Articles on creating comics, how tos, reference information and more
The Book: Steve MacManus, the editor of 2000AD during the 1980s, lifts the lid on how the UK’s most important comic came into existence and his extraordinary role in shaping it into a industry revolutionising icon. In 1973, a twenty-year-old MacManus… Read More ›
Next month sees the release of The Mighty One from Rebellion, the story of editor Steve MacManus’ time as editor of 2000AD – and we’re really looking forward to reading it here at downthetubes and delighted he’s had time to write… Read More ›
Sharpen your pencils and wits and have a bash at entering this year’s 10th Anniversary Graphic Short Story Prize organised by The Observer, Jonathan Cape and Comica London and open to UK residents. Get working on your four-page comic and… Read More ›
Here’s the latest Crucible comic-inspired 3D model, based on the comic characters co-created by myself and Smuzz and designed by Smuzz, who many downthetubes readers will know as SMS, one of the artists who drew “ABC Warriors” for 2000AD. Crucible started out in… Read More ›
Creator Dave Cook dropped us a line about his latest Kickstarter appeal for Bust #3, in which a young girl holds the secret to curing a post apocalyptic world gone insane in this Mad Max-inspired comic. “Bust 3: A Sackcloth… Read More ›
Here’s a lovely little ad for a free Edinburgh International Book Festival Unbound event in the Spiegeltent yesterday – The Phoenix Rises. Unbound revellers were treated to some late night antics from gladiatorial Gary Northfield (creator of “Julius Zebra”), caped comic crusader Laura… Read More ›
Tuesday 9th August saw the official launch of “The Story of British Comics So Far: Cor! By Gum! Zarjaz!” at the Lightbox in Woking, which runs until December. Co-curators Paul Gravett and Hamish MacGillivray gave an insight into the genesis of the… Read More ›
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival (14th -16th October 2016) has announced full details of its Family Zone events, most of them free for comic fans – of all ages – which include an exclusive book launch for a new… Read More ›
Running a non profit making comic convention to the high professional standard of The International Comics Expo in Birmingham must be challenging enough, but when the Arts Council pulled their third and final year of funding from the event last… Read More ›
Hibernia Comics has posted another great Dan Dare find on their Facebook page. Featured here are Issue One and Two of the 1970s Spanish Dan Dare comic, reprinting the 2000AD stories. Both covers are by Spanish artist Josep Maria Miralles. Contents… Read More ›
The guest for the Awesome Comics Podcast Episode 58 is the man behind the mighty Moose Kid Comics, Jamie Smart. As we reported just recently, a new issue of the brilliant digital comic for kids (of all ages) is out now,… Read More ›
In 1975, rock band Pink Floyd starred in a comic book, published to coincide with the band’s Dark Side of The Moon tour. Created by Storm Thorgerson’s Hipgnosis, the comic was a “Super, All-Action Official Music Programme for Boys and Girls”. The comic… Read More ›
Calling all budding writers and artists – this November could be your big chance to break into comics, courtesy of 2000AD and the Thought Bubble Festival. During November’s Thought Bubble convention in Leeds, 2000AD will once again stage the only… Read More ›
Top comics creator Mark Millar has announced the Millarworld Talent Search 2016 will begin on 1st September. “Lat year we did this and it was crazy,” he noted on his official forum. “So many brilliant entries and the top 13… Read More ›
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival has announced that top indie comic creator Frank Santoro will be at this year’s event, bringing his Comics Workbook project to Britain for the first time with fellow creators Aidan Koch and Connor Willumsen. The Comics Workbook events are just… Read More ›
While scurrying through some old projects at the weekend, I came across this Zambaquons comic strip, based on characters I originally created for my first comics fanzine, SCAN, back in the 1980s. (The zine’s name, should not, by the way,… Read More ›
Yes, yes, we got behind again on our Awesome Comics Podcast plugs, so Tony Esmond kicked me in the nadgers until I promised to get up to date. Ready? Here we go… Comic book stores are some of the best… Read More ›
Essex-based writer Michael Phoenix and his print line Mythic Press have just launched a Kickstarter for their new comic Gods Of Men. The artwork by Christian Paris is eye catching, to say the least, and teaser for the comic, sets up the concept… Read More ›
Episode 59 of Doctor Who: Panel to Panel is available for download, and interviewed this time out is Mark Wright, the new ongoing writer of the Doctor Who Magazine comic strip. A writer who frequently collaborates with Cavan Scott, he… Read More ›
Comic artist David Roach has joined the line up for this year’s ICE convention in Birmingham in September, joining the likes of Guy Adams, Charlie Adlard, Carl Potts, Declan Shalvey and many, many others on an impressive guest list. ICE,… Read More ›