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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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 ›
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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 ›