Back in 2008, I posted a news story here titled “Dan Dare’s Holy Grail“, reporting on the continued hunt for episodes of the Dan Dare radio show broadcast by Radio Luxembourg in the 1950s. Aired on Radio Luxembourg between July… Read More ›
Classic British Comics
Starblazer Covered
Regular downthetubes readers will recall we published some features about DC Thomson’s much-missed SF digest comic Starblazer on downthetubes some time ago, including a checklist of the title. The section orginally kicked off with a feature by Jeremy Briggs called… Read More ›
GoCompare homages Dan Dare
The creators of those annoying Opera Singer insurance adverts for GoCompare.com have redeemed themselves, in part, with this clearly Dan Dare inspired plug for their services – complete with comic-style speech balloons, weird aliens and Space Fleet uniforms. ‘Gio Compario’… Read More ›
60 Years of Eagle Celebrated
Eagle Society member Phil Daniels has posted the first part of his video report on the 60th Anniversary of the Eagle in Southport on youtube. (The whole video will be split into at least three parts). “The Eagle was the… Read More ›
TV21 Turns 45…
— or at least it would have done, had it had the longevity of The Beano! We have Lew Stringer to thank for pointing out that 45 years ago, City Magazines launched the first issue of TV Century 21 –… Read More ›
Creating Tammy: A True Story
Many years ago, British newsagents were awash with all sorts of comics: boys’ adventure, children’s titles, educational comics and more. But while humour comics reigned supreme in Britain, and still do, girls comics regularly outsold most of the more famous… Read More ›
Fred Baker: A Tribute
Writer and former Tiger and New Eagle editor Barrie Tomlinson pays tribute to Fred Baker, one of British comics unsung heroes, who died on 4 June 2008. He had been ill for some time with Alzheimer’s and died of pneumonia…. Read More ›
Jeff Hawke’s Cosmos 4.3
The latest issue of Jeff hawke’s Cosmos is now out. The magazine (exclusive Sydney Jordan painted cover artwork shown left) has bulked up for this issue, pushing the page count up to 80 A4 pages and going perfect bound. The… Read More ›
Dan Dare’s Holy Grail: Radio Luxembourg’s Dan Dare Radio Show
First broadcast in the 1950s, Radio Luxembourg’s Dan Dare Radio Show has become something of a ‘Holy Grail’ for fans, some still believing copies of the series may yet be found. Aired on Radio Luxembourg between July 1951 and May… Read More ›
Creator Interview: The Mysterious Mr George Low…
This month sees a major change at DC Thomson with the retirement of long-serving but, perhaps, little-known editor of Commando George Low, who joined the company from school in 1963 and has worked on the digest title ever since. downthetubes caught up… Read More ›