Panel Borders: The Amazing Adventures of Fraction and Chabon

Continuing a month of shows looking at the connections between sequential art and literature, Alex Fitch talks to writers Matt Fraction and Michael Chabon about their friendship, reading experiences outside of graphic novels and mutual love of comics. Matt Fraction is an award winning writer who has become one of the most important contributors to Marvel’s range of superhero comics, with runs on Iron Fist, Thor and Iron Man under his belt, his new assignment is the continuing adventures of The Fantastic Four and their extended family. Fraction also has indie credentials from his ongoing European style spy series Casanova. Michael Chabon is the Pulitizer Prize winning author of “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay”, a chronicle of the comic book industry in the middle decades of the 20th Century, which he continued in the pages of the comic book series The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist, that saw the author write his first comic book script, plus the publication of Will Eisner’s final story to feature The Spirit.
(Originally broadcast in an edited form on Resonance 104.4 FM (London), 10/02/13

For more info and a variety of different formats you can stream or download, please visit the home of this podcast at www.archive.org

Links: Michael Chabon‘s website
Info about The Escapist on www.darkhorse.com
Listen to Alex’s previous interview with Michael Chabon about his novel Telegraph Avenue

Matt Fraction‘s website
Info about Matt Fraction’s work on comicvine.com
Kieron Gillen’s podcast interview with Fraction

Recommended events:

Mike Carey reading

Fantasy/Noir novelist Mike Carey reads from a selection of his work including the Felix Castor series.

Join him at one of London’s most well kept secrets, the glorious and slightly crumbling Church of Our Most Holy Redeemer in Clerkenwell, for an atmospheric evening of absorbing, candlelit storytelling. Mike will also be joined by Linda Carey to read from their new novel City of Silk and Steel.
Mike will also be reading excerpts from The Girl With All The Gifts, his brand new horror novel (published by Orbit in November).

Following the reading, you will have the chance to talk to these exciting authors about writing for Fantasy/Noir readers during a panel discussion and Q and A.

Tuesday 12 February, 7pm – 9pm
£10/£8 concessions

Holy Redeeer Church
24 Exmouth Market
Clerkenwell
London EC1R 4QE
Nearest Tube/Train: Farringdon

More info: www.spreadtheword.org.uk

Will Morris signing The Silver Darlings

Despite the snow coming down sideways and everyone outside looking like something out of The Thing we have not closed our doors like all those kids-on-my-bus-this-morning’s schools. Because learning can wait but comics can’t. Or something. Right?

If your socks and five jumpers are failing to warm you even remotely then perhaps the announcement of our very first event of 2013 will at least take your mind off the impending foot amputation. Although Will Morris’ The Silver Darlings came out about a month ago we’re throwing it a belated launch party (plus signing, plus exhibition) because nobody likes to have a birthday on Christmas Day. It’s on the 15th of February, from 7pm to 9pm, there will be booze and art and The City Shanty Band will be lending the evening a briny air.

Friday 15th February, 7-9pm

Gosh! Comics, 1 Berwick Street, London W1F 0DR

More info: www.goshlondon.com

London Super Comic Con

London’s premier comic convention which concentrates on ‘mainstream’ American comics, undiluted by TV and film tie-ins. Guests include Neal Adams, Brian Bolland, Carlos Ezquerra, David Finch, Alan Grant, Klaus Janson, David Mack, George Pérez, Bill Sienkiewicz, Dan Slott, Herb Trimpe, John Wagner, and many more.

February 23rd & 24th, 2013, Excel Centre, London

More info at www.londonsupercomicconvention.com

Manga-tastic!

Back by popular demand…
This half-term, comic creator Karen Rubins is running Manga-tastic! a manga-making course for young people, in the London Borough of Barnet. After four afternoons of planning, writing and drawing manga stories, the results will be published in an anthology that will be distributed in Barnet Libraries. Come along to learn manga techniques, talk manga, read manga, and draw manga! It’s all about manga.

Ages: 12 – 18
Dates: 19th – 22nd February 2013
Times: 2 – 5pm
Location: Chipping Barnet Library
Cost: £24
Booking: Bookings must be made through the Futureversity website.

Develop your graphic fiction ideas with Mike Carey

This one-day course will enable you to really build on and develop your own ideas, and to take some practical steps towards getting your graphic fiction work into shape for an agent or publisher. Mike will look at how to develop ideas for a series, and lead some discussion around the wider scope of the graphic form. There will also be plenty of time for you to craft your own work under Mike’s guidance.

This workshop is perfect for anyone who is already working on an idea for the graphic form, and is looking to develop their ideas further. You don’t need to have come to last season’s workshop to attend.

Saturday 16 March, 11am – 4.30pm
£60 / £45 concessions

Toynbee Studios
28 Commercial Street
London E1 6AB
Nearest Tube/Train: Aldgate East (Hammersmith and City, District)

More info: www.spreadtheword.org.uk