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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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 ›
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Off Life, new Brit comic magazine, launches crowd fundng campaign
OFF LIFE, described by its creators as the UK’s only street press comic magazine, is to launch this autumn – and has just launched a crowd funding campaign to back the first issue. Published bi-monthly, distributed free in galleries, coffee… Read More ›
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Charley’s War Volume Nine Details
The ninth volume of Titan Books’ Charley’s War series will be released on 26th October 2012. Sub-titled Death from Above, in this explosive new volume of never-before-collected comic strip, including for the first time reproductions of original artwork from the… Read More ›
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Coming Soon: Babble
The folk at Com.X have begun to ramp up publicity for Babble, an original graphic novel by Lee Robson and Bryan Coyle, due to be published in later this year. Carrie Hartnoll is a girl lost in a life going… Read More ›
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10 Questions: An Interview with Comics Writer Jim Alexander
Jim Alexander’s publishing debut came as writer of Calhab Justice for Judge Dredd Megazine. He then went on to script Judge Dredd, Pandora and O’Rork. He has also written for DC (Birds of Prey, Batman 80-Page Giant), Marvel (Marvel Milestones)… Read More ›
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Have some Sympathy for the Devil
For more than 15 years, Russian rogue Nikolai Dante has fought, thieved and loved his way through life in the 27th Century. 2000AD has always bred a different kind of hero and brought the world a different way of telling… Read More ›
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Hello Kitty magazine storms supermarket shelves
Egmont UK’s new Hello Kitty title looks set to be another hit for the company, with blanket distribution for the new monthly title across UK supermarkets. Launched earlier this month, sales of the 36-page, £2.99 title aimed at five to… Read More ›
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Free Beanos for Scottish school kids
Bet English school kids will be gnashing their teeth… over on the Wacky Comics blog, George Shiers reports DC Thomson is working with Scottish Business in the Community and will be giving away 370,000 free Beano comics to every single… Read More ›
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Guardian continues British Comics coverage in wake of Dandy news
National newspaper The Guardian is continued its coverage of British comics — specifically, the future of The Dandy — throughout last week, with key writer Jacqueline Rayner stepping up to champion the lost world of girls comics like Misty and… Read More ›
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2012 London International Creative Competition extends deadline for entries
The London International Creative Competition is inviting all visual artists to submit their creative work for inclusion in the London Creative Awards, which has a top prize of £2000. The artwork is juried by a board of internationally esteemed artists,… Read More ›
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London International Creative Competition extends deadline for entries
The London International Creative Competition is inviting all visual artists to submit their creative work for inclusion in the London Creative Awards, which has a top prize of £2000. The artwork is juried by a board of internationally esteemed artists,… Read More ›
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Doctor Who / The Dandy / Elephantmen in discussion on the radio
Squeezing in a trio of radio appearances on 104.4 FM and elsewhere before Resonance FM runs a three week repeat schedule while the studio is refurbished, Alex Fitch is covering a variety of subjects over the weekend… Clear Spot: Out… Read More ›