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

Dandy Issue 1, Amazing Fantasy #15 Up For Sale

There's still time to bid on items - including a rare copy of the first ever Dandy - from British online auction site Comic Book Auction's Summer Catalogue.

Included in the British section of the catalogue is an extremely rare first issue of DC Thomson's humour title, Dandy. Published in 1937, this first edition introduced Korky the Cat, Desperate Dan, Keyhole Kate and their chums and is described as "a well worn copy with 3 inch spine tear and multiple edge tears although only minor loss." Only 20 copies of this first issue are known to exist, so expect some high bids, well above the £500-£600 reserve.

Also included this time are some also rare wartime Beanos, all with bright fresh covers and white/off white pages. Since a lot of paper was recycled for the war effort, copies of these issues are probably even rarer than some of the pre-war titles such as Champion, Butterfly, Hotspur and Schoolgirls' Own, which are also being offered.

Original Desperate Dan art by Dudley Watkins - a staple of most these regular auctions - is also offered, including work published in a 1942 issue of the Dandy. (Artist Dan paints the town with bristles from his beard. The pictures are so realistic the mayor gets Dan to camouflage all the tanks and planes for battle!).

Of interest to many downthetubes readers though will be a page of Ron Embleton art featuring Wulf the Briton from Express Weekly 155 (published in 1957), in which Viking Wulf proves himself to the warrior tribesmen in his quest to solve the riddle of the Sphinx. Also beng offered is original Dan Dare art from the Eagle by Desmond Walduck (featuring both Dan and the Mekon), Supercar and Joe 90 art, a Dan Dare space gun, bound copies of Eagle and Lion, issues of TV Century 21 - including several rare and much sought after Specials - Valiant, Tiger and more.

For US comics fans, the chance to own the first appearance of Spider-Man in Amazing Fantasy #15 is sure to stir plenty of interest, even if the issue comes stickered with a British 9d tag. A first issue of Amazing Spider-Man is also in the auction, along with plenty of ther goodies including Fantastic Four #1, X-Men #1, Millie the Model, Batman #20 from 1944 - the first Batmobile cover - and lots of other goodies.

• Bids on items, which include comics and original art, will be accepted until Tuesday 9 June at 8 PM UK time (GMT).

Catalogue Links:

• British comics, annuals and artwork
• US Golden Age comics
• US Silver Age Marvel comics
• US Silver Age DC comics
• US 1970's & 1980's comics

Foss First for Compalcomics Auction

Rare triptych cover art by acclaimed science fiction illustrator Christopher Foss for 2000AD is just one item in the Winter 2008 auction of London-based Compalcomics that also includes Dan Dare and Desperate Dan art and a number of first issues of early US Marvel Comics, some featuring the first appearances of characters such as Spider-Man and Iron Man.

The gouache Foss art is bound to attract plenty of attention from 2000AD fans, which formed the covers of three consecutive issues of the weekly comic back in 1995 (Issues 953, 954 and 955). Featuring Judge Hershey and Judge Dredd against the backdrop of a Mega City skyline, all three main images are signed separately.

Christopher Foss is a renowned British artist and science fiction illustrator whose futuristic visions have adorned many book covers, including Isaac Asimov’s Foundation trilogy, The Demon Princes series by Jack Vance and E E Smith’s Lensman. His film work has encompassed Dune, Alien and Superman and this triptych is his only known cover artwork for 2000AD and Compal believe it is the first piece of his artwork ever offered at auction.

There are 449 lots in the auction overall with other British highlights being a dummy issue of The Broons Book 4 from 1949 - publisher DC Thomson's unique pre-print run copy.

Also on offer are some rare DC Thomson Magic comics along with The Dandy No 1 Flyer, an eight-page mini comic in its own right. A large number of 1960s Gerry Anderson-inspired comic TV Century 21 are also on offer.

Bound volumes include collections of Schoolgirls Own, Sexton Blake, Union Jack, Champion and Thriller titles plus artwork from Desperate Dan by Dudley Watkins, lassoing a Christmas tree for the poor kids party; Oor Wullie - finding oot that everybody has a wee lassie except hi'self; The Broons twins, fed up wi' lickin' envelopes fir Christmas cards; and a page of Journey to the Stars art from tan issue of Speed comic by Ron Turner; and a page of Dan Dare original front cover artwork by Desmond Walduck for Eagle Vol 5: No 5.

The bumper US section highlights a high grade single owner Amazing Spider-Man collection in 133 lots, all cents copies from #1 with 25 issues CGC graded. The main Silver Age section includes Amazing Fantasy #15 featuring the first appearance of Spider-Man, Journey Into Mystery #89 re-telling the origin of Thor, Tales To Astonish #27 featuring the first appearance of Ant Man, Tales Of Suspense 39 featuring the first appearance and origin of Iron Man, and first issues of Fantastic Four, The Avengers, Daredevil, Hulk, Iron Man and X-Men.

The Golden Age is represented with Batman #6 and #31, Human Torch #5 and Marvel Mystery #14 and #30. Also offered is artwork from The X-Men #43 by Werner Roth featuring Cyclops, the cover of Witching Hour #65 by Louis Dominguez and a superb page of Jack Kirby's Fantastic Four #95 featuring Medusa, Crystal and the Human Torch.

Compalcomics holds four auctions a year. Bids will be accepted until Tuesday November 25 at 8.00pm UK time.

• To go directly to the main page for the catalogue, click here: www.compalcomics.com/catalogue