Podcasts, radio shows, writing and more by Alex Fitch
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Tomorrow’s show: The Spirit of Will Eisner
February 25, 2015
Tomorrow at 11am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: The Spirit of Will Eisner
Excerpts from The Spirit by WIll EIsner, originally published in 1940, 1949, 1952 and 1997
Concluding a month of shows about ‘Masters of American Comics’, Alex Fitch talks to a quartet of comics experts and historians about the 75th anniversary of Will Eisner’s seminal crime comic The Spirit. Richard Reynolds (Senior Lecturer, Central Saint Martins), Ian Rakoff (Lecturer, Victoria and Albert Museum), Guy Lawley (contributor: 1001 Comics You Must Read Before You Die) and Steve Edgell (co-author: The Complete Cartooning Course) discuss the early days of American adventure comics and the other characters Eisner created in the 1930s, how The Spirit was influenced by film noir, and representations of racial minorities in the author’s work.
11am Thursday 26th February, repeated 7am Saturday 28th February 2015, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com
Listen to the accompanying podcast on Eisner’s autobiographical comics (more…)
Tomorrow’s show: The Michael Golden Years
February 18, 2015
Tomorrow at 11am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: The Michael Golden Years
Batman Family, The Nam and Micronauts by Michael Golden
Continuing a month of shows about ‘Masters of American Comics’, Alex Fitch talks to artist Michael Golden about his work on classic 1980s comic books The Micronauts, The ‘Nam and Bucky O’Hare. Alex and Michael discuss how the latter’s experiences as a commercial artist differed from working on sequential art, how working on Marvel Magazines offered more adult storytelling opportunities than in their traditional comics and how he was hoodwinked into advertising a toy range under the auspices of launching a new Science-Fiction title. Recorded at Bristol Comics Expo, Spring 2014.
11am Thursday 19th February, repeated 7am Saturday 21st February 2015, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com (more…)
Today’s show: Mike Grell, Freelance
February 12, 2015
Today at 11am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Mike Grell, Freelance
Jon Sable, Green Arrow, James Bond art by Mike Grell
Continuing a month of shows looking at ‘Masters of American Comics’, Alex Fitch talks to writer and artist Mike Grell about his career so far. Alex and Mike discuss the latter’s acclaimed run on Green Arrow, which influenced the current TV series, his creator owned title Jon Sable Freelance, and his work on James Bond comics in the late 1980s. (Recorded at London Super Comic Con, Spring 2014)
11am Thursday 12th February, repeated 7am Saturday 14th February 2015, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com
Please bid on items in the Resonance FM fundraising charity auction (end Thurs 11am, 12th Feb): Iron Man volumes 1-4, signed by Kieron Gillen
Young Avengers volumes 1-3, signed by Kieron Gillen (more…)
Tomorrow’s show: The Nexus of Steve Rude
February 4, 2015
Tomorrow at 11am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: The Nexus of Steve Rude
Nexus and Superman / Batman: World’s Finest, illustrated by Steve Rude
Beginning a month of shows looking at ‘Masters of American Comics’, Alex Fitch talks to artist Steve Rude about his ten year run on Nexus comic with Mike Baron and his Harvey Award-winning mini-series Superman / Batman: World’s Finest, written by Dave Gibbons. Alex and Steve discuss the importance of anatomy to the latter’s work, how he enjoys mentoring young artists and his working relationships with writers and inkers. (Recorded at Birmingham International Comics Expo, August 2014)
11am Thursday 5th February, repeated 7am Saturday 7th February 2015, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com (more…)
Today’s show: Funny Monsters Zoom
January 29, 2015
Tomorrow at 11am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Funny Monsters Zoom
The Zoom no.10, 1914 Day by Day extract, Haringey People cover by Zoom Rockman / Funny Monsters Comic no.1 and 2, A Christmas Carol by Joe Matthews
Concluding a month of shows looking at children’s comics, Alex Fitch talks to a pair of cartoonists who both publish ‘traditional’ style British anthology comics in the style of The Dandy and other weekly titles. Joe Matthews discusses Funny Monsters Comic, a new periodical that mixes comedy / horror strips featuring zombies and werewolves with child friendly gags, puzzles and text pages.
Also, in an interview recorded at CECAF (Crouch End Comic Art Festival), Alex talks to Zoom Rockman, a teenager who has been publishing his own humour title - The Zoom - since the age of 9, with 10 biannual issues under his belt. The Zoom features satirical strips looking at modern culture and life in London as well as reoccurring characters such as Skanky Pigeon who has also appeared in The Beano.
11am Thursday 29th January, repeated 7am Saturday 31st January 2015, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com (more…)
Tomorrow’s show: Editing Psycho Gran
January 21, 2015
Tomorrow at 11am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Editing Psycho Gran
Comics featuring the work of David Leach + Psycho Gran thumbnails
Continuing a month of shows looking at children’s comics, Alex Fitch talks to cartoonist and comic book editor David Leach about his career so far. Alex and David discuss the latter’s most famous character Psycho Gran, her appearances in family comics from Oink! to Aces Weekly, animating Henry’s Cat with Bob Godfrey, and his work editing licenced titles for Marvel UK and Titan Books. (Recorded at Nine Worlds Geek Fest, 2013)
11am Thursday 22nd January, repeated 7am Saturday 24th January 2015, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com
Links: David Leach’s profile at www.comicvine.com
Psycho Gran digital comic (more…)
Tomorrow’s show: Musical Monsters, Walruses and Snowmen
January 14, 2015
Tomorrow at 11am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Musical Monsters, Walruses and Snowmen
The Musical Monsters of Turkey Hollow / Popeye / Pinkbeard the Pirate! / Abigail and the Snowman / Snarked by Roger Langridge
Continuing a month of shows looking at children’s comics, Alex Fitch talks to cartoonist Roger Langridge about his work. Alex and Roger discuss the latter’s work on licensed comics such as Popeye and Rocky and Bullwinkle, his adaptation of Jim Henson’s unproduced script The Musical Monsters of Turkey Hollow and creator owned titles Snarked and Abigail and the Snowman; plus a guest appearance by Thomas Langridge (9) discussing the self-published comic Pinkbeard the Pirate! (Recorded at Crouch End Comic Art Festival, November 2014)
11am Thursday 15th January, repeated 7am Saturday 17th January 2015, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com
Links: Roger Langridge’s website Hotel Fred, featuring Pinkbeard the Pirate!
Info about Roger’s comics for Boom! Studios: Snarked, The Musical Monsters of Turkey Hollow and Abigail and the Snowman (more…)
Tomorrow’s show: Bones, Sabre-toothed Tigers and Noir
January 7, 2015
Tomorrow at 11am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Bones, Sabre-toothed Tigers and Noir
Bone, RASL and Tuki: Save the Humans by Jeff Smith
Beginning a month of shows looking at children’s comics, Alex Fitch talks to the award-winning American cartoonist Jeff Smith about his work. Alex and Jeff discuss the latter’s fantasy epic Bone which mixes archetypal cartoon characters in the style of Mickey, Goofy and Donald with a mythology akin to The Lord of the Rings, his more adult film noir inspired sci-fi series RASL, and his latest serialised webcomic Tuki: Save the Humans about prehistoric man’s migration from ancient Africa. (Recorded at The Lakes International Comic Art Festival, October 2014)
11am Thursday 8th January, repeated 7am Saturday 10th January 2015, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com (more…)
Tomorrow’s show: Non-Verbal Communication
December 17, 2014
Tomorrow at 11am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Non-Verbal Communication
Cover and interior art from Yes! by Laura Malacart and Daniel Locke
Concluding a trio of shows about ‘untold tales’, narratives not normally depicted in comics, Alex Fitch talks to writer Laura Malacart and artist Daniel Locke about their comic book Yes! which explores the true story of an autistic man who communicates through song, classified technically as non-verbal communication. Daniel and Laura discuss how the comic was developed from the latter’s academic research, how it works as a multi-media project alongside video clips, and the distribution of the story via a free tabloid edition and webcomic. (Recorded at Cartoon County, September 2014)
11am Thursday 18th December, repeated 7am Saturday 20th December 2014, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com (more…)
Today’s show: A Hole in the Heart of Manga
December 11, 2014
Tomorrow at 11am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: A Hole in the Heart of Manga
Pages from A Hole in the Heart by Henny Beaumont / Cover of Suspense no. 3 by Matsumoto and art from A Drifting Life by Tatsumi, on display at The Cartoon Museum
Continuing a month of shows about ‘untold tales’, narratives not normally depicted in comics, Alex Fitch talks to artist Henny Beaumont about her debut graphic novel A Hole in the Heart, about bringing up a child with Down’s Syndrome, due to be published by Myriad Editions in 2015, in an interview recorded at Cartoon County, Brighton. Also, with translation provided by Takayo Akiyama, Alex interviews Tomohiko Matsumoto about donating examples of his father Matsuhiko’s art to an exhibition of Gekiga – Alternative Manga from Japan – at the Cartoon Museum in London, which runs until Christmas Eve.
11am Thursday 11th December, repeated 7am Saturday 13th December 2014, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com
Links: Henny Beaumont’s website and pages
Article on A Hole in the Heart in The Guardian
Cartoon Museum website
Takayo Akiyama’s website (more…)
Tomorrow’s show: Probably Nothing
December 3, 2014
Tomorrow at 11am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Probably Nothing
Art from Probably nothing, and web comics by Matilda Tristram
Starting a month of shows about untold tales in comics, which is to say stories that are underrepresented in graphic narratives, Alex Fitch talks to cartoonist and storyboard artist Matilda Tristram about her debut graphic novel Probably Nothing – A diary of your-not-average nine months, that recounts the true story of how her pregnancy coincided with a cancer scare. Alex and Matilda discuss the unusual style of the book, which separates out cartoons and text on the page, her tenure working for Children’s TV producers Ragdoll and the semi experimental art used in her webcomics. (Recorded at Cartoon County, Brighton, November 2014).
11am Thursday 4th December, repeated 7am Saturday 6th December 2014, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com
Links: More info about Probably Nothing on Penguin’s website
Matilda Tristram’s website
Cartoon County website
Laura Bates on Probably Nothing in The Guardian
Tomorrow’s show: Vehlmann and Gazzotti
November 26, 2014
Tomorrow at 11am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Vehlmann and Gazzotti
Cover, interior art and serialised cover of Alone (Seuls) / covers of Green Manor and Beautiful Darkness written by Fabien Vehlmann / cover of Soda drawn by Bruno Gazzotti
Concluding a month of shows about the work of comic book creators who mix together different cultures and media in their art, Alex Fitch talks to writer Fabien Vehlmann and artist Bruno Gazzotti about their graphic album series Alone (Seuls), published by Cinebook. The creators discuss how their serial – about children who wake up in a world without adults – was inspired by classic American dystopia fiction, Vehlmann’s interest in 19th century thrillers which influenced his comic Green Manor, and Gazzotti’s experience on the policier series Soda. (Recorded in front of an audience at the South Ken Kids Festival, Institut Francais, November 2014).
11am Thursday 27th November, repeated 7am Saturday 29th November 2014, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com
Links: Info about the original event at the South Ken Kids Festival
Info about Alone on CineBook’s website
Read back issues of Spirou et Fantasio featuring Fabien Vehlmann at izneo.com
Info about Bruno Gazzotti and Fabien Vehlmann on lambiek.net
Today’s show: Graphic Details
November 20, 2014
Today at 11am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Graphic Details
Exterior of Space Station 65 gallery / Ariel Schrag discusses her work / excerpt from The Book of Sarah by Sarah Lightman
Continuing a month of shows about the work of comic book creators who mix together different cultures and media in their art, Alex Fitch talks to gallery owners Jo David and Rachel House, and artist Ariel Schrag about the exhibition Graphic Details: Confessional Comics by Jewish Women, currently on display at Space Station 65, Kennington, South London. Also, Graphic Details curator Sarah Lightman talks about her work and introduces artists Miriam Katin, Diane Noomin, Corinne Pearlman and Ilana Zeffren who describe the examples of their autobiographical strips which are featured in the exhibition. (Recorded at Space Station 65 Kennington, November 2014)
11am Thursday 20th November, repeated 7am Saturday 22nd November 2014, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com
Links: Space Station 65 website
Graphic Details blog
Ariel Schrag’s website
Tomorrow’s show: Ricky Rouse has a Gun
November 12, 2014
Tomorrow at 11am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Ricky Rouse has a Gun
Ricky Rouse meets Alex Fitch / images from …has a Gun
Continuing a month of shows about the work of comic book creators who mix together different cultures and mediums in their work, Alex Fitch talks to playwright and film maker Jörg Tittel about writing his debut graphic novel Ricky Rouse has a Gun, a satire on Western movie violence and China’s ‘knock-off economy’, published by SelfMadeHero. Fitch and Tittel discuss how the project evolved from a film script to a graphic novel, the process of working with artist John Aggs and whether the writer’s own background of an upbringing in different cultures fed in to the story on the page. (Recorded at Cartoon County, Brighton, September 2014)
11am Thursday 13th November, repeated 7am Saturday 15th November 2014, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com
Tomorrow’s show: …there is Joost Swarte
November 5, 2014
Tomorrow at 11am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: …there is Joost Swarte
Covers and comic strips by Joost Swarte
Starting a month of shows about the work of comic book creators who mix together different cultures and mediums in their work, Alex Fitch talks to acclaimed Dutch cartoonist and graphic designer Joost Swarte about his career so far. Fitch and Swarte discuss the latter’s covers for The New Yorker and RAW magazine (also reprinted as the front of the Tate coffee table book Comics Art), the Fantagraphics collection of his strip work “Is that all there is?” and the artist’s work in designing children’s books, theatrical architecture and stained glass windows.
(Recorded in front of an audience at The Lakes International Comic Art Festival, October 2014)
11am Thursday 6th November, repeated 7am Saturday 8th November 2014, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com
Links: Joost’s website
More info about Fantagraphics’ collection Is that all there is?
Page about the event on the LICAF website
Tomorrow’s show: Join the Army Fear Channel
October 29, 2014
Tomorrow at 11am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Join the Army Fear Channel
Art from ‘Join the Army’, ‘Below’ and ‘Fear Channel’ by Darren Cullen
Concluding a month of episodes about war comics, Alex Fitch talks to fine artist Darren Cullen about his comics Join the Army and Below, the first a satirical look at Military propaganda from the Bayeux Tapestry to the present day and the latter updating the genre of subterranean Sci-Fi invented by Verne and Rice Burroughs. Fitch and Cullen also discuss the Fear Channel collage website and current interactive installation ‘Pocket Money Loans’ at Atom Gallery in Finsbury Park.
11am Thursday 30th October, repeated 7am Saturday 1st November 2014, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com
More info: Darren’s website and shop
Spelling Mistakes Cost Lives and Darren Cullen’s art tumblr sites
Article about Pocket Money Loans in The Independent
Tomorrow’s show: To End All Wars
October 22, 2014
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Tomorrow at 11am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: To End All Wars
Cover and interior pages from To End All Wars by Brick, Jonathan Clode, Stuart Richards and Selina Lock
Continuing a month of shows about the depiction of war in sequential art, guest presenter John Stuart Clark (who draws under the pen-name Brick) hosts a panel discussion about the new War Comics anthology To End All Wars, published by Soaring Penguin Press, featuring co-editor Jonathan Clode and contributors Selina Locke and Stuart Richards. The two Johns discuss editing the anthology, from commissioning creators to suggesting tweaks that clarify their stories; Selina discusses having to change artists shortly before the deadline and Stuart talks about the sources for his story ‘Il Gatto’. (Recorded by Alex Fitch in front of an audience at The Lakes International Comic Art Festival)
11am Thursday 23rd October, repeated 7am Saturday 25th October 2014, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com (more…)
Tomorrow’s show: Pat Mills’ Great War comics
October 15, 2014
Tomorrow at 11am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Pat Mills’ Great War comics
Covers of Charley’s War omnibus and Above the dreamless dead / interior art from Dead Man’s Dump / cover of To end all Wars
Continuing a month of shows about war comics, Alex Fitch talks to Pat Mills, one of the acclaimed masters of the genre. Alex and Pat discuss the completion of Titan Books’ reprints of his classic strip Charley’s War, his adaptation of Isaac Rosenberg’s “Dead man’s Dump” in the war poetry and comics collection Above the Dreamless Dead published by First Second Books, and his introduction to the anthology To End all Wars from Soaring Penguin Press.
11am Thursday 16th October, repeated 7am Saturday 18th October 2014, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com (more…)
Tomorrow’s show: Commitment to International Aces
October 8, 2014
Tomorrow at 11am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Commitment to International Aces
Interior art and cover of International Aces / Limited edition cover and interior art of Commitment by Chris Geary
Continuing a month of shows about war comics, Alex Fitch talks to cartoonist Chris Geary about his series of four comic book short story collections International Aces, which tell the tales of various fighter pilots across the globe from Von Richthofen to Rickenbacker. Fitch and Geary also discuss the latter’s interest in classic war strips, the packaging of the Aces books and his educational graphic novel Commitment, which uses a narrative about a stressed female executive to explain the concept of ‘real options’ analysis. (Recorded in front of an audience at ‘Nine Worlds GeekFest‘, Heathrow 2013)
11am Thursday 9th October, repeated 7am Saturday 11th October 2014, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com
More info: Chris’ website and publishing imprint
Review of International Aces at the Charley’s War website
Today’s show: Scott Pilgrim, Lost at Sea
September 25, 2014
Today at 11am on Resonance 104.4 FM, Panel Borders: Scott Pilgrim, Lost at Sea
Bryan O’Malley and Alex Fitch, Scott Pilgrim, Lost at Sea
Concluding his two part interview with Bryan Lee O’Malley, Alex Fitch talks to the author about his seminal six part series Scott Pilgrim and his debut graphic novel Lost at Sea. Fitch and O’Malley discuss Edgar Wright’s film adaptation of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, O’Malley’s use of autobiographical incidents which inform his work and pencilling covers for comics by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie. (Recorded in front of an audience at the British Library, August 2014)
11am Thursday 25th September, repeated 7am Saturday 27th September 2014, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com
More info: Bryan’s website – www.radiomaru.com and wikipedia page
Listen to Alex’s interview with Scott Pilgrim vs. the World director Edgar Wright (more…)
