Radio shows on Andi Ewington, Robert Rankin, Olvier Jeffers and more

Clear Spot: Graphic albums and picture books

In advance of next week's South Kensington Kids Festival which celebrates picture books and graphic novels for children, Alex Fitch talks to four creators whose work contains elements of each medium. 
Andi Ewington discusses his novella "45" which divides the text and illustrations of superhero comics onto separate pages and the spin-off comic Blue Spear, co-written by Com.x publisher Eddie Deighton; while novelist Robert Rankin talks about his first graphic novel Empires which moves his celebrated monochrome cover illustrations onto every page of a new steam-punk sequel to The War of the Worlds.
Also, children's illustrators Oliver Jeffers and Axel Scheffler talk about their recent picture books This Moose belongs to me and Superworm.
Jeffers looks back at his parallel career as a fine artist, on display in the collection Neither here nor there, and Scheffler discusses partnership with writer Julia Donaldson on memorable books such as The Gruffalo and The Highway Rat.

The South Kensington Kids Festival runs from 21st to 25th November and features screenings of French animated films The Gruffalo's Child, and Ernest and Celestine, plus talks and drawing jams by Quentin Blake, Emile Bravo, Joann Sfar, Axel Scheffler and many more.

8pm, Thursday 15th November 2012, Resonance 104.4 FM / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast at http://panelborders.wordpress.com/category/book-list

Panel Borders: The work of Gail Simone

In a Q and A recorded at last Autumn's MCM Expo, Alex Fitch talks to comic book writer Gail Simone about her career so far, from breaking into the industry via her influential blog 'Women in Refrigerators' and early strips for Bongo Comics to her recent runs on Birds of Prey and Wonder Woman. Gail discusses the changes to Batgirl in the DC New 52 range of comics, her acclaimed superhero retirement story Welcome to Tranquillity and her co-authorship of Firestorm with writer Ethan van Sciver.

8pm, Sunday 18th November 2012, Resonance 104.4 FM / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast at panelborders.wordpress.com

Radio: Amruta Patil, Gary & Warren Pleece discuss exotic locales in their graphic novels / Michael Chabon, David Almond & Oliver Jeffers on magical realism

Panel Borders: Home and Away

Starting a month of shows about the depiction of travel in comic books and representations of far flung lands, Alex Fitch talks to creators from Brighton and Delhi about their graphic novels which mix autobiography with fantastical elements. Gary and Warren Pleece discuss The Great Unwashed, a new collection of early self-published and small press work now available as the first release from Paul Gravett and Peter Stanbury's Escape Books in 20 years; stories within include tales of piracy, gangsters and magical realism from contemporary Brighton Pier to 1970s New York and a prologue to their next release, Montague Terrace. Amruta Patil discusses her graphic novels Kari and Adi Parva which respectively tell the story of a young lesbian and her group of friends and acquaintances in a modern day Indian city, and a fully painted adaptation of the first book of The Mahabharata, both available from Harper Collins.

8pm, Sunday 7th October 2012, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Clear Spot: Magical Realism

In this month's Book List Clear Spot, Alex Fitch talks to author Michael Chabon about his latest novel Telegraph Avenue and his collection of autobiographical essays, Manhood for Amateurs, which both display the writer's love of collectables and ephemera from comic books to lego, Blaxploitation films to classic funk records.
Also in a Q and A recorded at Waterstones, Piccadilly, Sarah McIntyre talks to author David Almond and illustrator Oliver Jeffers about their collaboration on The Boy who swam with Piranhas and Jeffers' latest picture book, This Moose belongs to me, which combines the artist's use of painting, collage and word balloons to create a fable about collectivism for younger readers!

8pm, Thursday 11th October, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Meet Picture Book Creator Oliver Jeffers

World famous picture book creator Oliver Jeffers will be travelling to the UK this Autumn to promote his beautiful new release This Moose Belongs to Me. During his brief trip he will visit London, Dublin, Bath and Oxford for events and signings.

Oliver's picture books for children include the New York Times bestseller Stuck. The official World Book Day illustrator in 2007, How to Catch a Star debuted in 2004 to critical acclaim, and Lost and Found, published in 2005, won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize Gold Medal 2006, the Blue Peter Book Award 2006 and was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal the same year. The Incredible Book Eating Boy (2007) won the Irish Book Awards Children’s Book of the Year.

Jeffers’ style of illustration uses mixed medium and is recognised for its subtle narrative and use of space in composition. As a freelance illustrator he has worked for clients such as Orange UK, Lavazza, Sony PSP, RCA Records, The Guardian, Creative Review and The Telegraph.

Catch Oliver at one of the following events:

Tuesday 25th September

4pm - PUBLIC SIGNING – Waterstones Putney

Wednesday 26th September

6.30pm – Talk with David Almond, chaired by Sarah McIntyre at Waterstones Piccadilly

Tickets available for £5

Thursday 27th September

6.30pm – Talk with Niamh Sharkey at Easons, Dublin

Tickets are free, follow link for info

Friday 28th September

3pm - Meet Oliver Jeffers at the Roald Dahl Museum

Tickets are £6.60 for adults and £4.40 for children aged 0 to 18, includes Museum entry

Saturday 29th September

11am – PUBLIC SIGNING – Waterstones Oxford

Free

1.45pm – Bath Children’s Literature Festival

Tickets are £5 and available

• Oliver Jeffers Official web site: www.oliverJeffers.com