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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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 ›
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Elton John’s Dan Dare recording unearthed
(via the Eagle Times blog): Way back in October 1975, Elton John recorded Dan Dare (Pilot of the Future), written by Bernie Taupin, for the Rock of the Westies album, a song lamenting that he won’t be joining Dan on… Read More ›
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Reg Bunn Profiled
Top British comics blog Bear Alley has just profiled the early work of Spider artist Reg Bunn, detailing what looks to be his first ever published work, Buck Jones, Outlaw!, which actually appeared in Australia initially, In issue 6 of… Read More ›
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Moore, Gebbie Signing at Gosh London
Writer and Shaman Alan Moore and artist Melinda Gebbie will be making a rare signing appearance at Gosh! in London on Saturday 2nd February from 2-5pm to sign copies of their book Lost Girls, so mark your calendars now. People… Read More ›
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Brendan McCarthy’s New Blog
(with thanks to Matthew Badham) Top comics artist, designer and illustrator Brendan McCarthy has a new blog, The Strangeness of Brendan McCarthy. The new blog includes storyboard artwork Brendan completed for Tim Burton’s new Sweeney Todd movie, which opens in… Read More ›
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Edinburgh Book Festival Comics Talk Now Online
(with thanks to Joe Gordon) Last August, the Edinburgh International Book Festival held its first ever events discussing graphic novels, with a major, hour-long discussion – entitled “Graphic Novels – Literature of Pulp Fiction” – held between three Scottish authors:… Read More ›
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Crash Competition
The Times Online are giving readers the chance to design the cover for a limited edition version of JG Ballard’s novel Crash – a brilliant chance for you to get a piece of your art published and on book shelves…. Read More ›
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New Horror Comic
Comic fans still mourning the loss of defunct UK horror comic Scream! might be interested in a new spooky comic, Locke & Key, coming soon from IDW, the US publisher responsible for the new Doctor Who titles. As it’s an… Read More ›
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Ferg Handley Signing In Edinburgh
Spider-Man and Commando writer Ferg Handley will be signing copies of the current issue of Panini UK’s Spectacular Spider-Man at Deadhead Comics in Edinburgh’s Candlemaker Row on Saturday 26 January from 2pm. As previously reported here on Down The Tubes… Read More ›
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JLA Shelved
Media web site Digital Spy, Variety and others sources are reporting the highly-anticipated Justice League of America movie has been shelved indefinitely. Warner Bros has allowed the cast’s contracts to expire because of difficulties over the screenplay and taxation issues,… Read More ›
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Cool Gadgets?
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Spider-Man Controversy Makes UK Papers
[WARNING Spoilers for One More Day #4 released by Marvel 28 December] Controversy surrounding Marvel’s decision to separate Spider-Man’s alter ego Peter Parker from his beloved Mary Jane thanks to a deal with demonic Mephisto to save the life of… Read More ›
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New Airfix Doctor Who Kits
Airfix, the British model kit manufacturer, had many problems last year attempting to get the first of their new Doctor Who kits, Welcome Aboard, into shops in time for Christmas. The saga was even detailed on the BBC TV series… Read More ›
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007 Exhibitions
With the Royal Mail’s James Bond stamps already with us, the centenary of the birth of Bond creator Ian Fleming is continuing to be being celebrated with two separate exhibitions. For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond will… Read More ›
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Comics Grow Up!
The National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh will be putting on an exhibition on the historical development of comics and graphic novels from their earliest beginnings to their modern contemporary diversity entitled Comics Grow Up! Running during April and May… Read More ›
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One Book – One Edinburgh 2008
One of the most successful original graphic novels of 2007 was the Alan Grant and Cam Kennedy adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Kidnapped. This was created for the One Book One Edinburgh reading campaign in Scotland’s capital in February 2007…. Read More ›
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Jeff Hawke Back Issues
Back issues of Jeff Hawke’s Cosmos and one of the special editions are now available from the SF strip’s fan club. These are as follows: Volume 1: Numbers 1, 2, 3 availableVolume 2: Numbers 1, 2, availableVolume 3: Numbers 1,… Read More ›