Panel Borders: Yetis, ghosts and other things that go bump in the night!

Continuing children’s book month on the show, Alex Fitch talks to two creators of atypical titles for kids, which are being published by Walker Books. John Dunning is the writer of Salem Brownstone: All along the watchtowers, a Graphic Album in the European format which combines his script in the style of American horror writers H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe with Nikhil Singh’s elegant artwork, reminiscent of Victorian illustrators such as Aubrey Beardsley. Salem Brownstone was originally serialised in the small press anthology Sturgeon White Moss and Alex talks to John about the process of creating this unusual title.
Alex Milway is the author of The Mousehunter trilogy of pirate novels for young adults and in his new series of books – The Mythical 9th Division – which tell the tales of a trio of crimefighting Yetis who work for the British government, he is pioneering a new kind of storytelling in which every chapter of the books segues from sequential art into more traditional text. The two Alexs talk about the first of the Yeti books – Operation Robot Storm – which is being released in June and how comics can be used as another device to get kids into reading.

Panels from Operation Robot Storm (c) Alex Milway and Salem Brownstone (c) Nikhil Singh and John Dunning

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: Alex Milway – profile and info about Operation Robot Storm on Walker Books’ website
The Mousehunter website / blog
Old Hokey’s Whimsical tales blog

John Dunning – Interview with John & Nikhil on www.paulgravett.com
Info on Salem Brownstone and John Dunning on Walker Books’ website
Forbidden Planet International review
Interview with Nikhil about his Visa traumas at caribbeanbookblog.wordpress.com
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Panel Borders: Robots of various sizes

Starting Children’s Books month on the show, Alex Fitch talks to two artists who have inadvertently found themselves making comics for younger audiences. Joe List is a graphic designer and animator who, with his first collection of comic strips inspired by Saturday morning cartoons – Freak Leap – has compiled a whimsical series of adventures starring pirates, monsters and giant robots with spindly legs suitable for all ages. Paul Collicutt is a children’s book illustrator who has previously been engaged in fully pained artwork for traditional picture books but now, as the creator of a series of Robot City Adventures, is telling tales of a Retro Sci-Fi future where robot Private Detectives and coastguards mix with humans and sea monsters alike.

Pages from Freak Leap by Joe List and Robot City Adventures by Paul Collicutt

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: Joe List – website / flickr site
Freak Leap website
Annotated Weekender blog

Paul Collicutt – Info on Robot City Adventures from Templar Publishing
Info on Paul’s books at librarything.com
Paul’s contact details at illustrator.org.uk
Interview at mindlessones.com

Recommended events:

Lost Treasures of the Black Heart

Josie Long’s monthly comedy night at the Black Heart Pub in Camden features an eclectic mix of comedians intructing the audience about esoteric trivia and facts you never knew you needed to know! Alongside this fol-de-rol is the paper magnificence of the We are words + pictures stall selling their four colour treats, comics and merchandise…

8pm, Tuesday 9th March, The Black Heart, 2 Greenland Place, Camden, London NW1 0AP

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