Panel Borders: Ian Rakoff and comics at the Victoria and Albert Museum

Continuing our month long look at ‘Masculinity in American comics’, Alex Fitch talks to Ian Rakoff, a volunteer lecturer in sequential art at the Victoria and Albert Museum, who is primarily responsible for the museum’s acquisition of nearly 20,000 comics in their library. In advance of Ian’s lecture on February 3rd* – ‘The Creation of the American identity through 20th Century comic strips’ – Alex and Ian talk about the latter’s lifetime interest in comics from being inspired by Captain Marvel as a child to buying rare 1930s comics as an adult off a stall in Cambridge Circus in the 1960s and issues such as the depiction of race and cultural stereotypes in comics and comic strips in the last century.

More info at www.vam.ac.uk/activ_events
*FREE, 1.15pm, February 3rd 2010, The Sackler Centre, Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL

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

Panel Borders: The art of Howard Chaykin
Originally broadcast 14/01/10 as an episode of Strip! on Resonance 104.4 FM

Continuing our month looking at depictions of masculinity in American comics, Alex Fitch talks to veteran artist Howard Chaykin about his career from collaborating with masters of Science Fiction literature in the 1970s – such as Michael Moorcock and Fritz Leiber – to producing creator owned titles in the 80s and 90s such as American Flagg! and American Century and his most recent work drawing iconic Marvel characters such as Wolverine and Blade plus writing the origin of John McClane in Die Hard Year One.

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: Interview with Howard Chaykin in The Independent about American Flagg!
Pages on Howard at Wikipedia and lambiek.net
Online gallery of Howard’s work at art4comics.com
Read the first ten pages of Die Hard Year One at comicbookresources.com

Recommended events

Comixmas exhibition

ComiXmas: When Worlds Collide is an exhibition of fantastic images from contemporary comic books and graphic novels, featuring work by the best contemporary comic book artists, along with images from past great masters of the genre. On display in the exhibition are prints reproduced at a strikingly larger scale by artists such as Osamu Tezuka, one of the fathers of Japanese manga and anime; Hergé, the Belgian creator of Tintin; Woodrow Phoenix, creator of the award winning Rumble Strip; Andrzej Klimowski, illustrator of The Master & Margarita; Reinhard Kleist, illustrator of Johnny Cash: I See A Darkness; From Hell creators Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell, and many other artists. This free exhibition runs from 11 December 2009 to 6 February 2010 at the LondonPrintStudio Gallery, 425 Harrow Road, London.

Additionally, Paul Gravett will be hosting a free panel discussion How A Comic Is Made at the LondonPrintStudio on Thursday 21 January 2010, where you can discover the secrets behind writing and drawing comics, graphic novels and manga, revealed by creators featured in the ComiXmas Exhibition: Andrzej Klimowski and Danusia Schejbal (Master and Margarita), Nana Li (Twelfth Night), Pat Mills (Nemesis, Slaine, Requiem) and Woodrow Phoenix (Rumble Strip). Followed by book signings and reception.

More info at www.londonprintstudio.org.uk

Tales of Diversity launch

The Eastside Educational Trust in Hackney has produced a sequential art anthology called ‘Tales of Diversity’ as part of their project ‘Graphic Truths’ as a way of engaging young people with comic book creation, to tell stories that are personal to them.
The anthology is being launched with an accompanying exhibtion at The Rag Factory, 16-18 Heneage Street, London E1 5LJ on January 16th, with tutors and creators from Eastside Trust in attendance.

January 16th, 2010, The Rag Factory, 16-18 Heneage Street, London E1 5LJ
Continue reading →

Panel Borders: Philosophers, Gods and Monsters

In the first of this month’s shows about the portrayal of masculinity in American comics, Alex Fitch talks to writer Fred Van Lente about penning the adventures of undead superheroes in Marvel Zombies, bringing to light the exciting adventures of Action Philosophers from Aristotle to Derrida and co-writing tales of the Incredible Hercules which depict the travails of the Classical demi-god on modern day Earth and beyond. The interview was recorded at Gosh! comics in Great Russell Street, London following a signing by the writer…

Originally broadcast 07/01/10 as an episode of Strip! on Resonance 104.4 FM

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: Fred’s website
Download The Silencers and Action Philosphers for your iPhone
Read an interview with Fred about the complete Action Philosophers collection

Recommended events

Special Exam screening with crew Q&A

The new British Sci-Fi thriller Exam is released in cinemas tomorrow and there’s a special screening on Sunday 10th of Jan at the Odeon Cinema, Panton Street, London with a Q & A by director Stuart Hazeldene, editor Mark Talbot Butler and composer Matthew Cracknel, hosted by producer Chris Jones (author of The Guerrilla Filmmakers Handbook).
For more info and to buy tickets, please vist Chris’ blog / read a review of the film at Sci-Fi London

Sunday January 10th, 2.15pm, Odeon Cinema, Panton Street, London

Suspiria at Shortwave

Sasquatch Cinema is a monthly film night held at the new Shortwave cinema in 10 Bermondsey Square, London, SE1 3UN (Tel: 0207 357 6845); nearest tube Borough (Northern line) / Tower Hill (DLR)…

We will be showing an eclectic range of films including cult classics and rarities you may not have seen before. Our next film is Suspiria (1977, 18 cert.) 94m, Director: Dario Argento

A brand new high definition transfer of Dario Argento’s horror classic Suspiria. Suspiria is Argento’s undisputed masterpiece of Grand Guignol horror, hitting new peaks of terror through its stunning photography (courtesy of Luciano Tovoli), eye-popping production design and terrifying atmosphere of dread and death.

Friday 15th January 11pm, Shortwave cinema, 10 Bermondsey Square, London, SE1 3UN

The cinema has a bar, and you can even bring your drinks in and watch the film!
The entry fee is £6.00. (£5 cons) Tickets can be bought in advance by phoning 0207 357 6845. Tickets will also be sold on the night on a first come – first served basis. Email: gabzucc [at] yahoo.com for more info.
Continue reading →

Panel Borders: Tales of Diversity

Broadcast 17/12/09 as part of an episode of Strip! on Resonance 104.4 FM

In the last of this month’s shows looking at the use of comics in education, Sarah Lightman visits the Eastside Educational Trust in Hackney and talks to two of the tutors / mentors from the organisation – Rakhee Jasani and Truly Johnston – who have set up a project called ‘Graphic Truths’ as a way of engaging young people with comic book creation to tell stories that are personal to them. Sarah also talks to four of the young creators – Chantelle, Shantel, Leke and Nickita – who have worked on the project and are seeing their comics printed in an anthology called ‘Tales of Diversity’ being launched next month.

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: Eastside Educational Trust – info about the Graphic Truths project on their website
Download Tales of Diversity as a PDF
Graphic Truths blog
Rag Factory website where the magazine is being launched on 16/01/10

Sarah Lightman – website
Info about Sarah’s monthly comics discussion group – Laydeez do Comics
Continue reading →

Panel Borders: Depicting the darkness in Johnny Cash

Broadcast 10/12/09 as an episode of Strip! on Resonance 104.4 FM

Continuing ‘Education and comics’ month on the show, Alex Fitch talks to graphic novelist Reinhard Kleist about his book Johnny Cash: I see a darkness, an epic 224 page graphic novel that tells the life and times of the hell-raising American Country singer from early success to his iconic show at Folsom Prison and beyond. Alex and Reinhard chat about the artist’s varying style from project to project, his love of Americana and the travails of doing such a project in the nascent German comics scene. Continuing ‘Education and comics’ month on the show, Alex Fitch talks to graphic novelist Reinhard Kleist about his book Johnny Cash: I see a darkness, an epic 224 page graphic novel that tells the life and times of the hell-raising American Country singer from early success to his iconic show at Folsom Prison and beyond. Alex and Reinhard chat about the artist’s varying style from project to project, his love of Americana and the travails of doing such a project in the nascent German comics scene.

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: Watch a 14 min edit of Alex’s interview with Reinhard, accompanied by the latter sketching Cash at the ICA
More info about Johnny Cash: I see a darkness at www.selfmadehero.com
Interview with Reinhard Kleist at www.paulgravett.com
Info on the iPhone edition of the Graphic Novel at the Forbidden Planet blog

Donate to The Stroke Association and get free DVDs / CDs in exchange…


BBC audio director Neil Gardner (The Brightonomicon / Doctor Who: Hornet’s Nest) is offering choice items from his CD, DVD and book collection in exchange for donations to The Stroke Association and will match donations by 200%!


Get your stocking fillers from Neil and donate to a good cause….

More info here…

Panel Borders: Visiting the Cartoon Classroom

Partially broadcast 17/12/09 as an episode of Strip! on Resonance 104.4 FM

Continuing our month of shows on comics and education, Alex Fitch talks to V for Vendetta illustrator David Lloyd and cartoonist Steve Marchant about the project – Cartoon Classroom – they’ve set up with the help of Paul Gravett; a not-for-profit website that aims to inspire the next generation of cartoonists and make the art form more accessible to children and adults who want to be more proficient at creating comic-strips and drawing cartoons. www.cartoonclassroom.co.uk is also designed as a gateway and information resource for studying cartoon and sequential art in schools, colleges, libraries and museums across the UK and Ireland and so Steve and David talk about the genesis of the project, its roots in the London Cartoon Centre and their own experiences both as comic book tutors and when they first broke into the industry.

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: Cartoon Classroom website
More info about Cartoon Classroom on Down the tubes
Buy Steve’s comic Stupidface at urban75.org
Steve’s online portfolio at www.cartoonstock.com
David’s website www.lforlloyd.com
Buy a painted V for Vendetta sketch by David off ebay and help support Cartoon Classroom
Info about the Cartoon Museum in London
Fanzine article about Andy Roberts’ experiences at the London Cartoon Centre
Listen to Alex’s interview with David about his comics career so far

Donate to The Stroke Association and get free DVDs / CDs in exchange…


BBC audio director Neil Gardner (The Brightonomicon / Doctor Who: Hornet’s Nest) is offering choice items from his CD, DVD and book collection in exchange for donations to The Stroke Association and will match donations by 200%!


Get your stocking fillers from Neil and donate to a good cause….

More info here…

Panel Borders: Apostolos Doxiadis’ Logicomix

Originally broadcast 03/12/09 as an episode of Strip! on Resonance 104.4 FM

Alex Fitch talks to to author Apostolos Doxiadis about the graphic novel Logicomix – An epic search for truth which he co-wrote with computer scientist Christos Papadimitriou from the University of California in Berkeley. The graphic novel centres around the life of Bertrand Russell and explores the history of mathematics in the 20th century, intertwined with the story of the authors grappling with the project’s creation. Alex and Apostolos are looking at the interesting structure of the graphic novel and how this relates to its subject matter as well as the nature of modern biographical comic books.

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: Offical Logicomix website
Apostolos’ website
youtube video about the making of Logicomix
Reviews of the book in The Guardian and the New York Times

Recommended events:

Donate to The Stroke Association and get free DVDs / CDs in exchange…

BBC audio director Neil Gardner (The Brightonomicon / Doctor Who: Hornet’s Nest) is offering choice items from his CD, DVD and book collection in exchange for donations to The Stroke Association and will match any amount donated with the same again x 2! Get your stocking fillers from Neil and donate to a good cause….

More info here…

Panel Borders: The art of Rian Hughes

Broadcast 26/11/09 as an episode of Strip! on Resonance 104.4 FM

Concluding our month of shows about ‘British Mavericks’, artists whose work is surprisingly avant-garde for the mainstream, Alex Fitch talks to comic book artist and graphic designer Rian Hughes about his work, from his early days in the small press and discovering European comics through Escape magazine to working on 2000AD and its spin off title, Revolver. Alex and Rian also talk about the latter’s reasons for becoming a full time graphic designer in the mid 90s and leaving comics for over a decade, before becoming interested in the medium once again over the last couple of years.

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

Also check out Alex’s interviews with Woodrow Phoenix and Paul Gravett about working on Escape magazine and their interest in ‘The Atom Style’

Links: Rian’s website – www.devicefonts.co.uk
Reviews of Rian’s 2000AD work and Yesterday’s Tomorrows collection
Pages on Rian Hughes at wikipedia and identifont.com
Video interview with Rian at the Veer design website

Related events:

Laydeez do Comics : ART & COMICS
Monday 30 November 6.30-8.30pm

Guest Speaker: Mel Brimfield, artist and curator of The Comic Book Project talking about her work and leading a discussion on ‘ Need More Love’ by Aline Kominsky Crumb

The Sewing Room @ The Rag Factory
16-18 Heneage Street, London E1 5LJ
www.ragfactory.org.uk