This week’s round up of quickfire news items, some comic related, that have caught our eye in recent days…
Kenneth Stewart Moore has shared original sketch for his oil painting for the Treasury of British Comics Webshop Exclusive Cover of Karl the Viking – Volume Two: The Voyage of the Sea Raiders, published back in 2022 by Rebellion, copies still available. It shows just how much hard work went into this from initial concept to final art.
Rebellion released both Karl the Viking collections in 2022, our guide to their releases that year here.Follow Kenneth Stewart Moore on BlueSky
Talking of comic art, here’s some gorgeous work by Alan Burrows, a take on “Hansel and Gretel” published in new Eagle cover dated 22nd December 1990, shared by a collector on the Facebook Vintage British Comics & Annuals group recently
Alan was once a prolific comic artist, working on a wide range of DC Thomson and Fleetway, including Red Dwarf, who we’ve sadly lost track of. Way back in 1993 he drew some amazing samples for a strip, “Death Duty”, a story completed by Brett Burbridge back in 2014, available in collection. More information on that here
The catalogue for Propstore’s Summer Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction has been published, featuring some 1700 items of film and television memorabilia, which should appeal to movie fans, collectors and prop hunters. Items from films such as The Exorcist, Forbidden Planet, the Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, James Bond and Star Wars films, and much, much more, are on offer.
The reserve of $5000 on Judge Joseph Dredd’s Helmet from the Sylvester Stallone film has yet to be met. The auction itself takes place over four days, 26th – 29th August 2026. Good luck with your bidding!
Talking of auctions, Excalibur is hosting its latest Marvel, DC & Independent Comic Books auction tomorrow, Saturday 8th August 2026 from 10.00am, and alongside some iconic issues of, for example, Marvel Comics The Amazing Spider-Man and more, there are a number of British comic lots, including early Marvel UK titles with their free gifts, including Star Wars Weekly.
The auction also includes original art by the legendary Brian Lewis, art used in the ‘Strips 78’ Convention Programme. Brian will be well known to downthetubes readers for his work on Yellow Submarine, Countdown, TV Action, 2000AD, and House of Hammer. Good luck if you’re bidding!
- About the Author
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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 MagazineandOverkill 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.
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- Lakes International Comic Art Festival 2026 Guest Spotlight
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- Christmas is coming! BEANO Annual and more on sale next week
- Minnie the Minx is Doctor Who!
