Panel Borders: Young Graphic Novelists, Spring 2013

Continuing a month of shows looking at small press and independent publishers, Panel Borders looks at two titles that rework familiar pop-culture tropes in new comics by young creators. In an interview recorded at Comica Comiket, Alex Fitch talks to Louis Roskosch about his video game inspired graphic novel The Adventures of Leeroy and Popo, published by Nobrow. Also, Dickon Harris speaks to Matt Fitch and Mark Lewis of ‘Dead Canary Comics’, about their collaborations in the worlds of advertising agencies and comic book creation as they discuss the production of their first superhero title, the Spider-Man spoof Frogman.

Nobrow and Dead Canary Comics will be among dozens of exhibitors at this year’s Comica Comiket, taking place at Central St. Martins School of Art and Design, Handyside Street, King’s Cross, London N1C 4AA on Saturday April 20th, 2013 – more info at www.comicafestival.com (Originally broadcast 15/04/13 on Resonance 104.4 FM)

Extracts from Frogman by Matt Fitch and Mark Lewis / The Adventures of Leeroy and Popo by Louis Roskosch

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: Pages 1, 2 and 3 of Leeroy and Popo by Louis Roskosch
Info about the collected edition at nobrow.net
Dead Canary Comics website, including info on Frogman

Recommended events:

COMICA FESTIVAL COMES TO CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS APRIL 19th and 20th!

In an exciting new co-operation, Comica is working with Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design (or CSM) to stage two days of talks, events, exhibitions, a fair day, live drawing and an exclusive painting and music performance, all in the adjoining spaces of The Platform Theatre, Foyer & Bar, Studio and White Lab at CSM’s spectacular London headquarters, mere minutes away from King’s Cross rail, tube and Eurostar stations.

On Friday April 19th, from 2.30-6.30pm, Comica is working with CSM to programme a practical, informative afternoon of professional development talks and panels designed to help students, graduates and aspiring writers and artists to break into the comics and graphic novel world. Among those taking part will be CSM alumni Brian Bolland, famed for his iconic renditions of Judge Dredd and Batman, Nobrow co-publisher Alex Spiro, and acclaimed manga creators Chie Kutsuwada and Inko. Also participating will be graphic novel commissioners from Knockabout, Myriad and other publishers, Julie Tait, director of the first Lakes International Comic Art Festival, and 2000AD, Marvel and DC superstar illustrator Frazer Irving.

Then from 6.30 to 7.30pm, also in The Platform Theatre, Comica welcomes principal sponsor Sequential, the deluxe digital graphic novel storefront app for the iPad, bringing together literary graphic novels from the world’s leading publishers and creators. Sequential’s Tokyo-based pioneer, Russell Willis, will be joined by Brian Bolland, Hunt Emerson, Terry Wiley and others on the roster to launch the deluxe digital versions of Bolland Strips!, The Essential Hunt Emerson, VerityFair and more. Followed by signings and a launch party in the Foyer. Tickets will be on sale soon, details to follow. There will also be exhibitions including brand new work by CSM students, such as a multi-path hypercomic, Black Hats in Hell, masterminded by Daniel Merlin Goodbrey.

Saturday April 20th brings our second Spring Comica Comiket, bigger and better than ever. Come to our Independent Comics Fair where publishers like Jonathan Cape, Knockabout, SelfMadeHero and Walker Books will be joining indie presses and self-publishers, and it is still admission free to the public. Fraser Irving, Viviane Schwarz, Gary Northfield, Stephen Collins, Warren Pleece and Oliver East are among the Drawing Paraders on board promoting their brand new books, and we’ll be announcing the full line-up in our next Newsletter. We’ll also have details of the thrilling Sequential comics competition which will see one lucky winner on the day walks away with a highly covetable and nifty iPad.

And for our grand finale in The Platform Theatre on the Saturday night, Comica presents Battle Of The Eyes in The Noise Of Our Art, the first amazing collaboration between live performance painters Chris Long and Edwin Pouncey and leading musician and DJ Trevor Jackson. The evening ends with our Comiket after-party in the Foyer till 10pm.

When: Friday April 19th, 2.30 to 10pm, and April 20th, 11am to 10pm.

Where: The Platform Theatre, Foyer, Studio & White Lab, Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design, Handyside Street, London N1C 4AA

More info: www.comicafestival.com

Gosh Comics Signings

April 20th:

Pat Mills & Kevin O’Neill will be signing copies of the new MARSHAL LAW omnibus.
http://www.goshlondon.com/2013/03/pat-mills-and-kevin-oneill-marshal-law-signing

April 24th:

Launch party for Tom Gauld’s YOU’RE ALL JUST JEALOUS OF MY JETPACK, a collection of his Guardian strips. There’s also an exclusive Gosh! bookplate edition out on the same day (the reserve list is already enormous and this is definitely on the road to selling out).
http://www.goshlondon.com/2013/02/tom-gauld-launch-party-signing-youre-all-just-jealous-of-my-jetpack

April 27th:

Ian Gibson signing copies of the new edition of HALO JONES.
http://www.goshlondon.com/2013/03/ian-gibson-signing-halo-jones

All of these are listed on the events page.
http://www.goshlondon.com/events

Gosh! comics, 1 Berwick Street, London
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Panel Borders: Young Graphic Novelists, Spring 2013 [ 32:44 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Panel Borders: Small press publishers

Starting a month of shows looking at small press and self published comics, Panel Borders looks at the titles produced by two British independent publishing companies in interviews recorded at the London Super Comics Convention.

Alex Fitch talks to Nicolas Rossert, Loran and Charles Cutting about Sloth Comics, a new publisher devoted to both British and European graphic novels, including reissues of classic titles. Loran discusses his book Booyah!, about a playful green monster with anger management issues; Cutting talks about his steampunk adventure Steam Hammer, and Rossert describes his approach to choosing graphic novel formats and the process of getting the rights to republish Moebius and Alejandro Jodorowski’s classic Madwoman of the Sacred Heart.

Also, publisher Colin Mathieson discusses his company Accent UK which has built up a commendable body of work over the last dozen years concentrating on anthology books which have showcased the work of some of the country’s finest small press creators. Artist Conor Boyle joins the conversation to talk about Accent’s latest graphic novel Who on Earth was Thaddeus Mist? and the importance of design to the company’s range of books. (Originally broadcast 8th April 2013)

Titles published by Sloth Comics, Accent UK and Disconnected Press

(Originally broadcast 08/04/13 on Resonance 104.4 FM)

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: Sloth Comics website
Accent UK website
Disconnected Press blog Continue reading →

Panel Borders: Small press publishers [ 37:04 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Panel Borders: Digitising comics

Concluding a month of shows looking at web comics, Alex Fitch talks to two experts in web based technologies about their dissemination methods aimed at bringing comics to tablets and other devices. Russell Willis discusses his Panel Nine range of graphic novels for the iPad which include titles by Eddie Campbell and David Lloyd and are about to be joined by a new digital store front for International book publishers.
Also, in a presentation recorded at Cartoon County in Brighton, Charles Kriel talks about his Indiegogo campaign to fund a new app designed to be the equivalent of iTunes for comics allowing collectors to combine their existing digital comics collections with newly bought titles to fill in the gaps, with questions asked by Alex Fitch, David Lloyd and members of the audience. (Originally broadcast 31/03/13 on Resonance 104.4 FM)

Covers of Panel Nine digital comic collections The Certified Hunt Emerson and Dapper John, interior of Verity Fare / David Lloyd promotes Comics Thing app

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: Panel Nine / Sequential / iEnglish websites
Comics Thing indiegogo campaign / 12 Stories Tall website Continue reading →

Panel Borders: Digitising comics [ 41:30 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Panel Borders: Collage and reappropriation

Continuing a month of shows looking at webcomics, Panel Borders examines the work of a quartet of creators whose online strips and cartoons reinvent retro images and iconic characters from film and TV to beguiling effect. In a pair of short interviews recorded at Thought Bubble, Leeds 2012, Alex Fitch talks to American creators Scott C – about his webcomics Double Fine Action Comics and The Great Showdowns – and Becky and Frank about Tiny Kitten Teeth, cartoons which utilise imagery from toys, cereal packaging and children’s literature.

Also, Alex looks into the varying merits of print and web-based comics with British writer / artist Paul O’Connell, in an interview recorded at the University of Brighton. Paul’s postmodern fumetti mash-ups mix comedy and horror via strips such as A Muppet Wicker Man and The Seinfeld Matrix, and the artist discusses his collaborations with other Brighton based creators, including Lawrence Elwick on Charlie Parker, Handyman, plus his aspirations for using the medium of online comics to its full interactive potential. (Originally broadcast Sunday 24th March 2013 on Resonance 104.4 FM)

Clockwise from top left: webcomics by Scott C x2, Becky, Paul O’Connell x 3, Frank

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: Paul O’Connell’s website, The Sound of Drowning
Scott’s blog / Great Showdowns and Double Fine Action Comics
Becky and Frank’s website, Tiny Kitten Teeth

Listen to Dickon Harris’ 2010 interview with Paul O’Connell
Listen to Alex’s interview with original Wicker Man director Robyn Hardy

Recommended events:

Comics at Crawley Wordfest

Alex Fitch hosts a panel with Myriad Editions creators Corinne Pearlman, Hannah Eaton and Nye Wright, discussing the mythological in graphic novels Naming Monsters and Things to do in a Retirement Home Trailer Park.

7.30pm, Tuesday 26th March, Crawley Library , Southgate Ave, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 6HG

More info at http://wordfestcrawley.org / http://www.myriadeditions.com/events Continue reading →

Panel Borders: Collage and reappropriation [ 30:54 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Panel Borders: James Moran Vs Comics

Continuing a month of shows about webcomics, Alex Fitch talks to screenwriter James Moran (Cockneys vs Zombies, Torchwood) about his new webcomic Day + Night, an urban vampire tale that casts the creatures of the night as ‘sharks on legs’ rather than the sparkly urbane figures found elsewhere. Also, in a panel recorded at Thought Bubble 2012, Vs Comics editor Mike Garley talks about the strip he’s writing – Eponymous – and introduces creators Nich Angell (Tabby and Trout), Ned Hartley (Ghost Club), Adam Christopher (The Sentinel) and Sally Jane Thompson (Happy Birthday) who present the strips they’re contributing to the online anthology comic, with the help of designer Mike Stock. (Originally broadcast Sunday 17th March 2013 on Resonance 104.4 FM)

Adverts for six Vs Comics: Night + Day, Eponymous, Happy Birthday, The Sentinal, Tabby and Trout, Ghost Club by various creators

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 Continue reading →

Panel Borders: James Moran Vs Comics [ 38:44 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Panel Borders: Young British Webcomic creators

In the first of a series of shows looking at comics serialised on the internet, Alex Fitch talks to a quintet of young British webcomic creators about their work. In a Q and A recorded at Comica Comiket (2011), John Allison discusses his webcomic Bad Machinery, his reasons for choosing the internet as a form of delivery and the lessons he’s learned as a comic book creator over the last decade.

Also, as we draw to the end of the first Webcomic Artist Swap Project week (February 25th – March 3rd, 2013), Nich Angell (Cat and Meringue), Zarina Liew (Le Mime), Naniiebim (Mephistos) and project originator Richy K. Chandler (Lucy the Octopus), talk about their musical chairs experiment which saw thirteen creators write and draw each others’ strips in order to bring new readers to stories they may not have previously encountered, and raise awareness of the British webcomic scene in general. (Originally broadcast 3rd March 2013 on Resonance 104.4 FM)

Webcomics by Richy K. Chandler, Zarina Liew, Nich Angell, Namiiebim and John Allison

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 Continue reading →

Panel Borders: Young British Webcomic creators [ 35:27 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Panel Borders: Inhumanity and darkness in literature

Continuing our month of shows about comics and literature, Alex Fitch talks to a trio of graphic novelists about adapting classic 19th century novels as sequential art. In a panel discussion recorded at Comica Comiket in 2011, David Hine and Mark Stafford discuss their adaptation of Victor Hugo’s The Man who Laughs, a tale that has already cast a long shadow over comics, as the lead character Gwynplaine was supposedly an influence on the creation of The Joker. Also, fine artist Catherine Anyango discusses her visual approach to her 2010 adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, best known as the inspiration for Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, which sees her intricate pencilling style married with both text from the original novel and also Conrad’s The Congo Diary. (Originally broadcast 17/02/13 on Resonance 104.4 FM)

Cover of The Man who Laughs / sketch of Gwynplaine by Mark Stafford / interior art and cover of Heart of Darkness by Catherine Anyango

Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness adapted by David Zane Mairowitz and Catherine Anyango is available now from SelfMadeHero / Victor Hugo’s The Man who Laughs adapted by David Hine and Mark Stafford is released in April 2013.

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: SelfMadeHero’s website, including pages on Heart of Darkness and The Man who Laughs

Websites: David Hine / Mark Stafford / Catherine Anyango

Recommended events:

The Hulk by David Lloyd

Resonance FM is currently running its annual fundraiser to help pay for the station’s continuing programme of refurbishments. As well as variety of film and music related items in the auction, comic books and graphic novels include a hardcover omnibus of Marvel Superheroes Secret Wars which includes a unique sketch of The Hulk by David Lloyd, a 1st edition UK TPB of Watchmen including a sketch by John Higgins and framed signed comics by Gail Simone, Dave Gibbons, Jonathan Ross, Frazer Irving and many more. Please visit resonancefm.com for more info.

Continue reading →

Panel Borders: Inhumanity and darkness in literature [ 35:24 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download