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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Dan Dare, Yesterday’s Hero, Returns!
Yesterday’s hero is back. Everyone’s favourite space adventurer, Dan Dare, returns this month in a new action-packed series from Virgin Comics and top creative team Garth Ennis and Gary Erskine. Matthew Badham caught up with the Ennis and Erskine to… Read More ›
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ROK buys Fun Little Movies
The ROK Entertainment Group, owners of ROK Comics, has announced it has acquired a 51 per cent controlling interest in Los Angeles-based Fun Little Movies. FLM specialises in the development, production and distribution of original mobile-oriented comedy for global distribution… Read More ›
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Hasselhoff returns in new Knight Rider
David Hasselhoff may reprise his role as Knight Rider Michael Knight in the new version of the cult 1980s NBC TV series. Various sources report David Hasselhoff is in talks to appear on NBC’s Knight Rider reboot in his role as… Read More ›
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TV21 #4
With a little while to go before my initial sale of several issues of the iconic 1960s comic TV Century 21 and other issues ends, I’ve just put #4 of this great 1960s iconic comic up for auction on ebay…. Read More ›
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He’s Just A Man With A Man’s Courage…
Who needs CGI for your spaceships when you can use fishing line and sparklers? I can’t resist another dip into Tony Nourmand and Graham Marsh’s Science Fiction Poster Art book, this time with a poster for a film serial based… Read More ›
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Hammer Time at Memorabilia
The winter Memorabilia collectables fair (www.memorabilia.co.uk) takes place at the NEC in Birmingham (UK) next weekend (24-25th November) and among the attractions, including guest appearances by Heroes‘ Greg Grunberg and a number of Hammer veterans, including Barrie Ingham, Caroline Munro,… Read More ›
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Thumpculture hits the Web
Brilliant artist Neill Cameron, whose career I’ve followed for years, has been in touch to “casually mention” that he’s finally had a chance to get back to stunning strip Thumpculture. “I recently completed the first ‘issue’ online at www.thumpculture.com, and… Read More ›
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David Lloyd on Tour
Kickback and V for Vendetta artist David Lloyd has just dropped us a line to let us know he’s embarking on a signing tour in Ireland later this month. The tour has been organised by comic shop Sub City, as… Read More ›
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Pow! Zowie! Braaak! It’s (Still) Batman!
As an addition to the Batman trailer, here is the American poster for the 1960’s re-release of the 1943 Batman and Robin serial, taken from Tony Nourmand and Graham Marsh’s book Science Fiction Poster Art published by Aurum. Nourmand and… Read More ›
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It’s Batman!
Here’s a gem from YouTube: a trailer for the 1943 cinema serial. Batman uses a gun… The poster doesn’t think this is the original trailer that was shown at the time of its original release but from the re-release, back… Read More ›
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New UK Comic Creators Interviews
The fab comics site Read Yourself Raw has just been updated to include previews of new book, comic and manga releases for January 2008, a new essential reading list. They’ve also drawn our attention to some UK creator interviews and… Read More ›
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TV21s for Sale on ebay
I have begun selling my copies of TV Century 21 on ebay. The first issues are #2 (with the free sticker badge given away with the issue), #79 with a Thunderbirds cover and #84 with a Stingray-related cover. Also on… Read More ›
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Marvel Classics go digital
Variety reports US publisher Marvel Comics is putting some of its older comics online, hoping to reintroduce young people to the X-Men and Fantastic Four by showcasing the original issues in which such characters appeared. Marvel Digital Comics can only… Read More ›
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Last Solar Wind Released
The final issue of the award winning parody and homage to British adventure comics of yesteryear Solar Wind has just been released. Winning National Comic of the Year as well as being nominated for an Eagle Award, it has also… Read More ›
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Tales of Wit and Wonder
Eureka Productions has released a revised second edition of its long-out-of-print Graphic Classics: Mark Twain, the eighth volume in the Graphics Classics series of comics adaptations of great literature whose contributors include many British creators. With a dramatic cover painting… Read More ›
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A Deserter’s Tale
Battle‘s acclaimed Charley’s War continues at Titan Books with the timely release of a fourth collection of the World War One tale. Written by Pat Mills, drawn by the legendary Joe Colquhoun, Blue’s Story continues the critically-acclaimed thrilling, horrifying and… Read More ›
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Ex Astris Episode 11
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Ex Astris Episode 10
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Ex Astris: Episode 9
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Ex Astris: Episode 8



