A chat with writer and former Tharg Steve MacManus, writer of “The Tinkling Triangles” with art by Brendon Wright for The77
Action
Latest Phil-Comics auction is a first issue frenzy!
A huge array of comics, annuals, books, holiday specials, free gifts and magazines await you in the Phil-Comics eBay auctions this week
In Three Short Weeks, Action comic is back!
It horrified prudes and censors alike – but the ground-breaking British comic Action is back, in just three short weeks!
Harley Quinn fronts new ComicScene, on sale next week
ComicScene 12 is on sale across the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada and the United States from 20th February 2020, with DC’s Harley Quinn taking front and centre, the latest issue of Britain’s comic news magazine featuring a beginners guide to her history and comics
Enniskillen ComicFest is back in May, spotlights classic British titles Action and Battle
Enniskillen ComicFest returns on 1st and 2nd May 2020 for its fifth year – and the award-winning event will spotlight some classic British comics as well as three creators who helped shape them
Slam, Bam! Rebellion set to deliver a stack of Comic Specials in 2020
Legendary comics Battle and Action are back as part of a roster of twelve new special titles for 2020 from Rebellion Publishing, including the return of the popular Cor and Buster Special, which debuted earlier this year, as the Cor!!… Read More ›
Latest Phil Comics eBay auction offers complete run of Action, and more
There are some 200 vintage comic listings in the latest Phil Comics eBay auction this week including the full set of Action (1976-77) in three bound volumes, #1-250 of 2000AD, issues of wartime Beano and Dandy, various annuals and a 1970s/80s IPC collection including 20 or so free gifts!
In Pictures: Treasury of British Comics Exhibition – Orbital Comics, London
Here’s a few snaps from the Treasury of British Comics exhibition currently on at Orbital Comics in central London. The art is being exhibited courtesy of 2000AD publisher Rebellion Publishing in a celebration of their imprint, The Treasury of British Comics. Rebellion have been lovingly… Read More ›
Lakes Festival Focus 2017: An interview with former 2000AD editor and writer Steve MacManus
The countdown has begun to this year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival in October (13th – 15th). The downthetubes “Kendal Calling” interviews continue with a chat with former 2000AD editor and comics writer Steve MacManus. Steve began his career in… Read More ›
Titan Comics Hook Jaw series – collection on sale now, Hook Jaw: Archive out in September
On sale from today in all good comic shops is Titan Comics collection of their recent Hook Jaw series, written by Si Spurrier with art by Conor Boyle, coloured by Giulia Brusco and lettered by Rob Steen – and a… Read More ›
Another rare “Banned” Action offered for sale, start your bids at £2500
There’s another chance for someone with deep pockets to get their hands of a copy of the rare “banned” issue of controversial 1970s comic Action (Issue 37). The starting price this time around, through eBay once more, is £2,500 and… Read More ›
Exclusive! Titan Comics Hook Jaw Variant Cover by Brian Williamson Revealed!
Following up on our previous post featuring the covers of the first issue of Titan Comics Hook Jaw project, we have this exclusive for you – Brian Williamson‘s stunning retro-styled Diamond Comics UK variant, complete with Action comic-styled masthead! Launching… Read More ›
Egmont’s classic comics archive arrives at Rebellion, Roy of the Rovers collections already in the works
The surviving bound comics volumes and comics art from the Egmont archive has arrived at new owners Rebellion‘s Oxford HQ, another step in the process of seeing some great British girls and boys comics material get back into print. 2000AD‘s… Read More ›
Rare, ‘banned’ 1970s British Action comic sells for over £4000
Regular readers of downthetubes will recall how a rare copy of the controversial 1970s comic Action went under the hammer on eBay last year; and the final winning bid was over £2500. Well, another copy of the rare Issue 37,… Read More ›
Rebellion buys Egmont’s classic comics archive, including Roy of the Rovers, Action, Misty and more
Given Titan Comics recent publication of all-new adventures of Johnny Red, with a new Hook Jaw series following in December, you’d be forgiven for thinking the London-based company would be the ones to buy Egmont’s clasic comics back catalogue if… Read More ›
Pop Culture site Bigmouth reveals how Action, “Britain’s most brutal comic”, laid the real 1970s bare
Following up on our incorporation of Moose Harris’ Sevenpenny Nightmare features about 1970s comic Action into downthetubes, the pop and culture site Bigmouth has just published a great feature on the comic, placing the censored comic in context and interviewing… Read More ›
In Review: The Mighty One My Life Inside The Nerve Centre
The Book: Steve MacManus, the editor of 2000AD during the 1980s, lifts the lid on how the UK’s most important comic came into existence and his extraordinary role in shaping it into a industry revolutionising icon. In 1973, a twenty-year-old MacManus… Read More ›
Sevenpenny Pirates! Action comic web site content hijacked, for reasons unknown
A quick warning for all British comic fans: the once invaluable Action comic website sevenpennynightmare is back in operation – but the domain is no longer owned by its original creator and whoever now owns it has scraped parts of the… Read More ›
By Gum! What a Grand Comics Exhibition at Woking’s Lightbox
Tuesday 9th August saw the official launch of “The Story of British Comics So Far: Cor! By Gum! Zarjaz!” at the Lightbox in Woking, which runs until December. Co-curators Paul Gravett and Hamish MacGillivray gave an insight into the genesis of the… Read More ›
Our Most Read Stories in July 2016: Top Marks for Action and 2000AD!
Apart from the downthetubes home page, here are our Top Ten stories on the site for July 2016… • Rare “Banned” Action Comic reaches £1320 bid on eBay We have The Guardian to thank for this spike in interest in this… Read More ›