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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Torchwood Strip on Watch Web Site!
Titan Magazines, publishers of Torchwood Magazine, have partnered up with UK digital channel Watch to offer an exclusive Torchwood strip on their web site, as part of their promotion for the screening of Torchwood Season Two. The strip has been… Read More ›
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Something Useful from the European Union…
— Well, sort of… it’s in beta at present but the European Union is assembling a huge online digital resource, which includes imagery from publishers as well as museums at: www.europeana. eu/portal You can search for subjects etc and results… Read More ›
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Beating Up Baddies, Watchmen Style…
A new Watchmen viral has just been launched, hot on the heels of the Watchmen TV channel, all to promote the upcoming release of the eagerly-anticipated Watchmen movie. This time, it’s a Watchmen arcade game, retro-styled like the classic 1980s… Read More ›
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Kiwi Comic Creators Join Copyright Protest
New Zealand comic creators have joined a nationwide protest this week (16-23 February) protesting against new copyright laws there, that could see anyone perceived as infringing copyright lose their internet connection — including schools and libraries. The Guilt Upon Accusation… Read More ›
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Alternative Press Anthology 2009: More Details Emerge
Jimi Gherkin, one of the organisers of the recent Alternative Press Fair in London, has revealed more for the plans for an Alternative Press Anthology, to be released later this year. “The Alternative Press Fair was great,” he reports. “We’ve… Read More ›
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Lancaster Comics Event
Lancaster’s comics fans gather at the northern town’s Gregson this week, for an event organised by First Age Comics, which is based in the Assembly Rooms in King Street. The Uncanny League Of Astonishing Amazers will kick off at 8.00pm… Read More ›
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Garen Ewing Interviewed
Forbidden Planet International has a very special treat for you today, as Matthew Badham sits down for a good, long chat with The DFC and Rainbow Orchid artist Garen Ewing, looking back to what drew him into creating comics, his… Read More ›
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Shades of Milligan
(with thanks to Reuben Willmott): Yesterday, we gave passing mention to Peter Milligan‘s new project for DC Comics’ Vertigo crime line, The Bronx Kill, working with James Romberger. Coincidentally, Milligan, whose past work includes 2000AD‘s Bad Company and Shade: The… Read More ›
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Doctor Who: The Anime
(With thanks to Frank Garcia, via Topless Robot and Japanator): Expect this stunning piece of work to go hugely viral — and if BBC Worldwide don’t pick up the phone to Sheffield-based artist and animator Paul “Otaking” Johnson and offer… Read More ›
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Seventh Doctor’s Adventures Collected
Panini, the publishers of Doctor Who Magazine, will release the first volume of the Seventh Doctor’s collected adventures in May, compiling eleven stories under the umbrella title A Cold Day in Hell, the comic strip adventure written by Simon Furman,… Read More ›
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Adrian Tomine on Strip!
Continuing Indie comics month on the radio show and podcast Strip!, Eagle Award winning writer and artist Tom Humberstone will be talking to American comic book creator Adrian Tomine who writes and draws the comic book Optic Nerve, originally self… Read More ›
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Tube Surfing: 12 February 2009
• Former Star Trek actor Wil Wheaton, now an ardent campaigner for internet rights and longtime blogger has a new short collection of his favorite pieces from his books and blog called Sunken Treasures, including a production diary from his… Read More ›
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Southsea Goes Sequential
(with thanks to Darren Morrow): News reaches us of an over 18s only comics event in Southsea in April. Taking place at the Festing Hotel on Albert Road, The Annual Review of Sequential Endeavours (Facebook Link) invites all comics makers…. Read More ›
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downthetubes On The Air!
downthetubes editor John Freeman was interviewed on Lancaster’s Diversity FM this morning, the show repeated at 6.00pm tonight (Wednesday 11 February). The interview was the latest by local writer Jomar de Vrind as part of his “Imaginary Friends” series for… Read More ›
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In Review: Watchmensch
Out in early March, Lying in the Gutters’ Rich Johnston’s Watchmensch, a parody of a certain major DC Comics-published comic series, soon to be a major movie (at least that’s what a lot of film people and DC Comics are… Read More ›
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In Review: Dangerous Ink
After we plugged the alternative arts magazine Dangerous Ink recently, editor Tom Green very kindly sent downthetubes copies of the most recent issues — and I’m very impressed. Quite aside from the comics-related interviews — which include 1960s Batman actor… Read More ›
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Fly Me to the Moon, Forties Style
Manchester-based comics artist Jim Boswell, whose credits include Markosia‘s Starship Troopers and more, has begun posting some of his designs and pages for Project: Luna 1947, his latest project for the company. Written by Martin Hayes, who Jim worked with… Read More ›
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Tube Surfing: 9 February 2009
• The animated feature based on Neil Gaiman’s Coraline is now on release int the US and seems to be doing well both critically and at the box office. “A lot more people than anyone expected are going to see… Read More ›
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Wilson’s Star Wars Project Revealed
We’ve previously mentioned in passing 2000AD artist Colin Wilson‘s upcoming Star Wars project for US publisher Dark Horse, but now details about Star Wars: Invasion, which launches online in May, have been officially announced.The series, set 25 years after the… Read More ›
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Haward’s Tempest Set to be Another Classic
Comics artist Jon Haward has shared some stunning samples of Classical Comics adaptation of Shakesepare’s The Tempest, which goes on sale in May in all good bookshops across the UK. Set on a mysterious island, The Tempest, possibly the last… Read More ›