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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Draw the World Together Art Auction Begins Tonight
Spider-Man by Mike Collins Today sees the start of the first of three Draw the World Together auctions, organised by comic creators using comics to raise money for charity. The auction on eBay features sketches provided by some of DWTs… Read More ›
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Tube Surfing: Drinking, Drawing… and other stuff too!
• If you’re in the area this Sunday, you could do worse than pop along to Manchester Comic Collective’s (MCC) monthly Drink ‘n’ Draw. It kicks off at 4pm and is usually lots of fun (although I haven’t made it… Read More ›
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Working 9 to 5 – Superheroes for hire is Markosia’s latest adventure
British publisher Markosia’s new comic Hero 9-5, written by Ian Sharman with art from David Gray focuses on a world where being a super hero is just another job. A world where only the rich can afford the comprehensive hero… Read More ›
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Burke and Hare first editions on sale from creators
With the news that Insomnia Publications, the company behind graphic novel Burke & Hare, has ceased trading, its creators Martin Conaghan and Will Pickering can now offer out copies for sale of the first edition of the book. “Will and… Read More ›
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Setting the Scene: Page 2
The action moves indoors, as hopeful warriors seek work… This page introduces most of the central cast.
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Sci-Fi Art Now Creator Interview: Duncan Long
Crystal Dragon cover for Asimov’s – featured in SciFi Art Now The format of SciFi Art Now – out this October – is such that it promotes the art of the creators, but there’s not much room to tell you… Read More ›
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Bellamy’s "Happy Warrior" Reprinted
(with thanks to Dave Wilson and Norman Boyd): Some web trawling by Eagle comic fans has thrown up the find of new collection of Frank Bellamy’s world-famous strip Winston Churchill: The Happy Warrior. The collection is only available from the… Read More ›
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In Review: Classics from the Comics Issue 173
The latest issue of DC Thomson’s ‘Retro’ title, Classics from the Comics is on sale now in all good newsagents, offering another fine medley of humour and adventure strips from a variety of the publishers’ current and past titles, including… Read More ›
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Bellamy, Beano and Buster comic art up for grabs in latest ComPal auction
The Autumn 2010 auction at British comics auction site Compalcomics has just opened, with 315 lots in the catalogue including a magnificent Beano front cover artwork drawn by Dudley Watkins and some rare Thunderbirds artwork from TV Century 21 by… Read More ›
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Phoenix to rise from Insomnia’s ashes
Comics collective The Sleepless Phoenix is now taking pre-orders for its 192-page black-and-white anthology on creative seed site Kickstarter.com. The planned collection – born from the demise of British publisher Insomnia Publications – will feature the work of more than… Read More ›
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Birmingham’s International Comic Show guest list shapes up
This year’s British International Comics Show over the weekend on 16th-17th October is getting closer and 2010’s incredible international guest list is the largest since the show began in 2006. Some of the most renowned artists and writers from all… Read More ›
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Now it’s Time for Hammer… beer?!?!
Hammer Films have promoted themselves in some pretty inventive ways over the years with DVDs, a board game, T-shirts, mugs and poster based on the famous horror films. Now we can look forward to three new Hammer Beers which look… Read More ›
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Crikey! No More
The publishers of British comics magazine Crikey! have reluctantly decided to close the magazine. “We tried until the last minute to keep going,” editor Tony Ingram told downthetubes, “but unfortunately a couple of guys who seemed serious about buying into… Read More ›
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2010 Lulu Award Nominations close next week
(With thanks to Richard Caldwell): The Lulu Awards Nominations – which aim to recognise amazing comic and cartooning work by and/or about women worldwide – close next week. The categories include: Kim Yale Award for Best New Talent Lulu Of… Read More ›
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Titan Books seeks book cover artists
Titan Books has put out an open call to recruit book cover illustrators for their future fiction titles. The call appeared this week on the new blog of Titan’s revamped website and Twitter feed asking if their fans and readers… Read More ›
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Titan Books seeks book cover artists
Titan Books has put out an open call to recruit book cover illustrators for their future fiction titles. The call appeared this week on the new blog of Titan’s revamped website and Twitter feed asking if their fans and readers… Read More ›
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First Leeds Alternative Comics Fair set for September
The first Leeds Alternative Comics Fair takes place on the 18th September 2010, 12 noon-6.00pm, at A Nation of Shopkeepers bar (behind Leeds City Art Gallery). The event is being organised by comic creators Steve Tillotson of banal pig comics… Read More ›
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Gerry Anderson’s ‘Protectors’ gets DVD release
It’s not Gerry Anderson’s best-loved series – even though it was his most expensive to date – and it certainly isn’t the kind of science fiction that made his name, such as Thunderbirds and UFO. But The Protectors – out… Read More ›
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Draw the World Together Art Auction
Comic creator charity Draw the World Together is running a series of three eBay auctions, the the first starting at 11pm GMT on the 26th August. Draw the World Together is an organisation that has been created to unite arts… Read More ›
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Temple APA moves web home
The Temple APA – a group of some of Britain’s most enthusiastic comic creators, most of them on the indie press scene – has moved homes on the internet after the closure of its ning site, after that community hosting… Read More ›