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 →

Panel Borders: Comics Unmasked [ 54:30 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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