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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Young Gods Joins the Digital Revolution
British indie publisher Orang Utan Comics Studio have made their move into the realm of digital publishing with the launch of their highly anticipated sci-fi action/adventure series Young Gods for free online. The Young Gods series, which sees a team… Read More ›
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Fat Man Web Comic Goes Live
The first two chapters of the Fat Man web comic by Thomas Cochrane and Alan Tanner are now live and online at www.the-fat-man.co.uk. A new chapter being available every month. The story centres on the mysterious ‘Tegel Project’, responsible for… Read More ›
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Girly Comic Collected
The first collection of stories culled from the pages of British indie press title The Girly Comic, has just been published, featuring the talents of British comic industry professionals such as John Stokes, Mike Collins and Simon Fraser, veteran indy… Read More ›
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‘Body Snatcher’ Comics from Insomnia!
Upcoming UK publisher Insomnia Publications have announced another new project based onthe infamous exploits of nineteenth century murderers Burke and Hare. Between 1827-1828 in two Irishmen, William Burke and William Hare, murdered 16 people and disposed of their bodies to… Read More ›
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Tube Surfing: 28 October 2008
• Voting is now open for the 2008 podcast awards (www.podcastawards.com) and comics podcast Geek Syndicate has been nominated in the best entertainment category, which is great nes — the team there have done a brilliant job of promoting British… Read More ›
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Tube Surfing: 27 October 2008
• Comics artist Neil Edwards sent us a sneak peek from an upcoming Iron Man strip for Panin’s new Marvel Heroes. Here’s a panel from the strip, which see Iron Man battling more than one costumed hero. • Hot on… Read More ›
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Creating Tammy: A True Story
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ROK Comics Now on iPhone
British webcomics and mobile comics publisher and distributor ROK Comics has launched ROK Comics as an application on the Apple iPhone. The ROK Comics application, the first of a planned series of applications currently in development by ROK for the… Read More ›
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Sexier Than The President’s Wife?
After hosting the Dundee Literary Festival Comics Day and the Official Beano 70th Anniversary Exhibition, the University of Dundee are continuing with their championing of all things comics related. On Wednesday 29 October 2008, beginning at 6.00 pm, visiting lecturer… Read More ›
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In Memoriam: Les Barton
(via Lew Stringer and Steve Bright): downthetubes is sorry to report the death of cartoonist Les Barton, the artist who originally drew DC Thomson’s Sparky comic’s brilliant I-Spy character. Les, who lived in Uxbridge, Middlesex, passed away in a nursing… Read More ›
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Tube Surfing: 21 October 2008
• Titan is to release a collection of Jane strips from the Daily Mirror later this week and over on Bear Alley Steve Holland has cast his expert eye over the various stories which made up the strip’s run. The… Read More ›
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Insomnia’s Beastly New Signing
Upcoming British indie publisher Insomnia Publications have just announced its first signing following the Birmingham International Comic Show: Unbelievable (The Man Who Ate Daffodils) written and drawn by Welsh comics creator Simon Wyatt. In the remote mining village of Bryn… Read More ›
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Stan Lee Signed Comic Must be Won!
Marking the impending release of Iron Man on Region 2 DVD, downthetubes and SF web site scifipulse have teamed up with Paramount Home Entertainment UK to offer readers the chance to win a Marvel Legends comic signed by Stan “The… Read More ›
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New Eagle Times Available Now (Volume 21 Number Three)
The latest issue of Eagle Times, (Volume 21 Number Three), the quarterly journal dedicated to Britain’s national picture strip weekly Eagle, features 50+ A4 pages (of which 20 are in full colour) of all sorts of things to do with… Read More ›
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Splendid Chaps, All Of Them!
Slipping for this post into first person mode, I had a wonderful time on Saturday at Vworp! Vworp!, a one day event at Manchester’s Lass O’Gowrie pub organised by landlord Gareth Kavangah and his dedicated team, in partnership with the… Read More ›
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Commando Webbing
A new interview with Commando and Dan Dare artist Keith Page has been posted on the official Commando website. In the interview Keith, who is currently working on his 144th Commando issue answers questions posed by Commando readers on his… Read More ›
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Free Hunt Emerson Comic
Following up the recent downthetubes piece on Hunt Emerson and his work with Phil Stamp Covers, Emerson fans may like to check out the comic that he has produced for the BBC RaW adult literacy campaign. The 16 page full… Read More ›
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Jon Haward Interviewed
Artist Jon Haward, who is busy working on the superb Classical Comics books as the series Art Director, has been interviewed by Terry Hooper over on www.comicbits-online.com. “The photo of me was taken in Mark Burrell’s studio,” says Jon. “The… Read More ›
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The Art of War
On sale now in all good bookshops is the simply gorgeous The Art of War by David Roach, featuring almost 1000 fabulous full-colour artworks created for the covers of Fleetway/IPC’s classic War, Battle, Air Ace and War at Sea Picture… Read More ›
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Emerson Stamps His Mark
Cartoonist Hunt Enerson has been busy updating hiw website, Largecow.com and has added somne some news about his band The Hound Dogs, and added a new Phil Stamp Gallery featuring his First Day Stamp Covers. “Phil Stamp Covers are colourful… Read More ›
