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 ›
Features
Comic Creator Hannah Berry Interviewed
Over on the Forbidden Planet International blog, Joe Gordon has posted an interview with Brighton-based Hannah Berry, author of the recnetly-published Britten & Brülightly from publishers Jonathan Cape, a film noir-styled debut graphic novel that centres on ‘Private Researcher’ Fernández… Read More ›
No Barcodes: Sean Azzopardi Interview
In the second of a series of creator interviews to mark the upcoming NoBarCodes event next Saturday in Camden Lock Market, London, David Baillie talks to Sean Azzopardi, creator of Twelve Hour Shift and one of London Underground Comics’ success… 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 ›
Vampire Chiller joins ROK Comics
Check out this digital vampire comic by Rodrigo Diaz Ricci
Quite Frankly, Frank Quitely
When top Scottish comics creator made an appearance at Scotland’s National Library in April 2008, Brian D Morgan was on hand to report what he had to say about his approach to drawing comics for downtheubes. Read his full report… Read More ›
Flying Officer John Cruickshank VC – The Victor
There was a time not that long ago when British boy’s comics celebrated the heroism of British and Commonwealth servicemen. As London celebrates the current British forces with the City Salute, Jeremy Briggs takes a look back at how… Read More ›
Ewing and Holden Interviewed
Matthew Badham has just posted a great interview with 2000AD and small press creators Al Ewing and PJ Holden (who has also worked for Image Comics and Fantagraphics) on his Overspill blog. “We were supposed to be talking about Dead… 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 ›
By Sea, By Land, By Air: An Interview with Calum Laird
This interview was first published on 9th April 2008 on downthetubes and was merged with this blog in 2013. First published in 1961 Commando is Britain’s last war comic. Indeed, of those British comics that many of us grew up with,… Read More ›
By Sea, By Land, By Air
First published in 1961 Commando is Britain’s last war comic. Indeed, of those British comics that many of us grew up with, only the ubiquitous Dandy and Beano are older – however, since there are eight Commandos a month, its… 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 ›
Alan Moore Interviewed for Inside Out
Alan Moore has been interviewed for BBC East’s The Inside Out show, to be broadcast on tonight (Friday 21 March). The interview can also be viewed on the Inside Out website. Alan talks candidly about his work, revealing he was… Read More ›
Cartoonist Jim Medway interviewed
downtheubes contributor Matthew Badham has just interviewed cartoonist Jim Medway, a self-published cartoonist whose comics might best be described as anthropomorphic, all-ages fun. He has recently been invited to pitch ideas to the new anthology comic from Random House, The… 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 ›
Manga at Manchester’s URBIS
I approached the How Manga Took Over The World exhibition at Manchester’s Urbis museum, writes Matt Badham, with some trepidation. I’m not a massive manga and anime fan and certainly don’t know my shonen from my shojo. However, perhaps because… 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 ›