Panel Borders: Graphic Lives

Continuing a month looking at work of female comic book creators, Alex Fitch talks to writers Sarah Laing and Dr. Mary Talbot about their graphic novels which mix biography and autobiography in an extract from a panel discussion recorded at the Australia and New Zealand Festival of Literature and Arts, Kings College. Laing discusses her autobiographical comic Let me be Frank and her novel The Fall of Light which separates the story of an architect recuperating after an accident into silent comics and traditional text; Dr. Talbot talks about her first graphic novel Dotter of her Father’s Eyes which juxtaposes her childhood with that of Lucia Joyce and her latest book Sally Heathcote: Suffragette. Originally broadcast Monday 9th June 2014 on Resonance 104.4 FM (London)

Extracts from Let me be Frank, Dead People’s Music, and The fall of light by Sarah Laing / Dotter of her Father’s Eyes and Sally Heathcote: Suffragette by Mary Talbot

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: Sarh Laing’s blog
Mary Talbot’s website

Recommended events:

ELCAF 2014

East London Comic Art Festival takes place at the Pickle Factory, 13-14 The Oval, London E2 9DT
Saturday 14th June 2014

Guests include Chris Ware, Anouk Ricard, Jesse Moynihan, Anne Simon, Mattias Adolfsson, Takayo Akiyama and Seth, with exhibiros including NoBrow, SelfMadeHero, Myriad Editions, Great Beast, It’s Nice That and many more.

Alex Fitch will be in conversation with Anne Simon about her collaborations with psychoanalyst Corinne Maier on two graphic biographies on Marx and Freud, plus other comics illustrations and children’s books at 2.30pm

Also Takayo Fukiyama’s Strange Worlds exhibition will be accompanying ELCAF at The Bishopsgate Building, London EC2M 3UG, from 27th May – 27th June

More info at http://www.elcaf.co.uk
Continue reading →

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Panel Borders: European Female Voices

Starting a month of shows looking at the work of female comic creators, Alex Fitch talks to German scratch board artist Line Hoven, and Belgian cartoonist Judith Vanistendael about their family drama graphic novels Love looks away published by Blank Slate Books and When David lost his voice, published by Self Made Hero. Hoven discusses her meticulous technique used to render the biography of three generations of her family, including a member of the Hitler Youth, while Vanistendael explores how her various graphic novels have each used a different artistic style, depending on the subject matter she is bringing to the page, in this case about a grandfather who reconnects with his family when diagnosed with throat cancer. Recorded at the British Library exhibition ‘Comics Unmasked: Art and Anarchy in the UK’. Originally broadcast 2nd June 2014 on Resonance 104.4 FM

Cover and interior art from Love looks away by Line Hoven / from When David lost his voice by Judith Vanistendael

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: Line Hoven’s website
Judith Vanistendael’s blog
Info about Comics Unmasked at the British Library
Listen to Paul Gravett’s interview with Judith Vanistendael about her previous book Dance by the light of the Moon
Listen to Robin Warren’s interview with Kid Koala about his scratchboard comic Space Cadet

Recommended events:

Comic book events at Stoke Newington Literary Festival

Cartoonist and comedienne Josie Long interviews Mark Kermode

Gala Opening Evening featuring Mark Kermode and an Arts Emergency showcase, hosted by one of our favourite comedians, Josie Long. Arts Emergency take to the stage at 7pm with performances by Joe Dunthorne (Submarine, Wild Abandon), Nikesh Shukla (Meatspace, Coconut Unlimited), Schmoovy and more. After an interval, at around 8:15pm, Mark will talk about his brilliant new book Hatchet Job: Hate Critics, Love Movies.

£10. Time – 19.00, Friday 4th June. Venue – Stoke Newington Town Hall
More info: www.stokenewingtonliteraryfestival.com/snlf_events/mark-kermode

Living and Loving in London: Oscar Zarate and Ilya

Broadcast journalist Alex Fitch talks to cartoonists Oscar Zarate and Ilya about their London set graphic novels The Park and Room for Love.

£6. Time – 14.30, Saturday. Venue – Stoke Newington Library Gallery
www.stokenewingtonliteraryfestival.com/snlf_events/living-and-loving-in-london-oscar-zarate-and-ilya Continue reading →

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Panel Borders: Banned Books

Concluding a month of shows about comics and controversy, Alex Fitch talks to Tony Bennett (Knockabout Books) and Rick Veitch about comic book censorship in a special exclusive podcast edition of Panel Borders. Tony discusses the various brushes with censorship law that he’s endured as a publisher of independent comics and Rick explores the titles he’s worked on that have attracted controversy from Miracleman to Swamp Thing. Recorded at Whitechapel Library Ideas Store as part of their Banned Books festival.

Knockabout Comics #4, Fresca Zizi by Melinda Gebbie, Miracleman #9, Swamp Thing sketch by Rick Veitch

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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Panel Borders: Surviving The Crow

Continuing a month of shows about comics and controversy, in the programme’s 365th episode, Alex Fitch talks to James O’Barr, creator of the seminal American independent comic The Crow. Fitch and O’Barr discuss the latter’s battles with drug addiction, nearly drawing Batman for DC Comics and the long gestation of his most famous creation. Recorded in front of an audience at Bristol Comics Expo, Spring 2014. (Originally broadcast 26th May 2014 on Resonance 104.4 FM, London)

James O’Barr in conversation with Alex Fitch (inset, art from The Crow: Curare) / covers of Dead World 10 and The Crow no.1 by O’Barr

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: The Crow fan website
James O’Barr’s typepad site
Buy the latest Crow graphic novel and digital comics from IDW

Recommended events:

Comics at the AusNZ literary festival

Various Australasian comic book creators are in London and are featured in documentary screenings for the Australia and New Zealand festival of literature and the arts taking place from 30th May – 1st June. These include:

Screening: THE SHARP EDGE – The Art of Martin Sharp (Oz magazine illustrator)

Eccentric. Outsider. Artist. Genius. Martin Sharp shaped pop art and culture in Australia and around the world for half a century.

Friday May 30th, 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Talk: GRAPHIC LIVES – Sarah Laing, Dr Mary Talbot and Evie Wyld

What does working with graphic novels to remember great lives add to the biography genre?

Friday May 30th, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm Continue reading →

Panel Borders: Surviving The Crow [ 56:27 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Panel Borders: Exploring The Murder Mile

Continuing a month of shows about comics and controversy, Alex Fitch talks to graphic novelist Paul Collicutt about his book The Murder Mile, published by SelfMadeHero, which sets the occurrence of a murder against the spectacle of Roger Banister running the four minute mile, an event that has reached its 60th anniversary this month. Alex and Paul discuss how the book combines the latter’s interests in running and film noir and how the author used a real life event to tell a tale of organised crime and sports betting. Recorded at Cartoon County, Brighton. (Originally broadcast 19th May 2014 on Resonance 104.4 FM, London)

Excerpt from The Murder Mile by Paul Collicutt

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 Collicutt’s blog
Article on selfmadehero.com about the 60th anniversary of Bannister’s record
Cartoon County website
Listen to Alex’s previous interviews with Paul Collicutt about Brighton: The Graphic Novel and Robot City Adventures

Recommended events:

Comics at the AusNZ literary festival

Various Australasian comic book creators are in London and are featured in documentary screenings for the Australia and New Zealand festival of literature and the arts taking place at King’s College from 30th May – 1st June. These include:

Screening: THE SHARP EDGE – The Art of Martin Sharp (Oz magazine illustrator)

Eccentric. Outsider. Artist. Genius. Martin Sharp shaped pop art and culture in Australia and around the world for half a century.

Friday May 30th, 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm

Talk: GRAPHIC LIVES – Sarah Laing, Dr Mary Talbot and Evie Wyld

What does working with graphic novels to remember great lives add to the biography genre? Chaired by Alex Fitch (Resonance FM)

Friday May 30th, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm Continue reading →

Panel Borders: Exploring The Murder Mile [ 55:19 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Panel Borders: A Cartoon History of Private Eye

Continuing a month of shows about comics and controversy, guest presenter Tom Sutcliffe talks to Nick Newman (author of Private Eye: A Cartoon History) and magazine editor Ian Hislop about memorable and controversial cartoons and strips in the fortnightly periodical. The trio discuss the history of cartoon art in Private Eye from the days of scurrilous Gerald Scarfe covers to the present day, which images have proved unacceptable and potentially libellous and how Hislop’s commissioning process for the magazine works. Recorded at the Victoria and Albert Museum, November 2013 and edited by Alex Fitch. (Originally broadcast 12th May 2014 on Resonance 104.4 FM, London)

A classic Gerald Scarfe cover from 1965 / Private Eye: A Cartoon History book cover / recent cartoon by Alexander Williams / inside spread from A Cartoon History

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: Private Eye website
Nick Newman’s profile on procartoonists.org
Tom Sutcliffe’s profile on bbc.co.uk
Info about the event and Ian Rakoff’s comic book blog on the Victoria and Albert Museum’s website
Listen to Alex Fitch’s 2010 interview with Gerald Scarfe about his work / with the curators of the Rakoff collection of comics at the National Art Library in the Victoria and Albert Museum

Recommended events:

Graphic Brighton one day festival

A one day event, being held at the University of Brighton Faculty of Arts, May 24th 2014, curated by Paul Slater, Barbara Chamberlin and Alex Fitch. Guests include Chris Riddell, David Lloyd, John Higgins, Nicola Streeten, Hannah Berry, Corinne Pearlman, Daniel Locke, Joe Decie, Neil Evans (a.k.a. Nelson Evergreen), Lawrence Elwick, Ian Williams, Paul O’Connell, Nye Wright, Hannah Eaton, Paul Collicutt and Tim Pilcher.

The day will comprise talks, panel discussions, workshops and much more, and is only a five minute walk from the sea front for a lunchtime barbeque!

Tickets are £8 / £5 concessions and must be bought in advance from http://arts.brighton.ac.uk

9.30 – 5.30, Saturday 24th May 2014,
University of Brighton Faculty of Arts, 56-58 Grand Parade, Brighton BN2 0JY
Continue reading →

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Panel Borders: Comics Unmasked

Starting a month of shows about comics and controversy, Alex Fitch talks to three of the creators of a new exhibition at the British Library – Comics Unmasked: Art and Anarchy in the UK – which looks at the cultural and social connections between the last hundred years and more of British comic books and strips. Alex discusses the various titles on display in the library show with curators Paul Gravett and John Dunning, which range from an erotic comic drawn by Bob Monkhouse to original annotated scripts by Alan Moore and Mark Millar. Also, in an extract from a Q and A recorded at Gosh! Comics, exhibition designer Dave McKean talks about the look of Comics Unmasked, as well as other comics he created designed specifically for gallery display, which are collected in the forthcoming book Pictures that tick 2: Short Narrative Exhibition. Plus, a recording of the guided tour of Comics Unmasked by Gravett and Dunning, with additional contributions by Adrian Edwards and Tim Pilcher. (Originally broadcast 5th May 2014 on Resonance 104.4 FM, London)

Comics Unmasked at the British Library / Oh Boy! by Bob Monkhouse / comics by Dave McKean

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: Info about Comics Unmasked on the British Library website
Dave McKean’s website
Info about Pictures that tick 2: Short Narrative Exhibition on Dark House Comics’ website
Previous interviews with Paul Gravett, Dave McKean and John Dunning

Recommended events:

Graphic Brighton festival

A one day event, being held at the University of Brighton Faculty of Arts, May 24th 2014, curated by Paul Slater, Barbara Chamberlin and Alex Fitch. Guests include Chris Riddell, David Lloyd, John Higgins, Nicola Streeten, Hannah Berry, Corinne Pearlman, Daniel Locke, Joe Decie, Neil Evans (a.k.a. Nelson Evergreen), Lawrence Elwick, Ian Williams, Paul O’Connell, Nye Wright, Hannah Eaton, Paul Collicutt and Tim Pilcher.

The day will comprise talks, panel discussions, workshops and much more, and is only a five minute walk from the sea front for a lunchtime barbeque!

Tickets are £8 / £5 concessions and must be bought in advance from http://arts.brighton.ac.uk/graphic-brighton

9.30 – 5.30, Saturday 24th May 2014,
University of Brighton Faculty of Arts, 56-58 Grand Parade, Brighton BN2 0JY
Continue reading →

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Panel Borders: Tales and hoaxes by Ravi Thornton

Concluding a month of shows about the connections between comics and music, graphic novelist and musician Ravi Thornton discusses her books The Tale of Brin & Bent and Minno Marylebone and Hoax: Psychosis Blues with Alex Fitch in a Q and A recorded at The Lakes International Comic Art Festival. Ravi talks about the musical accompaniment for Minno Marylebone, its connection with ballet and new technology, the numerous artists involved with Hoax and how the graphic novel will be accompanied by a performance at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester in June. The episode also features Hannah Berry talking about her contribution to Psychosis Blues and a pair of songs from Hoax: My Lonely Heart performed by Minute Taker and introduced by singer Ben McGarvey. (Originally broadcast 28th April 2014 on Resonance 104.4 FM, London)

Cover, photography and interior from Brin and Bent by Ravi Thornton / art from Hoax: Psychosis Blues by Hannah Berry

Links: More info at www.ravithornton.com
Hannah Berry’s website
Minute Taker / Ben McGarvey’s website
Listen to the subsequent panel on horror comics featuring Thronton, Berry, David Hine and I.N.J. Culbard, and Oscar Zarate in conversation with Alex Fitch, also recorded at The Lakes International Comic Art Festival

Recommended events:

Comics at SCI-FI-LONDON

Mike Carey is a much loved contributor to Vertigo Comics’ John Constantine: Hellblazer title, he also enjoyed a seven year tenure as the writer of the Lucifer comic. He will be discussing his career so far, plus his latest acclaimed horror novel The Girl with all the gifts and graphic novel X-Men: No more humans.

Saturday 3rd May, 2.30pm, The Club Room, 2nd Floor, Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London, WC1R 4RL

Nearest tube to Conway Hall is Holborn on the Central and Piccadilly Lines. Continue reading →

Panel Borders: Tales and hoaxes by Ravi Thornton [ 29:29 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Panel Borders: The Worldwide Comix of Jeffrey Lewis

Continuing a month of shows looking at the connections between comic books and music culture, guest presenter Conor O’Grady talks to American underground cartoonist and musician Jeffrey Lewis about his comics such as Fuff and The Worldwide Comix Scavenger Hunt. O’Grady and Lewis also discuss the latter’s tools for making strips, the connections between the artist’s short films and static images and his thoughts on delivering comics via new technology. Edited and introduced by Alex Fitch. (Originally broadcast 21st April 2014 on Resonance 104.4 FM, London)

Comics and album covers by Jeffrey Lewis

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: Jeffrey Lewis’ website and music downloads from bandcamp
Buy digital versions of Jeffrey’s comics at lushcomics.com

Recommended events:

Comics at SCI-FI-LONDON

Dave McKean doesn’t really need an introduction here – from his Sandman covers to Arkham Asylum to his books with Neil Gaiman, through to his own books and illustration and graphic work, he has shaped and changed the look of comics for decades. Apart from his well-known photo collage work, he is also extremely adapt at the good ol’ ink and brushwork.

Alex Fitch will be interviewing Dave McKean at Gosh! on Saturday, the 26th of April, from 7.30pm onwards.

Emma Vieceli, you may know from SelfMadeHero’s Manga Shakespeare adaptations, Young Avengers, her work on ambitious webcomics The Thrill Electric for Channel Four with John Reppion and Leah Moore and Breaks with Malin Rydén, plus most recently in print, the graphic novel adaptations of the ever-popular Vampire Academy series.

Emma will be conversation with Alex on Sunday, the 27th of April, from 7.30pm, Gosh! Comics, 1 Berwick Street, London, W1F 0DR

Nearest tube for Gosh! is Piccadilly Circus or Leicester Square

Mike Carey is a much loved contributor to Vertigo Comics’ John Constantine: Hellblazer title, he also enjoyed a seven year tenure as the writer of the Lucifer comic. He will be discussing his career so far, plus his latest acclaimed horror novel The Girl with all the gifts and graphic novel X-Men: No more humans.

Saturday 3rd May, 2.30pm, The Club Room, 2nd Floor, Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London, WC1R 4RL

Nearest tube to Conway Hall is Holborn on the Central and Piccadilly Lines. Continue reading →

Panel Borders: The Worldwide Comix of Jeffrey Lewis [ 34:27 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Panel Borders: (Ghosts of) Young Graphic Novelists

Continuing a month of shows about the depiction of musicians and music culture in comic books, this week’s episode coincides with our yearly look at the work of young graphic novelists. Alex Fitch talks to Owen Johnson, Mark D Penman, James Lawrence and Andrew Tunney about their comics and forming an exhibiting group with three others called Ghosts for an art show at Orbital Comics entitled ‘Cult’. The artists discuss the influences on their comics including the anthology title Waste, how the group was formed and what visitors can expect from the exhibition; includes an extract from the soundtrack to Johnson’s comic Raygun Roads. The exhibition Ghosts: Cult runs at Orbital Comics, London until April 20th (Originally broadcast Monday 7th April, Resonance 104.4 FM)

Excerpts from comics by Owen Johnson, Mark Penman, James Lawrence and Andrew Tunney

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: More info about the Orbital Cult exhibition
Owen Michael Johnson’s blog and website
Mark D Penman’s tumblr site
James Lawrence’s Dangerine commix
Andrew Tunney’s website
Listen to Alex’s previous shows on Young British Graphic Novelists: 2011 / 2012 / 2013

Recommended events:

Comics at SCI-FI-LONDON

Dave McKean doesn’t really need an introduction here – from his Sandman covers to Arkham Asylum to his books with Neil Gaiman, through to his own books and illustration and graphic work, he has shaped and changed the look of comics for decades. Apart from his well-known photo collage work, he is also extremely adapt at the good ol’ ink and brushwork.

Alex Fitch will be interviewing Dave McKean at Gosh! on Saturday, the 26th of April, from 7.30pm onwards.

Emma Vieceli, you may know from SelfMadeHero’s Manga Shakespeare adaptations, Young Avengers, her work on ambitious webcomics The Thrill Electric for Channel Four with John Reppion and Leah Moore and Breaks with Malin Rydén, plus most recently in print, the graphic novel adaptations of the ever-popular Vampire Academy series.

Emma will be conversation with Alex on Sunday, the 27th of April, from 7.30pm, Gosh! Comics, 1 Berwick Street, London, W1F 0DR

Nearest tube for Gosh! is Piccadilly Circus or Leicester Square

Mike Carey is a much loved contributor to Vertigo Comics’ John Constantine: Hellblazer title, he also enjoyed a seven year tenure as the writer of the Lucifer comic. He will be discussing his career so far, plus his latest acclaimed horror novel The Girl with all the gifts and graphic novel X-Men: No more humans.

Saturday 3rd May, 2.30pm, The Club Room, 2nd Floor, Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London, WC1R 4RL

Nearest tube to Conway Hall is Holborn on the Central and Piccadilly Lines.
Continue reading →

Panel Borders: (Ghosts of) Young Graphic Novelists [ 42:43 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download