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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Babylon 5: The Lost Tales – Region 2 release news
The previously-mentioned Region 2 release of Babylon 5: The Lost Tales, a straight-to-DVD B5 project has been scehduled for 3 September 2007, quickly followed on 10 September by the release of Supernatural Season Two. The Region 1 DVD was released… Read More ›
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In Memoriam: Phil Gascoine
I’m very sorry to report that artist Phil Gascoine has died after a short illness. For those of you who knew him the news comes as a terrible shock. He was once chairman of the Society of Strip Illustrators and always… Read More ›
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Escape from New York – Again
Goodness only knows why, but a remake of Escape from New York is in the works. Various trade papers are reporting that New Line Cinema is in final talks with Len (Live Free or Die Hard) Wiseman to direct its… Read More ›
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Painkiller pulled
The SCI FI Channel US has cancelled the action series Painkiller Jane, according to Hollywood Reporter, which stars starring Kristanna Loken. The show, based on the comic book heroine created by Jimmy Palmiotti and Joe Quesada for Event Comics in… Read More ›
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Online superhero drama for SciFI UK in works
Sci Fi channel UK has ordered a superhero-themed mockumentary drama – the first commission for its new broadband player Sci Fi Play. Legion of Fire stars Ron Moody, playing 80-something Cecil Roper, aka Flash Harry, who runs a Croydon-based superhero… Read More ›
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Conan Films on their way
Paradox Entertainment, the company which owns the stories and characters created by pulp author Robert E. Howard, including Conan, Kull, Bran Mak Morn and Solomon Kane, has announced it has sold the option for Conan movies to Millennium Films. Development… Read More ›
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Bear Alley Is (The) One
It hardly needs a plug from me here since if you are interested in the history of British comics you have probably already read it but, for those few of you who may not yet have succumbed to its charms,… Read More ›
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Hammer launches repro quad posters
HammerWeb, the official Hammer Films web site, has been updated today with information about the new range of official reproduction Quad posters which were launched last week. These comprise a set of 12 posters, released one a month, featuring digitally… Read More ›
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Doctor Who Magazine Original Comic Art for sale
I’m selling four outstanding illustrations on ebay by top artist Gary Erskine (Knights of Pendragon etc) used to illustrate the short story “Pathfinders” published in Doctor Who Magazine #173 by Michael E.P. Stevens. The illustrations are on two boards measuring… Read More ›
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Voltron Returns?
Shape-shifting robots continue to entice Hollywood with Variety reporting that the Fox-based production entity New Regency has teamed with the Mark Gordon Company (who make Grey’s Anatomy and produced The Extraordinary League of Gentlemen film) to produce a movie adaptation… Read More ›
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The Thirteenth Floor to be republished
Max is back!
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From The Land Beyond Beyond
What is the first thing you look for when you open that bumper Christmas edition of the Radio Times in December? As a long time fan of Ray Harryhausen’s brand of stop motion-films, I always look to see how many… Read More ›
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State Course And Speed
It was with sadness that I hear that Peter Tuddenham has died at the age of 88. He will always be remembered in the British telefantasy community for the voices that he gave to the various computers in Blake’s 7:… Read More ›
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Paper Tiger #4 On Sale Now
For those who don’t already know, indie comic Paper Tiger Comix #4, featuring a huge number of British creators is out now, and it’s a wee bit more professional than previous issues. The format is a high quality 100 page… Read More ›
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More Moon Queen for ROK Comics
ROK Comics creator Chris Reynolds is working on a new Moon Queen strip that will appear on the comics-to-mobile project. Titled “Moon Queen in Las Vegas: The Moon Queen’s Greatest Tragedy”, we’ll let you know when it launches. Chris is… Read More ›
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New USTV Shows
The US fall line up includes the following new series: • Bionic WomanAction drama, NBCFormer EastEnder Michelle Ryan takes the role of the bionic Jaime Sommers. (ITV2 is screening this show in the UK)Official Site: www.nbc.com/Bionic_Woman • Pushing DaisiesRomantic comedy,… Read More ›
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Will Eisner film at Film Festival
The indie film Will Einser: Portrait of a Sequential Artist will screen at the Rhode Island International Film Festival this Wednesday at 2:30pm at the Columbus Theater in Providence. I’m looking forward to seeing this when it reaches the UK… Read More ›
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In Review: The Great Game
I’ve just finished reading the hardback of the excellent Scarlet Traces: The Great Game. Written by Ian Edginton and drawn by D’Israeli this is their second sequel to HG Wells’ The War Of The Worlds. For those unfamiliar with the… Read More ›
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Miracle Workers Are Born In Linlithgow
Was Scotty a Black Bitch? Linlithgow Heritage Trust are certainly convinced that he was, or rather will be in about 215 years time. I would hasten to add that because of the dog on the town’s coat of arms, people… Read More ›
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It’s Just Not The Same As When I Were A Lad…
So the new look Dandy Xtreme is in the shops and from the outside it now looks rather like all the rest of those biweekly comic magazines aimed at kids in mid to late primary school. As much as we… Read More ›