Panel Borders: Taboo and other anthologies

In the last of our month of shows on comic book anthologies, Alex Fitch talks to Kevin Eastman and Steve Bissette, co-publisher and editor respectively, of the ground-breaking horror periodical Taboo, which included the first instalments of Alan Moore’s From Hell and Lost Girls as well as work by Neil Gaiman, Moebius, S. Clay Wilson, Eddie Campbell and more. Kevin also discusses letting other creators draw the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in his Shell Shock collection and elsewhere, and Steve talks about the travails of the Image Comics 1963 project, and the return of his characters in the forthcoming sequel anthology Tales of the Uncanny – N-Man and Friends.

Covers of Shell Shock, Taboo issues 4 and 1, 1963 issue 3 and proposed Tales of the Uncanny cover

Links: Steve Bissette’s website and shop where you can buy Taboo
Kevin Eastman’s website Continue reading →

Panel Borders: Taboo and other anthologies [ 1:10:47 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Panel Borders: Aces Weekly

Continuing our month of shows about anthologies, Alex Fitch talks to the creator and co-editor – David Lloyd – of a new weekly digital comics anthology, Aces Weekly. Alex also talks to three of the other contributors – David Leach, John McCrea and Kev Hopgood – about their new strips which will feature in the title and how the creators hope this will open up a new market for British comics in a brand new format.

Clockwise from top left, art from Aces Weekly by: David Lloyd, David Leach, Kev Hopgood and John McCrea

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

Links: Aces Weekly official website and facebook page Continue reading →

Panel Borders: Aces Weekly [ 38:02 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Panel Borders: The Phoenix

In the first of a new series of Panel Borders, we start a month of shows looking at comic book anthologies with a recording of a panel discussion of the children’s comic The Phoenix. Creators Daniel Hartwell (writer: ‘Pirates of the Pangaea’), Neill Cameron (artist: ‘Pirates of the Pangaea’), Adam Murphy (‘Corpse Talk’), Robin Etherington (writer: ‘Long Gone Don’) and Patrice Aggs (‘Blimpville’) discuss creating serialised comics for children and how the title rose from the ashes of The DFC – hosted by David O’Connell (‘Tozo: The Public Servant’) and recorded live at Caption Festival, Oxford.

Cover of The Phoenix, art from Corpse Talk, Blimpville, The Pirates of Pangaea, Long Gone Don

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

Panel Borders: The Phoenix [ 1:22:37 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Laydeez do podcasts: Promoting comics

In two talks recorded at Laydeez do comics, the first in a new season of Laydeez do podcasts, Charles Hatfield talks about comics academia and Jay Eales and Selina Lock discuss publishing The Girly Comic. Hatfield is the author of ‘Alternative Comics: An Emerging Literature’ and ‘Hand of Fire: The Comics Art of Jack Kirby’ and discusses introducing comics to English literature students. Jay and Selina also talk about helming the Caption small press festival in Oxford for a number of years and producing their own small press comics.
(Recorded by Nicola Streeten, edited by Alex Fitch)

Charles Hatfield, photo by Reanna Delgadillo, Jay Eales and Selina Lock, photo by Andy Luke

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: Profile of Charles Hatfield at California State University
Interview with Charles Hatfield at Daily Sundial
Info about Jay and Selina’s work at Factor Fiction Press
Info about Jay and Selina’s workshops at Writing School Leicester from 20 September 2012
Continue reading →

Laydeez do podcasts: Promoting comics [ 1:02:00 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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