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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Bellamy, Noble Art Up for Auction
Rare wartime Beanos and The Dandys and artwork by Frank Bellamy, Don Harley, Ken Reid, Mike Noble and Dudley Watkins form just part of the British section of the latest auction from London-based Comic Book Auctions. While best known for… Read More ›
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Tube Surfing: 25 February 2008
• Comics artist Doug Noble, whose past works include work for Marvel, Live Static and The Silent Choir and who was recently interviewed by fellow creator Sean Azzopardi, is about to launch a new longform strip called Complex. “Hopefully some… Read More ›
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Who Watches the Watchmen? – A Veidt Music Network (VMN) Special – 1983
Perhaps the best Watchmen viral clip yet — an 80’s MTV parody! The film makers have really gone to town in recreating media from the Watchmen Universe. And there’s more… if you haven’t seen the Tales from the Black Freighter… Read More ›
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Paul Grist’s Big Cosmic Comic
(with thanks to “The Cap): Paul Grist, whose other credits include the fabulous Jack Staff comic, has begun to run his Big Cosmic Comic, subtitled “The Continuing Adventures of the Eternal Warrior”, as a blog. The strip is a homage,… Read More ›
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Knights of Pendragon Collection Planned
Panini UK has confirmed a collection of the first nine issues of Marvel UK’s highly-acclaimed orginal Knights of Pendragon series, created by Dan Abnett, John Tomlinson and Gary Erskine, is in development, for publication later in 2009. Knights of Pendragon,… Read More ›
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Captain Britain: New Collection On Sale Soon
After many unforeseen and arduous delays, Panini UK’s third collection of Captain Britain stories, The Lion and the Spider, is finally at the printers and should be out and in the shops in about six weeks time. The collection, reprints… Read More ›
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Century 21 Cover Revealed
Details of the first two Reynolds & Hearn “Century 21” titles
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Paper X Needs You
Illustrator Sandy Christie is putting together another Paper X collection, following up on the success of the first which was sold at the first Glasgow International Artists Book Fair. Paper X is a new zine experiment where anyone can submit…. Read More ›
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Tube Surfing: 20 February 2009
• Ben Templesmith has donated some art from IDW’s Doctor Who – The Whispering Gallery book to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund which they are currently auctioning off on eBay. The aution ends later today (Feb-20-09 15:00:00 PST) so… Read More ›
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Ronald Searle Tribute Find
For those of you unfamiliar, Ronald Searle was an accomplished British cartoonist whose credits included Punch, but he’s better known as the man who created the girls of St. Trinians and anarchic 1950s schoolboy Nigel Molesworth. The Ronald Searle Tribute… Read More ›
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Pat Mills Zarjaz Special Planned
Zarjaz, the high quality 2000AD-inspired fan-magazine, has announced their next issue, due for release in May, will be entirely dedicated to the work of 2000AD co-creator Pat Mills. Wrapped in a stunning Slaine cover by by Dave Kendall, whose first… Read More ›
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New Watchmen In-Film Clips Released
Three in-film clips from Watchmen featuring Night Owl have just been released on YouTube… “We Can Break Into the Pyramid” featuring Night Owl and Rorsharch: “Rescue…” — and, finally, “Attention Citizens”: a chance to see the Comedian in action… •… Read More ›
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Britsh Comics Art on EBay
Artwork from Steel Claw from Valiant, Robot Archie from Lion and Black Bow from Eagle is currently on sale on eBay, more work that was sold off by IPC a couple of years ago when it cleared its archives. The… Read More ›
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Missing in Action: Off the Frame
One casualty of the delayed publication of Comics International was a special “Off The Frame” cartoon by John Freeman and Paul Harrsion-Davies, the brief to note news of a proposed Weerewolf by Night film project and tie in with issue’s… Read More ›
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Tube Surfing: 17 February 2009
• Veteran 2000AD artist Cliff Robinson just posted this specatcular Judge Death illustration on his blog… • Talking of 2000AD, on Saturday 21st March between 1 and 2.30pm, the Forbidden Planet Mega Store in London is having its 30th Anniversary… Read More ›
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Battling MS: Here’s Johnny
2000AD artist Johnny Hicklenton features in a documentary on More4 tonight about his lengthy battle with multiple sclerosis, which we reported on last year. Johnny lives in an increasing state of immobility and frustration, escaping the confines of his front… Read More ›
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Into the Whispering Gallery
US publisher IDW release a special one-shot Doctor Who title later this month. Titled The Whispering Gallery, superstar artist Ben Templesmith tackles his first full Who project, alongside comic book writers Leah Moore & John Reppion. In The Whispering Gallery,… Read More ›
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John Barrowman’s Comic Strip Adventure
As we reported yesterday, Issue #14 of the official Torchwood Magazine goes on sale on Thursday and plays host to an all-new and exclusive Torchwood Comic strip adventure penned by Captain Jack himself – John Barrowman. Written in collaboration with… Read More ›
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Comics International #207 – On Sale At Last
Much delayed, Comics International #207 is now on sale, offering a variety of comics features, reviews and news items covering comics on both sides of the Atlantic (and beyond). Alongside features on the new Watchmen movie, out next month, Marvel… Read More ›