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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Patrick Stewart praises new Macbeth graphic novel
Classical Comics new Macbeth graphic novel sees publication later this month, arriving in three formats and after much hard work from a number of well known British creators
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Win Copies of Jeff Hawke: Overlord!
Titan Books releases its first new Jeff Hawke collection, Overlord, later this month, and here at downthetubes. we have five copies to give away! Jeff Hawke: Overlord (to be released 22 February 2008, £16.99) is the first volume in a… Read More ›
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Who producer to head up new drama unit
A new BBC drama unit is to set up shop in Manchester, run by Doctor Who producer Phil Collinson. Broadcast reports Collinson’s new role will be developing links with on and off-screen talent in the region, and developing new shows… Read More ›
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Comic artist Bill Mevin Interviewed on “The Time Meddler” DVD
“The Perishers” and TV Comic “Doctor Who” artist Bill Mevin is one of several comics creators interviewed on a special release of the Doctor Who story The Time Meddler, released 4th February 2008 in the UK. This is the first… Read More ›
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Boring Death’s Head cover? Shurely Shome Mishtake…
Former Marvel UK editor in chief Richard Starkings just sent me this unused cover for the original Dragon’s Claws #5, drawn by Geofff Senior, following discussion about Death’s Head on It Came from Darkmoor. Richard says the cover was rejected… Read More ›
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Cell Phone Video Underworld Exposed In "Contraband"
Contraband (www.contrabandcomic.com) a new graphic novel by Canadian writer Thomas Behe and illustrator Phil Elliott, is a near-future tale revealing an all-too-possibly-real world of underground video, violence and crime on cell phone networks. Contraband follows a young man’s journey into… Read More ›
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It Came From Darkmoor…
(with thanks to Matthew Badham and Paul Cornell): British comics fan Mark Roberts has kicked off a promising new blog It Came from Darkmoor, dedicated to the mysteries of mighty Marvel UK (sadly absorbed by Panini in the early 1990s,… Read More ›
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Primeval Renewed
Broadcast reports ITV’s SF time-spanning drama Primeval has been renewed, with the current (second) season continuing to score good ratings in its Saturday slot. Production on the third season will begin in March, for broadcast in January 2009. The first… Read More ›
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Hicklenton hits out at MS in new film
2000AD artist John Hicklenton has reacted angrily to becoming ill with MS, inviting cameras into his home for a new documentary, Here’s Johnny, to record the destruction of his life by the disease, and to campaign for better treatment for… Read More ›
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Stardust on DVD
Neil Gaiman’s Stardust will be released on DVD in the UK next month (25th February), featuring a host of British talent in a spectacular and critically-acclaimed fantasy adventure from renowned director Matthew (Layer Cake) Vaughn. The film script, based on… Read More ›
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Torchwood Magazine on YouTube, Facebook
Titan Publishing’s Torchwood: The Official Magazine launched last week in the UK (and is already proving hard to find), which also includes 10 pages of original Torchwood comic strip fiction in each issue. The first issue is published in the… Read More ›
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IndieReview Revamped
The UK Indie Comic and Manga Community IndieReview.co.uk, established in late 2007, has undergone some major refurbishment ready for 2008. The Community aims to bring the work of UK Indie Comic/Manga talent to the attention of a wider public through… Read More ›
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Frak Those Toasters!
I don’t know much about Jo Storm’s Frak You! other than it is an unauthorised guide to the modern Battlestar Galactica TV series and so cannot use copyright photographs from the production. That said, I love the lateral thinking and… Read More ›
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Fat Man Previewed
(Warning: this post contains links to what may be perceived by some as ‘adult’ content): Thomas Cochrane and Alan Tanner’s’s The Fat Man graphic novel project has a brand new web site which features a massive 50 page preview of… Read More ›
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Thunderbirds 2005
Thunderbirds: IR, a missed opportunity
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101 Uses for a Mac: A Cat Toy
… this has got to be one of the daftest uses for a computer, period. Especially when three quarters of the way in, the cat almost bites through the power cord. I’d love to know how the owner planned to… Read More ›
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Charlotte Corday joins ROK Comics
A new adventure strip, Charlotte Corday of the Surete, drawn by top British comics artist Keith Page, is now being published on comics to mobile service ROK Comics. Keith’s current work includes Ramsey’s Raiders for DC Thomson’s Commando and other… Read More ›
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Commando Creators credited at last
As expected, DC Thomson’s Commando range now feature credits for their creators, part of a sweeping range of ongoing changes to the books which continue to sell well in UK newsagents and via subscription. DC Thomson long held back from… Read More ›
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Nicky Saxx, possibly Europe’s Last Newspaper Adventure Strip, Cancelled
Nicky Saxx – possibly the only originated adventure strip still existing in a European newspaper – was cancelled earlier this month
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Breaking into comics event this Saturday
Just a quick reminder that downthetubes and ROK Comics Managing Editor John Freeman is one of the guests at a Breaking Into Comics event in Leicester this Saturday, along with 2000AD editor Matt Smith and indie publisher Jay Eales. “Breaking… Read More ›