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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Star Trek pushed back to 2009
Paramount has shuffled the release schedule for several films, including the new Star Trek film, which is good news and bad news for fans. Bad because the film has been delayed, which will dismay fans eagerly awaiting this Star Trek… Read More ›
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Whatever happened to… Jerry Paris?
An early stalwart of Marvel UK was Jerry Paris, a regular artist on books such as Action Force and others (including this cover to the Spider-Man comic, published in 1984). Many MUK fans often ask us here at downthetubes what… Read More ›
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Olympics Puzzle
Apparently, Steven Spielberg has decided not to participate in the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing… what event was he entering? Shark wrestling? Oh, as artistic adviser. He’s citing the lack of progress in ending the genocide in Darfur, which he… Read More ›
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Orcs unleashed on New Line, will no one watch the Watchmen?
Variety reports the Tolkien Trust (a British charity that manages the estate of J.R.R. Tolkien) and publisher HarperCollins brought a $150 million lawsuit against New Line Cinema on Monday, claiming the trust has not received any of its gross profit… Read More ›
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In Memoriam: Steve Gerber
downtheubes is sorry to report the death of ground-breaking American comic writer Steve Gerber, whose unique vision often confounded the mainstream publishers he worked for. The creator and co-creator of several characters including Howard the Duck and Omega the Unknown… Read More ›
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Paul Cornell in the Writer’s Room
Doctor Who (and now Primeval) writer Paul Cornell – who among other things is pitching a new series to the networks accoridng to his blog – has just been interviewed for the BBC Writer’s Room site and by Forbidden Planet… Read More ›
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New Squaxx on the Block
Over on Comics Village, Shane Chebsey has an interview with the new editors of 2000AD fanzine editor Zarjaz, Dave Evans and Richmond Clements of Futurequake Publishing. The pair take over after a successful run as editor from Colin J Dinnie… Read More ›
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Brightonomicon at Forbidden Planet London
Robert Rankin, Jason Isaacs, David Warner and Rupert Degas are among several top creators who will be signing the audio book version of Robert’s The Brightonomicon at the Forbidden Planet Megastore, 179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8JR, this week, on… Read More ›
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Judge Dredd: Reality Sets In
Judge Dredd writer Alan Grant says he now finds it hard to write the comic because real life has strayed too close to his science fiction dystopia. Speaking to the Sunday Herald he told the paper that while doing research… Read More ›
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New Thunderbirds Novels
FTL Publications have announced that they have been licenced by Granada Ventures to produced two novels a year based on the original TV version of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s Thunderbirds. Due to the terms of the licence these books will… Read More ›
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Hi-Ex 2008: Again
A few more pictures for you from last week’s Hi-Ex comics convention based mainly in the ground floor area of the old Bishop’s Palace in Inverness. Hi-Ex was organised by Vicky Stonebridge and Richmond Cements of Future Quake Press so it… Read More ›
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Space News: Last Lunar Eclipse until 2010
The last Total Eclipse of the Moon before December 2010 will begin in the small hours of Thursday 21 February in the UK. The entire event will be visible from South America and most of North America (on 20 February)… Read More ›
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Technology News: Prince victim of Identity Theft
Morocco’s state run news agency is reporting that authorities in Casablanca have rounded up the usual suspects and arrested an engineer accused of stealing the identity of Prince Moulay Rachid on Facebook. The prince, shown here perhaps at the moment… Read More ›
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Sarah Jane To Return
Despite bad news on some fronts for children’s drama in the UK – the cancellation of Grange Hill surely a reflection of how disparate TV viewing has become that it can no longer attract a large audience – the BBC… Read More ›
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RIP: Barry Morse
Actor Barry Morse, best known for his role as Lt Philip Gerard in the classic drama The Fugitive but who also starred as knowledgeable Victor Bergman in the first season of Gerry Anderson’s live action series Space:1999, died earlier this… Read More ›
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Marvel in the UK – The Early Years
With plenty of interest in Marvel UK right now from sites such as It Came From Darkmoor, regular readers not already checking out Lew Stringer’s brilliant Blimey! blog might want to head over there now and read his three part… Read More ›
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Phoo Action debuts 12 February
Phoo Action, a futuristic kung fu action film written by Tank Girl creator Jamie Hewlett, will form part of the opening night line-up of the revamped BBC3 next week, debuting on Tuesday 12 February at 10.30pm. As we reported last… Read More ›
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Doctor Who Art and Magazines on ebay
(Posted by John Freeman, updated 6/2/08): Several items are now up for sale on ebay from me, with more to come, which some readers may be interested in here: Doctor Who Comic Art • “Ravens” Promotional ArtThis piece of art… Read More ›
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Mike Battles On!
Out now is the lastest issue of much-praised UK indie title Sgt. Mike Battle: The Greatest American Hero. #10 is the final part of the epic adventure Last Admin Hero, wrapped in a fantastic colour cover. When the terrorist group… Read More ›
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Prestonpandemonium 3
Just when you thought that there couldn’t possibly be any more Scottish comics related news comes confirmation from Nigel Barker that the third of his Prestonpandemonium mini comic marts will be held on Saturday 31 May. Running from Noon to… Read More ›