Radio interviews with Jenny Linn-Cole and Jon Turner

Panel Borders: Shallowater, Your days are numbered

Concluding a month of shows looking at small press and independent comics, we have a pair of interviews recorded in venues where such titles are stocked. Alex Fitch talks to Jenny-Linn Cole (in the gallery of Orbital Comics), about her graphic novel Shallowater, an tale of music, masculinity, and existentialism serialised in a series of small press comics.

Also, in an interview recorded at the DIY Cultures festival, Dickon Harris talks to Jon Turner about the independent comics magazine Your days are numbered which mixes reviews and articles about sequential art with cutting edge graphic design.

8.30am, Monday 29th April, repeated 3pm, Thursday 2nd May, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast at panelborders.wordpress.com/category/panel-borders after broadcast

Radio interviews with Al Davison, David Hine, Tom Humberstone and Tony Lee

Panel Borders: From small press to mainstream

In a panel discussion recorded at SCI-FI-LONDON, the London International festival of Science Fiction and Fantastic Film, guest presenter Matt Badham talks to comic creators David Hine, Al Davison, Tom Humberstone and Tony Lee about starting their careers in independent comics and how that influenced their style and choices when breaking into the 'mainstream' industry. (Edited by Alex Fitch)

• 8.30am, Monday 22nd April, repeated 3pm, Thursday 25th April, Resonance 104.4 FM / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast after first broadcast at panelborders.wordpress.com


• Last week's episode featuring interview with Louis Roskosch about The Adventures of Leeroy and Popo, and Matt Fitch and Mark Lewis about Frogman is available online now.

Radio interviews with Accent UK and Sloth Comics creators

Panel Borders: Small Press Publishers

Starting a month of shows in a new time slot, Panel Borders is looking at small press and self published comics, including the titles produced by two British independent publishing companies in interviews recorded at the London Super Comics Convention.

Alex Fitch talks to Nicolas Rossert, Loran and Charles Cutting about Sloth Comics, a new publisher devoted to both British and European graphic novels, including reissues of classic titles. Loran discusses his book Booyah!, about a playful green monster with anger management issues; Cutting talks about his steampunk adventure Steam Hammer, and Rossert describes his approach to choosing graphic novel formats and the process of getting the rights to republish Moebius and Alejandro Jodorowski's classic Madwoman of the Sacred Heart.

 

Also, publisher Colin Mathieson discusses his company Accent UK which has built up a commendable body of work over the last dozen years concentrating on anthology books which have showcased the work of some of the country's finest small press creators. Artist Conor Boyle joins the conversation to talk about Accent's latest graphic novel Who on Earth was Thaddeus Mist? and the importance of design to the company's range of books.

• 8.30am, Monday 8th April, repeated 3pm, Thursday 11th April, Resonance 104.4 FM / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast after first broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

 

Radio interviews with Russell Willis and Charles Kriel about webcomic apps

Panel Borders: Digitising comics

Concluding a month of shows looking at web comics, Alex Fitch talks to two experts in web based technologies about their dissemination methods aimed at bringing comics to tablets and other devices. Russell Willis discusses his Panel Nine range of graphic novels for the iPad which include titles by Eddie Campbell and David Lloyd and are about to be joined by a new digital store front for British book publishers.
Also, in a presentation recorded at Cartoon County in Brighton, Charles Kriel talks about his Indiegogo campaign to fund a new app designed to be the equivalent of iTunes for comics allowing collectors to combine their existing digital comics collections with newly bought titles to fill in the gaps, with questions asked by Alex Fitch, David Lloyd and members of the audience.

6pm, Sunday 31st March, repeated 4.30pm, Tuesday 2nd April, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast at panelborders.wordpress.com

Radio interviews with postmodern webcomic creators, including Paul O'Connell

Panel Borders: Collage and reappropriation

Continuing a month of shows looking at webcomics, Panel Borders examines the work of a quartet of creators whose online strips and cartoons reinvent retro images and iconic characters from film and TV to beguiling effect. In a pair of short interviews recorded at Thought Bubble, Leeds 2012, Alex Fitch talks to American creators Scott C - about his webcomics Double Fine Action Comics and The Great Showdowns -  and Becky and Frank about Tiny Kitten Teeth, cartoons which utilise imagery from toys, cereal packaging and children's literature.

Also, Alex looks into the varying merits of print and web-based comics with British writer / artist Paul O'Connell, in an interview recorded at the University of Brighton. Paul's postmodern fumetti mash-ups mix comedy and horror via strips such as A Muppet Wicker Man and The Seinfeld Matrix, and the artist discusses his collaborations with other Brighton based creators, including Lawrence Elwick on Charlie Parker, Handyman, plus his aspirations for using the medium of online comics to its full interactive potential.

6pm, Sunday 24th March / 4.30pm, Tuesday 26th March, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Radio interviews with James Moran and VS Comics creators

Panel Borders: James Moran Vs Comics

Continuing a month of shows about webcomics, Alex Fitch talks to screenwriter James Moran (Cockneys vs Zombies, Torchwood) about his new webcomic Day + Night, an urban vampire tale that casts the creatures of the night as 'sharks on legs' rather than the sparkly urbane figures found elsewhere. Also, in a panel recorded at Thought Bubble 2012, Vs Comics editor Mike Garley talks about the strip he's writing - Eponymous - and introduces creators Nich Angell (Tabby and Trout), Ned Hartley (Ghost Club), Adam Christopher (The Sentinel) and Sally Jane Thompson (Happy Birthday) who present the strips they're contributing to the online anthology comic, with the help of designer Mike Stock.

6pm, Sunday 17th March 2013 / 4.30 pm, Tuesday 19th March, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Steampunk Radio with Panel Borders

Panel Borders: Steampunk Geniuses

Continuing a month of shows looking at webcomics, Alex Fitch talks to the creators of a popular online steampunk strip that combines Victoriana, mad scientists, fantasy and strong female characters. Phil and Kaja Foglio discuss the history of Girl Genius, their careers before the start of their most famous comic and why they prefer the term 'gaslamp fantasy' for their niche in the science-fiction subgenre. (Recorded at Congenial, Role-Playing Unicon, Cambridge 2012)

6pm Sunday 10th March, repeated 4.30pm Tuesday 12th March 2013, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Radio shows on experimental animation / British webcomics

I'm ready for my close-up: Animating the city

Alex Fitch talks to the directors of two new cutting-edge animated films which mix animation and live action footage to beguiling effect. Zoltan Sostai discusses his film Cycle, a spiritual successor to Tron and The Matrix, which sees an astronaut trying to escape a bleak urban landscape which twists and loops back on itself, creating a maze he can't escape.
Also, British animator Paul Bush talks about his first feature film Babledom which looks into the layers of history and potential future that are unearthed by explorers of the modern city.
Cycle was released in Hungarian cinemas on 21st February 2013 following its London première at SCI-FI-LONDON in 2012 / Babledom is released in UK cinemas on 8th March 2013.

5pm, Friday 1st March 2013 / repeated 8am Tuesday 5th March, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Panel Borders: Young British Webcomic creators

In the first of a series of shows looking at comics serialised on the internet, Alex Fitch talks to a quintet of young British webcomic creators about their work. In a Q and A recorded at Comica Comiket (2011), John Allison discusses his webcomic Bad Machinery, his reasons for choosing the internet as a form of delivery and the lessons he's learned as a comic book creator over the last decade.
Also, at the end of the first Webcomic Artist Swap Project week (February 25th - March 3rd, 2013), Nich Angell (Cat and Meringue), Zarina Liew (Le Mime), Naniiebim (Mephistos) and project originator Richy K. Chandler (Lucy the Octopus), talk about their musical chairs experiment which saw thirteen creators write and draw each others' strips in order to bring new readers to stories they may not have previously encountered, and raise awareness of the British webcomic scene in general.

6pm, Sunday 3rd March 2013 / repeated 4.30pm Tuesday 5th March, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Radio interviews with Martin Rowson and Mike Carey

Panel Borders: Updating the classics

Concluding a month of shows looking at the connections between comics and books, Alex Fitch talks to a pair of authors who have used graphic novels and comics to update classic literature. 

Mike Carey discusses his comic The Unwritten which sees characters from classic literature - such as Frankenstein's monster - and authors - like Mark Twain - being caught up in a fantastical conspiracy through the ages; Alex and Mike also discuss how the latter's parallel career as a novelist effects his comic book writing.

Also, newspaper cartoonist Martin Rowson discusses his graphic novel adaptation and updating of Gulliver's Travels, with its art and content reflecting current politics and situations.

6pm, Sunday 24th February 2013, repeated 4.30pm, Tuesday 26th February, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Comics and graphic novels in the Resonance FM charity auction

Resonance FM, the London based radio station which Panel Borders is broadcast from, is currently running a fundraiser that's going on until 21st February.

The Arts Council funding of the station only goes so far (and no programme makers, including Alex Fitch and Marks Pilkington and Stafford, are paid for their time in making shows), so the station has an annual fundraiser the week following Valentine's Day to raise additional cash for studio refurbishment, new equipment and so on.

Currently on offer: a Marvel Superheroes Secret Wars hardcover omnibus, in which David Lloyd has sketched The Hulk (chosen with thanks for the task, since he drew Hulk Comic back in the late 1970s):
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/a1-A-sketch-by-David-Lloyd-V-for-Vendetta

A variety of signed comics, including Batgirl and Firestorm signed by Gail Simone, America's got Powers signed by Jonathan Ross and Bryan Hitch, Bedlam signed by Frazer Irving, The Secret Service signed by Dave Gibbons and more (all in plastic frames):

Bundle 1: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/b3-Comic-book-bundle (Firestorm / America's got Powers / The Secret Service)

Bundle 2: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/b4-Signed-copy-of-issue-1-2012-of-Batgirl-comic (Batgirl / Bedlam / Black Panther / The Hunter)

John Higgins has sketched in a first edition UK TPB of Watchmen (awaiting image as the book is currently somewhere in the post between his home in Sussex and Resonance's studio in Borough)
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/b2-Paperback-1st-edition-copy-of-Watchmen-w-sketch-by-colourist-John-Higgins

An original comic book page from Shoot by Paul Trevillion (Roy of the Rovers) - www.ebay.co.uk/itm/a4-An-original-You-are-the-Ref-artwork-from-Shoot-early-1960s


Other auction items include:

A fragment of The Wicker Man - www.ebay.co.uk/itm/o2-An-original-piece-of-the-Wicker-Man

A painting by Pete Fowler (Monsterism) - www.ebay.co.uk/itm/a2-An-original-bespoke-painting-by-legendary-Monsterist-Pete-Fowler

...and loads of records, holiday experiences and weird and wonderful items; full list here: resonancefm.com/auction2013

If people would prefer just to donate a few quid via paypal, that's very much appreciated too, info here: resonancefm.com/support

Radio show with David Hine, Mark Stafford and Catherine Anyango

Panel Borders: Darkness and inhumanity in literature

Continuing our month of shows about comics and literature, Alex Fitch talks to a trio of graphic novelists about adapting classic 19th century novels as sequential art. In a panel discussion recorded at Comica Comiket in 2011, David Hine and Mark Stafford discuss their adaptation of Victor Hugo's The Man who Laughs, a tale that has already cast a long shadow over comics, as the lead character Gwynplaine was supposedly an influence on the creation of The Joker. Also, fine artist Catherine Anyango discusses her visual approach to her 2010 adaptation of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, best known as the inspiration for Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now, which sees her intricate pencilling style married with both text from the original novel and also Conrad’s The Congo Diary.

Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness adapted by David Zane Mairowitz and Catherine Anyango is available now from SelfMadeHero / Victor Hugo's The Man who Laughs adapted by David Hine and Mark Stafford is released in April 2013.

6pm, Sunday 17th February 2013, repeated 4.30pm, Tuesday 19th February, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Please note, Resonance FM is currently running its annual fundraiser to help pay for the station's continuing programme of refurbishments. As well as variety of film and music related items in the auction, comic books and graphic novels include a hardcover omnibus of Marvel Superheroes Secret Wars which includes a unique sketch of The Hulk by David Lloyd, a 1st edition UK TPB of Watchmen including a sketch by John Higgins and framed signed comics by Gail Simone, Dave Gibbons, Jonathan Ross, Frazer Irving and many more.
Please visit http://resonancefm.com/auction2013 for more info.

Radio interviews with Michael Chabon and Matt Fraction

Panel Borders: The amazing adventures of Fraction and Chabon

Continuing a month of shows looking at the connections between sequential art and literature, Alex Fitch talks to writers Matt Fraction and Michael Chabon about their friendship, reading experiences outside of graphic novels and mutual love of comics. Matt Fraction is an award winning writer who has become one of the most important contributors to Marvel's range of superhero comics, with runs on Iron Fist, Thor and Iron Man under his belt, his new assignment is the continuing adventures of The Fantastic Four and their extended family. Fraction also has indie credentials from his ongoing European style spy series Casanova. Michael Chabon is the Pulitizer Prize winning author of "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay", a chronicle of the comic book industry in the middle decades of the 20th Century, which he continued in the pages of the comic book series The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist, that saw the author write his first comic book script, plus the publication of Will Eisner's final story to feature The Spirit.

6pm, Sunday 10th February 2013, repeated 4.30pm Tuesday 12 February, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Radio interviews featuring Denise Mina and John Higgins

Starting a month about the links between comics and literature, radio show and podcast Panel Borders presents Swedish Thrillers and dark Sci-Fi Fantasy this coming weekend.

Alex Fitch looks at an example of a series of books that are being adapted for comics and comics that are being continued as novels. Scots novelist Denise Mina discusses her adaptation of Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy as a series of graphic novels for DC Comics, starting with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Plus, writer / artist John Higgins explains the transition of his SF / horror comic series Razorjack into a series of books written by himself and other authors.

• Panel Borders: Swedish Thrillers and dark Sci-Fi Fantasy airs at 6.00pm, Sunday 3rd February 2013, repeated 4.30pm, Tuesday 5th February 2013, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Radio interviews with Warren Pleece, Denise Mina, Garen Ewing and Simon Barnard

I'm ready for my close-up: The Scarifyers

As we enter Doctor Who's 50th anniversary year, I'm ready for my close-up investigates a radio drama series tangentally connected to the franchise. The Scarifyers is a horror / black comedy series, with new installments broadcast each year on BBC Radio 4 Extra (formerly BBC 7) and released on CD and concern the adventures of an elderly horror writer and his retired police sidekick as they investigate supernatural crimes and occurances in 1950s Britain. The cast includes Terry Molloy (Doctor Who's Davros), Nicholas Courtney (Doctor Who's Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart) and David Warner (Time Bandits et al.) with supporting cast including actors famous for roles in Doctor Who and other Sci-Fi dramas such as Gabriel Woolf, Philip Madoc, Gareth David-Lloyd and Brian Blessed.

Alex Fitch talks to series writer and producer Simon Barnard and CD cover artist Garen Ewing about the genre crossing narrative, their love of old SF and horror and the use of iconic actors in new serialised roles.

5pm, Friday 25th January 2013, repeated 8am, Tuesday 29th January, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Panel Borders: Around the country with Constantine

In the third of our trilogy of shows looking at the 25th anniversary of John Constantine: Hellblazer, Alex Fitch talks to creators of the comic book from opposite ends of the UK. Scots novelist and playwright Denise Mina discusses her year long tenure as writer of the title from 2006-07 and remembers the challenges of penning her first comic book scripts; Brighton based artist Warren Pleece talks about pencilling and inking 9 issues of the comic in 1997 and '98, plus collaborating with Philip Bond for SF spin-off Bad Blood at the turn of the century.

6pm, Sunday 27th January, repeated at 4.30pm, Tuesday 29th January, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Radio interview with Steve Bissette

Panel Borders: Creating Constantine

Continuing our month of shows about the 25th anniversary of John Constantine: Hellblazer, Alex Fitch discusses the first appearances of the character with co-creator Steve Bissette. Alex and Steve discuss the artist's tenure as penciller on the acclaimed horror comic Swamp Thing, drawing (the as yet unnamed) Constantine in the background of scenes before Alan Moore gave the character a voice, and Steve's continuing fascination with the monster genre.

6pm, Sunday 20th January 2013 / repeated at 4.30pm, Tuesday 22nd January, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Radio show on 25 years of Hellblazer featuring Delano, Diggle, Lloyd and Milligan

Panel Borders - 25 years of John Constantine: Hellblazer

Panel Borders returns after the Christmas break for a new series in an earlier slot on Sunday evenings. Starting a series of shows about the 25th anniversary of the occult detective John Constantine's first appearance in his own solo comic book, Alex Fitch talks to writers Jamie Delano, Andy Diggle and Peter Milligan, and artist David Lloyd, about creating issues of Hellblazer from its first issue to the present day. 

Jamie and David discuss the early days of the comic, launched as a spin off from Alan Moore's acclaimed run on Swamp Thing while Andy and Peter talk about bringing the character into the 21st Century.

(Recorded in front of a live audience at SCI-FI-LONDON, Apollo Piccadilly Cinema, April 2011)

6pm, Sunday 13th January 2013, repeated at 4.30pm, Tuesday 15th January, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Radio interviews with Glyn Dillon and Joff Winterhart

Panel Borders: Brown, Nao / Bagnold Summer

In the third of a trilogy of shows about depictions of lives on the comic book page, Alex Fitch talks to the authors of two of 2012's most acclaimed graphic novels. Glyn Dillon discusses The Nao of Brown, his long awaited return to comics after much loved contributions to strips published by Deadline and Vertigo in the 1990s. Dillon's graphic novel depicts the life of an OCD sufferer who channels her creativity into toys, relationships and storytelling...
Alex also talks to Joff Winterhart, writer / artist of Days of the Bagnold Summer, an affectionate, warts and all depiction of six weeks in the life of a dissolutioned 15 year old and his long suffering mother as they try to endure the summer holidays together. Joff discusses the history of the book, how it relates to his animation work and music, and his feelings about the book's nomination as one of the first two graphic novels to be short listed for the Costa Awards.

(Panel Borders will return in January with a month of shows looking at the 25th anniversary of John Constantine: Hellblazer)

8pm, Sunday 16th December 2012, Resonance 104.4 FM / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Radio show about Nelson creators: Dan Berry, Rob Davis, Sarah McIntyre and more...

Panel Borders: Nelson

Continuing our month of shows looking at depictions of lives on the page, Dan Berry talks to four of his fellow creators who worked on the award winning anthology graphic novel Nelson, published by Blank Slate Books, including the book's co-editor Rob Davis and artists Jonathan Edwards, Sarah McIntyre & Suzy Varty.

Nelson depicts 54 days in the life of the titular character, a young and then adult female Londoner, who is born in the first chapter set in 1968 and we follower her life to middle age in the present day. Dan discusses the history of the project, the aspects of autobiography that were absorbed into each creator's pages and the collaborative processes involved in working on a exquisite corpse method of storytelling. 

(Recorded at Thought Bubble Festival, Leeds 2011 and edited by Alex Fitch)

8pm, Sunday 9th December 2012, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Radio interview with Aline and Robert Crumb

Panel Borders: Drawn Together - 40 years of Aline and Robert Crumb

Starting a month of shows about 'lives on the page', Panel Borders looks at graphic novels which depict the travails of human existence with books that straddle the divide between autobiography and fiction. This week, we're proud to present Alex Fitch's interview with Aline and Robert Crumb about their collection Drawn Together, published by Knockabout, which collects 40 years of their collaborative autobiographical comics, including guest art by their daughter Sophie and other luminaries of the American indie comics scene including Art Spiegelman and Charles Burns.Alex talks to Robert and Aline about the history of the project, how it displays the intersection of her feminism and his sex obsession and aspects of truth and fiction in autobiographical comics.

More info www.knockabout.com/news/drawn-together-by-aline-and-robert-crumb

• Panel Borders: Drawn Together - 40 years of Aline and Robert Crumb | 8pm, Sunday 2nd December, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Howard Overman on Panel Borders

Panel Borders: Writing Misfits 

Concluding a month of shows about writing superhero stories, Panel Borders moves its attention from the comic book page to the small screen as Alex Fitch talks to Howard Overman about Misfits, E4's award winning drama about teenagers with superpowers doing community service. Alex and Howard talk about the genesis of the show, writing episodes that engage with other genres such as time travel and 'zombie noir' and the travails of having to write characters out and introduce new ones.

8pm Sunday 25th November 2012, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com