to see your work in print and win £1,000. Take this opportunity to get your work read by industry… Read More ›
-
Mad May for Wallace and Gromit
VisitEngland, the UK’s national tourist board has recruited Wallace & Gromit as ‘Tourism Trailblazers’ to inspire Britons to take a holiday at home this year. (It’s a busy time for the duo – earlier this month, they notched up the… Read More ›
-
Who Wants to be a Comics Letterer?
Richard Starkings, who persuaded Marvel UK to hire me in the first place way back when, offers some useful advice about breaking into comics in this interview, Like a Chained Elephant, plus comments on the advent of Computer Lettering and… Read More ›
-
Quote Me: To Write is to Take Chances, says J. Michael Straczynski
“To write is to take chances. Sometimes you succeed, sometimes you don’t, because the measure of success is in the eyes of the reader. And a subjective opinion is always right for that reader, always true for that person.”J. Michael… Read More ›
-
Never Stop Writing
Jeph Loeb was interviewd by the supermanhomepage in 2004, and offered this advice to writers when asked if he had any advice for breaking into the comic business, or into writing in general? ” Keep writing,” he advises. “Every day…. Read More ›
-
Quote Me: Word Counts in Comics by Alan Moore
One thing that was drummed into my head (by more than one writer or editor) is that when you’re writing comics, let the pictures tell the story. You should never overwrite and be ruthless about dialogue — cut it, cut… Read More ›
-
How to Get into Comics by Gerry Alanguilan
Philippines artist and writer Gerry Alanguilan has a useful guide on getting into comics today on his web site: alanguilan.com/sanpablo/2006/01/how-to-get-into-comics-today.html Known elsewhere as Doroteo Gerardo N. Alanguilan Jr., Gerry is a Filipino comic book writer, artist and publisher. He’s an… Read More ›
-
Quote Me: On Going Freelance by Luc Belanger
“The first couple of years you don’t make enough to pay the bills. The next couple of years you barely make enough to cover the bills. And then a couple of years after that you make enough to pay the… Read More ›
-
British Comic Sales Figures Creating Comics articles moved
(LINKS UPDATED since first posting): As regular readers know the main downthetubes web site is currently down due to excessive data charges. I’m in the process of securing a new ISP and we’ve had a very kind offer from a… Read More ›