Alan Moore pays tribute to comic creator Jim Baikie, who died in December… The first time I can across Jim Baikie’s art, without even knowing his name (a common condition with British comics of that period), would have been as… Read More ›
downthetubes Comics News
British auction house Vectis teases massive Bronze Age comics sale, rare “The Investigator” toy car offered
Coming soon from British auction house Vectis is a massive sale of thousands of predominantly Bronze Age Marvel and DC comics. Bought from newsagents and stored away with the sole purpose of creating a collection, these comics are largely from… Read More ›
Dunfermline Comic Con back in March, some ticket proceeds will support “Books For Schools” charity
Dunfermline Comic Con is returning to Pittencrieff Park on Saturday 3rd March 2018 for another day of comic book fun, promoted with a gorgeous poster by SICBA award-winning creator Hari Conner. Comic book artists and writers from across the globe… Read More ›
Zoom Rockman announced as latest Lakes International Comic Art Festival patron
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival has announced its latest patron is cartoonist Zoom Rockman, who sprang to comics fame at a young age with his work for the humour weekly, Beano. Zoom Rockman is a British artist/ satirist whose comic strip, Skanky Pigeon… Read More ›
It’s time for another Awesome Comics Podcast Catch-Up! Comichaus secrets revealed! Books to look out for in 2018! And more!
The Awesome Comics Podcast continues to broadcast some great stuff about British comics and more. Once again, I’ve been a bit neglectful in keeping you posted with its, well, awesome coverage of some terrific creators, including great interviews and entertaining… Read More ›
Dog Friendly! Lakes International Comic Art Festival Podcast chats with the Gluepot Books team
The latest episode of the Lakes International Comic Art Festival Podcast is online now and leads with an interview with sisters Scarlett and Sophie Rickard who have created their own publishing company, Gluepot Books, publishers of the hugely enjoyable canine-inspired comic tale (no… Read More ›
The Really Heavy Greatcoat Review of the Year 2017
The Really Heavy Greatcoat by myself and Lancaster-based artist Nick Miller was published fairly regularly for about 20 years in alternative Lancaster print titles such as On The Beat and Off the Beat and online on virtual-lancaster.net. These days, Nick Still draws an annual celebratory Greatcoat at… Read More ›
Gerry Anderson’s Space Precinct revived for new, official comic
Space Precinct: Reloaded, a colour prequel comic to Gerry Anderson‘s Space Precinct TV series is due from Anderson Entertainment next month. Announced back in October 2017 during the FAB Live event, Space Precinct: Reloaded, written by Chris Thompson and illustrated… Read More ›
Belfast’s “Laughter in the Dark – Illustrating the Troubles” exhibition includes free workshop by 2000AD artist PJ Holden
A free political cartoons exhibition “Laughter in the Dark – Illustrating the Troubles” is running in Belfast’s Linen Hall Library for the rest of the month. The exhibition which charts the birth and rise of the political cartoon and its… Read More ›
In Review – Gamayun Tales: The King of Birds
Written and Drawn by Alexander Utkin Translated by Lada Morozova Published by Nobrow 67 pages – Full Colour Hardback – £12.00/$19.95 The Story: This is the story of how a small golden apple started a great battle. It all began… Read More ›
British comics art helps boost Heritage Auction sales record, first European auction date revealed
Numerous records set by Heritage Auctions‘ Comics & Comic Art category in 2017 include total sales of $44.3 million (almost £32 million) – the highest ever in the 16-year history of the category and a new standard for the second… Read More ›
Darryl Cunningham to talk “Graphic Science” at this year’s Glasgow’s Aye Write!
Glasgow’s Aye Write! Book Festival has announced their March 2018 line-up. Their planned events include an appearance by graphic journalist Darryl Cunningham talking about Graphic Science, a cracking collection of stories about some often overlooked scientists last year. Darryl Cunningham’s… Read More ›
Creating Comics (and some dogged determination): Jasper Bark reveals the secrets of making “Parassassin”, his latest graphic novel
One of the most intriguing graphic novels I’ve read in the past few months is Parassassin by Jasper Bark with art by Alfa Robbi, first published in the brilliant digital anthology Aces Weekly but available now as a full-blown graphic… Read More ›
The Copyright Cheat Affair: the hair-raising time The Man from U.N.C.L.E met Britain’s Barracuda comic hero
In the second of a series of articles, publisher, comics creator and historian of Tamil comics Nathan Viswa reveals some more disturbing and bizarre instances of British comics conflagration and copyright theft on the Indian sub-continent… When British publisher Fleetway… Read More ›
Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse’s “Resident Alien” hits the Big Apple!
Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse are ready to crack open a new case file as the next chapter of the acclaimed science-fiction/ murder mystery Resident Alien, published by Dark Horse, takes their curious and compassionate alien detective to New York… Read More ›
Lakes International Comic Festival Podcast chats with Tillie Walden
Cartoonist and illustrator Tillie Walden is the latest guest of the Lakes International Comic Art Festival Podcast, a comics creator with a track record of producing some amazing books, including The End of Summer, released in 2015 by Avery Hill Publishing and… Read More ›
Beano creators hit back at media sniping as comic hits 80, buoyed by success of new “Dennis and Gnasher” TV show
Just after Christmas, perhaps because they’d been drinking too much mulled wine while reading this year’s top-selling Beano annual, some of Britain’s national media got into one of its occasional “comics aren’t what they used to be” funks. Specifically, with… Read More ›
In Review: 2000AD Prog 2063
Wrapped in a cover from Neil Roberts, 2000AD Prog 2063 hits all good newsagents, comic shops and digital platforms today, Wednesday 10th January 2018. This week’s favourite dialogue? Got to be Fly-Trap’s “My tendrils… they’re throbbing!”. Yes, much in demand… Read More ›
Kamikaze conjurors and bickering air-duo bail outs! New Commando comics on sale this week
Here’s the intel on the latest Commando war comics from DC Thomson (Issues 5087-5090), on sale in newsagents and various digital platforms this Thursday, 11th January 2018. Buckle up and get ready for evading raiders in the Kenyan bush, bickering… Read More ›
Titan Comics “Lost Fleet – Corsair” by novels author Jack Campbell draws to a close – a preview, and a thank you
Tomorrow (10th January 2018) sees the release of Lost Fleet – Corsair #5 in comic shops and digital platforms, the final issue in what will hopefully be the first in a series of tales based on the best-selling Lost Fleet… Read More ›