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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Commando Webbing: Ian Kennedy
Earlier this year, to celebrate 40 years of artist Ian Kennedy working on the title, Commando reprinted four of the stories that he had illustrated for them. Despite being their top cover artist, having painted around one quarter of all… Read More ›
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Fans raise thousands for Frank Sidebottom creator’s "Fantastic Funeral"
The sad news came out this morning that Chris Sievey, aka Frank Sidebottom, who died on Monday aged just 54, would have a pauper’s funeral. The comedian’s financial affairs when he died mean that his family were struggling to do… Read More ›
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Tube Surfing: Web-comics special!
Righty-ho, what’s happening (in web-comics terms) out there… Talented cartoonist Tom Humberstone took a break from his Hundred Days project (hundred cartoons in hundred days). He’s back now, so go check out his stuff, which is rather cool… Have you… Read More ›
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Frank Quitely @ West Port Book Festival
The Edinburgh International Book Festival may be the largest literary festival in the UK but Edinburgh also has one of the smallest. The West Port Book Festival was set up by the many second hand books shops that crowd together… Read More ›
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Dundee Comics Day – 1 Week To Go
There is just 1 week left before the fourth annual Dundee Comics Day, part of the Dundee Literary Festival, which is taking place at Dundee University’s Tower Building on Sunday 27 June. This year’s theme is Creating Comics and the… Read More ›
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Commando – New Issue Gen
Straight from the Commando C.O. comes all the gen on the four latest issues of Commando available from 17 June: 4303 : STEER FOR ACTION From the first day of war in 1939, the soldiers, sailors and airmen of the… Read More ›
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Tube Surfing: Dez Skinn, Fanzines Galore and Simone Lia
Right, what’s happening out there… Lew Stringer’s ace comics blog informs us that Dez Skinn has a new website. Dez was, of course, the man behind such titles as Warrior, Comics International and Doctor Who Weekly (still with us as… Read More ›
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New Eagle Annuals Website
We are pleased to report that Eagle has inspired a new fan website set up by Ian and Sharon Hartas. While most Eagle sites are devoted to Dan Dare this one is specifically for the Eagle annuals both from the… Read More ›
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The Comica/Observer/Cape Graphic Short Fiction prize 2010
The Comica/Observer/Cape Graphic Short Fiction prize 2010 is now open for entries. The deadline is 6th October 2010, with a first prize of £1000 and a runners-up prize of £250. The competition, now in its fourth year, usually creates a… Read More ›
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Competition: Win Tickets to Madame Tussauds Marvel 4D!
Two of the world’s leading entertainment brands – Madame Tussauds, part of the Merlin Entertainments Group, and Marvel Entertainment – have joined forces to create a unique new visitor experience at the leading London attraction – MARVEL SUPERHEROES 4D –… Read More ›
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Roy of the Rovers back in time for World Cup
(Via Lew Stringer and others): Egmont is joining in with the World Cup mania gripping the UK with the release of a 52-page full colour comic, All About Roy of the Rovers, which joins Titan Books fab new Roy collection… Read More ›
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Tough Guy Gets Going at Mohawk Media
UK publisher Mohawk Media has released a teaser image following its acquisition of the license to produce original adventures of Tough Guy. Tough Guy, the British publisher’s first title since the top-selling official Mr. T graphic novels, is written by… Read More ›
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Competition: Win a Rude Britannia Book!
Marking the launch of the Rude Britannia Exhibition at the Tate, downthetubes has THREE copies of the tie-in book – Rude Britannia: British Comic Art by Martin Myrone, Tim Batchelor and Cedar Lewisohn – to give away! Comic art –… Read More ›
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In Review: Bradford Fantastic Film Weekend
The 9th Bradford Fantastic Film Weekend was held at the National Media Museum from 4 to 6 June. The annual event began in 2002 as a celebration of classic ghost stories and the supernatural and has evolved into a major… Read More ›
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Radio Show spotlights Rude Britannia exhibition
Opening today at Tate Britain in London is the new exhibition ‘Rude Britannia’, which traces the history of British comic art from Hogarth to the present day. In an hour-long Clear Spot radio show from the Strip! radio show team,… Read More ›
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Sneek Peek: Fat Fathers versus Judge Dredd!
The Mighty Tharg has allowed comics artist Jon Haward to show a page from the upcoming Judge Dredd: Fat Fathers story, written by John Wagner, which will feature soon in 2000AD. Drawn by Jon about 12 months ago – talk… Read More ›
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Tube Surfing: Dan McDaid, Madame Tussauds and Zine Fayre News
Right, let’s see what’s out there… Over at the Forbidden Planet International blog, downthetubes contributor Matt Badham (that’s me) talks to cartoonist Dan McDaid about his work on the comic strip in Doctor Who Magazine and Image Comics’ Jersey Gods…. Read More ›
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OmniVistaScope Model 6 Now Available
The latest issue of Paul Scott’s annual Omnivistascope has been released. “Model VI” is dedicated to the memory of Patrick McGoohan and features an article by Ed Berridge on the real life inspiration for The Prisoner’s Village. The cover by… Read More ›
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Etherington Brothers Exhbit in Bristol
The Ink-dot/Howies ESCAPE Exhibition, featuring a series of beautiful new limited edition prints by more than 30 of today’s best illustrators, animators, designers (and one lowly comic book scribbler, Lorenzo Etherington) opens in Bristol later this month. It’s a show… Read More ›
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Druids secrets revealed in new Asterix book
A new Asterix book always attracts plenty of interest across Europe and we’re sure Secrets de druides, released this week in French, will prove no exception. In the new story, a lightning bolt has struck at the heart of the… Read More ›