As regular downthetubes readers know, I’m currently editing a couple of comics projects for Titan Comics, (Lost Fleet – Corsair #3, a military SF title based on and written by the novelist John Hemry, as Jack Campbell, is on sale… Read More ›
Creating Comics
Lakes Festival Focus 2017: An interview with award-winning comic creators Metaphrog
The countdown has begun to this year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival in October (13th – 15th). We continue our “Kendal Calling” interviews with METAPHROG, Sandra Marrs and John Chalmers, whose incredible work straddles children’s and adults’ comics with a… Read More ›
The British Comics Industry – Still in Decline or On the Up?
The state of British comics – and exactly what people mean by the “British comics industry” came into focus in a couple of threads on social media over the weekend, with many older comic fans noting with dismay the dominance… Read More ›
Etherington Brothers get set to storm Oxford’s Story Museum
The hugely-talented Etherington Brothers will be presenting their Lost and Found Comic-Making Show at Oxford’s Story Museum on Saturday 12th August. Robin and Lorenzo, whose credits include Star Wars and The Phoenix comic – will take you on a humorous,… Read More ›
Lakes Festival Focus 2017: An interview with top Finnish comics artist Petteri Tikkanen, aka Black Peider
The countdown has begun to this year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival in October (13th – 15th). We’re delighted to continue our “Kendal Calling” interviews with the amazing Finnish comic artist Petteri Tikkanen, who blew Festival guests away with his… Read More ›
Lakes Festival Focus 2017: An Interview with 2000AD Comics Artist Mark Sexton
The countdown has begun to this year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival in October (13th – 15th). We’re delighted to continue our “Kendal Calling” interviews with 2000AD comic artist Mark Sexton, who’s coming to the event all the way from Australia… Read More ›
Dreams are made of this: win a trip to Japan in annual “Manga Jiman” comic competition
The Embassy of Japan in the UK has just launched their annual comic-writing competition to find the best creators of comic short-stories, and this year the theme is “Dreams”. Manga Jiman 2017 has two categories; Yonkoma Manga, requiring a comic… Read More ›
Creating Comics for Self Publishers: A Nuts and Bolts Guide, courtesy from Lancaster Comics Day
Here’s a “nuts and bolts” panel from this year’s Lancaster Comics Day, discussing ways comics – and books – are published outside the mainstream today, through self publishing, crowd funding and digital outlets. The panel was was recorded by the… Read More ›
Creating Comics: Aces Weekly and Beano artist Marc Jackson latest Comic Art Festival Podcast guest
The latest Comic Art Festival Podcast (Episode Four) is live and features an interview with Marc Jackson, who has written and drawn for Aces Weekly and Beano and is currently working on Here Comes Cat Stevens which will be officially launched… Read More ›
Creating Comics: The Comic Industry and the Downside of Working from the Belly of the Whale
Our thanks to comics writer, inker, letterer, editor and publisher Ian Sharman today for kindly giving us permission to post his thoughts on working in the comics industry, addressing why creators seem loathe to challenge some of its working practices… So, let’s… Read More ›
Creating Comics: Cartoon Cliches Exposed
Beano comic creator Nigel Auchterlounie has pointed me in the direction of an edition of New Yorker cartoon editor Bob Mankoff‘s “Cartoon Lounge” podcast entitled “Trop de Tropes“, webcast last year, in which he looks at the history of the… Read More ›
“Marionette Unit” Script Book Released
Regular downthetubes readers will recall The Marionette Unit, a creepy, scratch the back of your eyeballs work of gothic steampunk-driven horror we reviewed positively last year. Well, now the team behind the book – filmmakers Azhur Saleem and James Boyle –… Read More ›
Creating Comics: Drawing and Life Lessons from Master Cartoonists in the works from IDW
Whether you’re an amateur or pro artist or like comics history or insights into artists you might like Drawing and Life Lessons from Master Cartoonists, set for release from IDW Publushing in July The very first book of its kind,… Read More ›
Awesome Comics Podcast Episode 75: A Guide to Printing Your Comics
This week, the Awesome Comics Podcast crew tackle something that every small press or indie comics creator has to deal with at some point – printing! Joined by one of the best indie printers in the biz, Rich Hardiman from… Read More ›
It’s Time For… the Awesome Comics Podcast Catch Up!
I’m not quite sure why the wonderful woolly mammoth that is Awesome Podcast and downthetubes contributor Tony Esmond doesn’t plug said ACP here himself (perhaps he’s too shy, or just busy with his night job as a Steven Seagal impersonator), but… Read More ›
Career in Comics book in the works from attorney Gamal Hennessy
US attorney Gamal Hennessy of Creative Contract Consulting has announced he’s working on a new book Your Career in Comics: A Business, Creative and Legal Framework for Professional Sequential Artists (YCC for short!) that should be of interest to comic creators following downthetubes Gamal,… Read More ›
Tax changes ahead for UK freelancers, digital only and quarterly reporting on the way, despite rollout speed concerns
This might sound a bit of a boring item, but it’s important for any freelancer creating comics or working as an illustrator, because UK government proposals to not only require quarterly tax reporting, but to also only file tax returns digitally… Read More ›
2000AD to pay tribute to Steve Dillon
Honouring one of their finest talents, Steve Dillon, who died at the weekend, 2000AD has announced the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic will pay tribute to the artist in a future issue. “Over the last two days it has been great to… Read More ›
Awesome Comics Podcast Episode 66: Prog 2000, Indie Superheroes and more!
In this podcast Vince Hunt, Dan Butcher and Tony Esmond let loose and talk comics and more. The two main topics of conversation this year are the epic event that was the release of 2000AD Prog 2000 and a discussion on… Read More ›
Creating Comics: Steve Gregson and Matthew Simmons Go Galaxia!
Lancaster-based Steve Gregson and Matthew Simmons are two 1980s kids who grew older, but didn’t grow up. With a shared love of cartoons, comics and action figures the two decided to put their heads together to write a story about… Read More ›