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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Moon Landing Anniversary Art Appeal
Next month is the 40th anniversary of the first Moon landing (20th July 1969). We’re already planning some special posts to mark this occasion…
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Battle Picture Weekly Now on Sale
Nostalgia fans are in for a summer treat with the release of a special Battle Picture Weekly collection this week, marking the return of the classic war comic to new stands for the first time 21 years. The second in… Read More ›
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5 By 5 Festival Cancelled
The mysterious 5 By 5 Festival announced for this year, which caused plenty of discussion on comics news groups on both sides of the Atlantic after it was wrongly linked with rumoured plans for a ComicCon in the UK, has… Read More ›
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Creator Signings in Bedford
This coming Saturday (27th June), an all-star line up of talent will be in Bedford attending the five year anniversary signing for comic shop Close Encounters. Leah Moore and John Reppion (Dracula), David Hine (Strange Embrace), Adi Granov (Iron Man),… Read More ›
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Strip!: The Art of Rutu Modan
Concluding cross cultural comics month on Resonance FM’s Strip! radio show, Roehampton University Illustration lecturer Ariel Kahn talks to award-winning graphic novelist Rutu Modan about her work, in an interview conducted live at the Jewish Community Centre in North London…. Read More ›
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Scotch Corner: A New Daily Art Blog
While the geographical Scotch Corner is (ironically enough) in England, on the web at least it will be firmly north of the border come Wednesday 1st of July. Six Scottish artists have grouped together to produce a team blog in… Read More ›
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Spaceship Away 18 Arrives!
After a few printing delays, we’re pleased to report that Spaceship Away Part 18 – the British comics SF magazine inspired by space hero Dan Dare – is now available, and most prepaid subscriber issues have been posted. Apart from… Read More ›
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Starblazer Exhibition Details Announced
As we’ve previously reported, top comics writer Warren Ellis will be headlining the Comics Conference at this year’s Dundee Literary Festival, but the Festival has now also released details of its planned exhibition dedicated to the 1980s SF comic Starblazer,… Read More ›
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Torchwood: They Are Coming Soon
It began on BBC3, transferred to BBC2 and now Doctor Who’s adult spin-off, Torchwood is finally arriving on BBC1. The third season of Torchwood, which will run over the course of five consecutive nights on the BBC’s premier channel, is… Read More ›
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Alan Moore – Interviewed and Interviewing
A quick reminder (courtesy of artist Graeme Neil Reid) that writer Alan Moore is being interviewed on the BBC Radio 7 programme Chain Reaction tonight, Sunday 21 June, at 10:30pm. The format of the series is that this week’s interviewee… Read More ›
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In Review: Doctor Who – The Time Machination
Writer Tony Lee knows his Doctor Who – inside out, back to front, old and new, spin-offs and original. It is ten years since Queen Victoria banished Sir Doctor Of Tardis and the Lady Rose from the Empire and the… Read More ›
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Latest Jeff Hawke’s Cosmos Available
The latest issue of Jeff Hawke’s Cosmos, Volume 5 Number 2, is now available. Bill Rudling’s mammoth 88-page B&W A4 fanzine with colour covers continues to provide full length reprinted Jeff Hawke stories from the Daily Express newspaper. The cover… Read More ›
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The Sock Puppets Go To Hollywood
Further to our Tube Surf about the Edinburgh Fringe Festival we now have more details about the shows of The Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre. They will be appearing at the Gilded Balloon in Bristo Square each night at 10.15pm… Read More ›
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Tube Surfing: One Man Lord of the Rings, Manga Cross Stitch and Space Hoppers!
• Heading to Edinburgh’s Fringe later this summer? Perhaps to catch up with Kev Sutherland and the Falsetto Sock Company, who are sure to be there? Then you might also be interested in a new show from Canadian actor Charles… Read More ›
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Millidge on Comic Book Design
When we think of comics it’s all too easy to reduce them to pictures and word balloons. But a good comic also relies on effective page layout, framing, point of view, story pacing, spacing, lettering and many other techniques that… Read More ›
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In Review: Paragon 4
Just released is UK indie title Paragon 4, edited by Dave Candish, a 32-page anthology comic featuring the work of Stephen Prestwood, Dave and Alan Candlish, The Emperor, Terry Wilkinson and Paul Harrison-Davies. It’s an eclectic mix, with “We’re on… Read More ›
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Free Leeds Manga Event
The Breeze International Youth Festival, comics festival Thought Bubble and the Leeds Young Peoples Film Festival have partnered up to host a special free two-day Manga event later this month. Taking place at Leeds Travelling Man comic shop and the… Read More ›
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Bear Alley Announces Cursitor Doom, Phantom Patrol Collections
Top British comics archivist Steve Holland has been hinting at it for months now, but he’s finally announced the first titles publishing limited edition collections of some old, classic British comics under the imprint of Bear Alley Books: Cursitor Doom… Read More ›
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Ten Questions: An Interview with Comic Creator Amy Pearson
Last year, DC Comics Zuda Comics showcased a stunning new adventure strip by hot new comics talent Amy Pearson. Now, the 22-year-old Sussex based artist has started publishing an updated, revamped edition of the strip on its own dedicated web… Read More ›