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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Connecting Conversations in London
Two masters of their craft, award-winning children’s author David Almond and author and illustrator Quentin Blake, will talk about the drive to write and the visual expression of emotion with experts from the field of psychoanalysis at two forthcoming Connecting… Read More ›
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2009 Book & Book Cover Illustration Awards
The closing date for the 2009 Book & Book Cover Illustration Awards, sponsored by the Enid Linder Foundation and organised by the Victoria and Albert Museum, is fast approaching. Entry into the Awards is free, with winners will be chosen… Read More ›
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Comic Christmas Covers
Over on his ever-wonderful Blimey! It’s Another Blog About Comics!, Lew Stringer has been running a series of features on British Christmas Comic Covers, offerings samples from a wide range of titles, from Film Fun and TV Express to the… Read More ›
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Full Colour Crikey!
As reported here last month, Issue 8 is a milestone edition for British comics fan magazine Crikey! with this 52-page issue published in full colour throughout. “So far, the response has been tremendous and the issue has only been on… Read More ›
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Tube Surfing: 15 December 2008
• Warren Ellis has announced he will be writing a column for Conde Nast’s upcoming Wired UK magazine, edited by David Rowan, which launches next spring. “This attempt involves the services of Ben Hammersley, whose CV is twice as long… Read More ›
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In Review: Dick Turpin And The Restless Dead
A break from the keyboard and other projects have jointly conspired in my attempts to write this review of TimeBomb Comics‘ Dick Turpin And The Restless Dead, written by Steve Tanner and drawn Andrew Dodd. Notorious highwayman Dick Turpin stumbles… Read More ›
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Starscape Comic Turns Magazine
For the past seven or so years, Chris Smillie’s Starscape has been a comic then a webcomic, inspired by the idea of the evolution of traditional British comics, such as 2000AD, Mighty World of Marvel, Eagle and the Victor, taking… Read More ›
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Dragons, Duels and Deadly Danger in The DFC!
Mirabilis: Year of Wonders is a new ongoing series that starts in Issue 30 of Random House’s comic subsscription-only weekly comic The DFC on 19th December. Written by Dave Morris and illustrated by Leo Hartas, the series tells of a… Read More ›
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Spider-Man Sneek Peek
Courtesy of artist John Royle, here’s a sneek peek to the cover of Panini UK’s upcoming Spectacular Spider-Man Issue 180, on sale in February. The issue sees Spidey up against Kraven the Hunter, side by side with Spider-Woman.
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Dan Dare Returns Again!
US Comics news site Newsarama has reported that Dynamite Entertainment, who also publish titles such as Battlestar Galactia, has picked up the rights to publish new Dan Dare comics based on Garth Ennis’ interpretation of the character, first published by… Read More ›
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Cartoon Days of Christmas!
Cartoonist and friend Rich Diesslin came up with this Cartoon 12 Days of Christmas. Enjoy. You can check out more of his work at the-cartoonist.com
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Tube Surfing: Gerry Anderson News
British publisher Reynolds and Hearn are to release two books reprinting strips from TV Century 21 comic and other titles first published by City Editions in the 1960s such as Joe 90: Top Secret. Scheduled for release early next year and titled Century 21 – Classic Comic… Read More ›
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In Memoriam: Oliver Postgate
“Once upon a time, not so long ago, there were two overgrown boys called Oliver and Peter. And Peter lived on a farm. It was a rather unusual farm because it didn’t grow any crops and there were no sheep… Read More ›
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New art team tackles villains for BVC’s Shades
British online comics publisher Broken Voice Comics has just published Chapters 9 and 10 of its flagship title Shades on its website (www.brokenvoice.co.uk). Written by David A J Berner, the new chapters of the comic continue BVC’s timely examination of… Read More ›
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Stormtrooper on a Spacehopper
… probably one the dreaded Copyright Police will be jumping on, but what the heck: more madcap pop culture designs can be found on RedBubble. They include a Star Wars Eco-Saber and a Starbucks parody. These guys obviously like to… Read More ›
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Planet of the Apes – Down the Tube!
Commuters on the London Underground were amazed last Tuesday when characters from the Planet of the Apes films joined them on the Tube! The apes were in town to celebrate the re-release of the classic film, now 40 years old,… Read More ›
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Will Sci-Fi Star George Be King of the Jungle?
Sci-fi icon George Takei, Star Trek‘s Mr Sulu, is one of the finalists in this year’s series of ITV’s hit reality show I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! ITV viewers will discover tomorrow night whether George will beat… Read More ›
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Dark Inheritance by Roberta Leigh
Over on Bear Alley Steve Holland has put up two previously unrecorded dust jacket illustrations by Frank Bellamy. These are for romance novels, My True Love by Denise Robins and Dark Inheritance by Roberta Leigh, both published by the Valentine… Read More ›
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Martian Tripod Attacks Cardiff!
Where are Torchwood when you need them? (Probably at a John Barrowman concert.) The touring version of Jeff Wayne’s album The War Of The Worlds, complete with enormous Martian tripod, returns to British stages in June 2009 and they have… Read More ›
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Tube Surfing: 2 December 2008
It is not often we would advertise cars here on downthetubes but take a look at this cutaway of a Honda Accord. The artist is Graham Bleathman, more familiar perhaps for creating cutaways of Thunderbirds or other Gerry Anderson creations…. Read More ›