Updated (earlier picture from Doctor Who audition tapes was not, apparently, Ken Campbell): The brilliant Ken Campbell — improv actor, writer and man of experimental theatre — has died, aged just 66. His stage shows were simply incredible, always full… Read More ›
Obituaries
Tributes to comic creators, actors and others
In Memoriam: Pauline Baynes
by John Freeman I’ve just been catching up with some recent email and read that Pauline Baynes, whose illustrations gave life to Narnia, as well as appearing in books by J.R.R. Tolkien, Mary Norton, Richard Adams and countless others, passed… Read More ›
In Memoriam: “Hot Shot Hamish” writer Fred Baker
Comics writer and editor Barrie Tomlinson has been in touch with sad news that prolific British comic script writer Fred Baker died earlier this month. He had been ill for some time with Alzheimer’s and died of pneumonia on 4th… 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 ›
In Memoriam: Beryl Cook
Artist Beryl Cook, a painter with a cartoonists’ sensibility for accurate observation from life, has died aged 81. Her official biography on her web site indicates she was born in 1926 in Surrey, one of four sisters. She left school… Read More ›
Mike Western: 1925 – 2008
Following the death of British comics artist Mike Western, reported earlier this week, we’ve published two new features on the main downthetubes site to celebrate his life and work. In Mike Western Remembered, Ian Wheeler pays tribute to the late,… Read More ›
Mike Western: A Personal Tribute
For a little over five years, John Freeman and I produced Eagle Flies Again, a fanzine dedicated to British boy’s comics with a bias towards 1980s Eagle and other comics of that era. John and I were blessed to have… Read More ›
In Memoriam: Mike Western
Sad news via Steve Holland’s Bear Alley: one of the giants of British comics, Mike Western, has laid down his pen for the last time. Mike, who suffered a heart attack in 2007 and was laid low by it for… Read More ›
In Memoriam: Terry Maloney
Over on Bear Alley, Steve Holland has just paid tribute to writer and illustrator Terry Maloney, who died on 16 March 2008, aged 90. In the 1930s, Maloney joined the Communist Party and renounced his Catholic upbringing and the church… Read More ›
In Memoriam: Johnny Byrne
downthetubes is sad to report the death of writer and script editor Johnny Byrne. Byrne, born in Dublin in 1935, worked on many British television shows including Heartbeat, Tales of the Unexpected and the two BBC One vets series All… Read More ›
Actor Brian Wilde dies
Brian Wilde, best known for his roles of Foggy in some 100 episodes of BBC comedy Last of the Summer Wine and Barrowclough in Porridge, but whose credits included several cult TV appearances, has died aged 80. Brian last appeared… Read More ›
In Memoriam: Sir Arthur C. Clarke
It seems to be a really bad few weeks for the science fiction and comics medium, with yet another reminder that my generation is in “mortality country” (as Alan Moore describes it). Today comes the news of the passing of… Read More ›
In Memoriam: Cover Artist Walt Howarth
Cartoonist Lew Stringer reports that Walt Howarth, the prolific artist of many British annual covers of the 1960s and 1970s has died, aged 80. This is Lancashire reports Walt, whose credits include work on Doctor Who, The Lone Ranger, Dempsey… Read More ›
In Memoriam: Dave Stevens
Writer Mark Evanier has paid tribute to Rocketeer artist Dave Stevens, who died this week after a long battle with leukaemia. He was just 52. A tributes page has been added to the American artist’s official web site, and in… Read More ›
In Memoriam: Smoky Dawson
Over on Comics Down Under, Kevin Patrick recently paid tribute to Australian musician Smoky Dawson, who died last month but who was at one time famous enough to be the star of his own comic. “Even if you’re not a… Read More ›
In Memoriam: Gary Gygax
Mourning the death of a gaming legend
Steve Whitaker: Online Memorial Site Launched
A livejournal gommunity and a flickr group devoted to the late, already-much missed artist and colourist Steve Whitaker, who died last week (see related story), have now been launched. “If you were a pal or admirer of Steve and his… Read More ›
In Memoriam: Comic Artist and Colourist Steve Whitaker
British artist and colourist Steve Whitaker is, I am deeply sorry to report, no longer with us. Steve died on Thursday after becoming unwell on the way to his doctor’s. The loss has left family, friends and the comics fans… Read More ›
Steve Whitaker
I have just learnt that British artist and colourist Steve Whitaker is no longer with us. I don’t know many details except that he died on Thursday after becoming unwell, but at this point I just want to say how… Read More ›
In Memoriam: Steve Gerber
downtheubes is sorry to report the death of ground-breaking American comic writer Steve Gerber, whose unique vision often confounded the mainstream publishers he worked for. The creator and co-creator of several characters including Howard the Duck and Omega the Unknown… Read More ›