Women in Comics | Panel Borders and other podcasts

Podcasts, radio shows, writing and more by Alex Fitch

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Panel Borders: Youth and Wellbeing featuring Alison Bechdel

March 19, 2023 — 3 Comments

Alison Bechdel and Hannah Berry on stage at LICAF / art from G Bear and Jammo, and Don’t Call Me a Tomboy

Youth and Wellbeing: In this ‘feature length’ podcast looking at comics about youth and wellbeing, a quartet of artists discuss their work which touches on these topics. Former Comics Laureate Hannah Berry chats to renowned cartoonist Alison Bechel about her latest book The Secret to Superhuman Strength, as well as her classics Dykes to Watch Out For and Fun Home in a Q and A recorded at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. Also, Alex Fitch talks to artists Jaime Huxtable and Zara Slattery about their titles for younger readers including G Bear and Jammo, and Don’t Call Me a Tomboy respectively, in a panel discussion recorded at Graphic Brighton.

Shorter edit broadcast 1st February 2023 on Resonance 104.4 FM / DAB (London)

For more formats to stream or download, please visit archive.org (more…)

Next week’s show: Curating and Creating Comics

September 27, 2022

Covers of Mary and Agnes, and Now Wash Your Hands by Cathy Brett, plus photo of her work space including elements of Mrs. Thorwald: The Victim’s Story / Photo of Henny Beaumont in the Invisible People exhibition at Worthing Museum, plus Lost Generation (Covid cartoon of the year 2021)

As the start of a new season of Panel Borders, the UK’s only monthly broadcast radio show about comics, Alex Fitch talks to a pair of artists whose work includes autobiography, museum display, and responses to Covid and Lockdown. In a Q and A recorded at Cartoon County, Henny Beaumont chats about the exhibition Invisible People, which features art based on her graphic novel Hole in the Heart and political cartoons alongside work by neurodiverse artists, and how she sequed into satirical work for The Guardian. Cathy Brett discusses her comic Mary and Agnes, about her grandmother’s friendship with Mary Trump, as featured in the BBC Alba documentary The President’s Mother, her work in three-dimensional collages and reliefs, and her new role as a curator at Leatherhead Museum.

Invisible People is on display Wednesday to Sunday at Worthing Museum and Gallery until 30th Oct 2022.
Cathy Brett is shortlisted for Surrey Artist of the Year 2022, which is on display Tuesday to Saturday at New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham until 5th November 2022.

5.30pm, Wednesday 5th October 2022, repeat broadcast 11am, Sunday 9th October 2022, Resonance 104.4 FM + DAB (London) / broadcast streamed at www.resonancefm.com / Resonance Replay stream on mixcloud.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

Links: Henny Beaumont’s website / More info about the Invisible People exhibition
Cathy Brett’s website / Review of Mary and Agnes at Broken Frontier

Panel Borders: Inking and Painting Women

March 13, 2019

Astrid Schmetterling discusses the work of Charlotte Salomon at the Jewish Museum, London / Cover of The Inking Woman / Selection of Cath Tate Cards

Inking and Painting Women: Celebrating International Women’s Day, in this “feature-length” podcast, guest presenter Corinne Pearlman introduces three talks about female comic creators, recorded at Laydeez Do Comics. WIth an invitation from Sarah Lightman, Visual Cultures lecturer Astrid Schmetterling (Goldsmiths, University of London) explores the life and work of painter Charlotte Salomon, whose series “Life? or Theatre?” is now being reconsidered as the first graphic novel by a woman, Cath Tate talks about how her card company commissions greeting cards by female cartoonists, and Corinne discusses the creation of her strip “Playing the Jewish Card” and publishing the anthology “The Inking Women: 250 Years of Women Cartoon and Comic Artists in Britain”.
Originally broadcast Wednesday 6th March and Friday 8th March 2019 on Resonance 104.4 FM / DAB (London) (more…)

Tomorrow’s show: Inking and Painting Women

March 5, 2019

On Wednesday, March 6th at 5.30pm on Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB, Panel Borders: Inking and Painting Women

Astrid Schmetterling discusses the work of Charlotte Salomon at the Jewish Museum, London / Cover of The Inking Woman / Selection of Cath Tate Cards

Celebrating International Women’s Day, guest presenter Corinne Pearlman introduces three talks about female comic creators, recorded at Laydeez Do Comics. Visual Cultures lecturer Astrid Schmetterling (Goldsmiths, University of London) explores the life and work of painter Charlotte Salomon, whose series “Life? or Theatre?” is now being reconsidered as the first graphic novel by a woman, Cath Tate talks about how her card company commissions greeting cards by female cartoonists, and Corinne discusses the creation of her strip “Playing the Jewish Card” and publishing the anthology “The Inking Women: 250 Years of Women Cartoon and Comic Artists in Britain”.

5.30pm Wednesday 6th March 2019, repeated 2.30am Friday 8th March, Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB (London) / broadcast streamed at www.resonancefm.com / (more…)

Panel Borders: Girls Comics

September 19, 2018 — 1 Comment

Hannah Eaton, Hannah Berry and Jenni Scott discuss Girls Comics at Caption / cover of 2017 Misty special / Mel Gibson interviews Anne Digby at IGNCC / first page of the Tammy adaptation of Trebizon

Girls Comics: In a 90 minute special edition of Panel Borders, cartoonist and Graphic Novels editor Corinne Pearlman introduces a pair of interviews about “Girls Comics”, periodicals aimed at young female audiences from the second half of the 20th Century: Comics scholar Mel Gibson interviews the author of the Trebizon novels for Young Adults, Anne Digby, who was also the writer of a variety of strips for Tammy, including “Olympia Jones” and “Tennis Star Tina”.
Also, Jinty appreciation website creator Jenni Scott talks to a pair of female graphic novelists – Hannah Eaton and Hannah Berry – about how girls comics influenced their work, with the latter also involved in the relaunch of Misty as an annual Halloween comic… (more…)

Panel Borders: Like Wallis Eates

May 21, 2018

Comic book covers and sequential art by Wallis Eates

Like Wallis Eates: In an interview recorded at Cartoon County, Hove, Alex Fitch introduces a talk and Q and A by artist Wallis Eates who discusses Like an Orange, a crowd-funded collaboration with brain injury survivors, and her various other projects including Chews and Spews, Fear of Mum-Death and the Shadow-Men, Mumoir and Laydeez do Comics.

Partially broadcast 3rd May 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: Unbound pages on Like an Orange, and other graphic novels from the publisher
Wallis Eates’ tumblr (more…)

Tomorrow’s show: Unbound Publications

May 1, 2018

Tomorrow at 5.30pm on Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB, Panel Borders: Unbound Publications

Art from Like an Orange by Wallis Eates and Barking by Lucy Sullivan

In a trio of interviews recorded at Cartoon County, Hove, Alex Fitch looks at the output of new Graphic Novel publisher Unbound. Commissioning Editor Lizzie Kaye talks about the history of the company and how they are trying to create a new way of publishing comics, and artist Wallis Eates and Lucy Sullivan discuss their very different graphic novels on mental illness: Like an Orange and Barking, one a collaboration with brain injury survivors and the latter a phantasmagorical look at depression.

5.30pm Wednesday 2nd May 2018, repeated 7am Tuesday 8th 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: Unbound pages on Like an Orange and Barking, and other graphic novels from the publisher
Wallis Eates’ tumblr
Lucy Sullivan’s website
Cartoon County website and twitter

Panel Borders: Dundee Comics

April 5, 2018

Cover of Far Out Comix by George Cordeiro / Photo of Ahoy Comics and The Black Hole (June 2017) / cover of Closure by Findlay and Dominiak / photo of Oor Wullie statue in Dundee / cover of Commando #5103

Dundee Comics: In a special episode looking at the comics scene in Dundee, Alex Fitch talks to researcher Laura Findlay and artist Zu Dominiak about their comic Closure and the Dundee Comics Creative Space, to proprieters George Cordeiro and Jenny Heubeck of shops ‘The Black Hole’ and ‘Ahoy Comics’, and to departing D.C. Thomson Heritage Brands manager and Commando editor (November 2016 to March 2018), Kirsten Murray.

Originally broadcast 4th April 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: Dundee Comics

April 3, 2018

Tomorrow at 5.30pm on Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB, Panel Borders: Dundee Comics

In a special episode looking at the comics scene in Dundee, Alex Fitch talks to researcher Laura Findlay and artist Zu Dominiak about their comic Closure and the Dundee Comics Creative Space, to proprieters George Cordeiro and Jenny Heubeck of shops ‘The Black Hole’ and ‘Ahoy Comics’, and to departing D.C. Thomson Heritage Brands manager and Commando editor (November 2016 to March 2018), Kirsten Murray.

5.30pm Wednesday 4th April 2018, repeated 7am Tuesday 10th April, 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: The Inking Woman

April 2, 2018 — 2 Comments

Rachael House talks about her work at Frame:Works / cartoons by The Surreal McCoy / cover of The Inking Woman

The Inking Woman: To celebrate the release of “The Inking Woman – 250 years of Women Cartoon and Comic Artists in Britain”, published by Myriad Editions, three of the participants in the book talk about their work and love of the medium. Alex Fitch talks to Sandi Toksvig, a patron of the Professional Cartoonists’ Organisation, and to artist The Surreal McCoy who was the artist in residence during Sandi’s lunchtime show on LBC Radio and is a cartoonist for The Sunday Times and The Independent.

Also, in a talk given at Central St. Martin’s School of Art and chaired by comics scholar Guy Lawley, Rachael House discusses her involvement with the queer ‘zine movement over the last twenty years and beyond.

Originally broadcast 7th March 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: The Inking Woman

July 4, 2017

Tomorrow at 5.30pm on Resonance FM and DAB, Panel Borders: The Inking Woman

Rachel House talking about her work / art by The Surreal McCoy

The monthly show about comics and graphic novels. To celebrate the launch of “The Inking Woman – British Women Cartoon and Comic Artists”, the current exhibition at The Cartoon Museum, London, three of the participants talk about their work and love of the medium. Alex Fitch talks to Sandi Toksvig, a patron of the Professional Cartoonists’ Organisation, and to artist The Surreal McCoy who was the artist in residence during Sandi’s lunchtime show on LBC Radio and is a cartoonist for The Sunday Times and The Independent.

5.30pm Wednesday 7th June, repeated 6am Sunday 11th June 2017, Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com (more…)

Panel Borders: Summer Rabbits

July 19, 2016

Covers from A City Inside, The End of Summer and I Love this Part by Tillie Walden / The Rabbit, Artificial Flowers and Doctor Who: The Tenth Doctor 2.1 by Rachael Smith

Summer Rabbits: Continuing our two part look at the work of Avery Hill Publishing, Alex Fitch talks to Rachael Smith about her latest title The Rabbit and drawing back-up strips for Doctor Who comics, and to Tillie Walden, who discusses her work for the company including The City Inside and The End of Summer plus her Eisner Award nominated graphic novella I Love This Part.
(Panel Borders continues on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 8pm, repeated the following day at 9am. Originally broadcast as the second half of a Clear Spot on Resonance 104.4 FM, 10th May 2016)

For more info and a variety of formats to stream or download this podcast, please visit archive.org

Links: Avery Hill website
Tillie Walden’s website
Rachael Smith’s blog
Listen to Alex’s interview with Avery Hill co-publisher Dave White, publicity agent Katriona Chapman, plus artists Edie O.P., Matthew Swan, and Owen Pomery

Panel Borders: The Inflatable Woman, Rachael Ball

March 8, 2016 — 1 Comment

Interior art and cover of The Inflatable Woman, Wolf Man and Lisa + Lulu by Rachael Ball

The Inflatable Woman, Rachael Ball: Alex Fitch talks to cartoonist Rachel Ball about her graphic novel The Inflatable Woman, a magical realist tome loosely based on her experiences with breast cancer and dating, featuring talking penguins and unreliable lighthouse keepers! Fitch and Ball also discuss the latter’s tenure on Deadline Magazine and her next project Wolf Man. Recorded at Cartoon County, Brighton, January 2016.

(Panel Borders continues on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 8pm, repeated the following day at 9am. Originally broadcast as the first half of a Clear Spot on Resonance 104.4 FM, 9th February 2016)
For more info and a variety of formats to stream or download this podcast, please visit archive.org

Links: Rachael Ball’s tumblr site
Info about The Inflatable Woman and other Bloomsbury Graphic Novels

Panel Borders: Comix Creatrix and The Black Feather Falls

February 11, 2016 — 1 Comment

Covers of Undertow and The Black Feather Falls by Ellen Lindner, photo of The House of Illustration, covers of Supreme: Blue Rose #1 and Vision #2 by Tula Lotay

Comix Creatrix and The Black Feather Falls: Alex Fitch talks to a pair of comic book creators featured in the all female exhibition Comix Creatrix, on display at House of Illustration, Granary Square, London which includes work by 100 artists from the Eighteenth Century to the present day.

Ellen Lindner discusses her latest graphic novel, the Edwardian Murder Mystery The Black Feather Falls published by Soaring Penguin Press, in a Q and A recorded at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, in Brew Brothers Tea Shop, Kendal.

Also: Tula Lotay (a.k.a. Lisa Wood) explores her work in serialised comics such as Image Comics’ Elephantmen and Supreme: Blue Rose, her stewardship of the Leeds comics festival, Thought Bubble, and her thoughts on the importance of the Comix Creatrix Exhibition. (more…)

Today’s show: Comix Creatrix

February 9, 2016

Today at 8pm on Resonance FM, Panel Borders: Comix Creatrix

Clockwise from top left: Interior art and cover of The Inflatable Woman by Rachael Ball, covers of The Black Feather Falls and Undertow by Ellen Lindner, photo of some Comix Creatrix by Paul Grover, covers of Vision #2 and Supreme: Blue Rose #1 by Tula Lotay

Alex Fitch talks to three comic book creators featured in the all female exhibition Comix Creatrix, on display at House of Illustration, Granary Square, London which includes work by 100 artists from the Eighteenth Century to the present day. Ellen Lindner discusses her latest graphic novel, the Edwardian Murder Mystery The Black Feather Falls published by Soaring Penguin Press, in a Q and A recorded at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, in Brew Brothers Tea Shop, Kendal, and Rachael Ball talks about her return to comics with the epic magical realist tome The Inflatable Woman published by Bloomsbury, as well as her previous history working in the medium in Deadline Magazine, recorded at Cartoon County, Brighton. Also, Tula Lotay (a.k.a. Lisa Wood) explores her work in serialised comics such as Image Comics’ Elephantmen and Supreme: Blue Rose, her stewardship of the Leeds comics festival, Thought Bubble, and her thoughts on the importance of the Comix Creatrix Exhibition. (Panel Borders continues on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 8pm, repeated the following day at 9am.)

8pm Tuesday 9th February, repeated 9am Wednesday 10th February 2016, Resonance 104.4 FM and DAB (London) (more…)

Panel Borders: Erica Smith – Girl Frenzy

October 25, 2015 — 1 Comment

Issues 3 – 5 of Girl Frenzy, Erica Smith holds GF annual (photo by Sarah McIntyre), anti-UKIP beer mats designed by Smith

Erica Smith – Girl Frenzy: Alex Fitch talks to cartoonist Erica Smith recalls her influential zine Girl Frenzy, made by Brightonians in the 1990s, in an interview recorded at Cartoon County, Hove. Alex and Erica also discuss the anti-UKIP beer mats the artist designed for distribution in the South East before the General Election and her contributions to “Julia Kay’s Portrait Party”.(Originally broadcast as part of the ‘Clear Spot’, 12th October 2015 on Resonance 104.4 FM)

For more info and a variety of formats to stream or download this podcast, please visit archive.org

Links: Interview with Erica Smith about portrait art
Article by Smith on her anti-UKIP beer mat design
Article by Charlotte Cooper on her contributions to Girl Frenzy

Panel Borders: Death of the Artist

May 13, 2015 — 2 Comments

Excerpts from Death of the Artist by Karrie Fransman / with Tim Pilcher at Graphic Brighton 2015

Death of the Artist: Starting a month of shows about comics and graphic novels which occupy the middle ground between ‘mainstream’ titles and independent publishing, guest presenter Tim Pilcher talks to artist Karrie Fransman about her latest graphic novel, Death of the Artist published by Jonathan Cape, which depicts a fateful weekend where five university friends’ hedonistic party leads to tragedy. Tim and Karrie also discuss her first graphic novel The House that Groaned, her comic for the Red Cross – ‘Over Under Sideways Down’ – and the nature of the collaborators involved in her most recent work. (Recorded and edited by Alex Fitch at Graphic Brighton festival, May 2015 / originally broadcast 7th May 2015 on Resonance 104.4 FM) (more…)

Reality Check: Vampire Academy comic Breaks

July 3, 2014 — 1 Comment

Cover of Dragon Age / interior art from Vampire Academy and Breaks, illustrated by Emma Vieceli

Vampire Academy comic Breaks: Continuing a Q and A recorded at Gosh! Comics, as part of SCI-FI-LONDON 14, Alex Fitch talks to cartoonist Emma Vieceli about illustrating the comic book adaptations of the first three Vampire Academy books by Richelle Mead. Emma also discusses her new webcomic Breaks and forthcoming work on the Alex Rider graphic novel range.
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 (more…)

Laydeez do podcasts: Depictions of the female form

March 14, 2012

Joséphine by Pénélope Bagieu and The House that Groaned by Karrie Fransman

Depictions of the female form. 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 by Pénélope 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. (more…)

Laydeez do podcasts: Manga Jiman 2011

October 16, 2011 — 2 Comments

Laydeez do Podcasts:

Manga Jiman 2011

Manga Jiman entries by Zarina Liew, Yuri Kore and Clio Millett

In a panel discussion recorded at the London Science-Fiction Film Festival in April, Zarina Liew (Runner-up 2009/2010), Yuri Kore (Winner 2009/2010), Clio Millett (Winner 2010/2011) – of the Japanese Embassy’s ‘Manga Jiman’ (Pride in Manga) competition join Karen Rubins (Comic book artist in residence, Victoria and Albert Museum 2010) to discuss the homegrown manga scene in the UK and the difference between Manga and Western style comics.
(Recorded, 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: Zarina Liew’s website – cobaltcafe.co.uk
Beyond Raging Aves by Clio Millett
Yuri Kore’s website

Read the Laydeez do comics blog
Info about Laydeez do comics – Next meeting Oct 17th / Nov 21st

2010 interview with Zarina Liew, Yure Kore and Manga Jiman runner up David Lander
2009 interview with Karen Rubins
2008 interviews with Manga Jiman finalists Michael Kacar, Asia Alfasi and Gillian Sein Ying Ha

Recommended events:

Anders Nilsen UK tour

Candian cartoonist Anders Nilsen will be signing at:
Gosh! Comics, Berwick street at 6pm on Saturday 15th October, as part of a UK tour that sees him visit
Page 45, Nottingham on Sunday the 16th and
OK Comics, Leeds on Monday the 17th, he then gets a day off before coming back to London to do a Q and A at
Orbital comics on Wednesday 19th of October where he’ll be chatting to British cartoonist Tom Gauld.

More info: www.goshlondon.com / www.comicafestival.com
(more…)