Author and broadcaster Danny Wallace is a lifelong Beano fan who grew up in Dundee, the home of the comic – and The Dandy, too, and in a BBC Radio 4 Extra programme Menace to Society, first broadcast when the comic… Read More ›
downthetubes News
British comic and creator news, book news, media news. If it’s news, it’s here.
Making a Difference: Special Effect – The Gamers’ Charity
Holly Rose Swinyard explores the life-changing work of the Oxford-based Special Effect – The Gamers’ Charity, who put fun and inclusion back into the lives of people with physical disabilities by helping them to play video games. By using technology ranging… Read More ›
Lakes Festival Focus 2018: Comic Artist and Writer Robert Deas, creator of “Trailblazers”
Every year, in the countdown to the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, we bring you a series of interviews with guests at the event. This “Festival Focus” for 2018 is Robert Deas, an award-winning UK comic artist and the creator of children’s… Read More ›
Kill Churchill! New Commando story offers daring U-Boat war raid on Westminster!
Brand new Commandos #5159-5162 are on sale this Thursday in all good newsagents and via various digital platforms. In the latest issues of the long-running war comic from DC Thomson, uncover a plot to assassinate Churchill, seek out Germans in… Read More ›
In Review: Something Wicked 2018
If the nights are drawing in, and the air has a chill does that mean it is time for this year’s edition of Something Wicked from Futurequake Press? It surely does. The celebrated anthology returns for 2018 with 23 tales… Read More ›
DC Super Heroes Corgi cars, Hornby Harry Potter trains back on track in new licensing deal
Model and collectables firm Hornby Hobbies has entered into a licensing agreement with Warner Bros Consumer Products that will see the company launch a series of model railways and slot car sets across numerous Warner and DC franchises, including Harry… Read More ›
Looking back at Battle Action Force
Many older British comic fans will remember Marvel UK’s Action Force comic, but the team had another home – in issues of IPC’s Battle in the early 1980s. Luke Williams looks back at the stories… By the early 1980s, sales… Read More ›
Power Pack of Ken Reid books must be won!
Earlier this year, after years of waiting, a crowdfunding campaign was launched to collect all of humour cartoonist Ken Reid‘s Odhams comic strips of the 1960s – featured in Wham!, Smash!, and Pow! – into a pair handsome official hardback collections. The limited collections are now on sale –… Read More ›
Lakes Festival Focus 2018: Comics Writer John Ferguson, creator of “Saltire”
Every year, in the countdown to the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, we bring you a series of interviews with guests at the event. Over 70 are attending in 2018 in October (and that’s not including creators you’ll find in… Read More ›
In Preview: “Adrift” by John Tucker
Adrift Created by John Tucker 40 pages – Black and White – £2 Launching at Thought Bubble Festival this month The General Idea: This is a world exactly like ours. Full of motorways and people and forks. One day, gravity… Read More ›
Beano gains Guinness World Record for Finish the Comic Strip” competition
Beano has achieved a new Guinness World Records title at the opening of the new V&A Dundee, launching the world’s largest competition to finish a unique comic strip. The iconic British children’s entertainment brand received an excess of 650 entrants… Read More ›
Dan Dare and Comic Book Movies in the Lakes Festival Podcast Spotlight!
In a bumper episode of the Lakes International Comic Art Festival Podcast, Ian Loxam and Nikki Bates chat to Andrew Mark Sewell and Richard Kurti of B7 Media about the Dan Dare Audio Adventures, which have been airing on BBC… Read More ›
New Frank Hampson exhibition opens in Southport, launch event next week
Following up on our earlier post, an exhibition of art by Dan Dare creator Frank Hampson has just opened at The Atkinson, in Southport, Lancashire – where both the character and Eagle comic were “born” in the 1950s – and… Read More ›
Collecting Comics: The Strange Case of the War Comic Cover “Twins”
Richard Sheaf and I recently investigated the way British war comics used to re-use cover art, and this article reveals how two British comic companies used the same art on different titles… For those of you familiar with my Nothing… Read More ›
Orbital Comics announces “Art of Arthur Ranson” exhibition
Orbital Comics in London will be hosting an exhibition by British comics legend Arthur Ranson. The show will run from 5th October to 4th November 2018, and will feature original artwork spanning Arthur’s illustrious career. In addition, Orbital will host the UK… Read More ›
In Review: We Shall Fight Until We Win: a Century of Pioneering Political Women
Edited by Laura Jones, Heather McDaid & Sha Nazir 404 Ink / BHP Comics Review by Joe Gordon Two small Indy Scottish publishers, BHP Comics (who are also behind the Glasgow Comic Con and the Edinburgh Comic Art Festival) teamed… Read More ›
In Review and in Pictures: Edinburgh International Book Festival 2018
Joe Gordon reports on this year’s annual Books gathering in Scotland’s capital… I’ve just been enjoying a couple of weeks at the world’s largest literary festival, the Edinburgh International Book Festival, seeing a number of fascinating author events and also… Read More ›
Lakes Festival Focus 2018: graphic reportage illustrator Victoria Lomasko
Every year, in the countdown to the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, we bring you a series of interviews with guests at the event. Over 70 are attending in 2018 in October (and that’s not including creators you’ll find in… Read More ›
Comic Scene Issue 2 Celebrates 80 Years of The Beano, giant-size Christmas Special announced
ComicScene UK Issue 2 is in comic stores and available to order online now, celebrating 80 years of the Beano and humour comics. This issue includes interviews with Emily McGorman Bruce, Tim Quinn and Dicky Howett, Frank Quitely and the… Read More ›
Britain’s Coolest Comic Convention Returns to Birmingham on Saturday
With the autumn convention season now in full swing it’s time for the spotlight to shine on England’s Second City once again as flocks of comics fans and cosplayers descend onto Birmingham City Centre for the annual International Comic Expo… Read More ›