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.
-
Happy Birthday, Peter O’Donnell – 90 Today
(With thanks to David Westaway): Happy Birthday today to veteran British comics creator Peter O’Donnell on attaining his 90th birthday today (11th April). Born in 1920 in Lewisham, Peter, who began writing professionally at 16, is, of course, most famous… Read More ›
-
Another New Comics Reid-er
Our congratulations from all here at downthetubes go out to artist Graeme Neil Reid and his wife Catriona on the arrival of their new baby girl, Lucy Anne, born on Thursday 8 April and weighing in at 8lbs 1oz. After… Read More ›
-
What is Sci-Fi Art Now?
SciFi Art Now is a book I’ve edited under the direction of UK publishers ILEX. It will be published in October and features a wide range of art from both established and new artists from across the globe. Top science… Read More ›
-
Starkings’ Elephantmen stampede to silver screen
Elephantmen, the creation of former Marvel UK Managing Editor Richard Starkings and Chief Tiger of Comicraft and publishing house Active Images, has been optioned as a movie. Comic Book Resources reports that Richard announced that his creator-owned series Elephantmen has… Read More ›
-
Eagle Times Celebrates 60 Years
The latest issue of Eagle Times (Volume 23 Number One) is now available from the Eagle Society and, naturally enough, is an issue dedicated to the impending 60th anniversary of The Eagle on 14th April. The issue includes an examination… Read More ›
-
General Jumbo in latest Classics from the Comics
The latest issue of DC Thomson’s Classics from the Comics went on sale a few days back, but we’re still playing holiday catch up so this is the first opportunity we’ve had to give it a plug. The 68-page retro… Read More ›
-
John’s a Record Breaker!
Congratulations to downthetubes’ head honcho John Freeman on becoming a Guiness Record Breaker! Doctor Who Magazine has been named the Longest Running Magazine Based on a Television Series. John edited 49 issues of DWM from 1988 t0 1992. He was… Read More ›
-
John Hicklenton: A Tribute by Pat Mills
Pat Mills looks back at the career of the extraordinarily talented John Hicklenton, who sadly passed away on Friday 19th March 2010. Best known for his brutal, visceral work on flagship 2000AD characters like Judge Dredd (in particular “Heavy Metal Dredd”) and Nemesis the Warlock during… Read More ›
-
Garth Ennis’ Battlefields
While we’re primarily a British comics news site our remit does often cover the work being done by British comic creators beyond our shores – and one title that recently caught our attention, very belatedly, is Garth Ennis’ Battlefields project… Read More ›
-
Ministry of Space discounted
Warren Ellis’ and Chris Weston’s wonderfully retro Ministry of Space is available for a limited time from Forbidden Planet International for £5.39 – that’s 40 percent off the usual price. This is the 2009 paperback edition – 96 glorious pages…. Read More ›
-
Plum action in Commando!
New issues of DC Thomson’s war comic digest Commando are now on sale now… got get ’em! Commando 4279: Too Many Heroes Previously No 2590 from 1992 Story: Ian Clark Inside Art: Salmeron Cover: Ian Kennedy With three older brothers… Read More ›
-
Tim Perkins interviewed on the BBC
(Via Blimey! It’s a Blog About Comics): Animation expert, comics creator and comics teacher Tim Perkins was interviewed on the John Gillmore show on BBC Lancashire this week, talking about his work and comics in general. “We had some great… Read More ›
-
Titan Books to publish Classic Bible Stories from The Eagle
Coming in 2010: a collection of Frank Hampson’s Road of Courage from Titan Books
-
Century 21 Collection News – Volume Four on course
New thrills for Anderson fans!
-
Dan Dare Figure: Latest Sneek Peek!
Here are the latest images of the upcoming Dan Dare figure which will be released later this year by award-winning toy figure maker Day2Day Trading. (Click on the images for a larger view) As we’ve previously reported, the Dare figure… Read More ›
-
In Review: Maw Broon’s Cooking With Bairns
She has been cooking for bairns since 1936 (in fact the exact same bairns since 1936) so Mrs Brown should really know a thing or two about cooking with children. With the help of Scottish cookery writer Catherine Brown, no… Read More ›
-
In Review: Crikey! No.14
The latest issue of British comics magazine Crikey! is out now and comes packed with a huge range of articles, including an interview with top comics creator Bryan Talbot and a timely tribute to the origins of Eagle comic, which… Read More ›
-
Glasgow Comic Mart With Added Small Press Goodness
The latest of the half yearly Glasgow comic marts will be taking place this Saturday, 3 April 2010, in Hillhead. In a change from the mart’s traditional home in recent years at Hillhead Library, Saturday’s event has moved down the… Read More ›
-
FAB 65 Now Available
The latest issue of FAB published by Fanderson, the Gerry Anderson Appreciation Society, is now out. FAB is a 64 page A5 full colour fanzine published quarterly and available exclusively to Fanderson members. Behind a Space Precinct cover the issue… Read More ›