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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Jeff Anderson Heads for the Riddler’s Fayre
British comics artist Jeff Anderson, whose work on the critically acclaimed Lion Graphic Bible earned him and writer Mike Maddox a prestigious Angouleme award in 2000, is busy at work on a new project — a five-part graphic novel from Highland Books…. Read More ›
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Striker Goes Down
(Updated 10/5/05):The UK’s weekly football comic Striker is to fold this week, on its 87th issue. Publisher Pete Nash broke the news in last week’s issue and in a letter to the title’s shareholders — many of them readers who… Read More ›
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Comics and Crumpets Column Three: British Comics characters revived – by DC
This feature first appeared on the now defunct Comic World News on 31st January 2005 BRITISH COMICS CHARACTERS REVIVED – BY DC This issue, I’ve got more information on two projects reviving some classic British comics — and am pleased… Read More ›
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Barmy Comics from Barrow
Comics creator Dave Hughes, who lives in Barrow, has just sent me a hilarious collection of his comic strip tales titled The Immeasurable adventures of Gorky Park. Dave’s strange, spikey cartoon work, akin to Rugrats on acid, tells the bizarre… Read More ›
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Is there something in the water?
So let me see if I have this right… — In the past few weeks in Lancaster, almost every councillor (except the Greens and some Skerton reps) have voted in support of a bypass route they’ve all consistently rejected in… Read More ›
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Star Trekking…
After the weirdness of getting RAF Magazine off the ground (so to speak), I’m now preparing to step back in time (for me, anyway) to edit Star Trek Magazine again. I was the launch editor on this way back in… Read More ›
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Yalikavak, Turkey 2004
Just back from our first ‘proper’ holiday in five years — Turkey again but this time it was Yalikavak on the Bodrum peninsula. Been to Cavus and Cappadocia in the past. We went with Manos, enduring the torture of… Read More ›
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London Visit
It’s hot, it’s sweaty and it’s taking over the country. What is it about the place that draws so many to it? You end up with black snot if you walk its streets. I don’t actually think it’s that more… Read More ›
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Shooting themselves in the foot
A warning to all freelance writers out there planning a trip to the US — get a visa! And you might want to think about praying, too, as it’s no guarantee of entry. I had a call from BlackRat yesterday… Read More ›
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When is a transit not a transit?
OK, here’s a question about shared experience. If you couldn’t actually look directly at the transit of Venus yesterday (unless you wanted your eyes boiled or something), is there a difference between standing out in your garden with a pair… Read More ›
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Marvel UK Memories
In and out from writing Beyblade and Dick Turtle for ToonTastic and editing RAF Magazine for Titan Magazines, I’ve been spending some time thinking about one past job as editor at Marvel UK (aka Marvel Comics UK) back in the 1990s. This… Read More ›
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Creating Connections
Strange how the world works. I find 20six via DotJournalism, then find BlackRat‘s blog (the guy writing some fascinating stuff about Iraq after a trip there). I link to that on my blog and he reads about me editing RAF… Read More ›
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A Busy Week: Dick Turtle, RAF Magazine and More
It’s a weird life. This week has been a mix of hassling freelancers for copy and me being hassled for copy — one of those deadline crunch weeks. Beyblade Comic was Monday, Dick Turtle for Lucky Bag Comic was Wednesday,… Read More ›
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Catching Up with Old Friends
Dropped in Lancaster’s John O’Gaunt on Market Street for lunch. They do something called a “late breakfast”. How late can a late breakfast be? Whatever. One of Lancaster’s few remaining decent pubs — it’s not tied to any brewery and… Read More ›
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Space Dogs Exhibition in Lancaster
There’s a bizarre exhibition at the Storey Institute Lancaster at present — giant inflatable dogs created by the Space Cadets. As you sit there these giant white amorphous blobs are suddenly pumped full of air to become giant dogs. You… Read More ›
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RAF Magazine and other things
Today has been a busy day. I’m working on a new RAF Magazine for Titan which feels strange because a) I’m not a member of the RAF and b) given my past membership of various ‘leftie’ organisations and opposition to… Read More ›
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In Memoriam: Comic Artist Art Wetherell
We’re sorry to report that talented artist Art Wetherell died on Christmas Day 2003, of a perforated stomach ulcer. He had many friends in the UK comic fraternity, and beyond, and will be much missed. Art’s credits include The Searchers… Read More ›
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In Memoriam: Don Lawrence
Just days after receiving word of an appeal for original The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire art comes the sad announcement of the death of its creator, Don Lawrence. His official web site reports the talented comics artist… Read More ›
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Convention Report: Raptus, Norway, 2003
Here’s a quick report on my trip to Raptus 2003 in Bergen, Norway. This feature is an overview of the Norwegian comics scene itself rather than a report on the Festival itself which was great fun and included UK comics… Read More ›
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Paramount Heads for Rama?
Paramount Pictures will decide whether or not to make Morgan Freeman’s long-percolating Rendezvous With Rama, a proposed film adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke’s 1973 SF novel, Variety (subscription required) has reported. Freeman and producing partner Lori McCreary, through their Revelations Entertainment… Read More ›