In a panel discussion recorded at the 2010 Comics and Medicine conference, Institute of English Studies, University of London, Paul Gravett talks to Brian Fies, Phillipa Perry and Darryl Cunningham about their work in portraying aspects of medical care and… Read More ›
downthetubes News
Scottish MP savages Dundee University’s new comics degree
(Last Updated 9/6/11, added comments from Stewart Hosie MP) Scottish Labour MP Tom Harris has condemned news of Dundee University‘s new ‘Comics Studies Degree‘ announced earlier this week – despite the city’s long history as a comics publisher. Dundee University… Read More ›
Mirabilis: Year of Wonders advance copies go on sale
Advance copies of Print Media Productions hardcover edition of Mirabilis: Year of Wonders – Winter Book 1 are now on sale exclusively from First Age Comics, Lancaster. A huge graphic novel project by Dave Morris and Leo Hartas, Mirabilis is… Read More ›
Panel Borders: Small Press Soundtracks
Continuing radio show Panel Borders month of shows about the crossover between music and comics, Alex Fitch talks to the creators of a couple of small press publications which feature music in their stories and contain a soundtrack to listen… Read More ›
New Commandos feature art by Keith Page, Rafael Auraleon
Here’s the latest issues of Commando, on sale now in all good newsagents, which include a great new story drawn by Keith Page and two ‘classic’ tales from the archive, specially chosen to mark the title’s 50th Anniversary. ‘Red Runs… Read More ›
Panel Borders: Nobrow Press
This week’s Panel Borders radio show and podcast concludes a month of shows about comic book anthologies and collectives. In today’s episode, Dickon Harris talks to Nick White and Alex Spiro from Nobrow Press in an interview recorded at the… Read More ›
Panel Borders: Dan Dare in the 20th Century
Continuing Panel Borders month of shows about collectives and anthologies, the team have a recording of a panel discussion from Sci-Fi London in 2010, celebrating the continuing popularity of the iconic British Space Hero Dan Dare, whose first appearance in… Read More ›
Eagle Times Enters Its 24th Year Of Publication (Volume 24, Number One)
Eagle Times, the journal of the Eagle Society, reaches its 24th year of publication (Volume 24, Number One) with three articles on British artists – from original Eagle, cutaway artist Hubert Redmill and the rather better known Brian Lewis, plus… Read More ›
Panel Borders: Spring Conventions – revealing nore about Sprit of Hope
Continuing radio show and podcast Panel Borders‘ month of shows about anthologies and collectives, they have a trio of interviews recorded at two recent comic book conventions in London. Recorded at Kapow!, Islington Design Centre (April 2011): Alex Fitch talks… Read More ›
Panel Borders: Newspaper Comics
This week’s Panel Borders radio show begins a month about anthologies and collectives; Alex Fitch talks to the editors of two comic book anthologies which are printed in newspaper form; Richard Cowdry about his anthology, The Comix Reader, a new… Read More ›
Stately Hunt Emerson releases CD
Birmingham-based cartoonist Hunt Emerson is to release a single, Josephine, on May Day 2011. Released on the new Spritely Records label, Josephine is a song by legendary singer-songwriter John Otway and described by Hunt as “an epic tale of innocence… Read More ›
Pass the cheese Gromit, while I listen to our podcast!
This week’s Panel Borders, now available as a podcast, continues this month’s theme of shows about newspaper comics, with Alex Fitch talking to a couple of creators working on newspaper strips featuring popular British science-fiction characters. Richy K Chandler is… Read More ›
In Review: Hurricane and Champion: the Companion Papers to Valiant
The Book: Top British comics archivist Steve Holland has re-launched his Bear Alley Books imprint with Hurricane and Champion: The Companion Papers to Valiant an all-new index to two classic British comics detailing the histories of both papers and reveals… Read More ›
Panel Borders chats with Audrey Niffenegger
Continuing podcast and radio show Panel Borders month of shows looking at newspaper comics, Alex Fitch talks to Chicago-based Audrey Niffenegger, fin artist and author of The Time Traveler’s Wife, about her graphic novella The Night Bookmobile which was serialised… Read More ›
Sneek Peek: New Dan Dare for Spaceship Away
We’re pleased to report that the next issue of the Dan Dare-inspired comics magazine Spaceship Away is on course to go to press very soon, featuring its regular thrice-yearly mix of comic strip and features. Now edited by Des Shaw,… Read More ›
Do Covers Count when it comes to Awards?
The UK cover for Zoo City –strong on design, light on itsSF content? With the 2011 Arthur C Clarke Award Shortlist just announced, I thought it might be interesting to see what kind of covers the nominated books have. While… Read More ›
Panel Borders: The Art of Karrie Fransman
Continuing podcast Panel Borders month of shows looking at newspaper comics, Alex Fitch talks to cartoonist Karrie Fransman about her work which has been serialised in The Guardian and The Times. Karrie started her comics career making self published autobiographical… Read More ›
A Comic Convention Returns to Glasgow
It has been some 15 years since Glasgow hosted a comics convention with the last of the GlasCACs, the Glasgow Comic Art Conventions. Since then, Scotland has had two Oxfam Comics Days in Edinburgh, three Hi-Exs in Inverness, four Dundee Comics Days as… Read More ›
Motton’s Memories: An Interview with one of Dan Dare’s early writers
Thanks to a chance discovery on the Internet, downthetubes is pleased to be able to present a rare interview with comics writer David Motton, whose career spanned three decades of British comics publishing, but is probably best known for his… Read More ›
Print Media to publish Dave Morris and Leo Hartas Mirabilis project
Print Media Productions has announced it will be publishing hardcover editions of Mirabilis: Year of Wonders — a huge graphic novel project by Dave Morris and Leo Hartas, also available on iPad and soon to debut on digital platforms Graphic.ly… Read More ›