Panel Borders: European adventure comics, Sunday 13th of May at 8pm on Resonance FM, podcast on Panel Borders afterwards

Continuing our trio of shows looking at international comics we have interviews with a couple of European adventure comics creators. In an interview recorded at last year’s BD & Comics Passion festival at the Institut Français, Dickon Harris talks to Yves Sente, one of the current authors of the classic Franco-Belgian strip Blake and Mortimer, who has penned stories set in the current chronology of the comic as well as flashback tales that depict the characters in their youth. Also, in a pair of interviews recorded at Gosh! comics and Laydeez do comics, Alex Fitch talks to Uli Oesterle about his graphic novel Hector Umbra, a surrealist detective story which follows the travails of a painter who investigates the underworld of modern day Munich.

recent podcasts

Reality Check: Dystopian TV and film

In a pair of Q & As recorded at SCI-FI-LONDON, the London International Festival of Fantastic and Science-Fiction Film, Alex Fitch talks to Ilana Rein (director: We are all Cylons), Andrew Mark Sewell (producer: Blake’s 7 audio) and Ben Aaronovich (writer: Blake’s 7 audio / Doctor Who) about dystopian TV from The Time Tunnel to Battlestar Galactica; and to Elizabeth Karr (producer) and John Alan Simon (writer / director) of new Philip K. Dick adaptation Radio Free Albemuth.

The Pod Delusion episode 134

This week we find out why geeks need to get more political by speaking to Mark Henderson, author of the ‘Geek Manifesto’, speak to Professor Jim Al-Khalili about his new book on paradoxes in science, discover why FRAND is no friend of free software, and go down the Ancestor’s Trail. Also, Alex Fitch looks at protest voting in Bradford and London and Peter English investigates the Biobank…

Panel Borders: Belgian graphic novelists, tonight at 8pm on Resonance FM, podcast on Panel Borders afterwards

Starting a trio of shows about international comics, Alex Fitch talks to pair of Belgian graphic novelists about their work. Creator Ivan Petrus discusses The Neuport Gathering, his moving and harrowing tale of Allied soldiers during the First World War, and in an interview recorded at last month’s Comica Comiket, Alex talks to artist Maarten Van Wieleabout his “graphic trash novel” Paris which features sex, drugs and degradation in the French fashion industry (and recently published in English by Knockabout).

Electric Sheep Podcast: Comics and film

In a pair of interviews looking at the crossover between comics and film, Alex Fitch talks to Stefan Hutchinson about his comic book ‘Demons 3′ – a sequel to Dario Argento and Lamberto Bava’s classic 1980s horror films – and to comic book artist Dave McKean about his film of the Port Talbot Passion play, The Gospel of Us. Alex And Stefan discuss the writer’s Haloween comics ‘Nightdance’ and ‘First Death of Laurie Strode’ plus his documentary, Halloween: 25 Years Of Terror. Alex and Dave also talk about the artist’s collaborations with Richard Dawkins and Michael Sheen, plus his earlier film MirrorMask.

recent podcasts:

Panel Borders – John Higgins: Before (and after) Watchmen

Concluding our month of shows about British comics, Alex Fitch talks to writer, artist and occasional self-publisher John Higgins about his career so far. Alex and John talk about the latter’s first experiences in comics, being published in Bryan Talbot’s Brainstorm and 2000AD, his landmark collaboration with Alan Moore on Watchmen and his new strip The Crimson Corsair, which is being serialised in prequel series Before Watchmen.

Reality Check: The work of Warren Ellis

In a Q & A recorded at last year’s SCI-FI-LONDON festival, Iyare Igiehon (BBC 6music) discusses the work of Warren Ellis with Matt Jones (BERG design), Matthew Sheret (We are words + pictures) and Kieron Gillen (X-Men). Jones talks about SVK, the new comic by Ellis and D’Israeli, commissioned by BERG, Sheret discusses how Ellis inspired him to become a writer and Gillen talks about his friendship with the writer and their Marvel collaborations.

Panel Borders – John Higgins: Before (and after) Watchmen, Sunday 29th at 8pn on Resonance FM, podcast afterwards on Panel Borders

Concluding our month of shows about British comics, Alex Fitch talks to writer, artist and occasional self-publisher John Higgins about his career so far. Alex and John talk about the latter’s first experiences in comics, being published in Bryan Talbot’s Brainstorm and 2000AD, his landmark collaboration with Alan Moore on Watchmen and his new strip The Crimson Corsair, which is being serialised in prequel series Before Watchmen.

Reality Check: The work of Warren Ellis

In a Q & A recorded at last year’s SCI-FI-LONDON festival, Iyare Igiehon (BBC 6music) discusses the work of Warren Ellis with Matt Jones (BERG design), Matthew Sheret (We are words + pictures) and Kieron Gillen (X-Men). Jones talks about SVK, the new comic by Ellis and D’Israeli, commissioned by BERG, Sheret discusses how Ellis inspired him to become a writer and Gillen talks about his friendship with the writer and their Marvel collaborations.

Recent podcasts:

Panel Borders: Young graphic novelists, Spring 2012

As part of our month of episodes on British comics, we have our twice yearly look at a pair of young graphic novelists.Dickon Harris talks to Warwick Johnson Cadwell about his first graphic novel,Gungle, to be published in the near future by Blank Slate Books and Alex Fitch talks to artist Jennie Gyllblad about her collaborations with writer Corey Brotherson, including her just finished The Arrival, the first of a three volume steam-punk graphic novel series Clockwork Watch, curated by film-maker Yomi Ayeni. Originally broadcast 22/04/12 on Resonance 104.4 FM

Panel Borders: Comic stamps, Sunday April 1st on Resonance FM, podcast on Panel Borders afterwards

Starting a month of shows all about British Comics, Alex Fitch interviews Richard Scholey, from design company The Chase, and Philip Parker, Head of Stamps strategy, Royal Mail, about the new range of comic book stamps which have just been released and feature art and covers from such classic titles as 2000AD, The Beano, The Eagle and The Dandy. Alex talks to Richard and Philip about their choice of covers, the design process and how the range of special stamps takes in high and low brow art throughout the year.

Reality Check: Modern children’s comics, online at Sci-Fi London from the 4th of April

In a panel discussion recorded at last year’s SCI-FI-LONDON festival, CBBC presenter Chris Johnson talks to Paul Collicutt (Robot City adventures), Phillipa Rice (My Cardboard Life), Alex Milway (The Mythical 9th Division) and Eddie Robson (Doctor Who adventures) about creating Science-Fiction and Fantasy comics for kids and having interested children in the format, how to keep their love of comics going.

Recent podcasts:

Panel Borders: Gods and Monsters by Bernie Wrightson and Rebekah Isaacs

Concluding our month of shows about iconoclastic American comic book artists, Alex Fitch talks to a master of horror comics, Bernie Wrightson, and a relative newcomer, Rebekah Isaacs who has made a name for herself in deftly rendered comics in a variety of genres.
Alex talks to Bernie about his work on Warren Comics’ horror titles and Swamp Thing in the 1970s, on collaborating with Stephen King in the 1980s and more recently working with Steve Niles at IDW including their new project, Frankenstein Alive, alive. Alex and Rebekah chat about her career so far, working on superhero comics like Age of Iron and DV8 with Brian Wood and the horror titles that have made her name, The Twilight Zone and the ongoing Angel and Faith.

The pod delusion episode 128

We speak to IPCC climate scientist Michael E Mann, find out who won the Secularist of the Year award, try to build a space elevator and believe it not, have a story that’s vaguely about football. Alex Fitch discusses his addiction to handheld gadgets and Liz Lutgendorff talks to Peter Tatchell…

From the archive:

I’m ready for my close-up: How gay is the screen?

To coincide with this year’s London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, Alex Fitch interviews BFI librarian Emma Smart about whether there have been any significant developments in gay film-making and TV programme making since last year’sLLGFF. Also included in the show is an interview Alex recorded last year with sci-fi writer and critic Kim Newman about the gay following that genre shows like Doctor Who and The Avengers generate… (Originally broadcast 27/03/07)

Clear Spot: The problem of autobiography, tonight at 8pm on Resonance FM, podcast on Panel Borders afterwards

In a panel discussion recorded at the First Fiction festival (Sussex University, January 2012) author Sue Eckstein discusses the problems inherent in creating autobiographies with graphic novelists Nicola Streeten and Anuerin Wright and how creators can subvert and overcome these. Nicola’s book Billy, me and you and Aneurin’s Things to Do in a Retirement Home Trailer Park couldn’t be more different in their approaches, with the former combining cartoons, diary drawings and scrapbook montage and the latter depicting the author’s friends and family as anthropomorphic creatures in domestic settings.

Panel Borders: Klaus Janson – Superhero Noir, Sunday 11th March 1t 8pm on Resonance FM, podcast afterwards on Panel Borders

Continuing our month of shows about iconoclastic American comic book artists, Alex Fitch talks to German-American artist Klaus Janson about his work from inking and eventually providing most of the art for Frank Miller’s run on Daredevil and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns in the early 80s to his recent acclaimed tenures on Wolverine and World War Hulk. Klaus also talks about his love of teaching new artists and his experiences at comic book conventions over the years. (Recorded at Comics Launchpad, Birmingham 2011)

Laydeez do podcasts: The female form in comics, online Wednesday 14th March

In two talks recorded at Laydeez do comics, Dr. Ann Miller, lecturer and joint editor of European Comic Art journal talks about stereotypical representations of women in bandes dessinées, particularly Penelope Bagieu, creator of ‘chic-lit’ comic Joséphine; and Karrie Fransman talks about her new comic The House that groaned, an incisive graphic novel about body dysmorphia and desire in a Victorian tenement house.

Recent podcasts:

Panel Borders: Laura and Mike Allred – Pop art comics

Starting a month of shows about iconoclastic American comic artists, Alex Fitch talks to husband and wife art team Mike and Laura Allred about their work together from their long running Madman comic, to X-Statics and I, Zombie. The Alldreds’ style has been often described as pop art and Alex discusses the development of this as well as its representation in adaptations of their work such as Christopher Coppola’s film G-Men from Hell.

The Pod Delusion episode 125

This week: there might not be any faster than light neutrinos, but what can we learn from a failed experiment? Might Iran embracing science be a good thing? Can Alex Fitch convince you that video games are on a par with art, film and literature? And what’s life like in the armed forces for a non-believer? Find out in this week’s show!
Correspondents include Drew Rae, David Eastman, Andrew Gould, Blakeley Nixon, Liz Lutgendorff, Tom Hodden and Alex Fitch. The Pod Delusion is a weekly news magazine radio programme and podcast about interesting things. From politics, to science to culture and philosophy, it’s commentary from a secular, rationalist, skeptical, somewhat lefty-liberal, sort of perspective. A bit like From Our Own Correspondent but with more jokes.

Electric Sheep Podcast: Making films interactive

In a pair of interviews about innovations in film-making Electric Sheep Magazine’s assistant editor Alex Fitch talks to two directors who have embraced new technology in their work. Alex talks  to Alex Cox about working with Robby Muller on Repo Man, his thoughts on interactive cinema, utilising computer generated backgrounds and other techniques for its sequel Repo Chic(k) and using CGI to augment the rerelease of his western Straight to Hell.

Alex also talks to Julian Napier, director of Madame Butterfly 3D, a new film of the Royal Opera House’s production of Puccini’s classic tale of spurned love in 19th Century Nagasaki; how filming the opera using 3D cameras makes the cinema presentation a more immersive experience and a more rewarding one for people who can’t afford or don’t fancy the highbrow environment of the ROH.

The Pod Delusion episode 122, Resonance FM at 11am on Sunday 12th February, podcast here

This week we explore UN reform with a former ambassador to the United Nations, get the latest on the Twitter Joke Trial, build a moon base and keep filibustering to pass the time. Correspondents include James O’Malley, Carl Gardner, Alex Fitch, Jessica Metheringham-Owlett, Craig Lucas, Tom Williamson and Sarah Angliss. The Pod Delusion is a weekly news magazine radio programme and podcast about interesting things. From politics, to science to culture and philosophy, it’s commentary from a secular, rationalist, skeptical, somewhat lefty-liberal, sort of perspective. A bit like From Our Own Correspondent but with more jokes.

Panel Borders: Exhibiting Comics, Resonance FM at 8pm on Sunday 12th February, podcast on Panel Borders afterwards

Continuing our month of shows about about non practitioners’ love of comics, Alex Fitch talks to Lord Baker of Dorking about his contributions as lender and patron of The Cartoon Museum to their latest exhibition ‘Her Maj: Sixty years of unofficial portraits of the Queen’ and to John Huddy, founder and curator of The Illustration Cupboard about the gallery’s history of exhibiting art from picture books and graphic novels. Also, from last week’s Manga Jiman awards ceremony at the Embassy of Japan in London, Cultural Officer Simon Wright and Minister Hiroshi Suzuki, the director of the Japan Information and Culture Centre, introduce this year’s winning entries to the comic book competition.

Recent podcasts

Panel Borders: Searching for comics with DJ Food

Starting a month of shows about non practitioners’ love of comics, guest presenter Robin Warren talks to musician Strictly Kev about collaborating with Henry Flint on the artwork for his new LP The Search Engine and the three EPs that make up the release. Robin and Kev talk about the latter’s interest in British anthologies, especially 2000AD, and how a love of comics in his formative years compliments his music production as DJ Food and with The Cinematic Orchestra.

Comics and Conflicts podcast: Pat Mills on Charley’s War

Imperial War Museum educator Grant Rogers talks to Pat Mills about his seminal wartime strip Charley’s War, serialised in Battle Action comic in the 1970s and 80s. Grant and Pat Mills discuss the history of the strip, working with Joe Colquhoun and the real life events that influenced the comic. (Recorded in front of an audience at the 2011 Comics and Conflicts conference at the Imperial War Museum, London.)

Online magazine:

ELECTRIC SHEEP ISSUE SIXTY – FEMMES FATALES: Deadly dames and murderous man-eaters

To mark the restoration of Otto Preminger’s magnificentLaura, we celebrate femmes fatales, including Peggy Cummins’s gutsy bank robber in Gun Crazy and Barbara Stanwyck’s sassy social climber inBaby Face. We have a feature on female action heroines and a terrific Comic Strip on Twin Peaks temptresses by Richy K. Chandler, while Reel Sounds is enthused by a wild jazz scene in The Phantom Lady and in Alter Ego Katy Darby is Bridget Gregory in The Last Seduction.

New cinema releases include the intelligent, creepy cult victim tale Martha Marcy May Marlene, the excellent James Ellroy-scripted LA crime thriller Rampart, Polanski’s ferociously funny middle-class satire Carnage, and Cronenberg’s disastrous A Dangerous Method. And we have a feature on doyenne of queer cinema Barbara Hammer, who is the subject of a retrospective at Tate Modern.

In the DVDs, we review 70s Vietnam vet vigilante drama Rolling Thunder and Bulgarian neo-noir Zift, and to give context to the latter’s interest in bodily waste, we have an article on toilet scenes in cinema.

In Short Cuts, we review the screening of Swedish feminist porn shorts Dirty Diaries at the London Short Film Festival while Cine Lit peruses the latest film books. In the Film Jukebox, soulful, dreamy chamber popsters The Tindersticks pick their favourite films.

Panel Borders: Habbibi Blankets, Sunday 29th January on Resonance FM, podcast after transmission on Panel Borders

Concluding our month of shows looking at biography and autobiography in comics, Alex Fitch talks to the multiple award winning (and Grammy nominated) cartoonist Craig Thompson about his epic new graphic novel Habibi (My beloved). Alex and Craig discuss the 672 page book’s reworking of themes from One Thousand and One Nights, mixing in modern concerns about gender politics and pollution in the Middle East and how his previous autobiographical works Blankets and Carnet de Voyage, with their themes of sexual awakening, religion and travelogue, led to his latest work.

Book List: Children’s book illustration, Tuesday 31st January at 8pm on Resonance FM, podcast on Panel Borders afterwards

In an hour long show about children’s book illustration, Alex Fitch talks to three generations of illustrators: David McKee, creator of Mr Benn, King Rollo and Elmer the Patchwork Elephant; Dave McKean, artist of of young adult books by David Almond, graphic novels and picture books by Neil Gaiman and Richard Dawkins’ first science book for children The Magic of Reality; and Jim Kay, illustrator of Patrick Ness’ A Monster Calls and Toby Forward’s Flaxfield Quartet of novels about dragons.

Also includes an extract from Dave McKean’s presentation of his work from The Magic of Reality at the book launch in Foyles, September 2011.

Recent podcasts:

Panel Borders: Dotter of Her Father’s Eyes

Continuing our month of shows about biography and autobiography, guest presenter Nicola Streeten interviews Bryan and Mary Talbot about their forthcoming graphic novel, Dotter of Her Father’s Eyes, which contrasts two coming of age narratives: Lucia, daughter of James Joyce, and author Mary Talbot, daughter of the Joycean scholar James S Atherton. (Recorded and edited by Alex Fitch)

Laydeez do podcasts – Judith Vanistendael: Dance by the light of the moon

In a Q and A recorded at Bar Music Hall in East London as part of Comica Festival, 2010, Paul Gravett talks to Flemish cartoonist Judith Vanistendael about her semi-autobiographical graphic novel Dance by the light of the moon, published in the UK by Self Made Hero. (Recorded and edited by Alex Fitch, introduced by Sarah Lightman)

Panel Borders: Dotter of Her Father’s Eyes, Thursday 22nd January at 8pm on Resonance FM, podcast on Panel Borders after transmission

Continuing our month of shows about biography and autobiography, guest presenter Nicola Streeten interviews Bryan and Mary Talbot about their forthcoming graphic novel, Dotter of Her Father’s Eyes, which contrasts two coming of age narratives: Lucia, daughter of James Joyce, and author Mary Talbot, daughter of the Joycean scholar James S Atherton. (Recorded and edited by Alex Fitch). You can also read a Director’s Commentary guest post with Mary and Bryan talking us through some of Dotter here on the blog.

(Lucia Joyce in the sanatorium, words by Mary Talbot, art by Bryan Talbot, published Jonathan Cape)

Laydeez do podcasts – Judith Vanistendael: Dance by the light of the moon

In a Q and A recorded at Bar Music Hall in East London as part of Comica Festival, 2010, Paul Gravett talks to Flemish cartoonist Judith Vanistendael about her semi-autobiographical graphic novel Dance by the light of the moon, published in the UK by Self Made Hero. (Recorded and edited by Alex Fitch, introduced by Sarah Lightman). Judith has a new book just out in Belgium and France this month and due out in English from SelfMadeHero this April, When David Lost His Voice.

Recent podcasts:

Panel Borders: Collier’s War

Continuing our month of shows on biography and autobiography, Alex Fitch talks to Canadian cartoonist David Collier about his work, from his Collier’s self published comics to graphic novels such as Chimo released by Drawn and Quarterly. Alex and David also talk about the latter’s experiences serving in the army and getting advice from Robert Crumb. (Recorded live in front of an audience at the Imperial War Museum, London).

Panel Borders: Animating Tatsumi

Starting a month of shows on biography and autobiography, Alex Fitch and Dickon Harris interview comic creator turned animator Eric Khoo who’s directed a portmanteau film called Tatsumi (released 13/01/12), based on the work of mangaka Yoshihiro Tatsumi, including five of his gekiga short stories with bookends adapting his autobiography A Drifting Life. You can read a Director’s Commentary with Eric talking us through some of the film here on the blog.

Panel Borders: Collier’s War, Resonance FM on Sunday 15th at 8pm, podcast on Panel Borders afterwards

Continuing our month of shows on biography and autobiography, Alex Fitch talks to Canadian cartoonist David Collier about his work, from his Collier’s self published comics to graphic novels such as Chimo released by Drawn and Quarterly. Alex and David also talk about the latter’s experiences serving in the army and getting advice from Robert Crumb. (Recorded live in front of an audience at the Imperial War Museum, London).

Recent podcasts:

Panel Borders: Animating Tatsumi

Starting a month of shows on biography and autobiography, Alex Fitch and Dickon Harris interview comic creator turned animator Eric Khoo who’s directed a portmanteau film called Tatsumi (released 13/01/12), based on the work of mangaka Yoshihiro Tatsumi, including five of his gekiga short stories with bookends adapting his autobiography A Drifting Life.

Electric Sheep Podcast: Cult animation

Alex Fitch talks to a pair of directors of innovative short animated films; to Oscar winner (2011 co-director Short Animated film) Shaun Tan about the adaptation of his acclaimed picture book The Lost Thing and to web animator Jonti Picking about his cult animated series Weebl and Bob as well as his adverts for Cadbury’s Creme Eggs (is it that time of year already?) and Anchor Butter.

Clear Spot: Cult animation, Tuesday 10th at 8pm on Resonance FM, extended Eric Khoo podcast on Panel Borders & Tan & Picking on Electric Sheep podcast after transmission

Alex Fitch talks to three directors of innovative new animated films. Alex talks to Oscar Winner (2011 co-director Short Animated film) Shaun Tan about the adaptation of his acclaimed picture book The Lost Thing and to web animator Jonti Picking about his cult animated series Weebl and Bob as well as his adverts for Cadbury’s Creme Eggs (is it that time of year already?) and Anchor Butter.

Alex is joined by Dickon Harris for an interview with comic book creator turned animator Eric Khoo who has directed a portmanteau film called Tatsumi (reviewed recently on the blog here), based on the work of Yoshihito Tatsumi, including five of his short stories and bookends adapting his autobiography A Drifting Life.

Electric Sheep Magazine, issue fifty-nine

Fake Documentaries: Political satires, media manipulation, horror trickery
We start off the year with the real truths behind fake documentaries to mark the Blu-ray release of Peter Watkins’s incendiary Punishment Park, whose denunciation of the US government’s repression of dissent remains powerfully relevant 40 years later. We also have articles on the Joaquin Phoenix hoax I’m Still Here, Danish political satire AFR, the infamous BBC live ghost-hunting show simulation Ghostwatch, and a comic strip on The Blair Witch Project, plus Norwegian monster mockumentary Troll Hunter is out on DVD.

At the cinema, we review Jean Vigo’s poetic gem L’atalante, Steve McQueen’s much anticipated study of sex addiction Shame, Tatsumi, an animated film on the life and work of the eponymous manga artist, and financial thriller Margin Call. In the DVDs we look at legendary road movie Two-Lane Blacktop and we have an interview with director Monte Hellman about his latest film, Road to Nowhere.

We also review Teuvo Tulio’s flamboyant melodrama Cross of Love, and we have a feature on films in which everybody dies. In Short Cuts we preview the London Short Film Festival. Musician Barry Adamson of Magazine and the Bad Seeds fame picks his favourites in the Film Jukebox while writer Tom Benn is Blade Runner’s Roy Batty in Alter Ego.

Recent podcasts:

Panel Borders: Unnamable horrors in genre comics

Concluding our series of shows about H.P. Lovecraft, Alex Fitch talks to three creators who have recently penned comics inspired by his monsters and scenarios. Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning talk about adding a Lovecraftian twist to Marvel Superheroes in their titles Realm of Kings and The Thanos Imperative, which feature alternative versions of Captain Marvel and the Avengers possessed by the ‘Many-angled Ones’. Also Ed Brubaker discusses Fatale, his latest collaboration with artist Sean Phillips, following Sleeper, Criminal and Incognito, which mixes noir storytelling with occult ceremonies and tentacle faced Nazis.

Panel Borders episode 250 – Alan Moore and the horrors at Red Hook

Continuing our month of shows about H.P. Lovecraft, Alex Fitch talks to Alan Moore about his final graphic novel that isn’t part of the continuing League of Extraordinary Gentlemen narrative – Neonomicon – which has just been published, along with its prequel The Courtyard, as a graphic novel by Avatar Press. Both comics follow on from Lovecraft’s tale ‘The Horror at Red Hook’ and Alan discusses why he chose that story in particular to explore further, plus the origins of The Courtyard in an abandoned short story collection called ‘Yuggoth Cultures’, and examples of Lovecraftian imagery in his League of Extraordinary Gentlemen saga.

The Pulse episode 3

Filmed in London and presented by Lian Cooper, SCI-FI-LONDON’s monthly podcast about SF throughout the media features interviews by Alex Fitch with comic book creators Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning about their combination of Space Opera and superheroes for Marvel & Rebekah Isaacs about her Buffy spin-off series Angel and Faith. Also, Transformers special effects creator Scott Farrar talks about his work and Christopher Paolini (Eragon) discusses the latest book in his Inheritance Cycle of books with Chris Patmore, plus there are trailers for forthcoming games and films…