Podcasts, radio shows, writing and more by Alex Fitch
You can scroll the shelf using ← and → keys
Panel Borders: Unusual Buildings
July 10, 2022
Cover and interior art from You’re Thinking About Tomatoes, and Welcome Home / Photos (by Myf Tristram) of Michael Rosen and Cole Henley, Alex Fitch and Clarrie Pope
Unusual Buildings: In this month’s show, Alex Fitch talks to the creators of graphic novels set in unusual buildings… Former Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen and artist Cole Henley discuss the comic book version of You’re Thinking About Tomatoes, in which a boy on a school trip to a country house gets embroiled in an adventure with a girl from a painting and a mummy come to life, in a Q and A recorded at Graphic Brighton; cartoonist Clarrie Pope explores the graphic novel Welcome Home about the lives of a community of squatters in a condemned tower block, co-written with her sister Blanche, in a Q and A recorded at Cartoon County.
Originally broadcast 6th July 2022 on Resonance 104.4 FM / DAB (London)
For more formats to stream or download, please visit the home of this podcast at archive.org
Links: Info about You’re Thinking About Tomatoes on publisher Unbound’s website
Michael Rosen’s website
Cole Henley’s website and instagram site
Info about Welcome Home on publisher Minor Compositions website
Clarrie Pope’s website (more…)
Panel Borders (Episode 500): Discerning The Past
June 3, 2021
Mike Lake, Denis Kitchen (Kitchen Sink Press), Will Eisner, Nick Landau (Titan Books) and Stan Nicholls (FP manager), June 1980 (photo by Richard Bruton) / Contributors to The Inking Woman including Streeten (in purple) and Tate (in red, photo by Jakki Brown)
Discerning The Past: In the 500th episode of Panel Borders, Alex Fitch takes a nostalgic look back at important moments in the history of comics. Alex discusses anthology title The Inking Woman with two of its editors – Dr. Nicola Streeten and Cath Tate – and how they compiled the book’s survey of 250 years of female cartoonists. Also, co-founder of the Forbidden Planet chain of shops – Mike Lake – talks about his involvement in the birth of the British ‘direct market’ in the UK which inaugurated organised distribution of American comics in the UK in the 1970s.
Originally broadcast 2nd June 2021 on Resonance 104.4 FM / DAB (London)
For more audio formats to download and stream, please visit archive.org
Links: More info about The Inking Woman published by Myriad Editions and profile of Cath Tate
Mike Lake’s website
Nicola Streeten’s website (more…)
Next month’s show: Panel Borders 500 – Discerning the Past
May 21, 2021
On Wednesday May 5th at 5.30pm on Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB, Panel Borders: Fantastical Visions
Mike Lake, Denis Kitchen (Kitchen Sink Press), Will Eisner, Nick Landau (Titan Books) and Stan Nicholls (original FP manager), June 1980 (photo by Richard Bruton) / Various contributors to The Inking Woman including Nicola Streeten (in purple) and Cath Tate (in red, photo by Jakki Brown)
In the 500th episode of Panel Borders, Alex Fitch takes a nostalgic look back at important moments in the history of comics. Alex discusses anthology title The Inking Woman with two of its editors – Dr. Nicola Streeten and Cath Tate – and how they compiled the book’s survey of 250 years of female cartoonists. Also, co-founder of the Forbidden Planet chain of shops – Mike Lake – talks about his involvement in the birth of the British ‘direct market’ in the UK which inaugurated organised distribution of American comics in the UK in the 1970s.
5.30pm, Wednesday 2nd June 2021, repeat broadcast 2.30am, Friday 4th June, Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB (London) / broadcast streamed at www.resonancefm.com / Resonance Replay stream on mixcloud.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com
Links: More info about The Inking Woman published by Myriad Editions and profile of Cath Tate
Mike Lake’s website
Nicola Streeten’s website (more…)
Panel Borders: Fantastical Visions
May 5, 2021
Art from Coma by Zara Slattery / Captain America by Declan Shalvey / Avengers by Staz Johnson
Fantastical Visions: In an episode celebrating great comic book art, Alex Fitch talks to three artists who bring wonderous visions to the page. In a Q and A recorded at Cartoon County, Brighton, Zara Slattery discusses her graphic novel Coma which depicts her experiences of extreme medical intervention as a journey through a fantastical dreamscape. Plus, in a ‘live draw’ session recorded at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, Declan Shalvey and Staz Johnson discuss their influences and inspirations for working on such titles as Injection and 2000AD.
Originally broadcast 5th May 2021 on Resonance 104.4 FM / DAB (London)
For more audio formats to download and stream, please visit archive.org
Links: More info about Coma published by Myriad Editions
Zara Slattery’s website
Wikipedia pages on Declan Shalvey and Staz Johnson
Staz Johnson’s blog
Declan Shalvey’s tumblr
Listen to Alex and Zara discuss classic video games in a show about the Vectrex games console
More info about support for survivors of Necrotising Fasciitis
Next week’s show: Fantastical Visions
April 29, 2021
On Wednesday May 5th at 5.30pm on Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB, Panel Borders: Fantastical Visions
Art from Coma by Zara Slattery / Captain America by Declan Shalvey / Avengers by Staz Johnson
In an episode celebrating great comic book art, Alex Fitch talks to three artists who bring wonderous visions to the page. In a Q and A recorded at Cartoon County, Brighton, Zara Slattery discusses her graphic novel Coma which depicts her experiences of extreme medical intervention as a journey through a fantastical dreamscape. Plus, in a ‘live draw’ session recorded at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, Declan Shalvey and Staz Johnson discuss their influences and inspirations for working on such titles as Injection and 2000AD.
5.30pm, Wednesday 5th May 2021, repeat broadcast 2.30am, Friday 7th May, Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB (London) / broadcast streamed at www.resonancefm.com / Resonance Replay stream on mixcloud.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com
Links: More info about Coma published by Myriad Editions
Zara Slattery’s website
Wikipedia pages on Declan Shalvey and Staz Johnson
Staz Johnson’s blog
Declan Shalvey’s tumblr
Listen to Alex and Zara discuss classic video games in a show about the Vectrex games console
More info about support for survivors of Necrotising Fasciitis
Audio Dramatics: Companion Chronicles – Louise Jameson and Carole Ann Ford
May 8, 2020
Covers of ATA Girl + Doctor Who audio drams featuring Louise Jameson / Doctor Who and Susan’s War featuring Carole Ann Ford
An hour-long seasonal podcast series in which Alex Fitch talks to actors and creators of audio dramas broadcast on radio or released on CD/mp3.
Groundbreaking Podcasts: In this episode, a look at the return of classic Doctor Who companions in new audio dramas on radio and download, Alex Fitch chats to actresses Carole Ann Ford and Louise Jameson. Jameson talks about reprising the role of Tom Baker’s companion Leela, and appearing in audio dramas Survivors, The Omega Factor and WII saga ATA Girl, which she also writes for and co-created. Ford discusses playing the Doctor’s granddaughter in stories that range from monologues to full cast adventures, which revive the William Hartnell era of the programme, and also depict an adult version of the character taking part in The Time War alongside Paul McGann. Originally broadcast 8th May 2020 on Resonance 104.4 FM (more…)
Today’s show: Pop Culture – Alice, Honor and 2000AD
April 10, 2020
Today at 8pm on Resonance FM, Electric Sheep Film Show: Pop Culture
Poster for Alice in Wonderland at the British Library, publicity still for The Avengers with Patrick MacNee and Honor Blackman, poster for Future Shock
In a repeat of the December 2015 episode of the Electric Sheep Film Show, ESM editor in chief Virginie Sélavy and assistant editor Alex Fitch explore film and pop culture.
To commemorate the recent passing of a great British actress, in an interview recorded at the London Film Museum, Alex talks to legendary British actress Honor Blackman about Goldfinger, Doctor Who and the cult 1960s TV series The Avengers, plus producer Sean Hogan discusses Future Shock: The Story of 2000AD, a documentary that charts the development of the seminal British comic.
Also, Virginie chats to curator Helen Melody about the 2015 Alice in Wonderland exhibition at the British Library, and the varying adapations of Alice on screen over the years.
8pm Friday 10th April, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended podcast (more…)
Architecture Culture: Utopias / Dystopias
January 18, 2020
Favela Tower print by Toby Melville-Brown and interior of The Book Club, displaying The Future Was Big / Cover of the novel Animals by Emma Jane Unsworth and film poster
Utopias / Dystopias: In this episode of Resonance’s monthly show on how Architecture and the built environment is represented in Culture, Alex Fitch talks to artist Toby Melville-Brown and author Emma Jane Unsworth about their depictions of the city. Toby discusses his Tower series of prints which envision fantastical skyscrapers that absorb existing elements of urban architecture, and his exhibition at The Book Club, Hoxton – ‘The Future was Big’ – which contains sci-fi book cover illustrations of retro futures. Emma talks about her Manchester set novel Animals, and writing the screenplay for its film adaption – which relocates the drama to Dublin – in which two young women explore life in the modern city, with drinks, drugs and toxic relationships.
Animals is available now on Blu Ray / DVD / VOD and ‘The Future Was Big’ continues at The Book Club, London until February 16th 2020.
Originally broadcast Wednesday 15th January 2020 on Resonance 104.4 FM / DAB (London)
For more audio formats to download and stream, please visit archive.org (more…)
Next week’s show: Utopias / Dystopias
January 11, 2020
On Wednesday January 15th at 5.30pm on Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB, Architecture Culture: Utopias / Dystopias
Favela Tower print by Toby Melville-Brown and interior of The Book Club, displaying The Future Was Big / Cover of the novel Animals by Emma Jane Unsworth and film poster
In this episode of Resonance’s monthly show on how Architecture and the built environment is represented in Culture, Alex Fitch talks to artist Toby Melville-Brown and author Emma Jane Unsworth about their depictions of the city. Toby discusses his Tower series of prints which envision fantastical skyscrapers that absorb existing elements of urban architecture, and his exhibition at The Book Club, Hoxton – ‘The Future was Big’ – which contains sci-fi book cover illustrations of retro futures.
Emma talks about her Manchester set novel Animals, and writing the screenplay for its film adaption – which relocates the drama to Dublin – in which two young women explore life in the modern city, with drinks, drugs and toxic relationships.
Animals is available now on Blu-Ray / DVD / VOD, and ‘The Future Was Big’ is on display until Feb 16th at The Book Club, 100–106 Leonard Street, EC2A 4RH
5.30pm, Wednesday 15th January 2020, repeat broadcast 2.30am Friday 17th January, Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB (London) / broadcast streamed at www.resonancefm.com / Resonance Replay stream on mixcloud.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com (more…)
Audio Dramatics: Groundbreaking Podcasts
June 20, 2019
Promotional Images for Wooden Overcoats and Forest 404
An hour-long bimonthly podcast series in which Alex Fitch talks to actors and creators of audio dramas broadcast on radio or released on CD/mp3.
Groundbreaking Podcasts: In this episode, Alex Fitch talks to the writers of two drama podcasts which dig beneath two very different landscapes. Timothy X Atack discusses the sci-fi saga Forest 404, a dystopian series about an aural archivist discovering sounds of nature which could change her society forever – available on BBC Sounds, and starring Pearl Mackie, Pippa Heywood and Tanya Moodie, with accompanying documentaries and soundscapes. David K Barnes talks about his award winning comedy drama Wooden Overcoats which concerns the misadventures of a funeral director and his team of misfits on a small island in the North Sea, and his Doctor Who serials, The Dalek Occupation of Winter and Daughter of the Gods starring Peter Purves. (more…)
This week’s show: Groundbreaking Podcasts
June 17, 2019
This week on Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB, Audio Dramatics: Groundbreaking Podcasts
Promotional Images for Wooden Overcoats and Forest 404
In this episode of the bimonthly show about radio and audio drama, Alex Fitch talks to the writers of two drama podcasts which dig beneath two very different landscapes. Timothy X Atack discusses the sci-fi saga Forest 404, a dystopian series about an aural archivist discovering sounds of nature which could change her society forever – available on BBC Sounds, and starring Pearl Mackie, Pippa Heywood and Tanya Moodie, with accompanying documentaries and soundscapes. David K Barnes talks about his award winning comedy drama Wooden Overcoats which concerns the misadventures of a funeral director and his team of misfits on a small island in the North Sea, and his Doctor Who serial, The Dalek Occupation of Winter starring Peter Purves and Maureen O’Brien.
5.30pm Wednesday 19th June 2019, repeated 2.30am Friday 21st June, Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com (more…)
Audio Dramatics: Classic Characters, New Adventures
March 1, 2019
Promotional images for Tales Of A Timelord episodes 2 and 1 / Covers of Shilling and Sixpence Investigate and Doctor Who: The Catalyst by Nigel Fairs
An hour-long bimonthly podcast series in which Alex Fitch talks to actors and creators of audio dramas broadcast on radio or released on CD / mp3.
Classic Characters, New Adventures: In this episode, Alex Fitch talks to the creators of audio dramas that bring classic characters back to life in new adventures: actor / director ‘Invokal’ and writer R.R. Molyneux discuss their fan produced Doctor Who audio serial Tales of a Timelord, a series of nine stories spread over 22 episodes which tell the tale of an incarnation of the Doctor around their 20th regeneration, returning to adventures after a millennium in solitary confinement.
Plus: writer, actor and director Nigel Fairs discusses his series Shilling and Sixpence Investigate, a pastiche of Agatha Christie with David Warner and Celia Imrie, spun off from his long running saga ‘The Morlington Mysteries’, which is performed live at various venues around the country. Alex and Nigel also look at the latter’s scripts for new audio episodes of Sapphire and Steel, The Tomorrow People and Doctor Who for Big Finish Productions. (more…)
Panel Borders: Wolves and Warfare
January 2, 2019
Digital and projected art from The Wolf of Baghdad by The Surreal McCoy (Photo by Patrick Walsh) / 2000AD interior art and cover featuring Fiends… and Scarlet Traces by Ian Edginton, Dave Taylor and D’Israeli
Wolves and Warfare: At the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, Alex talks to cartoonist The Surreal McCoy about her multimedia project The Wolf of Baghdad and upcoming graphic novel The Collaborator, and Ian Edginton discusses the recently published prequel to 2000AD‘s vampire strip ‘Fiends of the Eastern Front’, and the next instalment of ‘Scarlet Traces’, his sequel to The War of the Worlds.
Originally broadcast Wednesday 2nd January 2019 on Resonance 104.4 FM / DAB (London) (more…)
Tomorrow’s Show: Wolf Tales
January 1, 2019
On Wednesday, January 2nd at 5.30pm on Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB, Panel Borders: Wolf Tales
excerpt from Fiends… by Edginton and Dave Taylor / Alex Fitch interviews Rachael Ball / Performance of The Wolf of Baghdad – photos by Patrick Walsh and Sam Humphrey
In a 90 minute mid-winter special, Alex Fitch talks a trio of creators of comics who involve wolves in their narratives. At the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, Alex talks to cartoonist The Surreal McCoy about her multimedia project The Wolf of Baghdad and upcoming graphic novel The Collaborator, at Cartoon County, Rachael Ball discusses her book Wolf which mixes time travel, fantastical beasts and mysterious neighbours in 1970s suburbia, and Ian Edginton describes his research for penning a prequel to 2000AD‘s vampire strip “Fiends of the Eastern Front”, plus the next instalment of “Scarlet Traces”, his sequel to The War of the Worlds.
The next Wolf of Baghdad performance will take place on February 18th
5.30pm Wednesday 2nd January 2019, repeat 12 noon Sunday 6th January, Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB (London) / broadcast streamed at www.resonancefm.com / (more…)
Panel Borders: Threads of Red Rosa
December 7, 2018
— 1 Comment
Cover and interior art from Red Rosa / Title page and interior art from Threads by Kate Evans
Threads of Red Rosa: Panel Borders presents a Q and A originally recorded at Graphic Brighton (University of Brighton, 2016) – Alex Fitch talks to cartoonist Kate Evans about her Graphic Biography of Rosa Luxemburg, Red Rosa, which illustrates the life of the Polish Revolutionary, and graphic novel Threads: From the Refugee Crisis about her encounters with residents of the Calais ‘jungle’.
Partially broadcast 7th November 2018, on Resonance 104.4 FM / DAB (London)
For more audio formats to download and stream, please visit the home of this podcast at www.archive.org
Links: Kate Evans’ website
Kate Evans’ page at Myriad Editions
This week’s show: 2000AD Summer Special
July 30, 2018
On Wednesday August 1st at 5.30pm on Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB, Panel Borders: 2000AD Summer Special
Visions of Mega City One by Chris Weston, Boo Cook, Clint Langley, Mike McMahon and David Roach, Anderson text by Emma Bebby
In a two hour special edition of Panel Borders, Alex Fitch talks to half a dozen creators who have worked on “The Galaxy’s Greatest Comic”. At Cartoon County, Alex talks to Boo Cook about creating memorable covers for 2000AD and creating a crossover with US comic ElephantMen, and at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, Mike McMahon discusses his long tenure on the periodical, drawing Sláine and other characters.
Also, Emma Beeby discusses her new take on Judge Anderson and becoming the first woman to write Judge Dredd, and in a panel discussion at the International Comics Expo, Brighton, Alex talks to Clint Langley, David Roach, and Chris Weston about collaborating with Pat Mills and other writers on strips for the comic…
5.30pm Wednesday 1st August 2018, repeated 3pm Sunday 5th July, Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB (London) / broadcast streamed at www.resonancefm.com / Resonance Replay stream on mixcloud.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com (more…)
Tomorrow’s show: Sci-Fi and Satire
July 3, 2018
Tomorrow at 5.30pm on Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB, Panel Borders: Sci-Fi and Satire
Pages from Livestock by Hannah Berry / cartoons by Steven Appleby
In a pair of interviews recorded in front of live audiences, Alex Fitch talks to creators whose work includes elements of Science Fiction and Satire. At Cartoon County, Brighton, Alex talks to Hannah Berry about her latest and possibly final Graphic Novel – Livestock – which looks at celebrity culture in a world where cloning is on the rise. At the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, cartoonist Steven Appleby discusses his Space Hero Captain Star and newspaper strips about family experience such as Loomus and Normal Life.
5.30pm Wednesday 4th July 2018, repeated 7am Tuesday 10th July, Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB (London) / broadcast streamed at www.resonancefm.com / Resonance Replay stream on mixcloud.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com (more…)
Tomorrow’s show: Martians and Sherwood Forest
May 15, 2018
Tomorrow on Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB, Audio Dramatics: Martians and Sherwood Forest
Covers of Hood, The Martian Invasion of Earth, The Coming of the Martians and Osiris
Continuing the new hour-long series on Resonance FM in which Alex Fitch talks to creators of audio dramas that have been broadcast on radio or released on CD and mp3 download, in a bimonthly slot alternating with the Electric Sheep Film Show.
In this episode Alex talks to a pair of writers / sound effects producers who have created FX for different adaptations of The War of the Worlds and penned dramas set in Sherwood Forest. Martin Johnson discusses The Coming of the Martians, a crowdfunded surround sound adaptation of the H.G. Wells novel, and his sci-fi drama Osiris about the discovery of an alien spaceship below Sherwood’s Major Oak. Iain Meadows talks about his revisionist Robin Hood drama – Hood – which imagines the Sheriff of Nottingham as the hero of the saga, and about creating the soundscapes for The Martian Invasion of Earth, World War II drama ATA Girl and the audio version of The Prisoner.
5.30pm Wednesday 16th May 2018, repeated 7am Tuesday 22nd May, Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com (more…)
Panel Borders: Comics on Comics – Stewart Lee and Josie Long
February 7, 2018
— 2 Comments
Josie Long tour poster / excerpt from Another Planet / Excerpt from The Property by Lee and Yeowell / from Incredible Hulk #106 with Stewart Lee cameo
Comics on Comics – Stewart Lee and Josie Long: In a pair of interviews featuring comedians celebrating their love of comics, Stewart Lee and Josie Long discuss their appreciation of the medium and forays into creating strips. Alex Fitch converses with Lee about collecting obscure titles, writing the story The Property for CLiNT Magazine and his love for Resonance FM.
Guest presenter Mark Hibbett talks to Long about her comic Another Planet featured in The Guardian and the integration of cartoons into her stand-up routine, in front of an audience at Central St Martins. Also: a survey of the various comic book and genre titles on sale as part of this year’s Resonance FM fundraiser auction.
Originally broadcast 7th February 2018 on Resonance 104.4 FM / DAB (London)
For more audio formats to download and stream, please visit the home of this podcast at www.archive.org (more…)
Tomorrow’s show: Comics on Comics
February 6, 2018
Tomorrow at 5.30pm on Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB, Panel Borders: Comics on Comics
Josie Long tour poster / excerpt from Another Planet / Excerpt from The Property by Lee and Yeowell / from Incredible Hulk #106 with Stewart Lee cameo
In a pair of interviews featuring comedians celebrating their love of comics, Stewart Lee and Josie Long discuss their appreciation of the medium and forays into creating strips. Alex Fitch converses with Lee about collecting obscure titles, writing the story The Property for CLiNT Magazine and his love for Resonance FM. Guest presenter Mark Hibbett talks to Long about her comic Another Planet featured in The Guardian and the integration of cartoons into her stand-up routine, in front of an audience at Central St Martins. Also: a survey of the various comic book and genre titles on sale as part of this year’s Resonance FM fundraiser auction.
5.30pm Wednesday 7th February 2018, repeated 7am Tuesday 13th February, Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB (London) / broadcast streamed at www.resonancefm.com / Resonance Replay stream on mixcloud.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com (more…)
Panel Borders and other podcasts 
You must be logged in to post a comment.