Podcasts, radio shows, writing and more by Alex Fitch
You can scroll the shelf using ← and → keys
Panel Borders: Exhibiting comics (2013)
page from The Book of Sarah by Sarah Lightman / exhibition launch / Press and Release flyer / photo of gallery
Exhibiting comics (2013): As part of Panel Borders’ month of shows about fine art and comics, we have our yearly look at how art from comic books is displayed in the gallery space. At OCCUPY MY TIME GALLERY, Deptford, Alex Fitch talks to gallery owner / curator Sue Cohen, and artist Sarah Lightman, about the latter’s exhibition “The Book of Sarah”, which previews her forthcoming graphic novel from Myriad Editions.
Also, at Phoenix Brighton, fine art lecturer Sue Gollifer, curator Karin Mori, exhibition designer Ben Thomson, and artist Iain Paxon (Hamilton Yarns) talk about the gallery’s exhibition of artists’ books “Press and Release”.
“The Book of Sarah” is on display at OCCUPY MY TIME GALLERY, Enclave 9, Resolution Way, Deptford, London SE8 4NT (Weds – Sat) to 1st June, 2013 / “Press and Release” is on display at Phoenix Brighton, 10-14 Waterloo Pl., Brighton, East Sussex BN2 9NB (Weds – Sun) to 9th June 2013 (Originally broadcast 20/05/13 on Resonance 104.4 FM) (more…)
Tomorrow’s show: Exhibiting comics (2013)
May 19, 2013
Tomorrow morning at 8.30am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Exhibiting comics (2013)
page from The Book of Sarah by Sarah Lightman / exhibition launch / Press and Release flyer / photo of gallery
As part of Panel Borders’ month of shows about fine art and comics, we have our yearly look at how art from comic books is displayed in the gallery space. At OCCUPY MY TIME GALLERY, Deptford, Alex Fitch talks to gallery owner / curator Sue Cohen, and artist Sarah Lightman, about the latter’s exhibition “The Book of Sarah”, which previews her forthcoming graphic novel from Myriad Editions.
Also, at Phoenix Brighton, fine art lecturer Sue Gollifer, curator Karin Mori, exhibition designer Ben Thomson, and artist Iain Paxon (Hamilton Yarns) talk about the gallery’s exhibition of artists’ books “Press and Release”.
“The Book of Sarah” is on display at OCCUPY MY TIME GALLERY, Enclave 9, Resolution Way, Deptford, London SE8 4NT (Weds – Sat) to 1st June, 2013 / “Press and Release” is on display at Phoenix Brighton, 10-14 Waterloo Pl., Brighton, East Sussex BN2 9NB (Weds – Sun) to 9th June 2013
8.30am, Monday 20th May 2013 / repeated 3pm, Thursday 23rd May, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com (more…)
Panel Borders: Barbara Nessim – a (comics) artful life
May 13, 2013
Superman carrying girl with green shoes, Star Girl banded with blue wave, Help! magazine Fumetti, Chopin a la moog, Swedish Lives, A / B, The Night is Silent by Barbara Nessim
Barbara Nessim – a (comics) artful life: Continuing a month of shows about the connections between fine art and comic books, Alex Fitch talks to acclaimed artist and illustrator Barbara Nessim about her work and the many connections it has with sequential art, as its influence and subject. A selection of Nessim’s work is currently on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum, with her Wonder Woman analogue “Star Girl Banded with Blue Wave” (1966) being used as the focus for the marketing of the show; Alex talks to her about this work, the use of panel based sequential images in her Flag series and others, and her unlikely appearance in a anti-drugs fumetti, facilitated by Gloria Steinem and published in Warren Magazines’ Help! periodical in the 1960s.
Barbara Nessim – an artful life is on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum until 19th May 2013 (Originally broadcast 13/05/13 on Resonance 104.4 FM) (more…)
Tomorrow’s show: Barbara Nessim – a (comics) artful life
May 12, 2013
Tomorrow morning at 8.30am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Barbara Nessim – a (comics) artful life
Superman carrying girl with green shoes, Star Girl banded with blue wave, Fumetti from Help! magazine, Swedish Lives, A / B by Barbara Nessim
Continuing a month of shows about the connections between fine art and comic books, Alex Fitch talks to acclaimed artist and illustrator Barbara Nessim about her work and the many connections it has with sequential art, as its influence and subject. A selection of Nessim’s work is currently on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum, with her Wonder Woman analogue “Star Girl Banded with Blue Wave” (1966) being used as the focus for the marketing of the show; Alex talks to her about this work, the use of panel based sequential images in her Flag series and others, and her unlikely appearance in a anti-drugs fumetti, facilitated by Gloria Steinem and published in Warren Magazines’ Help! periodical in the 1960s.
Barbara Nessim – an artful life is on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum until 19th May 2013
8.30am, Monday 13th May 2013 / repeated 3pm, Thursday 16th May, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com (more…)
Reality Check: Apocalypse Miao
May 4, 2013
Posters for Birdemic II and Best Friends Forever
Apocalypse Miao: In a pair of Q and As recorded at the London Science-Fiction Film Festival (SCI-FI-LONDON), Alex Fitch talks to the creators of two new low budget portrayals of the apocalypse on screen. Stars Alan Bagh and Thomas Favaloro, writer / director James Nguyen and producer Jeff Gross discuss the B movie spoof Birdemic II: The Resurrection and co-writer / star Vera Miao talks about her excellent mid-apocalyptic road movie Best Friends Forever. (Originally broadcast 3rd May 2013 on Resonance 104.4 FM)
This year’s SCI-FI-LONDON festival takes place at various venues around London from 30th April – more info at www.sci-fi-london.com
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
Websites: www.bestfriendsforeverfilm.com / www.birdemic.com
Panel Borders: Shallowater, Your Days Are Numbered
April 29, 2013
Your days are numbered cover by David Ziggy Green / excerpt from Shallowater by Jenny Linn-Cole
Shallowater, Your Days Are Numbered: Concluding a month of shows looking at small press and independent comics, we have a pair of interviews recorded in venues where such titles are stocked. Alex Fitch talks to Jenny-Linn Cole (in the gallery of Orbital Comics), about her graphic novel Shallowater, an tale of music, masculinity, and existentialism serialised in a series of small press comics. Also, in an interview recorded at the DIY Cultures festival, Dickon Harris talks to Jon Turner about the independent comics magazine Your days are numbered which mixes reviews and articles about sequential art with cutting edge graphic design. (Originally broadcast 29/04/13 on Resonance 104.4 FM)
For more info and a variety of different formats you can stream or download, please visit the home of this podcast at www.archive.org
Links: Your days are numbered website
Jenny Linn-Cole’s website / blog (more…)
Tomorrow’s show: Shallowater, Your days are numbered
April 28, 2013
Tomorrow morning at 8.30am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Shallowater, Your days are numbered
Your days are numbered cover by David Ziggy Green / excerpt from Shallowater by Jenny Linn-Cole
Concluding a month of shows looking at small press and independent comics, we have a pair of interviews recorded in venues where such titles are stocked. Alex Fitch talks to Jenny-Linn Cole (in the gallery of Orbital Comics), about her graphic novel Shallowater, an tale of music, masculinity, and existentialism serialised in a series of small press comics. Also, in an interview recorded at the DIY Cultures festival, Dickon Harris talks to Jon Turner about the independent comics magazine Your days are numbered which mixes reviews and articles about sequential art with cutting edge graphic design.
8.30am, Monday 29th April 2013 / repeated 3pm, Thursday 2nd May, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) (more…)
Panel Borders: Collage and reappropriation
March 24, 2013
Clockwise from top left: webcomics by Scott C x2, Becky, Paul O’Connell x 3, Frank
Collage and reappropriation: Continuing a month of shows looking at webcomics, Panel Borders examines the work of a quartet of creators whose online strips and cartoons reinvent retro images and iconic characters from film and TV to beguiling effect. In a pair of short interviews recorded at Thought Bubble, Leeds 2012, Alex Fitch talks to American creators Scott C – about his webcomics Double Fine Action Comics and The Great Showdowns – and Becky and Frank about Tiny Kitten Teeth, cartoons which utilise imagery from toys, cereal packaging and children’s literature.
Also, Alex looks into the varying merits of print and web-based comics with British writer / artist Paul O’Connell, in an interview recorded at the University of Brighton. Paul’s postmodern fumetti mash-ups mix comedy and horror via strips such as A Muppet Wicker Man and The Seinfeld Matrix… (more…)
Panel Borders: Steampunk Geniuses
March 10, 2013
Interior art and cover of Girl Genius omnibus / cover of Agatha H volume 1
Steampunk Geniuses: Continuing a month of shows looking at webcomics, Alex Fitch talks to the creators of a popular online steampunk strip that combines Victoriana, mad scientists, fantasy and strong female characters. Phil and Kaja Foglio discuss the history of Girl Genius, their careers before the start of their most famous comic and why they prefer the term ‘gaslamp fantasy’ for their niche in the science-fiction subgenre. (Recorded at Congenial, Role-Playing Unicon, Cambridge 2012) Originally broadcast 10/03/13 on Resonance 104.4 FM.
For more info and a variety of different formats you can stream or download, please visit the home of this podcast at www.archive.org (more…)
Today’s show: Steampunk Geniuses
March 10, 2013
This evening at 6pm on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Steampunk Geniuses
Interior art and cover of Girl Genius omnibus / cover of Agatha H volume 1
Continuing a month of shows looking at webcomics, Alex Fitch talks to the creators of a popular online steampunk strip that combines Victoriana, mad scientists, fantasy and strong female characters. Phil and Kaja Foglio discuss the history of Girl Genius, their careers before the start of their most famous comic and why they prefer the term ‘gaslamp fantasy’ for their niche in the science-fiction subgenre. (Recorded at Congenial, Role-Playing Unicon, Cambridge 2012)
6pm, Sunday 10th March 2013 / repeated 4.30pm, Tuesday 12th March, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com
Links: Read Girl Genius online
Phil and Kaja Foglio’s website (more…)
Panel Borders: Young British Webcomic creators
March 3, 2013
— 1 Comment
Webcomics by Richy K. Chandler, Zarina Liew, Nich Angell,.Namiiebim and John Allison
Young British Webcomic creators: In the first of a series of shows, Alex Fitch talks to young British webcomic creators about their work. In a Q and A recorded at Comica Comiket (2011), John Allison discusses his webcomic Bad Machinery, and, as we draw to the end of the first Webcomic Artist Swap Project week (February 25th – March 3rd, 2013), Nich Angell (Cat and Meringue), Zarina Liew (Le Mime), Naniiebim (Mephistos) and project originator Richy K. Chandler (Lucy the Octopus), talk about their musical chairs experiment (more…)
Today’s show: Young British Webcomic creators
March 3, 2013
This evening at 6pm on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Young British Webcomic creators
Webcomics by Richy K. Chandler, Zarina Liew, Nich Angell,.Namiiebim and John Allison
In the first of a series of shows looking at comics serialised on the internet, Alex Fitch talks to a quintet of young British webcomic creators about their work. In a Q and A recorded at Comica Comiket (2011), John Allison discusses his webcomic Bad Machinery, his reasons for choosing the internet as a form of delivery and the lessons he’s learned as a comic book creator over the last decade.
Also, as we draw to the end of the first Webcomic Artist Swap Project week (February 25th – March 3rd, 2013), Nich Angell (Cat and Meringue), Zarina Liew (Le Mime), Naniiebim (Mephistos) and project originator Richy K. Chandler (Lucy the Octopus), talk about their musical chairs experiment which saw thirteen creators write and draw each others’ strips in order to bring new readers to stories they may not have previously encountered, and raise awareness of the British webcomic scene in general.
6pm, Sunday 3rd March 2013 / repeated 4.30pm, Tuesday 5th March, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com (more…)
Today’s show: Inhumanity and darkness in literature
February 17, 2013
Tonight at 6pm on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Inhumanity and darkness in literature
Cover of The Man who Laughs / sketch of Gwynplaine by Mark Stafford / interior art and cover of Heart of Darkness by Catherine Anyango
Continuing our month of shows about comics and literature, Alex Fitch talks to a trio of graphic novelists about adapting classic 19th century novels as sequential art. In a panel discussion recorded at Comica Comiket in 2011, David Hine and Mark Stafford discuss their adaptation of Victor Hugo’s The Man who Laughs, a tale that has already cast a long shadow over comics, as the lead character Gwynplaine was supposedly an influence on the creation of The Joker. Also, fine artist Catherine Anyango discusses her visual approach to her 2010 adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, best known as the inspiration for Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, which sees her intricate pencilling style married with both text from the original novel and also Conrad’s The Congo Diary.
6pm, Sunday 17th February 2013, repeated at 4.30pm, Tuesday 19th February, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) (more…)
Today’s show: Swedish thrillers and dark Sci-Fi fantasy
February 3, 2013
Tonight at 6pm on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Swedish thrillers and dark Sci-Fi fantasy
Covers of A Sickness in the family, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo parts 1 and 2 by Denise Mina et al., Razorjack issue 1 and Com.X collected edition by John Higgins, Double-Crossing novel by Michael Carroll
Starting a month about the links between comics and literature, Alex Fitch looks at an example of a series of books that are being adapted for comics and comics that are being continued as novels. Scots novelist Denise Mina discusses her adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy as a series of graphic novels for DC Comics, starting with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and writer / artist John Higgins explains the transition of his SF / horror comic series Razorjack into a series of books written by himself and other authors.
6pm, Sunday 3rd February 2013, repeated at 4.30pm, Tuesday 5th February, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at http://www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast at http://www.panelborders.wordpress.com (more…)
Today’s show: Around the country with Constantine
January 27, 2013
Tonight at 6pm on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Around the country with Constantine
John Constantine by Paul Jenkins and Warren Pleece / by Denise Mina and Leonardo Manco
In the third of our trilogy of shows looking at the 25th anniversary of John Constantine: Hellblazer, Alex Fitch talks to creators of the comic book from opposite ends of the UK. Scots novelist and playwright Denise Mina discusses her year long tenure as writer of the title from 2006-07 and remembers the challenges of penning her first comic book scripts; Brighton based artist Warren Pleece talks about pencilling and inking 9 issues of the comic in 1997 and ’98, plus collaborating with Philip Bond for SF spin-off Bad Blood at the turn of the century..
6pm, Sunday 27th January 2013, repeated at 4.30pm, Tuesday 29th January, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at http://www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast at http://www.panelborders.wordpress.com (more…)
Laydeez do podcasts: Alison Bechdel
January 1, 2013
Extract from Are you my mother? by Alison Bechdel
An episode of the Laydeez do comics podcast, recorded at Comica Festival 2012 – graphic novelist Alison Bechdel reads from her new book Are you my mother? and answers questions from the audience about her debut Fun Home, and long running comic strip Dykes to watch out for.
(Recorded at Foyles Bookshop, introduced by Nicola Streeten and edited by Alex Fitch) (more…)
Panel Borders: Nelson
December 10, 2012
Panels from Nelson by Dan Berry, Duncan Fegredo, Rob Davis, Sarah McIntyre, Jonathan Edwards and Suzy Varty
Nelson: Continuing our month of shows looking at depictions of lives on the page, Dan Berry talks to four of his fellow creators who worked on the award winning anthology graphic novel Nelson, published by Blank Slate Books, including the book’s co-editor Rob Davis and artists Duncan Fegredo, Jonathan Edwards, Sarah McIntyre and Suzy Varty. Nelson depicts 54 days in the life of the titular character, a young and then adult female Londoner, who is born in the first chapter set in 1968 and we follow her life to middle age in the present day. Dan discusses the history of the project, the aspects of autobiography that were absorbed into each creator’s pages and the collaborative processes involved in working on a exquisite corpse method of storytelling. Recorded at Thought Bubble Festival, Leeds 2011 and edited by Alex Fitch (more…)
Today’s show: Nelson
December 9, 2012
Tonight at 8pm on Resonance 104.4 FM – Panel Borders: Nelson
Panels from Nelson by Dan Berry, Duncan Fegredo, Rob Davis, Sarah McIntyre, Jonathan Edwards and Suzy Varty
Continuing our month of shows looking at depictions of lives on the page, Dan Berry talks to four of his fellow creators who worked on the award winning anthology graphic novel Nelson, published by Blank Slate Books, including the book’s co-editor Rob Davis and artists Duncan Fegredo, Jonathan Edwards, Sarah McIntyre and Suzy Varty. Nelson depicts 54 days in the life of the titular character, a young and then adult female Londoner, who is born in the first chapter set in 1968 and we follow her life to middle age in the present day. Dan discusses the history of the project, the aspects of autobiography that were absorbed into each creator’s pages and the collaborative processes involved in working on a exquisite corpse method of storytelling. (Recorded at Thought Bubble Festival, Leeds 2011 and edited by Alex Fitch)
8pm, Sunday 9th December 2012, Resonance 104.4FM / streamed at www.resonancefm.com (more…)
Panel Borders: The work of Gail Simone
November 18, 2012
Comics by Gail Simone: Treehouse of Horror / Welcome to Tranquility / Wonder Woman / Secret Six / Batgirl
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 Secret Six. 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.
Visit www.archive.org, for more info and formats you can stream / download.
Links: Gail Simone’s tumblr site / twitter page
MCM Expo website
Listen to Alex’s interview with Gail’s regular collaborator Nicola Scott and the 2011 Thought Bubble panel on writing comics featuring Gail, Andy Diggle, Robin Furth and Al Ewing (more…)
Today’s show: The work of Gail Simone
November 18, 2012
Tonight at 8pm on Resonance 104.4 FM – Panel Borders: The work of Gail Simone
Comics by Gail Simone: Treehouse of Horror / Welcome to Tranquility / Wonder Woman / Secret Six / Batgirl
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 Secret Six. 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 104.4FM / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com
Links: Gail Simone’s tumblr site / twitter page
MCM Expo website
Listen to Alex’s interview with Gail’s regular collaborator Nicola Scott (more…)
