Panel Borders: Swedish thrillers and dark Sci-Fi fantasy

Starting a month about the links between comics and literature, Alex Fitch looks at an example of a series of books that are being adapted for comics and comics that are being continued as novels. Scots novelist Denise Mina discusses her adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy as a series of graphic novels for DC Comics, starting with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and writer / artist John Higgins explains the transition of his SF / horror comic series Razorjack into a series of books written by himself and other authors.
Originally broadcast Sunday 3rd February 2013 / Tuesday 5th February 2013, Resonance 104.4 FM (London)

Covers of A Sickness in the family, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo parts 1 and 2 by Denise Mina et al., Razorjack issue 1 and Com.X collected edition by John Higgins, Double-Crossing novel by Michael Carroll

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: Denise Mina’s website
John Higgins’ website
Listen to Alex’s previous interviews with John and Denise
Listen to a panel discussion with Denise Mina, China Mieville, Mark Stafford and Alice Duke about H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allen Poe comics
More info on Michael Carroll’s Razorjack novel: Double-Crossing

Continue reading →

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Panel Borders: Around the country with Constantine

In the third of our trilogy of shows looking at the 25th anniversary of John Constantine: Hellblazer, Alex Fitch talks to creators of the comic book from opposite ends of the UK. Scots novelist and playwright Denise Mina discusses her year long tenure as writer of the title from 2006-07 and remembers the challenges of penning her first comic book scripts; Brighton based artist Warren Pleece talks about pencilling and inking 9 issues of the comic in 1997 and ’98, plus collaborating with Philip Bond for SF spin-off Bad Blood at the turn of the century.

John Constantine by Paul Jenkins and Warren Pleece / by Denise Mina and Leonardo Manco

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: Denise Mina’s website
Warren Pleece’s website and blog
Listen to Alex’s previous interviews with Warren and Denise
Empire Magazine article on John Constantine

Recommended events:

Zombies at the Science Museum

Zombies: the word alone is enough to get the pulse racing, but what makes them so terrifying? On a dark winter’s night at the Science Museum, we’ll explore the murky but fascinating world of consciousness and uncover the inner workings of the zombie psyche. From mind-altering drugs to the innate impulses we all feel, prepare to walk the line between human and zombie in surprising and theatrical ways. Bring your brain – and guard it carefully. There’ll also be prizes for the best-dressed zombies, so get creating your costumes!

Includes a lecture about zombies on film by Alex Fitch – time TBC – will be covering some of the same ground as the article on zombies after Romero from Electric Sheep: The End

Doors open 18.45, Wednesday 30th January 2013, Free (over 18s only)

Science Museum, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2DD

Panel Borders: Around the country with Constantine [ 56:14 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Panel Borders: Creating Constantine

Continuing our month of shows about the 25th anniversary of John Constantine: Hellblazer, Alex Fitch discusses the first appearances of the character with co-creator Steve Bissette. Alex and Steve discuss the artist’s tenure as penciller on the acclaimed horror comic Swamp Thing, drawing (the as yet unnamed) Constantine in the background of scenes before Alan Moore gave the character a voice, and Steve’s continuing fascination with the monster genre. (Originally broadcast 20/01/13 on Resonance 104.4 FM)

John Constantine by Steve Bissette et al.

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 →

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An episode of the Laydeez do comics podcast, recorded at Comica Festival 2012 – graphic novelist Alison Bechdel reads from her new book Are you my mother? and answers questions from the audience about her debut Fun Home, and long running comic strip Dykes to watch out for.
(Recorded at Foyles Bookshop, introduced by Nicola Streeten and edited by Alex Fitch)

Extract from Are you my mother? by Alison Bechdel

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

Links: Review of Are you my mother? in New York times
Alison Bechdel’s website
Laydeez do comics website
Comica Festival 2012
Continue reading →

Laydeez do podcasts: Alison Bechdel [ 40:23 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Panel Borders: Brown, Nao / Bagnold Summer

In the third of a trilogy of shows about depictions of lives on the comic book page, Alex Fitch talks to the authors of two of 2012’s most acclaimed graphic novels. Glyn Dillon discusses The Nao of Brown, his long awaited return to comics after much loved contributions to strips published by Deadline and Vertigo in the 1990s. Dillon’s graphic novel depicts the life of an OCD sufferer who channels her creativity into toys, relationships and storytelling…
Alex also talks to Joff Winterhart, writer / artist of Days of the Bagnold Summer, an affectionate, warts and all depiction of six weeks in the life of a dissolutioned 15 year old and his long suffering mother as they try to endure the summer holidays together. Joff discusses the history of the book, how it relates to his animation work and music, and his feelings about the book’s nomination as one of the first two graphic novels to be short listed for the Costa Book Awards.

Excerpts from The Nao of Brown by Glyn Dillon and Days of the Bagnold Summer by Joff Winterhart

(Originally broadcast 16th December 2012 on Resonance 104.4 FM)
Visit www.archive.org, for more info and formats you can stream / download.

(Panel Borders will return in January with a month of shows looking at the 25th anniversary of John Constantine: Hellblazer)

Links: Read the original Observer short story competition version of Days of the Bagnold Summer
Jonathan Cape Graphic Novels Tumblr
Bucky band website

Reviews of Days of the Bagnold Summer and The Nao of Brown

Nao of Brown website
Self Made Hero website including info on the FrgosLegs toy featured in the graphic novel
Interview with Glyn in The Comics Journal

Listen to Nicola Streeten’s interview with Mary and Bryan Talbot about their Costa Award nominated graphic novel Dotter of her Father’s Eyes Continue reading →

Panel Borders: Brown, Nao / Bagnold Summer [ 43:41 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Panel Borders: Nelson

Continuing our month of shows looking at depictions of lives on the page, Dan Berry talks to four of his fellow creators who worked on the award winning anthology graphic novel Nelson, published by Blank Slate Books, including the book’s co-editor Rob Davis and artists Duncan Fegredo, Jonathan Edwards, Sarah McIntyre and Suzy Varty. Nelson depicts 54 days in the life of the titular character, a young and then adult female Londoner, who is born in the first chapter set in 1968 and we follow her life to middle age in the present day. Dan discusses the history of the project, the aspects of autobiography that were absorbed into each creator’s pages and the collaborative processes involved in working on a exquisite corpse method of storytelling. (Recorded at Thought Bubble Festival, Leeds 2011 and edited by Alex Fitch)

Panels from Nelson by Dan Berry, Duncan Fegredo, Rob Davis, Sarah McIntyre, Jonathan Edwards and Suzy Varty

(Originally broadcast 9th December 2012 on Resonance 104.4 FM)
Visit www.archive.org, for more info and formats you can stream / download.

Links: Nelson page at Blank Slate Books website
Dan Berry’s website and podcast
Rob Davis’ blog
Sarah McIntyre’s website
Comic Book Database pages on Suzy Varty and Duncan Fegredo
Jonathan Edwards’ website

Listen to Alex Fitch’s interview with Woodrow Phoenix about Nelson and previous interviews with Sarah McIntyre and Dan Berry
Continue reading →

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Panel Borders: Drawn Together – Aline and Robert Crumb

Starting a month of shows about ‘lives on the page’, Panel Borders looks at graphic novels which depict the travails of human existence with books that straddle the divide between autobiography and fiction. This week, we’re proud to present Alex Fitch’s interview with Aline Kominsky-Crumb and Robert Crumb about their collection Drawn Together, published by Knockabout, which collects 40 years of their collaborative autobiographical comics, including guest art by their daughter Sophie and other luminaries of the American indie comics scene including Art Spiegelman and Charles Burns.
Alex talks to Robert and Aline about the history of the project, how it displays the intersection of her feminism and his sex obsession and aspects of truth and fiction in autobiographical comics.

Robert Crumb and Aline Kominsky-Crumb, interior and cover art from Drawn Together

(Originally broadcast 2nd December 2012 on Resonance 104.4 FM)
Visit www.archive.org, for more info and formats you can stream / download. Continue reading →

Panel Borders: Drawn Together - Aline and Robert Crumb [ 39:23 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Panel Borders: The work of Gail Simone

In a Q and A recorded at last Autumn’s MCM Expo, Alex Fitch talks to comic book writer Gail Simone about her career so far, from breaking into the industry via her influential blog ‘Women in Refrigerators’ and early strips for Bongo Comics to her recent runs on Birds of Prey and Secret Six. Gail discusses the changes to Batgirl in the DC New 52 range of comics, her acclaimed superhero retirement story Welcome to Tranquillity and her co-authorship of Firestorm with writer Ethan van Sciver.

Comics by Gail Simone: Treehouse of Horror / Welcome to Tranquility / Wonder Woman / Secret Six / Batgirl

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

Links: Gail Simone’s tumblr site / twitter page
MCM Expo website
Listen to Alex’s interview with Gail’s regular collaborator Nicola Scott and the 2011 Thought Bubble panel on writing comics featuring Gail, Andy Diggle, Robin Furth and Al Ewing Continue reading →

Panel Borders: The work of Gail Simone [ 36:47 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download