John Freeman
@johnfreeman.bsky.social
Publisher, downthetubes.net | Linktree: https://linktr.ee/johnfsfreeman | Comics, feature writer, editor. Credits inc. Doctor Who Magazine, Overkill, Star Trek Magazine
Jamie Smart, Neill Cameron, Jess Bradley and Abby Bulmer are among the guests of Phoenix Comic Con 2026 taking place Saturday 25th - Sunday 26th April in Oxford, and online from anywhere in the world
https://downthetubes.net/guest-list-revealed-for-phoenix-comic-con-2026/
https://downthetubes.net/guest-list-revealed-for-phoenix-comic-con-2026/
January 18, 2026 at 8:31 AM
Jamie Smart, Neill Cameron, Jess Bradley and Abby Bulmer are among the guests of Phoenix Comic Con 2026 taking place Saturday 25th - Sunday 26th April in Oxford, and online from anywhere in the world
https://downthetubes.net/guest-list-revealed-for-phoenix-comic-con-2026/
https://downthetubes.net/guest-list-revealed-for-phoenix-comic-con-2026/
Costume designs by Howell Russell for an unidentified production, 1900 | Held by the Victoria & Albert Museum: collections.vam.ac.uk/search/?id_p...
January 18, 2026 at 7:38 AM
Costume designs by Howell Russell for an unidentified production, 1900 | Held by the Victoria & Albert Museum: collections.vam.ac.uk/search/?id_p...
18th January 1974 saw the premiere of science fiction adventure TV series The Six Million Dollar Man on ABC-TV in the US, starring Lee Majors. Centred on Steve Austin, an astronaut rebuilt with cybernetic…
https://downthetubes.net/happy-birthday-to-the-six-million-dollar-man-the-series-that-is/
https://downthetubes.net/happy-birthday-to-the-six-million-dollar-man-the-series-that-is/
January 18, 2026 at 7:15 AM
18th January 1974 saw the premiere of science fiction adventure TV series The Six Million Dollar Man on ABC-TV in the US, starring Lee Majors. Centred on Steve Austin, an astronaut rebuilt with cybernetic…
https://downthetubes.net/happy-birthday-to-the-six-million-dollar-man-the-series-that-is/
https://downthetubes.net/happy-birthday-to-the-six-million-dollar-man-the-series-that-is/
Set beneath the English Channel, "Doctor Who - Terror from the Deep" pits the Seventh Doctor and Ace against both the Movellans and the Daleks – but things have not gone well for either, their forces in complete disarray. Pulling…
https://downthetubes.net/doctor-who-terror-from-the-deep-episode-85/
https://downthetubes.net/doctor-who-terror-from-the-deep-episode-85/
January 17, 2026 at 5:17 PM
Set beneath the English Channel, "Doctor Who - Terror from the Deep" pits the Seventh Doctor and Ace against both the Movellans and the Daleks – but things have not gone well for either, their forces in complete disarray. Pulling…
https://downthetubes.net/doctor-who-terror-from-the-deep-episode-85/
https://downthetubes.net/doctor-who-terror-from-the-deep-episode-85/
Thanks to comic archivist Norman Boyd, I’ve added some more glorious Mike Noble art to the downthetubes item on the NatWest “Piggy Press” magazine of the 1980s: downthetubes.net/who-remember...
January 17, 2026 at 8:56 AM
Thanks to comic archivist Norman Boyd, I’ve added some more glorious Mike Noble art to the downthetubes item on the NatWest “Piggy Press” magazine of the 1980s: downthetubes.net/who-remember...
Just some of the joyous art of ItsNotAboutWork | www.instagram.com/itsnotaboutw...
January 17, 2026 at 7:01 AM
Just some of the joyous art of ItsNotAboutWork | www.instagram.com/itsnotaboutw...
“The Cowboy Who Travels Through Time” by Leon Liu | www.artstation.com/youqianliu
January 17, 2026 at 6:54 AM
“The Cowboy Who Travels Through Time” by Leon Liu | www.artstation.com/youqianliu
Our thanks to John Kirk for some smashing pictures from the Canadian premiere of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy at the red carpet event at the TIFF Lightbox cultural centre in Toronto earlier this week.
https://downthetubes.net/in-pictures-canadas-star-trek-starfleet-academy-premiere/
https://downthetubes.net/in-pictures-canadas-star-trek-starfleet-academy-premiere/
January 17, 2026 at 5:58 AM
Our thanks to John Kirk for some smashing pictures from the Canadian premiere of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy at the red carpet event at the TIFF Lightbox cultural centre in Toronto earlier this week.
https://downthetubes.net/in-pictures-canadas-star-trek-starfleet-academy-premiere/
https://downthetubes.net/in-pictures-canadas-star-trek-starfleet-academy-premiere/
Four original "Dan Dare" original artworks, including pages from Eagle comic and a page first published in the 1971 Eagle Annual, feature in the latest Travelling Auctioneers auction…
https://downthetubes.net/eagle-comic-and-annual-dan-dare-artworks-offered-in-latest-travelling-auctioneers-auction/
https://downthetubes.net/eagle-comic-and-annual-dan-dare-artworks-offered-in-latest-travelling-auctioneers-auction/
January 16, 2026 at 4:39 PM
Four original "Dan Dare" original artworks, including pages from Eagle comic and a page first published in the 1971 Eagle Annual, feature in the latest Travelling Auctioneers auction…
https://downthetubes.net/eagle-comic-and-annual-dan-dare-artworks-offered-in-latest-travelling-auctioneers-auction/
https://downthetubes.net/eagle-comic-and-annual-dan-dare-artworks-offered-in-latest-travelling-auctioneers-auction/
The Scottish Government has committed £56 million in anchor funding to help to create The Art Works, a new, free-to-visit experience in North Edinburgh – a state-of-the-art home for Scotland's art
https://downthetubes.net/major-boost-to-making-scotlands-art-even-more-accessible/
https://downthetubes.net/major-boost-to-making-scotlands-art-even-more-accessible/
January 16, 2026 at 2:32 PM
The Scottish Government has committed £56 million in anchor funding to help to create The Art Works, a new, free-to-visit experience in North Edinburgh – a state-of-the-art home for Scotland's art
https://downthetubes.net/major-boost-to-making-scotlands-art-even-more-accessible/
https://downthetubes.net/major-boost-to-making-scotlands-art-even-more-accessible/
A new initiative of creators, the Creators Coalition on AI, working under the maxim “Technology should strengthen human creativity, not undermine it”, is gathering pace and support.
https://downthetubes.net/creators-coalition-on-ai-gathers-steam/
https://downthetubes.net/creators-coalition-on-ai-gathers-steam/
January 16, 2026 at 10:41 AM
A new initiative of creators, the Creators Coalition on AI, working under the maxim “Technology should strengthen human creativity, not undermine it”, is gathering pace and support.
https://downthetubes.net/creators-coalition-on-ai-gathers-steam/
https://downthetubes.net/creators-coalition-on-ai-gathers-steam/
Daredevil: Cold Day In Hell by New York Times bestselling author Charles Soule and Eisner-nominated artist Steve McNiven is out as a collection next month from Marvel
https://downthetubes.net/the-final-trial-of-matt-murdock-collection-out-next-month/
https://downthetubes.net/the-final-trial-of-matt-murdock-collection-out-next-month/
January 16, 2026 at 7:00 AM
Daredevil: Cold Day In Hell by New York Times bestselling author Charles Soule and Eisner-nominated artist Steve McNiven is out as a collection next month from Marvel
https://downthetubes.net/the-final-trial-of-matt-murdock-collection-out-next-month/
https://downthetubes.net/the-final-trial-of-matt-murdock-collection-out-next-month/
Taking a leaf from other subscription packages such as Wordy and Wild, a new UK service, Gutter & Spine, offering a curated graphic novel subscription, is testing the waters to gauge interest
https://downthetubes.net/uk-based-curated-graphic-novel-subscription-gutter-spine-in-the-works/
https://downthetubes.net/uk-based-curated-graphic-novel-subscription-gutter-spine-in-the-works/
January 15, 2026 at 9:16 AM
Taking a leaf from other subscription packages such as Wordy and Wild, a new UK service, Gutter & Spine, offering a curated graphic novel subscription, is testing the waters to gauge interest
https://downthetubes.net/uk-based-curated-graphic-novel-subscription-gutter-spine-in-the-works/
https://downthetubes.net/uk-based-curated-graphic-novel-subscription-gutter-spine-in-the-works/
The latest set of Commando comics, on sale today in TG Jones stores, select newsagents, and available on subscription, are a special selection from the DC Thomson archives, celebrating Cam…
https://downthetubes.net/cam-kennedys-commandos-celebrated-with-new-issues-out-today-and-a-checklist/
https://downthetubes.net/cam-kennedys-commandos-celebrated-with-new-issues-out-today-and-a-checklist/
January 15, 2026 at 7:00 AM
The latest set of Commando comics, on sale today in TG Jones stores, select newsagents, and available on subscription, are a special selection from the DC Thomson archives, celebrating Cam…
https://downthetubes.net/cam-kennedys-commandos-celebrated-with-new-issues-out-today-and-a-checklist/
https://downthetubes.net/cam-kennedys-commandos-celebrated-with-new-issues-out-today-and-a-checklist/
Billie Bunter by Reg Parlett, Valiant cover dated 8th April 1967 - Page 2 (auction closes later this week): www.catawiki.com/en/l/1005315...
January 15, 2026 at 5:35 AM
Billie Bunter by Reg Parlett, Valiant cover dated 8th April 1967 - Page 2 (auction closes later this week): www.catawiki.com/en/l/1005315...
Billie Bunter by Reg Parlett, Valiant cover dated 8th April 1967 - Page 1 (auction closes today): www.catawiki.com/en/l/1005315... |
January 15, 2026 at 5:35 AM
Billie Bunter by Reg Parlett, Valiant cover dated 8th April 1967 - Page 1 (auction closes today): www.catawiki.com/en/l/1005315... |
Complete episode of “Billie Bunter” for Valiant by Reg Parlett for the issue cover dated 8th April 1967, republished as “Billie Turf” in Europe. Two separate auction lots on @catawikiauctions.bsky.social - www.catawiki.com/en/s?q=Reg%2...
January 15, 2026 at 5:34 AM
Complete episode of “Billie Bunter” for Valiant by Reg Parlett for the issue cover dated 8th April 1967, republished as “Billie Turf” in Europe. Two separate auction lots on @catawikiauctions.bsky.social - www.catawiki.com/en/s?q=Reg%2...
A&R Atelier has announced that a new Ecco the Dolphin game is officially in development. Originally released in 1992, Ecco the Dolphin garnered critical and commercial acclaim at launch, leading to sequels and two comic book series from…
https://downthetubes.net/new-ecco-the-dolphin-game-announced/
https://downthetubes.net/new-ecco-the-dolphin-game-announced/
January 14, 2026 at 3:19 PM
A&R Atelier has announced that a new Ecco the Dolphin game is officially in development. Originally released in 1992, Ecco the Dolphin garnered critical and commercial acclaim at launch, leading to sequels and two comic book series from…
https://downthetubes.net/new-ecco-the-dolphin-game-announced/
https://downthetubes.net/new-ecco-the-dolphin-game-announced/
Rebellion has announced an Action 2026 50th Special is coming to a newsagent or comic book shop near you in April
https://downthetubes.net/action-50th-anniversary-special-out-in-april/
https://downthetubes.net/action-50th-anniversary-special-out-in-april/
January 14, 2026 at 2:27 PM
Rebellion has announced an Action 2026 50th Special is coming to a newsagent or comic book shop near you in April
https://downthetubes.net/action-50th-anniversary-special-out-in-april/
https://downthetubes.net/action-50th-anniversary-special-out-in-april/
The identities of many comic artists, for many years never credited in the British titles they worked on, are no longer unknown, thanks to the diligent research of many comic archivist. But when it comes to nursery…
https://downthetubes.net/nursery-comics-mystery-can-you-identify-the-artists/
https://downthetubes.net/nursery-comics-mystery-can-you-identify-the-artists/
January 14, 2026 at 11:08 AM
The identities of many comic artists, for many years never credited in the British titles they worked on, are no longer unknown, thanks to the diligent research of many comic archivist. But when it comes to nursery…
https://downthetubes.net/nursery-comics-mystery-can-you-identify-the-artists/
https://downthetubes.net/nursery-comics-mystery-can-you-identify-the-artists/
Disgraced and controversial cartoonist Scott Adams, creator of the once hugely successful syndicated newspaper comic strip Dilbert, died yesterday, Tuesday 13th January 2026, victim to prostate cancer.…
https://downthetubes.net/disgraced-dilbert-cartoonist-scott-adams-passes-leaving-final-message/
https://downthetubes.net/disgraced-dilbert-cartoonist-scott-adams-passes-leaving-final-message/
January 14, 2026 at 10:55 AM
Disgraced and controversial cartoonist Scott Adams, creator of the once hugely successful syndicated newspaper comic strip Dilbert, died yesterday, Tuesday 13th January 2026, victim to prostate cancer.…
https://downthetubes.net/disgraced-dilbert-cartoonist-scott-adams-passes-leaving-final-message/
https://downthetubes.net/disgraced-dilbert-cartoonist-scott-adams-passes-leaving-final-message/
Artist Hugo Pratt’s most famous creation, the indefatigable sailor Corto Maltese, sails back to American readers after a far too-long absence in Corto Maltese: Fable of Venice and Other Adventures in March, translated by Dean…
https://downthetubes.net/corto-maltese-collected-by-fantagraphics/
https://downthetubes.net/corto-maltese-collected-by-fantagraphics/
January 14, 2026 at 10:01 AM
Artist Hugo Pratt’s most famous creation, the indefatigable sailor Corto Maltese, sails back to American readers after a far too-long absence in Corto Maltese: Fable of Venice and Other Adventures in March, translated by Dean…
https://downthetubes.net/corto-maltese-collected-by-fantagraphics/
https://downthetubes.net/corto-maltese-collected-by-fantagraphics/
“Death of a Judge” in 2000AD Prog 2465, on sale today in all good newsagents, and some run by Kleggs, with a superb cover by Toby Willsmer to pop the title out from competing fare
https://downthetubes.net/fatal-investigation-for-judge-dredd/
https://downthetubes.net/fatal-investigation-for-judge-dredd/
January 14, 2026 at 7:01 AM
“Death of a Judge” in 2000AD Prog 2465, on sale today in all good newsagents, and some run by Kleggs, with a superb cover by Toby Willsmer to pop the title out from competing fare
https://downthetubes.net/fatal-investigation-for-judge-dredd/
https://downthetubes.net/fatal-investigation-for-judge-dredd/
Brooklyn-based publisher Street Noise Books has announced details of its latest graphic novel, Chicken Heart, by debut author Morgan Boecher, on sale in bookshops soon
https://downthetubes.net/morgan-boechers-debut-graphic-novel-chicken-heart-out-soon-from-street-noise-books/
https://downthetubes.net/morgan-boechers-debut-graphic-novel-chicken-heart-out-soon-from-street-noise-books/
January 13, 2026 at 4:31 PM
Brooklyn-based publisher Street Noise Books has announced details of its latest graphic novel, Chicken Heart, by debut author Morgan Boecher, on sale in bookshops soon
https://downthetubes.net/morgan-boechers-debut-graphic-novel-chicken-heart-out-soon-from-street-noise-books/
https://downthetubes.net/morgan-boechers-debut-graphic-novel-chicken-heart-out-soon-from-street-noise-books/