Panel Borders: Taming the Elephantmen

In a companion podcast to last week’s episode, Alex Fitch continues his conversation with writer Richard Starkings and artist Ian Churchill about Elephantmen, a sci-fi anthropomorphic comic about animal / human hybrid soldiers coming to terms with life in the big city after being demobbed.
In a Q and A recorded at the Leeds Thought Bubble festival, Autumn 2011, Alex discusses Elephantmen issue #25 and beyond, including the comic’s use of guest artists such as Tim Sale and Marian Churchland and the programme of collecting the title into chunky graphic novels.
(This is the last in the current series of Panel Borders, which will return on September 16th, 2012)

Elephantmen promotional art by Ian Churchill

Visit www.archive.org, for more info and formats you can stream / download.

Links: Elephantmen official website
Read about comics article on Elephantmen

Listen to Alex’s previous month of shows on anthropomorphic comics
Continue reading →

Panel Borders: Taming the Elephantmen [ 44:51 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Panel Borders: Unleashing the Elephantmen

Alex Fitch talks to writer, editor and letterer Richard Starkings, and Ian Churchill, one of a rotating team of artists on Elephantmen, an American monthly comic (primarily created by Brits) about retired super-soldiers that are half animal, half human hybrids. Mixing the sci-fi / noir ambience of Blade Runner with the anthropomorphic horrors of The Island of Doctor Moreau, the comic has been serialised since 2003 and in this episode, recorded in front of an audience at last year’s Bristol Small Press Expo, Alex talks to Richard and Ian about the origins of the title, Richard’s move to America as a creator and Ian’s own creator owned title, Marineman, which first appeared as a back-up strip in Elephantmen #25. Originally broadcast 19/08/12 on Resonance 104.4 FM

Panel from Elephantmen

Visit www.archive.org, for more info and formats you can stream / download.

Links: Elephantmen official website
Read about comics article on Elephantmen

Listen to Alex’s previous month of shows on anthropomorphic comics

Panel Borders: Unleashing the Elephantmen [ 52:32 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Panel Borders: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Continuing Panel Borders’ month of shows about anthropomorphic comics, Alex Fitch talks to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator Kevin Eastman, Rich Magallanes (Senior Vice President, Nickelodeon animation) and British comic book writer David Baillie about the ever popular franchise. Alex discusses the history of the comics and cartoons with Kevin and Rich as well as the latest versions of the characters appearing in IDW’s comic books and Nickolodeon’s new series which starts on October 1st. Alex and David talk about his experience in writing TMNT strips for the Eastern European market, short comics that look at the point of view of both the Turtles and the villains from the series.

Covers of IDW TMNT comics / Covers of Russian TMNT comics / Still from new Nickelodeon animated series

Visit www.archive.org, for more info and formats you can stream / download.

Links: Wikipedia page on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Nickelodeon page on the new Turtles cartoon
Information on IDW Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics
Listen to Alex’s previous month of shows on anthropomorphic comics Continue reading →

Panel Borders: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles [ 32:21 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Panel Borders: Big Questions

Starting a month of shows about anthropomorphic comics on Panel Borders – comics about animals with human attributes – Alex Fitch talks to American cartoonist Anders Nilsen about his epic 658 page graphic novel Big Questions. The book, originally serialised as 15 comics, first self-published by Nilsen and then continued by Drawn and Quarterly, tells the tale of the pilot of a crashed bomber and his relationship with a colony of birds and local wildlife in the countryside where his plane went down. The artist also discusses his award winning graphic novella Dogs and water and why he is often drawn to animals as the subject matter of his comics books.

Excerpts from Big Questions by Anders Nilsen

Originally broadcast 05/08/12 on Resonance 104.4 FM

Visit www.archive.org, for more info and formats you can stream / download.

Links: Wikipedia page on Anders Nilsen
New York Times reviews of Big Questions
Anders’ website and blog
Listen to Alex’s previous month of shows on anthropomorphic comics
Continue reading →

Panel Borders: Big Questions [ 29:13 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Panel Borders: Resident Aliens – Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse

In the last of our series of shows about comic book creators who collaborate together, Alex Fitch talks to Steve Parkhouse and Peter Hogan about their new comic, Resident Alien, initially serialised in Dark Horse Presents and now continuing as a comic book miniseries. The comic tells the story of an alien who has crash-landed in rural American and found a job as a small town doctor, now turned detective when a body is found in mysterious circumstances. Alex talks to Peter and Steve about working together, producing comics for both the UK and US markets and their previous experiences on revered British anthology titles Crisis and Doctor Who Monthly. (Recorded in front of an audience at Kapow!, London, Spring 2012)

Interior and cover of Resident Alien by Steve Parkhouse + Peter Hogan / Cover of The Bojeffries Saga by Alan Moore and Steve Parkhouse / Cover of Revolver, edited by Peter Hogan

Originally broadcast 29/07/12 on Resonance 104.4 FM

Visit www.archive.org, for more info and formats you can stream / download.

Links: Wikipedia pages on Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse
Preview of Resident Alien #0 at www.darkhorse.com
Interview with Peter Hogan and article on Steve Parkhouse’s work in Warrior comic on the Forbidden Planet International blog Continue reading →

Panel Borders: Resident Aliens - Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse [ 43:00 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download