Podcasts, radio shows, writing and more by Alex Fitch
You can scroll the shelf using ← and → keys
Autumn 2010 in print
October 30, 2010
Reviews…
Skyline
Release date: 12/11/10 (Cinema)
A Town called Panic
Release date: 08/10/10 (Cinema)
La Horde
Release date: 17/09/10 (Cinema)
The Last Exorcism
Release date: 03/09/10 (Cinema)
Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Release date: 23/08/10 (DVD)
Comic strip reviews…
City Lights
reviewed by Gwen and Andrew Cheverton
Release date: 15/11/10 (DVD / Blu-Ray)
Big Tits Zombie
reviewed by Dan Lester
Release date: 11/10/10 (DVD / Blu-Ray)
Pet Shop of Horrors
reviewed by David O’Connell
Release date: 02/08/10 (DVD)
Articles…
Dario Argento’s ‘animal trilogy’: Bird with the Crystal Plumage / Cat o’Nine Tails/ Four Flies on Grey Velvet
Alex Fitch interviews Hammer and Tongs
a.k.a. Nick Goldsmith and Garth Jennings
Alex Fitch interviews Joe Dante
part one / two
Futuristic cities on film:
From Metropolis to Dream Home
Panel Borders: Gravestown Valentine
October 28, 2010 — 1 Comment
Panel Borders:
Gravestown Valentine
Originally broadcast 28th October 2010 on Resonance 104.4 FM
3 pages from Valentine by Alex de Campi and Christine Larsen, 3 panels from Harker by Roger Gibson and Vince Danks
Continuing this month’s series of shows on horror and dark fantasy comics, Alex Fitch talks to Roger Gibson and Vince Danks, creators of the ‘Fortean’ murder mystery comic Harker and the forthcoming Gravestown and to Alex De Campi, film-maker and writer of the e-comic Valentine.
Alex discusses with the creators the importance of a good location in comics, whether it’s the real world locations of Harker or the fictional haunted every town of Roger and Vince’s new project and the reasons that Alex chose Russia in 1812 as the initial location of Valentine and the various formats you can download the periodical in.
The interview with Roger and Vince was recorded at this year’s British International Comics Show in Birmingham.
For more info about this podcast and a variety of formats you can stream or download, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.org
Links: Wikipedia page on the French invasion of Russia in 1812
Alex De Campi’s blog about creating Valentine at bleedingcool.com
Alex’s website and youtube channel
Roger Gibson and Vince Danks’ Blog
Interview with Roger and Vince on the Forbidden Planet International blog
Review of Harker on comicbookjesus.com
Today’s show: Gravestown Valentine
October 28, 2010
Today on Resonance FM…
Panel Borders: Gravestown Valentine
3 pages from Valentine by Alex de Campi and Christine Larsen, 3 panels from Harker by Roger Gibson and Vince Danks
Continuing this month’s series of shows on horror and dark fantasy comics, Alex Fitch talks to Roger Gibson and Vince Danks, creators of the ‘Fortean’ murder mystery comic Harker and the forthcoming Gravestown and to Alex De Campi, film-maker and writer of the e-comic Valentine.
Alex discusses with the creators the importance of a good location in comics, whether it’s the real world locations of Harker or the fictional haunted every town of Roger and Vince’s new project and the reasons that Alex chose Russia in 1812 as the initial location of Valentine and the various formats you can download the periodical in.
The interview with Roger and Vince was recorded at this year’s British International Comics Show in Birmingham.
5pm, 28/10/10, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast here after transmission
Links: Wikipedia page on the French invasion of Russia in 1812
Alex De Campi’s blog about creating Valentine at bleedingcool.com
Alex’s website and youtube channel
Roger Gibson and Vince Danks’ Blog
Interview with Roger and Vince on the Forbidden Planet International blog
Review of Harker on comicbookjesus.com
Recommended events:
Pickled Ink’s search for a comics artist
Art illustration agency Pickled Ink has launched a new award in a bid to find an artist to draw a new graphic novel by Super Gran creator and writer Jenny McDade.
Working with Jenny, the creator/writer of the TV series Super Gran, who cut her teeth writing strips for the British girls comic Tammy, and comic book author and editor Pat Mills, the agency is searching for an outstanding character-led artist to illustrate Jenny’s first graphic novel script, Party Girls. The winner will be awarded £1000.00 and a contract of representation at Pickled Ink, whose current artists include Hanako Clulow, Hattie Newman, Hannah Bagshaw and many others.
In brief, they’re asking for: character design of two lead characters; and a 20 frame sample sequence and a front cover design. The winning artist must be an existing or recent graduate from the last 12 months only, able to draw modern fashion, facial expression, great storytelling, and be generally ’2011′.
The deadline for entries is Monday 8th November 2010, more info at www.pickledink.com where you can download a PDF of the full rules and conditions
Panel Borders: Books of Magic and Spirits of the Earth
October 21, 2010 — 1 Comment
Panel Borders:
Books of Magic and Spirits of the Earth
Originally broadcast 21st October 2010 on Resonance 104.4 FM
Rose by Jeff Smith and Charles Vess plus The Unwritten by Mike Carey, Peter Gross and Ryan Kelly
Continuing our month of shows looking at horror and dark fantasy comics, in a pair of interviews recorded at this year’s British International Comics Show in Birmingham, Alex Fitch talks to artists Charles Vess and Peter Gross about their work. Charles is the World Fantasy Award winning illustrator of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust (adapted into a film in 2007), two issues of Sandman featuring William Shakespeare and an unusual graphic novel that saw Marvel Comics’ most famous character visit Scotland in Spider-man: Spirits of the Earth. Peter was the main artist (and later writer) of the much loved American fantasy series The Books of Magic which was probably a major influence on Harry Potter and more recently has worked on Vertigo titles Lucifer and The Unwritten with Mike Carey.
For more info about this podcast and a variety of formats you can stream or download, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.org
Links: Wikipedia pages on The Books of Magic, Peter Gross, Charles Vess, Stardust
Charles’ book and art websites
Listen to Alex’s interview with Neil Gaiman about writing Stardust
Peter’s solo website / on collaborations with Mike Carey
Interview with Peter Gross and Mike Carey about The Unwritten at Comic Book Resources – part one / part two
Recommended events:
Laydeez do comics: Erotic art and graphic literature
The monthly meeting for female comics creators, fans of female comic creators and men who don’t feel intimidated by a reading group dominated by women!
This month’s subject: Art, erotica or p0rn…Discuss!
Monday 25 October, 6.30-9.30pm
The Rag Factory, 16-18 Heneage Street, London E1 5L
Cost: £1.50 payable on the door
Guest Speakers:
MELINDA GEBBIE
American comics artist and author. Contributor to Wimmen’s Comix, Collaborator on ‘Lost Girls’ with Alan Moore.
Lisa Gornick
London based filmmaker who keeps a blog of daily drawings about her film making.
Sina Shamsavari
Autobiographical comics artist currently working on a PhD about queer alternative comics at Goldsmiths College, London.
More info at: www.laydeezdocomics.com
Pickled Ink’s search for a comics artist
Art illustration agency Pickled Ink has launched a new award in a bid to find an artist to draw a new graphic novel by Super Gran creator and writer Jenny McDade.
Working with Jenny, the creator/writer of the TV series Super Gran, who cut her teeth writing strips for the British girls comic Tammy, and comic book author and editor Pat Mills, the agency is searching for an outstanding character-led artist to illustrate Jenny’s first graphic novel script, Party Girls. The winner will be awarded £1000.00 and a contract of representation at Pickled Ink, whose current artists include Hanako Clulow, Hattie Newman, Hannah Bagshaw and many others.
(more…)
Today’s show: Books of Magic and Spirits of the Earth
October 21, 2010
Today on Resonance FM…
Panel Borders: Books of Magic and Spirits of the Earth
Rose by Jeff Smith and Charles Vess plus The Unwritten by Mike Carey, Peter Gross and Ryan Kelly
Continuing our month of shows looking at horror and dark fantasy comics, in a pair of interviews recorded at this year’s British International Comics Show in Birmingham, Alex Fitch talks to artists Charles Vess and Peter Gross about their work. Charles is the World Fantasy Award winning illustrator of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust (adapted into a film in 2007), two issues of Sandman featuring William Shakespeare and an unusual graphic novel that saw Marvel Comics’ most famous character visit Scotland in Spider-man: Spirits of the Earth. Peter was the main artist (and later writer) of the much loved American fantasy series The Books of Magic which was probably a major influence on Harry Potter and more recently has worked on Vertigo titles Lucifer and The Unwritten with Mike Carey.
5pm, 21/10/10, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast here after transmission
Links: Wikipedia pages on The Books of Magic, Peter Gross, Charles Vess, Stardust
Charles’ book and art websites
Listen to Alex’s interview with Neil Gaiman about writing Stardust
Peter’s solo website / on collaborations with Mike Carey
Interview with Peter Gross and Mike Carey about The Unwritten at Comic Book Resources – part one / part two
Recommended events:
Laydeez do comics: Erotic art and graphic literature
The monthly meeting for female comics creators, fans of female comic creators and men who don’t feel intimidated by a reading group dominated by women!
This month’s subject: Art, erotica or p0rn…Discuss!
Monday 25 October, 6.30-9.30pm
The Rag Factory, 16-18 Heneage Street, London E1 5L
Cost: £1.50 payable on the door
Guest Speakers:
MELINDA GEBBIE
American comics artist and author. Contributor to Wimmen’s Comix, Collaborator on ‘Lost Girls’ with Alan Moore.
Lisa Gornick
London based filmmaker who keeps a blog of daily drawings about her film making.
Sina Shamsavari
Autobiographical comics artist currently working on a PhD about queer alternative comics at Goldsmiths College, London.
More info at: www.laydeezdocomics.com
Pickled Ink’s search for a comics artist
Art illustration agency Pickled Ink has launched a new award in a bid to find an artist to draw a new graphic novel by Super Gran creator and writer Jenny McDade.
Working with Jenny, the creator/writer of the TV series Super Gran, who cut her teeth writing strips for the British girls comic Tammy, and comic book author and editor Pat Mills, the agency is searching for an outstanding character-led artist to illustrate Jenny’s first graphic novel script, Party Girls. The winner will be awarded £1000.00 and a contract of representation at Pickled Ink, whose current artists include Hanako Clulow, Hattie Newman, Hannah Bagshaw and many others.
(more…)
I’m ready for my close-up: Hammer and Tongs and a Town called Panic
October 14, 2010 — 1 Comment
I’m ready for my close-up:
Hammer and Tongs and a Town called Panic
Broadcast 26/10/10 on Resonance 104.4 FM
Nick Goldsmith and Garth Jennings at the cinema, Cowboy and Indian at the North Pole
Alex Fitch talks to film-makers Garth Jennings and Nick Goldsmith (a.k.a. Hammer and Tongs) about their promotion of the new Belgian feature length animation A Town called Panic which shows stop frame animated toys going on a wild adventure that involves mermen, mad scientists and a giant robot penguin. Alex also talks to Garth and Nick about the aesthetic of their films Son of Rambow and The Hitch-hiker’s guide to the Galaxy and how the demise of the UK Film Council is affecting their work and promotion of European films in the UK.
To download / stream this radio interview in a variety of formats, please visit www.archive.org
Links: Wikipedia pages on Hammer and Tongs and
Watch A Town called Panic shorts and movie trailer
Hammer and Tongs’ website
Listen to Alex’s previous interview with Garth Jennings about Son of Rambow
(more…)
Reality Check: Inception / Monsters special effects special
October 8, 2010 — 3 Comments
Reality Check:
Inception / Monsters special effects special
Paul Franklin contemplates the VFX of Inception, Gareth Edwards prepares to shoot Monsters
In this edition of the Sci-Fi London Podcast, SFL web editor Chris Patmore guest hosts to bring interviews with two people working and different ends of the special effects budgetary scale. First we speak to Paul Franklin, visual effects supervisor on Chris Nolan’s Inception, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, as well as on the two latest Harry Potter movies.
Then we speak with Gareth Edwards about his debut feature Monsters, and how he got to make it, and doing special effects on his home computer. Gareth was the winner of the first SCI-FI-LONDON 48 Hour Film Challenge, and his feature film is garnering rave reviews around the world. Gareth will be holding a director’s masterclass after the screening of Monsters at Oktoberfest 2010 (see below).
For more info about this podcast and a variety of other episodes you can download, please visit the home of this episode at www.sci-fi-london.com
Links: Interviews with Paul Franklin about Batman Begins and Inception
Pre-order a special Limited Edition of Inception on DVD/Blu-ray (December 6) from Play.com
Read an interview with Gareth Edwards about Monsters
Recommended events:
Sci-Fi London Oktoberfest
Sunday 10th October
Hitch-hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (42 day) screening
To those of us who got beyond banging the rocks together, 42 is represented in binary as 101010. And so, just in case nothing remarkable happens on the tenth of October 2010, SCI-FI-LONDON will be showing the film.
10AM Apollo Piccadilly Cinema, Lower Regent Street
Thursday 14th October
Evening event at Royal Greenwich Observatory: Life, but as we know it?
A SPECIAL NIGHT investigating Extraterrestrial life in science, fiction and comedy.
We start the evening with a live Planetarium show: Astrobiology – the new science of life in the universe, created in conjunction with astrobiologist Dr Lewis Dartnell, this unique planetarium show will take you on a tour of the planets and moons of our Solar System to ask: are we alone?
On the night we will also be screening a special preview of MONSTERS by Gareth Edward on the planetarium dome. Seats are limited and we will be picking ticket holders to the Astrobiology show at random and offering them a chance to also see the film!
Also: Join some of the activities around the Observatory site. / Touch some real-life visitors from space with a tour of the Observatory’s meteorite collection. / Find out the latest news from NASA’s mission to detect Earth-like worlds and watch a live demo of how we might scan them for signs of life. / Good monster/bad monster – scientists and writers discuss what makes a believable alien lifeform. With Simon Guerrier and Dr Zita Martins / Weather permitting, a chance to see Jupiter’s moon Europa – most likely home of alien life in our Solar System. / Alien Among Us – a real-world game. You’ll need to think, plan, sneak, and escape. It’ll be a blast… REGISTER ON THE NIGHT
6:30PM Royal Greenwich Observatory, Greenwich
More…
(more…)
Panel Borders: The Sound of Drowning and Gentlemen Corpses
October 7, 2010
Panel Borders:
The Sound of Drowning and Gentlemen Corpses
Originally broadcast 7th October 2010 on Resonance 104.4 FM
Excerpt from The Sound of Drowning #14 by Paul O'Connell and Lawrence Elwick and cover of Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse volume two by Ben Templesmith
In the first of a month of shows looking at horror comics, a pair of guest presenters talk to a couple of independent creators whose comics deal with the darker aspects of the human condition, in interviews recorded earlier this year at comic book conventions which help promote small press creators.
Dickon Harris talks to Paul O’Connell, a UK creator who writes and sometimes draws the anthology title The Sound of Drowning and most recently became an internet cause célèbre with his fumetti style mash-up of two very different British cult favourites in A Muppet Wicker Man, in an interview recorded at the Alternative Press Fair.
Liz Lutgendorff talks to Ben Templesmith, an Australian comic book creator best known for his work on titles such as Hellspawn and 30 Days of Night about his creator owned title Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse and his interest in religion and mythology, in an interview recorded at the MCM Expo in London’s Docklands. (Edited and introduced by Alex Fitch)
For more info about this podcast and a variety of formats you can stream or download, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.org
Links: Ben’s website www.templesmith.com
Listen to the complimentary interview with Ben by Liz about his interest in politics on The Pod Delusion
Listen to Alex Fitch’s interview with Ben at the Autumn 2008 MCM Expo
Paul’s website www.soundofdrowning.com and blog
Read a review of The Sound of Drowning #14 on the Forbidden Planet International blog
Recommended events:
Lecture on Ethnicity in 20th Century American Comics
The Victoria and Albert Museum’s resident comic book expert Ian Rakoff will be giving a talk on Ethnicity in 20th Century American Comics from The Yellow Kid to Tarzan at Oxford University’s Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology on Friday 15th October 2010.
Ian looks at representations of race and gender in early American comic strips, taking in Little Orphan Annie, Buster Brown and Little Nemo in Slumberland.
11am, Friday 15th October
Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology
51/53 Banbury Road
Oxford OX2 6PE
Pickled Ink’s search for a comics artist
Art illustration agency Pickled Ink has launched a new award in a bid to find an artist to draw a new graphic novel by Super Gran creator and writer Jenny McDade.
Working with Jenny, the creator/writer of the TV series Super Gran, who cut her teeth writing strips for the British girls comic Tammy, and comic book author and editor Pat Mills, the agency is searching for an outstanding character-led artist to illustrate Jenny’s first graphic novel script, Party Girls. The winner will be awarded £1000.00 and a contract of representation at Pickled Ink, whose current artists include Hanako Clulow, Hattie Newman, Hannah Bagshaw and many others.
(more…)
Today’s show: The Sound of Drowning and Gentlemen Corpses
October 7, 2010
Today on Resonance FM…
Panel Borders: The Sound of Drowning and Gentlemen Corpses
Excerpt from The Sound of Drowning #14 by Paul O'Connell and Lawrence Elwick and cover of Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse volume two by Ben Templesmith
In the first of a month of shows looking at horror comics, a pair of guest presenters talk to a couple of independent creators whose comics deal with the darker aspects of the human condition, in interviews recorded earlier this year at comic book conventions which help promote small press creators.
Dickon Harris talks to Paul O’Connell, a UK creator who writes and sometimes draws the anthology title The Sound of Drowning and most recently became an internet cause célèbre with his fumetti style mash-up of two very different British cult favourites in A Muppet Wicker Man, in an interview recorded at the Alternative Press Fair.
Liz Lutgendorff talks to Ben Templesmith, an Australian comic book creator best known for his work on titles such as Hellspawn and 30 Days of Night about his creator owned title Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse and his interest in religion and mythology, in an interview recorded at the MCM Expo in London’s Docklands. (Edited and introduced by Alex Fitch)
5pm, 07/10/10, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast here after transmission
Links: Ben’s website www.templesmith.com
Listen to the complimentary interview with Ben by Liz about his interest in politics on The Pod Delusion
Listen to Alex Fitch’s interview with Ben at the Autumn 2008 MCM Expo
Paul’s website www.soundofdrowning.com and blog
Read a review of The Sound of Drowning #14 on the Forbidden Planet International blog
Recommended events:
Lecture on Ethnicity in 20th Century American Comics
The Victoria and Albert Museum’s resident comic book expert Ian Rakoff will be giving a talk on Ethnicity in 20th Century American Comics from The Yellow Kid to Tarzan at Oxford University’s Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology on Friday 15th October 2010.
Ian looks at representations of race and gender in early American comic strips, taking in Little Orphan Annie, Buster Brown and Little Nemo in Slumberland.
11am, Friday 15th October
Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology
51/53 Banbury Road
Oxford OX2 6PE
Pickled Ink’s search for a comics artist
Art illustration agency Pickled Ink has launched a new award in a bid to find an artist to draw a new graphic novel by Super Gran creator and writer Jenny McDade.
Working with Jenny, the creator/writer of the TV series Super Gran, who cut her teeth writing strips for the British girls comic Tammy, and comic book author and editor Pat Mills, the agency is searching for an outstanding character-led artist to illustrate Jenny’s first graphic novel script, Party Girls. The winner will be awarded £1000.00 and a contract of representation at Pickled Ink, whose current artists include Hanako Clulow, Hattie Newman, Hannah Bagshaw and many others.
(more…)
