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 ›
Obituaries
Tributes to comic creators, actors and others
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 ›
RIP: Barry Morse
Actor Barry Morse, best known for his role as Lt Philip Gerard in the classic drama The Fugitive but who also starred as knowledgeable Victor Bergman in the first season of Gerry Anderson’s live action series Space:1999, died earlier this… Read More ›
Nicky Saxx, possibly Europe’s Last Newspaper Adventure Strip, Cancelled
Nicky Saxx – possibly the only originated adventure strip still existing in a European newspaper – was cancelled earlier this month
In Memoriam: Marion Van Der Voort
I’m sorry to have to pass on the sad news of the death of Marion Van Der Voort. Marion, with her husband Richard, ran the At The Sign Of The Dragon bookshop in London for many years and regularly took… Read More ›
Farewell to Flashman creator
George MacDonald Fraser, author of the hugely entertaining Flashman novels, and is credited for the screenstory and screenplay on the 1983 James Bond film Octopussy, has died aged 82. The Daily Mail, The Times and other papers report Fraser, whose… Read More ›
Haining Tribute
(via the FPI blog and Dave Langford’s Ansible) The family of the writer Peter Haining, who died recently will be celebrating his on Thursday 6 December at noon at Colney Wood Burial Park, Watton Road, Colney, Norwich.“Family flowers only but… Read More ›
Verity Lambert OBE 1935 – 2007
Sad news of the death of original Doctor Who producer, Verity Lambert
In Memoriam: Peter Haining
Award-winning journalist and author Peter Haining, perhaps best known for his Doctor Who books, has died suddenly at the age of 67, reportedly of a heart attack. Haining, who lived in Suffolk, wrote a number of books about Doctor Who,… Read More ›
In Memoriam: Reverend Dr Chad Varah OBE, CBE
A tribute to the EAGLE and Girl writer, and founder of The Samaritans
In Memoriam: Manny Curtis, Cartoonist and War Veteran
David Lloyd marks the passing of a groundbreaking comic creator
Miss Moneypenny Dead
We were sorry to hear the news that actress Lois Maxwell died at the weekend. Best known as the actress who starred as M’s long-suffering secretary Miss Moneypenny in fourteen James Bond movies, she appeared in over 50 films (her… Read More ›
In Memoriam: Phil Frank
downthetubes is sorry to report the death of San Francisco cartoonist Phil Frank, whose cartoons graced the pages ofthe city’s The Chronicle and other newspapers for more than 30 years. He was 64. Paying tribute to Phil, The Chronicle reports… Read More ›
Project: Rooftop to host ‘Wieringo Week’ tribute
In memory of Mike Wieringo, who passed away earlier this month, Project: Rooftop has announced an open call for redesigns of Bart Allen (Impulse/Kid Flash/The Flash), the character created in 1994 by Wieringo and Mark Waid. Submissions will be accepted… Read More ›
Comics Artist Phil Gascoine: Tributes Pour In
Tributes to one of Britain’s unsung comic heroes, Phil Gascoine, who has died after a short illness, have poured into downtheubes after an online appeal. You can read them alongside a 2006 interview with Phil here, while over on Bear… Read More ›
In Memoriam: Phil Gascoine
I’m very sorry to report that artist Phil Gascoine has died after a short illness. For those of you who knew him the news comes as a terrible shock. He was once chairman of the Society of Strip Illustrators and always… Read More ›
From The Land Beyond Beyond
What is the first thing you look for when you open that bumper Christmas edition of the Radio Times in December? As a long time fan of Ray Harryhausen’s brand of stop motion-films, I always look to see how many… Read More ›
State Course And Speed
It was with sadness that I hear that Peter Tuddenham has died at the age of 88. He will always be remembered in the British telefantasy community for the voices that he gave to the various computers in Blake’s 7:… Read More ›
Doug Marlette killed in car crash
The Pulitzer Prize-winning and sometimes controversial cartoonist Doug Marlette, who the Washington Post reports recently turned his incisive wit toward a budding career as a novelist, died on Tuesday 10 July in a car accident in Mississippi. Marlette, who was… Read More ›