Long-running British comics news website downthetubes has relaunched its public fundraising campaign to help cover rising hosting costs and ensure the future of one of the UK’s most established independent comics news platforms.
The appeal, launched by John Freeman, founder and publisher of downthetubes, is being hosted on GoFundMe and aims to secure financial support from readers to keep the website and its extensive digital archive online.
Founded in 1998, downthetubes has become a well-known source for news, interviews, reviews, and features covering British comics and the wider comics community. Much of its content is produced with the support of a dedicated team of volunteer contributors, while the site itself generates only modest income through advertising and affiliate links.
According to Freeman, the biggest challenge is the site’s rapidly increasing hosting costs. Annual server expenses have risen from around £620 several years ago to approximately £1,500 during the previous fundraising campaign, and now exceed £2,100. The increase reflects both higher service prices and the continued growth of the website’s readership and archive.
Freeman explained that work has been underway to migrate downthetubes to a different hosting platform, but moving nearly three decades of archived content has proved to be a technically demanding project that has yet to be completed.
Originally launched on 6 August 2024, the crowdfunding campaign has significantly surpassed its initial £500 target. At the time of writing, the appeal has raised £4,764 from 158 supporters, demonstrating the strong backing the site enjoys within the comics community.
In a recent campaign update, Freeman thanked previous donors and encouraged readers to share the appeal as the latest hosting bill becomes due. He also noted that those unable to make a financial contribution can still support the website by sharing the fundraiser, purchasing items through his eBay store, or using the affiliate links available on downthetubes.
For more than 25 years, downthetubes has documented British comics, independent creators, publishers, exhibitions, and industry news, while also providing a valuable archive for comics enthusiasts and researchers. The website continues to play an important role in promoting comics culture and supporting creators across the United Kingdom.
GoFundMe Campaign:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/downthetubes-continue-to-promote-comics
Website:
https://downthetubes.net/
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