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 ›
Features
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
Edinburgh Book Festival Comics Talk Now Online
(with thanks to Joe Gordon) Last August, the Edinburgh International Book Festival held its first ever events discussing graphic novels, with a major, hour-long discussion – entitled “Graphic Novels – Literature of Pulp Fiction” – held between three Scottish authors:… Read More ›
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 ›
Doonesburyland
On Thursday morning this week (10th Jan) Radio 4 (11:30am-noon) will be broadcasting Doonesburyland. Joe Queenan conducts a rare interview with Gary Trudeau, creator of the Doonesbury cartoon strip and in many ways the most high profile chronicler of the… 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 ›
The future of newspapers?
(With thanks to the Daily Cartoonist for the link): American editorial cartoonist Ted Rall has recently written a three-part column on the future of the newspaper industry. • Part IAs big newspapers and magazines start giving away their content “violating… 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 ›
Blog Readability Test
(with thanks to Gad Sir! Comics). According to this simple Blog Readability Test from the Critics Rant web site, you apparently have to be a genius to read the downthetubes blog. It appears to work on some HTML based sites… Read More ›