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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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 ›
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Eagle Award 2007 Nominations Launched
Nominations are now being invited for this year’s Eagle Awards, the British comics awards. You can designate your 2007 favourites in 30 different categories at www.eagleawards.co.uk. We’re delighted to report that downthetubes is one of the comic web sites already… Read More ›
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Alistair Reynolds Signing News
SF author Alastair Reynolds will be signing his new book, House of Suns at the Forbidden Planet Megastore, 179 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8JR, on Saturday 12th April 1-2pm Alastair’s first novel Revelation Space was published in 2000 and was… Read More ›
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Artist Jon Haward Interviewed
The Classical Comics project to make literature contemporary and relevant through comics is ambitious, but has received high praise educators and actors, including Royal Shakespeare Company fellow and Star Trek icon Patrick Stewart.On the launch of the second Classical Comics… Read More ›
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Bleathman’s Thunderbirds Art on EBay
Illustrator Graham Bleathman is offering two of his original Thunderbirds paintings via ebay, both original ‘never before published’ signed colour paintings. • Thunderbird 1 (see right) features the scout ship for the International Rescue organisation over Tracy Island • Thunderbird… Read More ›
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Steve Whitaker’s Funeral
Here are the details of Steve Whitaker’s funeral, who died last month
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Commando – Wall Of Death
The Commando website is continuing their on-line adaptation of Commando issue 221 Wall of Death. This was first published on 26 July 1966 and was then priced at one shilling. The electronic version is free and is currently up to… Read More ›
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Edinburgh Is Reading Jekyll And Hyde
Previously mentioned here on Down The Tubes, the 2008 One Book – One Edinburgh citywide reading campaign is now in full swing. After the success of Kidnapped in 2007, this year’s book is Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case Of Dr… Read More ›
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TV21 Dalek Art Up For Sale
Among the many British comics-related lots on offer in the current Comic Book Auction, which ends next week, is a real gem for Doctor Who and artist Ron Turner fans alike — a page of artwork from The Daleks, which… Read More ›
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Let’s Do the Timewarp…
Now it can be told… Attendees at the UK indie comic press event Caption 2007: Dreams & Nightmares were given a prophetic dream of the theme for Caption 2008. And the dream came true. Caption 2008 is Caption Timewarp. It… Read More ›
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Women in Comics
(with thanks to Matthew Badham): With the opening of the Live Lines Exhibtion in Richmond, Bridgeen Gillespie has an article in the PDF-delivered Verbal Magazine this week, revealing why comics aren’t just for boys anymore – if they ever were,… Read More ›
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Make Mine Marvel UK!
Great news about an exciting book for a Marvel UK fans!