Who’s this crossing our New Year threshold clasping the traditional lump of coal, shortbread and a bag of grit for the icy pavements? Why its none other than Alex Fitch here to let us know about his upcoming shows and podcasts of some recent programmes; as ever for more information and links to previous shows check the Panel Borders site:
Strip! – Philosophers, Gods and Monsters, tonight at 5pm on Resonance FM, podcast afterwards on Panel Borders
In the first of this month’s shows about the portrayal of masculinity in American comic books, Alex Fitch talks to writer Fred Van Lente about penning the adventures of undead superheroes in Marvel Zombies, bringing to light the exciting adventures of Action Philosophers from Aristotle to Derrida and co-writing tales of the Incredible Hercules which depict the travails of the Classical demi-god on modern day Earth and beyond. The interview was recorded at Gosh! comics in Great Russell Street, London following a signing by the writer…
(cover to Marvel Zombies 4 by Fred Van Lente and Kev Walker, cover art by Arthur Suydam, (c) Marvel Comics)
Recent podcasts:
Panel Borders: Tales of Diversity
Sarah Lightman visits the Eastside Educational Trust in Hackney and talks to two of the tutors / mentors from the organisation – Rakhee Jasani and Truly Johnston – who have set up a project called ‘Graphic Truths’ as a way of engaging young people with comic book creation to tell stories that are personal to them. Sarah also talks to four of the young creators – Chantelle, Shantel, Leke and Nickita – who have worked on the project and are seeing their comics printed in an anthology called ‘Tales of Diversity’ being launched 16/01/10.
Panel Borders: Visiting the Cartoon Classroom
Alex Fitch talks to V for Vendetta illustrator David Lloyd and cartoonist Steve Marchant about the project – Cartoon Classroom – they’ve set up with the help of Paul Gravett; a not-for-profit website that aims to inspire the next generation of cartoonists and make the art form more accessible to children and adults who want to be more proficient at creating comic-strips and drawing cartoons. www.cartoonclassroom.co.uk is also designed as a gateway and information resource for studying cartoon and sequential art in schools, colleges, libraries and museums across the UK and Ireland and so Steve and David talk about the genesis of the project, its roots in the London Cartoon Centre and their own experiences both as comic book tutors and when they first broke into the industry.
Electric Sheep podcast: Living in Harmony with Ian Rakoff
To coincide with the 42nd anniversary of the broadcast of the episode he wrote the original script for, Alex Fitch talks to writer, editor and raconteur Ian Rakoff about his experiences working on The Prisoner and being an observer of British Film culture in the 1970s and beyond. Alex and Ian talk about the bowdlerisation of his script for ‘Living in Harmony’, the latter’s experiences with Lindsay Anderson on such films as If…. and O lucky man!, working with Nicolas Roeg, Stephen Frears and John Boorman and his lifetime interest in comic books.
(N.B/ the accompanying podcast regarding Andrew Cartmel’s Prisoner novel and the American rock band ‘Do not forsake me oh my darling’ is delayed due to technical issues and will be online shortly)
Reality Check: Christmas ghosts and skeletons with Ray Harryhausen and Michael Punter
Alex Fitch talks to two creators of excellent Christmas entertainment. Oscar winning animator Ray Harryhausen has long been associated with Bank Holiday TV programming and Christmas wouldn’t be the same without an appearance of Jason and the Argonauts or Sinbad facing off mythological creatures. Elsewhere, the Hampstead Theatre in Swiss Cottage is the home of Michael Punter’s ‘Darker Shores’, a new play in the style of M.R. James’ Ghost stories for Christmas, which stars Julian Rhind-Tutt as a spiritualist escaping the traumas of the American Civil War. Alex talks to Ray about his career and meeting a new generation of fans at the launch of his coffee-table book “Ray Harryhausen: An Animated Life” and to Michael about using stage magic and cathartic laughter to haunt theatre-goers in the gentility of West London.
Reality Check: Sci-Fi Comics part two
Continuing our podcasts of talks and Q and As recorded live at 2009′s Sci-Fi London Film Festival, this is the second half of a two part podcast in which Alex Fitch talks to four practitioners of Science-Fiction comic books about their work; these include Paul Cornell (Captain Britain and MI-13 / Doctor Who), Bryan Talbot (Grandville), Daniel Merlin Goodbrey (Iron Man 2020) and Paul Duffield (Freakangels). In this second half, members of the audience ask the panel about the future of comics post Google digitization, their influences from SF literature and the cross-over between different audiences.
Thu, Jan 7, 2010
Comics and cartoons, Film, TV and radio