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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In Review: Alien – The Illustrated Story
by Archie Goodwin & Walter Simonson Publisher: Titan Books Out: Now The Book: Two of comics greatest talents joined forces in 1979 to bring Ridley Scott’s epic Alien motion picture to comics. Out of print for over thirty years,… Read More ›
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Latest Andersonic reveals lost UFO story
Issue 14 of the excellent Gerry Anderson series-inspired Andersonic is now available via their website (and eBay for a short period in the Collectibles>SF>Thunderbirds section). With a cover image by Keith McNeill, the issue features the following: Robert Easton interview… Read More ›
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Win a trip to New York Comic Con with Curicon
Curicon, the new social network for collectors of nerd and pop culture, is offering its users the chance to win a trip to New York Comic Con this October – a prize that includes flights, accommodation and tickets to one… Read More ›
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Dredd on Horseback?
Actor Karl Urban may be the new Judge Joseph Dredd now — but in the past he has been associated with another British originated comic strip. Wendy has been called Britain’s last girls adventure comic and the reason that most… Read More ›
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Rossendale to host major new Games Festival?
Game makers in the North of England are trying to drum up interest in a new gaming festival in Rossendale, offering an event that will feature appearances by artists and writers alongside animators, developers, games companies and others It’s hoped the… Read More ›
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2000AD pimps DREDD, new motion comic prequel released
The wait is almost over: DREDD 3D hits cinema screens in the UK this Friday, and to celebrate 2000AD Prog 1799 comes with a zarjaz DREDD movie cover, showing Karl Urban as the grimacing lawman of the future. Inside, in… Read More ›
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Rummaging Around in Alan Moore’s Shorts!
The Comics Forum has published the first in a series of articles about the short works of Alan Moore over on its blog. This series, cheekily entitled ‘Rummaging Around in Alan Moore’s Shorts’ has been guest edited by Maggie Gray,… Read More ›
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Haynes to publish Dan Dare Spacefleet Operations Manual
British publisher Haynes is following up its successful fictional guides to the workings of Thunderbirds and Wallace & Gromit with a Dan Dare Spacefleet Operations Manual, written by Rod Barzilay with illustrations by Graham Bleathman. Set for release next June,… Read More ›
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Nemo: Heart of Ice set for February 2013 release
(via GOSH London): In a fast-paced, self-contained adventure, Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill will be expanding on Janni Dakkar, one of their most memorable characters created for League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century in Nemo: Heart of Ice next year. Alan… Read More ›
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More British Comics collections to come from Titan
Titan Books have confirmed Johnny Red Volume 3: Angels over Stalingrad, the final Joe Colquhoun collection, will be published in January 2013. The volume features a third introduction by comics writer Garth Ennis about Stalingrad. The publisher of the Charley’s… Read More ›
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Madefire seeks monster makers
Ground-breaking digital publisher Madefire, whose creator roster includes Brian Bolland and Dave Gibbons, has just launched its first talent hunt. “Here’s a chance to get a paid gig alongside some of the greatest names in the imaginative arts industry,” enthuses… Read More ›
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John Picacio, Lee Moyer win Chelsey Awards
Congratulations are in order to SciFi Art Now cover artist John Picacio and artist Lee Moyer for their much-deserved 2012 Chelsey Award wins, given by the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists each year for excellence in genre art…. Read More ›
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Airfix Are Looking For Their Original Box Art
The British plastic kit manufacturer Airfix are looking for the loan of original artwork that was used for their box lids during the 1960s and 1970s for an exhibition due to take place at the RAF Museum at Hendon, London… Read More ›
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Megazine DREDD Special prepped for release
The eagerly awaited arrival of DREDD 3D in UK cinemas takes place on 7th September and in North America on 21st September. To mark this return to the big screen for Britain’s biggest comic book character, Judge Dredd Megazine #328… Read More ›
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Yes, we know it’s still August, but…
LEGO Monster Fighters: Vampyre Castle: Top toy for Christmas 2012? — we all know that if you don’t get your Christmas orders in early, some of these “must have” toys — including the ones for the big kids who mainly… Read More ›
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Crumbs! Artist Steve Beckett creates new humour comic
With the move by DC Thomson to online publishing of The Dandy still an item of debate by British comic fans, and with creators such as Jamie Smart suggesting the launch of an all-new creator-driven humour title, Dandy artist… Read More ›
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Chance to win David Lloyd art, courtesy of Panel Nine
Panel Nine, the “deluxe digital graphic novel” publisher, is giving away an original page of black and white artwork by V for Vendetta artist David Lloyd. The artwork is taken from from the Kickback graphic novel by Lloyd, recently re-published… Read More ›
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Team Rex, massive graffiti exhibition heads to London
Mark McKenzie has dropped us a line about an exhibition offering the largest ever graffiti, street art exhibit in London. Team Rex – Origin of the Species, presented by Team Robbo and WRH (We Rock Hard) runs at the Red… Read More ›
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Hammer Films launches YouTube Channel
To the delight of fans worldwide Hammer, Britain’s most celebrated genre film brand which recently produced box office smash The Woman in Black and the acclaimed Let Me In, today launches its first dedicated YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/hammerfilms. For the… Read More ›