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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This week’s searches on downthetubes.net included…
In order of most searched terms: – 1 “web site” (why would so many people search a web site for “web site”) – 2 “Hilary Duff” (This is a comics site, people. Is Hilary Duff doing comics? I don’t think… Read More ›
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Family Obsessions
Steam Engine pic by my DadOriginally uploaded by JohnFreeman. Obsessions run in our family. I love comics, my Dad loved trains. I’m now trying to find out where he took some of his earliest steam engine pics and have added… Read More ›
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The Dead Goldfish
I thought this cartoon might have originally appeared in Viz – it seems to be based on an old Internet-circulated joke – but a version is being passed on from the “Bore Me” site, an archive of “viral” e-mail jokes… Read More ›
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People leave the strangest things behind
Following up on news reports that people would rather read a comic — sorry, book — than have sex, after a survey conducted by Travelodge, I scurried over to their web site to find the full text. What books would… Read More ›
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Save us from Guardian readers
So the world’s going to h*** in a handbasket and what are Guardian readers doing? Arguing about who has the best computer. I’m considering joining Harlan Ellison and Alan Moore in the typewriter zone. Not very seriously, mind, but considering… Read More ›
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ComicSpace up and (fully) running
The new online comics community ComicSpace, described as “MySpace for comics creators and fans” is now fully up and running and if you’re so inclined, there are now some fantastic samples from many British artists on the site, including Bill… Read More ›
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Brilliant European Comics Reference
I just found this great European comics site – Strip-encyclopedie Zilveren Dolfijn – while doing some research on an Albion feature that should be up on downthetubes soon, centring on new interviews with Leah Moore & John Reppion, and IPC’s… Read More ›
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BeanoMAX and Roy of the Rovers
Just posted a couple of news on the main site about the new BeanoMAX – I’d say DC Thomson have noted the success of TOXIC, Wallace & Gromit and the clear ABC sales figure records that have been racked up… Read More ›
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WebFind: SuperThunderStingCar
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Building shaped like Godzilla…
What a fab idea to improve the Tokyo skyline over at the Ironic Sans blog I’ve just found — a building shaped like Godzilla. There’s even artists impressions to enjoy. Genius!
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Media Placements on offer in the North West
This is one of those press releases that come across because of Virtual-Lancaster, which I thought I’d repost here for info. Wednesday 31st January is the deadline for the Media Foundation Placement Scheme – a chance for 20 individuals to… Read More ›
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Eagle Times Volume 19 Issue Four
The latest issue of Eagle Times, the quarterly journal of the Eagle Society, came out just before Christmas. Volume 19, issue 4 is 50+ A4 pages and includes articles on Frank Hampson’ Southport, a PC49 Christmas story, 1950s pop music and Dick Barton…. Read More ›
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New Issue of Jeff Hawke: Cosmos Released
(with thanks to Richard Sheaf and William Rudling): The new issue of the Jeff Hawke fan magazine has just been published and includes two complete stories from the Daily Express — “The Gamesman” and “Sitting Tenants”. Every issue of Cosmos… Read More ›
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Horror Artists Wanted
Horror artists and writers are needed for a demonic new comic experiment! BackfromtheDepths.co.uk, the long running tribute site devoted to the 1980s classic IPC horror comic Scream!, is looking for writers and artist to contribute fresh material for a new… Read More ›
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Animated Doctor Who
After all the recent excitement over a possible new Star Trek animated show, the BBC is reporting that David Tennant and Freema Agyeman will carry their roles as The Doctor and Martha over to The Infinite Quest, a 13 week… Read More ›
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Doctor Who – Phobos airs this weekend
Writer Eddie Robson has just dropped me a line, to plug the first of three episodes he’s written in BBC7’s Doctor Who radio series, entitled Phobos. If you can get digital radio through a DAB radio, a Freeview box or… Read More ›
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Steve Jobs Reinvents…
After the latest MacWorld Expo, I began to wonder what else Apple boss Steve Jobs might reinvent, now he’s reinventing the mobile phone…
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Eagle Award Nominations Sought
Introduced in 1976, the Eagles are the comics industry’s longest established awards. Acknowledged as the pre-eminent international prizes, they have been featured on the covers of leading US and UK titles across the last 30 years. Unique in that they… Read More ›
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Alan Moore talks new League of Gentlemen project
(with thanks to Matthew Badham): Alan Moore has just been interviewed about his League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier project over on World Famous Comics. “There’s an immense amount of stuff in the Dossier,” he outlines, revealing the book spans… Read More ›

