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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Doctor Who Fun in the 1990s…
I recently came across this spoof Doctor Who Magazine cover in my archive, which once graced my office wall at Arundel House, Marvel UK when I was editor of the title in the 1990s. Do you think it will sell… Read More ›
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Martin’s Match of the Day
Artist Martin Baines, whose work includes strips for Spaceship Away, DC Thomson and work on Titan’s Wallace & Gromit, is busy working on the BBC’s new, weekly, Match of the Day magazine, which has just launched. The title features a… Read More ›
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ROK Comics Creator Interviews Online
Several interviews with creators of UK-based comics to mobile service ROK Comics, have been posted on the downthetubes.net main site. The questions were compiled by David Hailwood. • Artist Josh AlvesJosh Alves is a Graphic Designer/Cartoonist/Stand-up Comedian residing in the… Read More ›
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Gerry Anderson In Glasgow
Television producer Gerry Anderson has appeared at the Aye Write Book Festival in Glasgow, talking about his career in series as diverse as Four Feather Falls, Stingray, Space:1999 and Lavender Castle as well as his career defining Thunderbirds, and giving… Read More ›
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MamTor’s Mother of a Comic
Mam Tor Publishing, the brain child of Liam (Death’s Head II, Man Thing etc.) and Chris McCormack Sharp has collaborated with Mother (London) Advertising Ltd. to produce a 16 page quarterly comic inside the London edition of Time Out magazine… Read More ›
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Happy Birthday, Oor Wullie!
He is Scotland’s most famous son, a dungaree-wearing, spiky-haired scamp who has sown mischief in Auchenshuggle for 70 years — and first appeared in the Sunday Post on 8th March 1936. Oor Wullie, who celebrates being “nine years auld” today… Read More ›
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The Last Lecture: People versus Things
I came across this video completely by chance — but that should be no surprise, because at the moment it’s a version of one the most viral videos on the Net. This is virtual reality pioneer Randy Pausch, who is… Read More ›
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Merlin Begins Filming at Last
Former One Foot in the Grave comedy star Richard Wilson is to star in a new 13-part drama Merlin BBC1 is lining up for a Saturday teatime slot which will screen later this year. Independent production company Shine, who also… Read More ›
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In Review: Henry V
With the release of Classical Comics Macbeth (read our interview with artist Jon Haward here), artist Paul Harrison-Davies reviews the company’s first outing Henry V for downthetubes… There seems to have been a bit of a trend in classics adapting… Read More ›
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In Memoriam: Smoky Dawson
Over on Comics Down Under, Kevin Patrick recently paid tribute to Australian musician Smoky Dawson, who died last month but who was at one time famous enough to be the star of his own comic. “Even if you’re not a… Read More ›
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Spaceship Away Now on Sale
The latest issue of Dan Dare magazine Spaceship Away is now on sale from specialist shops and the official web site, but if you’re a subscriber and haven’t received your copy yet, read on… As Richard Sheaf noted last month… Read More ›
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Marvel on Facebook, following other comic companies
Marvel Comics has launched its first digital comics application for the Facebook social network, a community already home to several unofficial Marvel-friendly groups and other comics-related services. Marvel says the application allows fans to peruse the entire Marvel Digital Universe… Read More ›
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Watchmen Film: Character Designs released
The official blog for the Watchmen film, due for release in the US 6 March 2009, has just published several character sketches from the new movie based on the designs created by British artist Dave Gibbons for Alan Moore’s seminal… Read More ›
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In Memoriam: Gary Gygax
Mourning the death of a gaming legend
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Dan Dare Sale
Steve Holland reports on the recent collection of the late Bob Rothwell, a major Dan Dare fan and collector, over on Bear Alley. “A huge number of collectable Dan Dare items went under the hammer—so to speak—and some were fetching… Read More ›
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Kev F Joins ROK Comics
Bristol-based comic artist and writer Kev F Sutherland, a contributor to weekly British comic The Beano and who regularly provides comics lessons to schools and other groups, is one of the latest creators to give ROK Comics a try. In… Read More ›
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Fluid Friction announces Devashard
Hong Kong-based publisher Fluid Friction launches what the company describes as the first ever true East meets West graphic novel, Devashard, in April, sporting a cover by Simon Bisley. Inspired by Asian mythology and produced in Hong Kong by a… Read More ›
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This Week’s Top 10 UK Games
Here’s this week’s Top 10 entertainment games in the UK. 1 Mario & Sonic at the Olympic GamesSega’s best-selling Olympics title has hit the five million milestone after just three months on sale. 2 Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training3 NEW ENTRY… Read More ›
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Chicken Impossible
Special thanks to my friend Daniel for tipping me off to this sure-to-become-classic ringtone… FREE YOUR PHONE – ZEDGE.NET
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Smallville, Supernatural Renewed
US network CW has announced early renewals to some of its top-performing series for the upcoming 2008-09 season, which include an eighth season for Superman-inspired Smallville and a fourth season for Supernatural. UK publisher Titan Magazines continues to publish a… Read More ›