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.
-
Classic British strip Wulf The Briton to be collected
There’s some great news for fans of cracking British comics artist Ron Embleton with the announcement of an impending collection of his superb comicstrip, Wulf the Briton, from Book Palace Books – fronted by an introduction from Dave Gibbons. Longtime… Read More ›
-
Celebrity Comics Challenge!
Comic artists are being asked to design a ‘Celebrity Comic’ cover for the latest downthetubes forum art challenge. What would the news stand be like if Alan Titchmarsh produced “Titchmarsh Comics”? How would Eamon Holmes present his comics persona? (Best… Read More ›
-
Commando: New Issue Gen
The new batch of Commando titles commemorate V-J Day, the victory over Japan and the ending of the Second World War 65 years ago this month with stories all set in the Far East and Pacific Theatre of Operations. The… Read More ›
-
Tube Surfing: Cartoonists, Writers, Conventions (well, one) and the end of 2000 AD Review
• Joe Gordon of the Forbidden Planet International blog makes us aware that cartoonist and illustrator David Baillie has just uploaded a large PDF portfolio online. You should have a look! David, who has been published in 2000AD and the… Read More ›
-
Yes, they’re really calling it CLiNT
Comics by two of the UK’s most outspoken TV personalities and burgeoning writing talents – Jonathan Ross and stand-up comedian Frankie Boyle – will feature in CLiNT Magazine, a new joint venture between Kick Ass creator Mark Millar and Titan… Read More ›
-
Erskine in Essex for comic art masterclasses
Comics artist Gary Erskine (DC and Marvel Comics, Dark Horse, Virgin Comics and Titan Books) and Alan Batson (an official Disney artist, Pixar, Hanna Barbera, Warner Bros, the BBC) will be teaching master classes in how to draw the successful… Read More ›
-
Mad Scientists storm Caption 2010
(cross posted from Bugpowder with the kind permission of Daniel Fish): The Mad Scientists have retired back to their mountain core fortresses following another successful Caption in Oxford this past weekend. I had a fun time, meeting up with the… Read More ›
-
Crucible: Setting the Scene: Page One
Here’s the latest version of the first page of the first Crucible story (we hope there will be more than one). It’s gone through several drafts, all part of building the world this tale will be set in. The female protagonist… Read More ›
-
Andersonic flies back into action with exclusive interview
The latest issue of the ace Gerry Anderson fanzine, Andersonic, is now on sale. Issue 10 features a new interview with former Century 21 writer and director Leo Eaton in which he discusses his time directing the puppet series, writing… Read More ›
-
Crucible: The Comic Strip
Good news this week as comic artist Smuzz and I got word that our pitch for a comic strip we have been throwing around ideas for since at least 1996 has got a publisher. ‘The Quest’ (working title) will… Read More ›
-
A Special Summer With The Beano
(updated 2/8/10, with thanks to Lew Stringer) Summer and Holiday Specials of British comics were once a mainstay of the news stand year: special, (usually) higher-priced “one-offs’ of popular comics that not only gave regular readers something extra featuring their… Read More ›
-
Manchester Uni to put bande dessinees under microscope for 2011 event
(updated 1 Augsut 2010): Manchester Metropolitan University will play host to an academic conference on bande dessines next year – and the call is out for papers. The International Bande Dessinee Society and the peer-reviewed Journal of Graphic Novels and… Read More ›
-
Johnston to promote Dead Space at next Expo
Promotional art for Dead Space 2. © EA Games British comics writer Antony Johnston will be on hand to help promote the new EA Games title Dead Space 2 when it’s trailed at the next London MCM Expo, which will… Read More ›
-
Garry Leach Marvelman art auction begins
British comics guru Dez Skinn is running an auction for a rare piece of Marvelman art by Garry Leach. On offer is Marvelman Episode 3, page 1 (which first appeared in Warrior Issue 3). “As an experiment, partially because of… Read More ›
-
Etherington Brothers announce new project and bargain book sale
Those wacky Etherington Brothers – whose work includes strips for Titan’s Transformers comic, The DFC and more – are offering a limited one week only 20% off deal on collections of their own creator-owned material, which are available via Print… Read More ›
-
Celebrate the life of cartoonist Harvey Pekar
Harvey Pekar, who died earlier this month. Photo: DavidKPhoto, via Wikimedia Next month will see an event celebrating the life of American cartoonist Harvey Pekar, who died earlier on 12th July. A joint Birkbeck Contemporary Fiction Seminar and International London… Read More ›
-
In Review: Classics from the Comics 172
There’s the usual great mix of strips from a variety of DC Thomson humour comics in the latest issue of Classics from the Comics, on sale in all good newsagents now. Favourites this time around have to be a 1977… Read More ›
-
Warners nabs Dan Dare, Sam Worthington to star
Exciting Dan Dare film news!