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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Tube Surfing: 6 February 2009
• The Rogue Trooper: Quartz Zone Massacre compueterr game based on the popular 2000AD character will be launched across Europe on Friday 27th February 2009. Rogue Trooper, a genetically engineered super-soldier, represents Reef’s first foray onto the Nintendo Wii platform…. Read More ›
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London Small Press Starts Weekly Gathering
London’s small press creators have started a weekly event to do what they do best: “Draw sketches and get drunk.” While London Underground Comics is busy preparing its mysterious 176 project, the stall members who have done much to reignite… Read More ›
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Exclusive: TOXIC Comic Supplement Details
Egmont’s TOXIC Comic is to publish a special comic supplement of an upcoming issue, featuring comic characters old and new in a move to, hopefully, bring more strip material to the bestselling British news stand title. The line up for… Read More ›
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Tube Surfing: 5 February 2009
• Dickon Harris presents a trio of interviews recorded at last autumn’s Comica festival in London at the ICA on Resonance FM (London) today, talking to the winner – Julian Hanshaw – and runner-up – Isabel Greenberg – of 2008’s… Read More ›
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Star Wars Comic That Never Was…
Artist Rob Davis, whose work includes Doctor Who and who’s one of the contributors to the ongoing webjam Huzzah! has posted some intriguing pages from a planned Star Wars comic for the UK that had only limited distribution. “Doing Huzzah!… Read More ›
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Alternative Press Anthology Planned
Photo courtesy of Richard of Handmade & Bound @ Alternative Press Fair. More of Richard’s pics here Hot on the heels of last weekend’s Alternative Press Fair in London comes news of plans for a new Alternative Press Anthology. Masterminded… Read More ›
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Tube Surfing: 3 February 2009
• Look out for an upcoming issue of Egmont’s TOXIC which, in addition to the regular strips and features, will feature an additional free 32-page comics supplement that is set to feature the return of a classic British comic strip… Read More ›
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Andersonic Issue 7 is Go!
Stand by fir (fanzine) action!
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So Long To Scrye
More bad news in the niche magazine market with word via ICv2 that F&W Media has decided to end publication of Scrye magazine with its April 2009 issue (#131). Founded back in 1993, Scrye is the longest running periodical reporting… Read More ›
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New Mike Noble Art Highlight of latest Spaceship Away
On sale in all good comic shops soon is the latest issue of Rod Barzilay’s Spaceship Away comic magazine, featuring all-new comic strip starring the original Dan Dare and a variety of other SF strips including Rocket Pilot, written and… Read More ›
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Tales of Vanity and Vengeance!
US publisher Eureka Productions has just published its latest title, Graphic Classics: Oscar Wilde, featuring work by British comics creator Nick Miller, whose credits include football comic Rammie (see news story) and downthetubes very own Really Heavy Greatcoat. This Oscar… Read More ›
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Expecting Great Things from John Stokes
(with thanks to Jon Haward): Classical Comics, the British publisher adapting classic works of fiction into comics for both schools and general readers, has just published some pages form its latest project, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, on its web… Read More ›
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Monkeying about with Young Gods!
Ground-breaking British indie publisher Orang Utan Comics Studio have released the first part of their Young Gods Online Graphic Novel onto an unsuspecting world this week, aiming to bring the title to comics fans in new — and free —… Read More ›
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Brautigan Comic part of new Torpedo Quarterly
2009 marks the 25th anniversary of the death of American writer Richard Brautigan, whose best known works include his 1967 novel, Trout Fishing in America, his collection of poetry, The Pill Versus the Springhill Mine Disaster (1968), and his collection… Read More ›
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Time for a Little Music…
Ace comics artist and painter Chris Reynolds, creator of Mauretania Comics, kindly sent me a copy of trombonist and composer/arranger Mike Hext’s Mr OK, a new album for which Chris has provided the cover. Mike came to prominence after winning… Read More ›
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A Cartoon History of Here
Venues across northern Britain will play host to new performances of The Cartoon History of Here over the next few months, an event described as “a live-action cartoon” created by Yorkshire poet, broadcaster and comedian, Ian McMillan and several times… Read More ›
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Dangerous Ink interviews John M. Burns
(with thanks to Jay Eales): Cosmic Publishing, who also publish Comics International, have just released the first issue of the revamped, alternative arts magazine Dangerous Ink, which includes an interview with 2000AD and one time Modesty Blaise artist John M…. Read More ›
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Tube Surfing: 30 January 2009
• British independent publisher FutureQuake Press have just released the latest issues of their brilliant anthology titles, FutureQuake and MangaQuake. FutureQuake #12 offers its usual mix of science fiction comics tales and boasts a cover by Eagle award-winning artist Declan… Read More ›
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Could New UK Laws Threaten Comic Collectors?
(with thanks to Leah Moore and John Reppion who mentioned The Bookseller article on this matter their blog). New laws designed to tackle extreme and child pornography could make owning mainstream comics like Batman or Judge Dredd illegal, campaigners claim…. Read More ›