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Have you visited Leamington Spa’s “The DB” – a comic-themed pub?

By John Freeman on March 3, 2024

Established in 2015 The DB (“Drawing Board”) in Leamington Spa is an independent free house, a much celebrated eatery and drinkery on two floors. It’s also one of a handful of British pubs and similar venues we know of with a comics theme to its decor.

Once described as a “hipster holding pen”, its mismatched dining furniture, log burners and squishy leather sofas provide ideal refuge from Leamington’s mean streets, offering a range of craft beers and a good food menu, too.

Framed vintage comic books and games consoles adorn the walls, whilst annuals from yesteryear fill the shelves.

The owners also run The DB Tap & Bottle, a smaller taproom and a restaurant, The Magic Wingdom, elsewhere in the town.

• The DB is at 18 Newbold St, Leamington Spa, CV32 4HN | Web: thedrawingboard.pub

With thanks to Myles Sullivan

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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.