Panel Borders: Preserving comics
Continuing a month of shows about the presence of comics in the Victoria and Albert Museum, Alex Fitch talks to V and A conservator Anne Bancroft and comic book creator Jenni Scott about some of the more unusual items in the collection. Anne discusses the preservation and conservation of comics at the V and A, including methods to display items in touring exhibitions and the creation of bespoke storage folders suitable for fragile printed materials. Also, a few days after what would have been his fiftieth birthday, Jenni describes the donation of the Andy Roberts collection to the museum which followed his untimely passing in 2005; the collection includes boxes of British comics and self published zines by Andy himself and others, that the small press creator and musician had amassed during his life. Originally broadcast 16th September 2013 on Resonance 104.4 FM (London)
Tools used by Anne Bancroft at the Victoria and Albert Museum / art by Andy Roberts from 1997 Caption programme, Linus website, RRR zine 2005
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: Info about the comic book collections in the National Art Library / Victoria and Albert Museum
Articles about Andy Roberts in The Comics Reporter / Paddy Brown’s website
LiveJournal page on Andy Roberts including link to his final RRR zine
Recommended Events:
Sequential City
Sequential City explores the depiction of London in comic book narrative, as both a source of inspiration for writers and artists, and as a ‘character’ in its own right. The exhibition brings together original artworks and prints depicting the physical, cultural and sub-cultural sides of London (part of the 2013 London Design Festival).
Contributing artists include an impressive raft of Brit comic creators, from emerging talent to established names. Contributors include 2012 Costa biography prize-winner Bryan Talbot, Hannah Berry, Woodrow Phoenix, Rian Hughes, Gary Northfield, Sarah Mcintyre, Garen Ewing, Robert Ball, Simone Lia, Paul Duffield and Kate Brown.
Sequential City runs from the 16 – 22 September, and will feature an evening live comic jam event plus a children’ comic workshop.
Baxter and Bailey, 6 Hoxton Square, London, N1 6NU
More info: http://www.londondesignfestival.com/events/sequential-city
Gosh! signings and launch parties
City lit: John Miers – the first Fast Forward talk at the famous Gosh Comic Book store in the heart of London. John Miers, an award winning contemporary comic book artist will be giving a talk on Visual Storytelling techniques, addressing the question: Are comics art or literature- or are they both, neither, and something else entirely all at once? This is your chance to find out how image, text, abstract symbols and composition combine in the most innovative medium around.
Tuesday, September 17, 7 – 8.30pm
The Best of Milligan and McCarthy: on Wednesday the 18th of September Gosh! have not one but TWO classic British comics guys in the house talking comics. Peter Milligan (Hellblazer) and Brendan McCarthy (Zaucer of Zilk) will be here doing a talk and Q&A about their new book from Dark Horse that collects the very best of their hard-to-find collaborative work from years ago: Freakwave, Paradax!, Skin and Rogan Gosh and more. That’s 20 years worth of their finest work from Vanguard Illustrated, Strange Days, 2000 AD and Vertigo!
Wednesday, September 18, 7.30 – 9pm
Gosh!, 1 Berwick Street, London W1F 0DR
More info at www.goshlondon.com
Sophie’s World – unseen photographs by Steven Cook
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, Orbital Comics is proud to present this special exhibition featuring rare and unseen of photographs of Sylvester McCoy’s companion Sophie Aldred (Ace). Originally taken by photographer Steve Cook in the late 1980s, a lot of the negatives were just recently recovered (not unlike the rumours of lost episodes being found).
The photos show Sophie’s versatility in a number of scenarios and guises, including that of The Doctor’s beloved companion Ace. The exhibition starts with a private viewing on September 5 and will run through until the end of the month. Sophie and Steve will be in-store signing prints of the photographs on Saturday, September 7 between 12 and 3pm.
September 5th – 30th
Orbital Comics, 8 Great Newport Street, WC2H 7JA
More info: http://www.orbitalcomics.com/sophies-world-the-unseen-photographs-by-steve-cook/
