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.
-
Oli Smith’s Weekend Life Premiere
Following the success of London-based Hectic Peelers recent night of Raindance Shorts, the group is presenting another night of renowned short movies. The main attraction is the portmanteau film Civic Life, a septet of short films showing life around the… Read More ›
-
Obama Wins
Even before the US election was over comics fans had cast their vote, with sales of IDW’s Barack Obama biography comic beating those of the John McCain by a 59% to 41% margin, according to an IDW spokesperson. icv2.com reports… Read More ›
-
Mark Millar in Dunblane
Wanted creator Mark Millar, Dr Mel Gibson, Ivor Davis of Red Hot Comics in Glasgow and staff from graphic novel publishers Classical Comics and Metromedia UK will be discussing graphic novels in Dunblane, Scotland, later this month. Organised by the… Read More ›
-
British Cartoon Library Gets Face Lift
(with thanks to Matthew Badham): The British Cartoon Archive based at the University of Kent is about to get a major facelift that includes, at last, the digitisation of the archive of the late, great Express cartoonist Carl Giles. Ronald… Read More ›
-
Starblazer Sale and Game News
One downthetubes reader has been in touch to tell us he’s offering a number of Starblazers via eBay, including the first three issues of this collectable SF comic published by DC Thomson. He tells us all of the… Read More ›
-
Armistice 90
November is a particularly important month for all war veterans and this year will be even more significant, marking 90 years since the guns fell silent over the many battlefields of the First World War. To mark this moment in… Read More ›
-
Spectacular Spidey Sneek Peek
Here’s a peek at a page of the originated new Spider-Man strip in the upcoming Panini comic Spectacular Spider-Man #180, on sale in a couple of months, guest starring Spiderwoman and Kraven the Hunter. The strip is written by Ferg… Read More ›
-
Comic Artist’s Work on Show in Liverpool
Ground-breaking comic creator Chris Reynolds, creator of strips such as Moon Queen and Mauretania Comics, has been in touch to tell us that one of his paintings, of Brownsea Island (in Poole Harbour) has been chosen to be part of… Read More ›
-
Fone Freaks Debuts on ROK Comics
Comics writer Thomas Behe and British comics artist Chris Walker have just launched a new comic strip, Fone Freaks, via ROK Comics, just in time for Hallowe’en. Fone Freaks follows the adventures of Sally Snedley, a wireless scientist who seeks… Read More ›
-
Andy Warhol at The Hayward
“Before I was shot I always suspected I was watching TV instead of living life. Right when I was being shot, and ever since, I knew that I was watching television.’ Andy Warhol, 1968 It’s argued that no artist living… Read More ›
-
Young Gods Joins the Digital Revolution
British indie publisher Orang Utan Comics Studio have made their move into the realm of digital publishing with the launch of their highly anticipated sci-fi action/adventure series Young Gods for free online. The Young Gods series, which sees a team… Read More ›
-
Fat Man Web Comic Goes Live
The first two chapters of the Fat Man web comic by Thomas Cochrane and Alan Tanner are now live and online at www.the-fat-man.co.uk. A new chapter being available every month. The story centres on the mysterious ‘Tegel Project’, responsible for… Read More ›
-
Girly Comic Collected
The first collection of stories culled from the pages of British indie press title The Girly Comic, has just been published, featuring the talents of British comic industry professionals such as John Stokes, Mike Collins and Simon Fraser, veteran indy… Read More ›
-
‘Body Snatcher’ Comics from Insomnia!
Upcoming UK publisher Insomnia Publications have announced another new project based onthe infamous exploits of nineteenth century murderers Burke and Hare. Between 1827-1828 in two Irishmen, William Burke and William Hare, murdered 16 people and disposed of their bodies to… Read More ›
-
Tube Surfing: 28 October 2008
• Voting is now open for the 2008 podcast awards (www.podcastawards.com) and comics podcast Geek Syndicate has been nominated in the best entertainment category, which is great nes — the team there have done a brilliant job of promoting British… Read More ›
-
Tube Surfing: 27 October 2008
• Comics artist Neil Edwards sent us a sneak peek from an upcoming Iron Man strip for Panin’s new Marvel Heroes. Here’s a panel from the strip, which see Iron Man battling more than one costumed hero. • Hot on… Read More ›
-
Creating Tammy: A True Story
Announcing a fantastic look at the creation of one of Britain’s best-known girls comics of yesteryear
-
ROK Comics Now on iPhone
British webcomics and mobile comics publisher and distributor ROK Comics has launched ROK Comics as an application on the Apple iPhone. The ROK Comics application, the first of a planned series of applications currently in development by ROK for the… Read More ›
-
Sexier Than The President’s Wife?
After hosting the Dundee Literary Festival Comics Day and the Official Beano 70th Anniversary Exhibition, the University of Dundee are continuing with their championing of all things comics related. On Wednesday 29 October 2008, beginning at 6.00 pm, visiting lecturer… Read More ›
-
In Memoriam: Les Barton
(via Lew Stringer and Steve Bright): downthetubes is sorry to report the death of cartoonist Les Barton, the artist who originally drew DC Thomson’s Sparky comic’s brilliant I-Spy character. Les, who lived in Uxbridge, Middlesex, passed away in a nursing… Read More ›