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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CBeebies Mag Goes Digital, complementing print edition
BBC Worldwide Digital Entertainment & Games, in collaboration with Immediate Media, has launched a digital version of their best-selling weekly pre-school title, CBeebies Magazine, on the Apple Newsstand on iPhone and iPad, priced at £2.99. A free five-page sample is… Read More ›
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Create your own Cyborg!
Art © Oliver Wetter Sci-Fi Art Now contributor Oliver Wetter has created a Cyborg Tutorial for the new Advanced Photoshop Magazine. “This image of a cyborg that matches the style of my Android Legacy piece, is a workshop I’ve done… Read More ›
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IlluXCon Symposium returns in November
The Fifth Annual IlluXCon Symposium – the only US convention exclusively dedicated to fantastic art – wil take place on 8th-11th November 2012 at the Altoona Heritage Discovery Center – 1421 12th Ave Altoona, PA 100601. As ever, IlluXCon will… Read More ›
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Artist Paul McCaffrey takes on TMNT’ ‘Fugitoid’
Sci-Fi Art Now contributor and British comics comic creator Paul McCaffrey is the artist on the latest issue of IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Microseries: Fugitoid. Also available digitally as well as in comic shops, the story centres on Fugitoid,… Read More ›
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DREDD 3D Behind the Scenes – Getting the Story right
Karl Urban as Judge Dredd. Image copyright Reliance Entertainment With DREDD 3D now in UK cinemas, downthetubes goes behind the scenes to discover the secrets behind the creation of the well-received film… The future world of Judge Dredd created by… Read More ›
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Soulful Creative Bigs up Judge Dredd!
A five metre high strutting Judge Dredd pointing his ‘Lawgiver’ (gun) towards the sky, has been greeting world travellers as they approach London Heathrow Airport for the past week. The massive 60 square metre graffiti art mural has been created… Read More ›
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DREDD is Number One!
DREDD 3D has stormed its way to the top of the UK film charts, taking over a million pounds on its opening weekend and trouncing competition that includes the new Total Recall remake – the first 18 certificate film to… Read More ›
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Dez Skinn and Chris J Thompson head to Malta Con
Writer, editor and publisher Dez Skinn – perhaps best known to comic fans for creating Warrior and Comics International and now working on a new international comic magazine – and Pop Culture King Journalist Chris J Thompson, who join the… Read More ›
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SciFi Postcard Book to be released in January 2013
Just through my door this weekend: an advance copy of the Sci-Fi Art Now postcard book ILEX asked me to compile earlier this year, which features illustrations by a number of British comic artists, including Rian Hughes, Smuzz and… Read More ›
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Artist Paul McCaffrey takes on TMNT’s ‘Fugitoid’
British comics comic creator Paul McCaffrey is the artist on the latest issue of IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Microseries: Fugitoid. Also available digitally as well as in comic shops, the story centres on Fugitoid, a Mirage Studios character co-created… Read More ›
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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 ›