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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Roy of the Rovers Print Offer
With Father’s Day just a month away – on 21st June 2009 – many people may be racking their brains to think of the perfect present. Well, publishers Egmont may have the solution – the chance for your Dad to… Read More ›
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Alternative Press Festival Ready to Go
Comics creator Jimi Gherkin and the team behind the upcoming Alternative Press Festival in London (Wednesday 29th July – Sunday 2nd August 2009, click here for the latest events listing) have been in touch to say that everything’s go for… Read More ›
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In Review: Semiotic Cohesion 4
Tom McNally’s beautifully produced small press B&W anthology Semiotic Cohesion reaches issue 4 with a further selection of short strips all written by Tom himself or Sebastian Borckenhagan. If you don’t know what semiotics are then you could try looking… Read More ›
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Promoting Your Comics: Your Ideas Wanted
Over on the downthetubes Forum we’ve started a discussion about promoting comics with a view to creating a “resource page” for creators looking for ways to publicise their work. Primarily, at the moment the page with edited info pulled from… Read More ›
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Tripwire Secures Guillermo del Toro Exclusive
British comics and genre magazine Tripwire has annouced they have added exciting new features to their already jam-packed 2009 Annual. The magazine has landed an exclusive interview with award-winning genre master Guillermo Del Toro discussing his new novel The Strain… Read More ›
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ComicCon in the UK?
(Updated, 3 June 2009, see also “Mystery” 5 By 5 Festival: Details Emerge story): Web site ComicRelated reported earlier this week that Liam Fisher, the man behind the upcoming 5 by 5 Festival in East London which starts 18th June,… Read More ›
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Going Dutch for Comics
Sandra de Haan, a comic artist from Rotterdam just found downthetubes and writes to let us know that given that the Netherlands is a small country, she’s started translating her comics into English to try and reach more comic fans…. Read More ›
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Manwha 100 Opening Report
Last week David Baillie was our downthetubes roving reporter lucky enough to be invited to a private view of the new Manwha 100 exhibition in London which, if the name hasn’t already given the game away, celebrates the 100th anniversary… Read More ›
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Anthony Johnston Strips!
Concluding adaptation and inspiration month on his Strip! radio show for London’s Resonance FM, Alex Fitch talks to writer and graphic designer Antony Johnston about combining text and image in comics and other media from his illustrated novella Frightening Curves… Read More ›
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Johnston Announces new Comic Comment Site
Lying in the Gutters columnist Rich Johnston has posted his final column for Comic Book Resources this week, but he isn’t finished with the industry, because he’s about to launch a whole web site devoted to comics comment. The site,… Read More ›
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24 Hours of Comics Creation
(with thanks to Selina Lock): It’s still ages away but the dates are set for 24 Hour Comics Day in Dublin. This year’s event will take place on 17th – 18th October at the Central Hotel. The event is an… Read More ›
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RedEye Re-Launched
Barry Renshaw is relaunching his excellent indie comic magazine RedEye
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Ellis, Grant in Dundee for Comics Day
Warren Ellis and Alan Grant are to headline Comics Day at this year’s Dundee Literary Festival. The pair will give a talk about their careers at the festival on 28 June, which will also include a session devoted to 2000AD,… Read More ›
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The Dangerous Illustrations of Graeme Neil Reid
When it was published in June 2006, Con Iggulden’s The Dangerous Book for Boys was a surprise hit. Mixing factual historical stories with information on places, things and “how to” articles, the book appealed to young and old alike. From… Read More ›
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In Review: Giant Clam Comics
Back in the 1980s, there was a short-lived British comics fanzine called SCAN, edited by me and designed by Matthew Bingham, who went on to work on proper magazines like FHM, but I’ve lost track of him these days. Its… Read More ›
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Furman Talks Revenge!
There’s still a month to go in the UK before Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen opens in cinemas here (19th June), but the first part of US publisher IDW’s comic adaptation, written by Transformers supremo Simon Furman, is on sale… Read More ›
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CancerTown Signings Announced
Cy Dethan, writer of Insomnia Publications new graphic novel Cancertown, has revealed several signings are planned for the book, which features art by Stephen Downey, colours by Melanie Cook and letters by Nic Wilkinson. The first to be announced are:… Read More ›
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Dan Abnett Video Q&As on YouTube
Comics writer Dan Abnett has been having great fun with a series of video question and answer sessions compiled by Adelie High. This one, titles “From Ghostbusters to Triumff” – there are several which include questions about his work on… Read More ›
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In Review: Erotic Comics Volume 2
Picking up from where the international best-selling Erotic Comics: A Graphic History (Volume 1) left off, Ilex Press released Volume 2 by Tim Pilcher earlier this year, revealing how European, American and Asian artists have explored the possibility of the… Read More ›
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Tony Lee Podcast on SciFiPulse
Today’s podcast from Ian Cullen’s cult web site SciFiPulse.net features an exclusive interview with comic writer Tony Lee, who talks about his career and his latest graphic novel, Bram Stoker’s Dracula: Harker, which is being published by Markosia. The book… Read More ›