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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John McCrea takes on Mars Attacks! project
US publisher IDW Publishing and Topps have announces multiple Eisner Award-winning creative team for Mars Attacks, an all-new ongoing comic series based on the fan-favourite Mars Attacks franchise – and STRIP Magazine‘s John McCrea is one part of the line-up…. Read More ›
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MCM and Eagle Awards Debut New Comics Talent Competition
For almost a decade the MCM London Comic Con has been a haven for comics, movies, games and anime – and now, together with the Eagle Awards and upcoming Universal Pictures blockbuster Snow White And The Huntsman, they’re looking to… Read More ›
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Cursed Earth Mega-epic kicks off new 2000AD book range
One of the all-time greatest Judge Dredd stories ever told is returning in a brand new pocket-sized format.The Cursed Earth, the first ‘mega-epic’ featuring the famous Lawman of the Future, is being published in B-format for the first time. A… Read More ›
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Panel Borders: Habibi Blankets and Children’s Books
Here’s some information on both upcoming and recent Panel Borders radio shows, broadcast on Resonabce FM and online. Concluding the show’s month of looking at biography and autobiography in comics, Alex Fitch talks to the multiple award winning (and Grammy nominated) cartoonist… Read More ›
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Hewlett, Blake, Simmonds at British Library event
The Lords of Flatbush by Jamie Hewlett The British Library in London is offering comic fans the opportunity to join a remarkable panel of artists and experts including Quentin Blake, designer and comic artist Jamie Hewlett, satirical cartoonist Martin Rowson… Read More ›
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Eddie Campbell award nomination prompts Dapper John offer
As many readers here may already know, ace artist Eddie Campbell has been nominated to receive the Angouleme Festival’s Essential Prize at this year’s festival for his “Alec” work. To celebrate, new digital publisher Panel Nine is selling Eddie Campbell’s Dapper… Read More ›
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Cartoon Museum honours ‘Her Maj’
London’s Cartoon Museum will be celebrating the Diamond Jubilee with a humorous history of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. Her Maj: 60 Years of Unofficial Portraits of the Queen (1 February – 8 April 2012) will offer a gallery… Read More ›
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2000AD Book Schedule announced
As it celebrates three and a half decades of some of the greatest comics of all time, 2000AD is unleashing a flurry of top-notch thrills in graphic novel form this year.The Galaxy’s Greatest Comic has lined up a sizzling schedule… Read More ›
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“The Invisible Artist” film released
The Invisible Artist from Northern Visions NvTv on Vimeo The comic booklet: once a mass market media form, some would argue it has all but disappeared from newsagents shelves in the last 20 years – but comic creation continues apace… Read More ›
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Boffins and Burglars infiltrate Commando!
The latest issues of Commando are on sale now, and it’s intrguing to see how cover artist Janek Matysiak on #4464 and one of this set’s reprint issues, 4466, has changed styles with a move to digital art. Commando No… Read More ›
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New Dennis the Menace shows – and a musical – on the way
Ahead of tomorrow’s London Toy Fair, DC Thomson has announced a renewal of its partnership with leading content producer Red Kite Animations to co-produce the new series of Dennis and Gnasher. As The Beano begins the countdown to its 75th… Read More ›
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Weird Western set for release from Print Media
On sale from Prnt Media Productons at the end of this month is the the much-praised graphic novel Frontier: Dealing with Demons, an all-ages ‘Weird Western’ by Jason Cobley and Andrew Wildman. The Wild West… and Daisy Adams is suddenly… Read More ›
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Duncan Fegredo provides cover to latest Dark Horse Presents
The ace art of Duncan Fegredo graces the cover of the next Dark Horse Presents (#8), on sale 1st February. Fegredo’s British credits are of course extensive, including work for titles such as Crisis for Fleetway back in the 1980s,… Read More ›
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Comics @ Glasgow Film Festival
Last year the Glasgow Film Festival at the Glasgow Film Theatre brought writer Mark Millar on board to curate a comics creators and movies strand which included amongst others a talk by artist/writer Dave Gibbons and screenings of Luc Besson’s… Read More ›
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Blasé Books releases Pictorial Guide to British 1950s Sci-Fi and Horror Comic Books
(via Lew Stringer): Redditch-based Blasé Books have just released The Pictorial Guide to British 1950s Sci-Fi & Horror Comic Books. Designed by comics creator Mike Higgs, the 288-page full colour softback by comic historian Mike Morley (one of the contributors… Read More ›
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Is It Just Media launches free Robob title for schools
Surrey based independent publisher, Is It Just Media?, have announced the arrival of The Adventures of ROBOB, a new interactive magazine and trading card game aimed at primary school children which includes an element of contributed comic strip. The magazine… Read More ›
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British Comedy Conference seeks papers on comedy and comics
The organisers of the Sixth International Comedy Conference, which will take place later at the University of Salford have issued a Call for Papers. The theme for this year’s two-day conference is ‘Drawing The Line’ and the academic event aims… Read More ›
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Comica Conversation: Craig Thompson and Marcel Theroux
Graphic novelist Craig Thompson.Image via Paul Gravett The first Comica Conversation of the year takes place in London next week: a chance to meet and chat with Craig Thompson, hailed for his graphic novels Blankets and Habibi, and novelist and… Read More ›
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Tim Perkins takes you to Worlds End
Before you read this story, let me first declare an interest: I have known the publisher and comic creator of this stunning new book,Tim Perkins, for many years, since my time at Marvel UK. I know how he and his… Read More ›