Doctor Who / The Dandy / Elephantmen in discussion on the radio

Squeezing in a trio of radio appearances on 104.4 FM and elsewhere before Resonance FM runs a three week repeat schedule while the studio is refurbished, Alex Fitch is covering a variety of subjects over the weekend...

Clear Spot: Out of the Whoniverse

In an hour long show looking at the further adventures of companions and minor characters in Doctor Who episodes, Alex Fitch talks to a selection of writers, actors and producers about two audio based spin-offs from a couple of 7th Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) adventures in particular: The Minister of Chance which continues the story of a character from Doctor Who: Death Comes to Time,
and Counter Measures which explores further alien and paranormal encounters dealt with by the supporting cast of Remembrance of the Daleks.
Actors interviewed in the show include Paul Darrow (Blake's 7), Pamela Salem (Miss Moneypenny in Never Say Never Again) and Doctor Who audio regular John Banks, plus producers and directors Dan Freeman, David Richardson and Ken Bentley.

8pm, Friday 17th August, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcasts after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Jon Briggs Breakfast show: Caption and The Dandy

As part of Jon Briggs' Saturday morning breakfast show which runs from 6am - 9am, Alex Fitch and Robin Etherington will be talking about this year's Caption Festival in Oxford and the sad demise of The Dandy comic in its 75th year. Robin wrote the strips Yore and Tag Team Tastic for The Dandy in 2011 and is a regular contributor to The Phoenix comic, which he'll be discussing in person at Caption on Sunday 19th.

7.50am approx., Saturday 18th August, BBC Oxford 95.2 FM (Oxfordshire) /
streamed at www.bbc.co.uk/bbcoxford /
'listen again' after broadcast at www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00wyw49 (until 24/08/12)

Panel Borders: Unleashing the Elephantmen

In the last of the current broadcast series of Panel Borders, which this month has been looking at anthropomorphic or 'funny animal' comics, 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.
(The next podcast episode of Panel Borders will be online 26/08/12 and next broadcast on Resonance on 16/09/12)

8pm, Sunday 19th August, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Dalek creator Terry Nation celebrated in new book

Aurum Press release The Man Who Invented Daleks later this month (25th May), focusing on the life of script writer and author Terry Nation, and includes background on the creation of the Dalek comic strips for TV Century 21 and other titles.

The book is written by Alwyn W. Turner, author of a number of acclaimed books on modern British culture, including Crisis? What Crisis?: Britain in the 1970s, Rejoice! Rejoice!: Britain in the 1980s, Halfway to Paradise and The Biba Experience. 

The Man Who Invented Daleks includes background on how the Daleks were brought to comic strip, revealing that the first Dalek merchandising - capitalising on the huge popularity of the genocidal pepper pots - was The Dalek Book, with Nation even then attempting to create an entire mythology for the creatures beyond the Doctor Who series. Published in 1964, it became one of the fastest-selling children's books of the year.

After the broadcast of the original Dalek story Britain as a nation went "Dalek mad" with one range of 'mini-Daleks' quickly selling 100,000 units.

The Daleks also became featured characters in cartoons by artists such as Giles for the Daily Express and had their own weekly strip in TV Century 21. "I suppose the thing that attracted me to the Daleks was jealousy," the book reports Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson as saying, explaining why these rivals to his own characters were included in the title's mix.

Turner notes that the strip provided ideas and storylines beyond Doctor Who that he hoped to be able to exploit in a standalone Dalek TV show which, despite the popularity of the monsters, never quite managed to materialize.

Despite this, almost half a century after their first appearance, new additions to Dalek mythology continue to top the Saturday-night ratings, while the word itself has entered the Oxford English Dictionary, passing into the language as the name of the most famous race of aliens in fiction.

Terry Nation was one of the most successful and prolific writers for television that Britain ever produced. Survivors, his vision of a post-apocalyptic England, so haunted audiences in the 1970s that the BBC revived it over 30 years on. Blake's 7, now revived as audio dramas and novels, endures as a cult science fiction classic.

But while the Daleks brought him notoriety and riches, Nation played a much wider role in British broadcasting's golden age. As part of the legendary Associated London Scripts, he wrote for Spike Milligan, Frankie Howerd and an increasingly troubled Tony Hancock. And as one of the key figures behind the adventure series of the 1960s - including The Avengers, The Saint and The Persuaders! - he turned the pulp classics of his boyhood into a major British export.

Like Arthur Conan Doyle before him, Nation was frequently bemused by the appeal of his most famous creations, and similarly cavalier toward them. Now, The Man Who Invented the Daleks explores their curious and contested origins, and sheds light on a strange world of ambitious young writers, producers and performers without whom British culture today would look very different.


In addition to charting the history of the Daleks, the book also charts their return in the 1970s - with Nation paid the princely sum £25 per episode for their appearance (low usage fees quickly came to an end once Roger Hancock established himself as Terry's agent - in the 1980s, he was paid £25 a page for any Dalek appearance in Doctor Who Magazine strip); the development of Survivors and Blake's 7; and the Daleks return to the modern Doctor Who, the creatures Nation's enduring legacy long after his passing.

• Buy The Man Who Invented Daleks from amazon.co.uk

• Buy The Man Who Invented Daleks from amazon.com

• Aurum Press Official Site: www.aurumpress.co.uk

Tube Surfing: Ross joins Kapow line up, Cardiff Comic Expo and more

• British TV presenter, comic book writer and lifelong comic fan Jonathan Ross has confirmed he will be a guest at Kapow! Comic Con and host the Comic Pros vs. Fans Game Show live on stage. The event takes place 9th & 10th April 2011. More info: www.kapowcomiccon.com

• If you live in the UK fancy nabbing a copy of the Burke & Hare by Martin Conaghan and Will Pickering as a stocking filler this Christmas, you can get it now with free postage. The total price, delivered, is now £10. You can purchase the book at Amazon UK, or on the Burke & Hare Graphic Novel website: www.burkeandharecomic.co.uk

• The line up for the first  Cardiff Comic Expo on Saturday 26th February 2011 includes comic creators Charlie Adlard, Mike Collins, Paul Cornell, Neil Edwards, John Ross and Simon Williams. The  event will see the launch of 10thology, a collection of 10 stories by the cream of the crop of Welsh creators and creators living and working in Wales from the Small Press and Indie scene, including industry legends such as Mike Collins.
There's also a Manga Expo Spotlight hosted by Cardiff’s Otakuzoku Store and a Small Press Showcase hosted by Fallen Angel Media.
 All advance ticket holders will receive a money off voucher for 10 thology and the chance to win original art! Tickets are only £5 and are on sale now via Paypal. Visit http://www.fantasyevents.org/cicel to pre-book. For more info, there's also a facebook page here.

• Talking of Facebook, indie comic distributors and all round good eggs Smallzone now have space there. Check it out at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Smallzone

• Andy Diggle draws our attention to the Sitcom Mission 2011's 15-minute sitcom scriptwriting competition. The event launched last year and the search for the 2011 showcase is now on, and they're looking for a 15-minute episode. See the Blog, FAQs, Guidelines, Rules for further information, then Enter.

•  B7 Media, producers of all things Blake's 7-related, have just launched their new company website where you’ll find details about thir past, present and future productions, along with the ability to purchase and download our latest audio releases: www.b7media.com

• The Comic Creators Alliance have announced the launch of their second annual fund-raising drive to raise funds to fight against Human Trafficking. Last year's drive raised a staggering $10,000 and had over 80 artists working together on a special image just for the event. This year they hope to top not only proceeds, but the number of artists working on the project. In the spirit of upping the odds, this year's drive will include a print version of the piece available for purchase as well as the digital download. Artists have until the end of the year to contact the creator of this project, Lora Innes, at comiccreatorsallianceATgmail.com to contribute artwork.
The donation drive starts on National Human Trafficking Awareness Day which is 11 January 11, 2011 and ends 24th January 2011. The official website for the drive is http://comicalliance.weebly.com/. To learn more about what you can do to end human trafficking visit http://comicalliance.weebly.com/links.html. 

New Blake’s 7 Designer Speaks

(with thanks to Jeremy Briggs for the link): Scottish newspaper the Queensferry Gazette has just interviewed designer David Carey about his work for the new Blake’s 7 show in development for Sky One.

The British broadcaster revealed back in April that it had commissioned two 60-minute scripts for a potential series, working with Blake’s 7 Productions.

Carey, who works as marketing manager and graphic designer for a global software company in Edinburgh was commissioned by Blake’s 7 Productions and has been working on the branding for the last couple of years. In consultation with the scriptwriters, the producer and all those involved in the story, he has designed illustrations and graphics for the show

“Blake’s 7 had been a passion of mine when I was younger,” he told the paper, “and it has been great fun getting involved.”

Hinting at the style of the new take on the classic BBC show, Carey says the look “is an art nouveau, dark Blake’s 7. I try to come up with a good concept and be original.”

There's no news yet on whether there will be any new Blake's 7 comics concurent with the release of the new show, although producer Andrew Sewell does have a long association with comics.

• Read the full new item
• Visit the Blake’s 7 Productions web site