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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Glasgow comic talent cameo in All Star Superman
(With thanks to Adam Thewlis and the team at the Italian ‘All Star’ blog): Here’s a fun item for the weekend. There’s a long tradition of artists featuring friends in comic strips as an in joke: Bryan Talbot, for example,… Read More ›
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Cinebook Release Their Summer/Autumn 2011 Catalogue
The Canterbury based graphic novel publisher Cinebook have just released their catalogue for the second half of 2011 and it shows their continued dedication to bringing previously untranslated Franco-Belgian bandes dessinees albums to the English speaking world with an impressive… Read More ›
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Free Comic Book Day is here!
Saturday 7th May is Free Comic Book Day – the day many specialist comic shops across the UK join with stores across the world to promote our industry by offering a range of free comics to attract, potentially, many new… Read More ›
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Blank Slate announces ‘Nelson’ graphic novel, firms up 2011 schedule
Nelson, a new collaborative graphic novel from Blank Slate Books will be launching this November at the Thought Bubble convention in Leeds, and features an awesome line-up of British comics talent (detailed below). So, who is Nelson? Well, Nel Baker’s… Read More ›
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Peter Davison Doctor Who Comic Art for sale: The Moderator
I’m reluctantly selling, via eBay, an original page from Episode Three of the Peter Davison story ‘The Moderator’, published in Doctor Who Magazine Issue 87, cover dated April 1984, drawn by Steve Dillon. The story, written by Steve Parkhouse, sees… Read More ›
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In Review: Pinocchio by Winshluss
Pinocchio becomes a robot in this new telling of the classic story Publisher: Knockabout ComicsOut: Now The Book: Winshluss’ Pinocchio graphic novel is an adult noir movie that at times is both comedy and tragedy. The narrative begins with a… Read More ›
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Kev O’Neill 2000AD art for sale
Some of Kevin O’Neill’s art from 2000AD and other titles is on sale from his agents, The Illustration Cupboard near Green Park, London. The agents, who also offer art from a large number of artists, have lots of prime 2000AD… Read More ›
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Meet 2000AD’s new demon hunter: Absalom
Dying of cancer, combating demons and swigging from a bottle of laudanum – Inspector Harry Absalom ain’t exactly Inspector b***** Morse. Mixing The Sweeney with The X-Files, Absalom is the latest dark tale from Necronauts writer Gordon Rennie, brought to… Read More ›
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Out of this World: Science Fiction but not as you know it
The Martians from H G Wells’s The War of the Worlds; as depicted by Alvim-Correa in the Belgian edition, La Guerre des mondes (Brussels, 1906). Out of this World: Science Fiction but not as you know it is the British… Read More ›
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Artist Neil Roberts part of Lincoln Book Festival line up
Lincoln University is running an event titled The World of Comics later this month as part of the Lincoln Books Festival (11th – 15th May), featuring Sci-Fi Art Now contributor Neil (Sarah Jane Adventures, 2000AD) Roberts alongside Murky Depths editor… Read More ›
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Lincoln Book Festival explores the World of Comics
Lincoln University is running an event titled The World of Comics later this month as part of the Lincoln Books Festival
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In Review: Kate & William – A Very Public Love Story
On the day of The Wedding it seems appropriate to review Markosia’s Kate and William: A Very Public Love Story, their take on the story that will climax in Westminster Abbey round Noon today. Written by Bleeding Cool’s Rich Johnston… Read More ›
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Tank Girl and Lenore head for iPad as part of new Titan Comics App
Titan Publishing has announced the launch of a brand new comics app, featuring Tank Girl and Lenore comics, available on iPhone and iPad for the first time ever. The new stand-alone app allows iPhone, iPod touch or iPad users to… Read More ›
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Comics@SciFiLondon Schedule Released
Comics @ Sci-Fi London takes place this weekend (30th April – 1st May) – a two day festival about the best of British Comics from the last 30 years in a lovely new space – The Blue Room – at… Read More ›
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Scottish Independent Comic Book Awards Closing Date Approaches
A reminder that the closing date for entries to the new Scottish Independent Comic Book Awards is Monday 2 May 2011. The awards, presented in association with the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society, are due to be handed out at the… Read More ›
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Crucible Cover for STRIP Zero
An ace promotional image for the first DTT comic strip – now titled ‘Crucible’ – graces the cover of STRIP MAGAZINE Issue Zero, which will be given away free to Bristol International Comic Expo visitors next month. The sampler is… Read More ›
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STRIP Magazine sampler prepped for Bristol Comic Expo
Here’s the cover of STRIP MAGAZINE Issue Zero – which will be given away free to Bristol International Comic Expo visitors next month. The sampler is the first print promotion for the monthly STRIP Magazine from Print Media Productions,… Read More ›
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Who Remembers The Mighty Thor?
(With thanks to various British comic fans): The launch of the new Thor movie today in the UK prompted memories form British comic fans of Marvel UK’s short-lived Thor-inspired reprint, The Mighty Thor. Published in 1983 (Issue 1 cover dated… Read More ›
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Absence comic offers insights on epilepsy
Writer Andy Luke and artist Stephen Downey have recently released Absence, a comic book based on Andy’s experiences over 30 years adapting to a life with epilepsies: puberty, first jobs, college and “sorting it out”. 10,000 copies of the booklet… Read More ›