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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Catch up on the Clone Wars Comic
With the latest issue of Titan Magazines’ Star Wars Comic firmly moving to Clone Wars mode (it’s a giant-sized issue with two cover variants available, coming with a free Star Wars sweatband), Star Wars fans might also be interested in… Read More ›
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Crikey! to Continue
(via Forbidden Planet International): Crikey!, the comics magazine devoted to British comics of yesteryear and today, is set to continue, despite rumours to the contarary. In a posting on the Forbidden Planet International blog, editor Glenn B Fleming has announced… Read More ›
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Two Chance to Meet the author of Nemi
Norwegian superstar comic creator Lise Myhre will be signing copies of her new book Nemi Volume 2 on Thursday 13th November in Forbidden Planet, 179 Shaftesbury Ave, 6-7.00pm and on Saturday 15th November in Borders, 120 Charing Cross Road, 1-2.00pm…. Read More ›
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Mine’s A Paul Temple!
Crime novelist and detective Paul Temple made his first appearance on BBC Radio in 1938 and went on to appear in novels, film, television and a daily newspaper strip. Now, there’s even a cocktail named after him – and an… Read More ›
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Dan Dare part of new London Exhibiton
(With thanks to Richard Sheaf): A new exhibition organised by London-based Chris Beetles gallery featuring work by Dan Dare creator Frank Hampson – which is also for sale – opens next week. The Illustrators: The British Art of Illustration 1800… Read More ›
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Baillie debuts in 2000AD
Comics artist and writer David Baillie, creator of indie strips such as Writer and Monkey and already a contirbutor to titles such as Judge Dredd: The Megazine, Tripwire and Accent UK’s anthologies Zombies, Robots and Westerns, has his first ever… Read More ›
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Peanuts for Free
(with thanks to Norman Boyd): Web site Drawn! reports United Features’ website has gone free to view, including 50 years of Peanuts. Taking a nod from the webcomics world and in response to the declining sales of newspapers the syndicate… Read More ›
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DFC’s Kate Brown Interviewed
This interview with Kate Brown, creator of The DFC‘s story Spider Moon, is the latest of several items being published by The DFC team via YouTube. Kate, who lives in Oxford is a comic book artist and illustrator who says… Read More ›
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No Script for Preacher
American Beauty director Sam Mendes has revealed that his big screen adaptation of comic book series Preacher has no script. Mendes, who signed up for the project after Columbia Pictures picked up the rights after a View Askew movie and… Read More ›
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Jeff Hawke Art for Sale
Offered from downthetubes via ebay is a piece of Jeff Hawke newspaper strip original art, signed by creator and artist Sydney Jordan. The art from the Daily Express strip “Jeff Hawke” is identified as strip H3387 featuring mysterious aliens from… Read More ›
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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 ›
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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 ›
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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 ›
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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 ›
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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 ›
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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 ›
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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 ›
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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 ›
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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 ›
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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 ›