This blog is to provide a home for podcasts, information and feedback on the Resonance FM weekly radio shows "I'm ready for my close up" & "Panel Borders" which cover the varied worlds of film, TV, comic books and related media. The shows are broadcast live in London on 104.4 FM and streamed over the internet at www.resonancefm.com
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Panel Borders: The work of Simon Spurrier
Alex's and Duncan's half hour interview with Simon Spurrier about his comic book career so far and writing his first novel Contract - originally broadcast as the second half of last week's Strip! on Resonance FM...
For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com (mp3 format, 30 mins, 28.7mb)
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Today's show: Tamara Drewe and the Angel Gang!*
*(it amuses me, anyway, to suggest Tamara has adventures as exciting as her long lost cousin Nancy...)

The first half of today's show is continuing Resonance FM's coverage of the London ComICA festival - the second half of a discussion held at the Comica festival in which Lisa Appignanesi talks to Guardian cartoonist in residence Posy Simmonds about the collection of her strips from the newspaper which has just been published as a harback graphic novel Tamara Drewe by Jonathan Cape. The talk was recorded live at the ICA last month. Please note: this discussion will not be podcast, so please tune in if you want to catch it.
In the second half of the show you'll hear an interview that Duncan Nott and Alex Fitch conducted at the Birmingham International Comics Show with British novelist and comics writer - Simon Spurrier** - about his work from acclaimed strips in 2000AD and Judge Dredd megazine such as Lobster Random and The Simping Detective to his recent forays into the American market with Gutsville and The Silver Surfer.
**not to be confused with Simon Guerrier or Paul Spurrier (it's getting like that game where you keep changing one letter to make a new word!)
Links: More info about ComICA at www.ica.org and www.paulgravett.com
"Read yourself Raw" profile on Posy Simmonds
Reviews of Posy's Literary Life and Tamara Drewe
Wikipedia pages on Posy Simmonds and Simon Spurrier
Simon's profile at 2000AD online
Info about Simon's novel Contract
Simon's website and myspace page
Listen to Alex's interview with Simon's frequent collaborator, Frazer Irving
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Today's show: Tamara Drewe and the Walking Dead!

The first half of today's show is continuing Resonance FM's coverage of the London ComICA festival - the first half of a discussion held at the Comica festival in which Lisa Appignanesi talks to Guardian cartoonist in residence Posy Simmonds about the collection of her strips from the newspaper which has just been published as a harback graphic novel Tamara Drewe by Jonathan Cape. The talk was recorded live at the ICA last month. Please note: this discussion will not be podcast, so please tune in if you want to catch it.
In the second half of the show you'll hear an interview that Duncan Nott and Alex Fitch conducted at the Birmingham International Comics Show with another British comics artist - Charlie Adlard - about his work from acclaimed zombie comic The Walking Dead to Judge Dredd and the challenges of drawing Mulder and Scully in the comic book adaptation of the X-Files.
Links: More info about ComICA at www.ica.org and www.paulgravett.com
"Read yourself Raw" profile on Posy Simmonds
Reviews of Posy's Literary Life and Tamara Drewe
Wikipedia pages on Posy Simmonds and Charlie Adlard
Lambiek.net pages on Posy Simmonds and Charlie Adlard
Interviews with Charlie at 2000AD review and G Wie Gorilla!
Article on Charlie joining The Walking Dead at Silver Bullet Comics
Read Kim Newman's vampire story Mildrew Manor, illustrated by Charlie
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Podcast: The work of Mike Mignola
Alex's half hour long interview with Mike Mignola about Hellboy, Hollywood and Horror Comics (sorry, couldn't resist the illeratation) - originally broadcast as the second half of Strip! on Resonance FM 15/11/07...
For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com (mp3 format, 32 mins, 30.6mb)
Today's show: Comics for girls and (Hell)boys

The first half of today's show is continuing Resonance FM's coverage of the London ComICA festival - the first half of a discussion held at the Comica festival last month in which a variety of critics discuss their love of and the cultural impact of British Girls' comics, introduced by Paul Gravett. Writer and performer Stella Duffy; Jane Purcell, author of the Radio 4 play 43 Years in the Third Form; Unskinny cartoonist Lucy Sweet; Nina Myskow, former editor of Jackie and others relish the heydays of Girl, Bunty, My Guy and more and reflect on their lessons and legacies. Hosted by Dr Mel Gibson (not that one).
In the second half of the show Alex Fitch talks to Mike Mignola about his career from his inauspicious start on comics such as Rocket Raccoon and the Chronicles of Corum to his work in Hollywood on Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula & Guillermo del Toro's Blade II and his popular Hellboy franchise that has spread into prose novels, movies, cartoons and video games.
Links: More info about ComICA at www.ica.org and www.paulgravett.com
Article on I love girls' comics at newsarama.com
Websites on Hellboy - comics, movies and cartoons
Wikipedia and IMDb pages on Mike Mignola
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Today's shows: ComICA coverage continues

5pm Strip! - Achtung! Commando!; The Art of War Comics
Gung-ho but blood-free, the pocket-sized Commando has been winning the war for over 4,000 issues. Experts Steve Holland and David Roach consider the artistry and evolution of war comics with those who created them.
8pm Clear Spot - Posy Simmonds @ ComICA
Continuing Resonance FM’s coverage of the London ComICA festival: In a conversation with Lisa Appignanesi, Posy Simmonds discusses and draws characters from her very fine new graphic novel Tamara Drewe, serialised in The Guardian and reworked into a book from Jonathan Cape.
N.B./ these talks will not be podcast, so make sure you listen to them while they're being broadcast as I don't know when the repeat may be...
Links: More info about ComICA at www.ica.org and www.paulgravett.com
Buy Tamara Drewe and Commando Graphic Novels at Forbidden Planet International
Steve Holland's blog
Download Tamara Drewe from The Guardian website
Wikipedia pages on Posy Simmonds and Commando Comics
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Podcast: Comics gossip and Flying friars part 2
The second half of Alex and Duncan's hour long interview with Rich Johnston about Lying in the gutters and controversy in comics is available to download now...
Originally broadcast on Resonance FM on Thursday 25th September as the second half of Strip!.
For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com (mp3 format, 29 mins, 28.3mb)
Links: Rich's column Lying in the gutters
Wikipedia entry on Rich Johnston
Buy The Flying Friar from FPI
Monday, October 29, 2007
Podcast: Comics gossip and Flying friars part 1
The first half of Alex and Duncan's hour long interview with Rich Johnston about The Flying Friar and Lying in the gutters is available to download now...
Originally broadcast on Resonance FM on Thursday 25th September as the first half of Strip!.
For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com (mp3 format, 26 mins, 25.6mb)
Links: Rich's column Lying in the gutters
Wikipedia entry on Rich Johnston
Buy The Flying Friar from FPI
More info on CSI: Dying in the Gutters
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Podcast: 15 years of Professor Bernice Summerfield part 1
As the hour long version of this show may not be something listeners want to download in one go (and to alleviate the strain on the server), Wednesday's Clear Spot is available to download - this is part 1 of 2...
(mp3 format, 28.8mb)
For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com
Podcast: 15 years of Professor Bernice Summerfield part 2
As the hour long version of this show may not be something listeners want to download in one go (and to alleviate the strain on the server), Wednesday's Clear Spot is available to download - this is part 2 of 2...
(mp3 format, 27.9mb)
For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Today's show: Comics gossip and Flying Friars
Alex Fitch and Duncan Nott interview infamous comics gossip columnist Rich Johnston about Lying in the Gutters for over a decade, being murdered in an (illustrated comic book) episode of CSI and writing a graphic novel about a 17th century monk whose life is strangely similar to a certain boy from Smallville's...
Links: Rich's column Lying in the gutters
Wikipedia entry on Rich Johnston
Buy The Flying Friar from FPI
In comics news:

ComICA at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London is on now and continues until November 6th and sees performances, screenings and live talks with the likes of Jamie Delano, Posy Simmonds and Kevin O'Neil.
More info at www.ica.org and www.paulgravett.com
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Podcast: Fifteen years of Professor Bernice Summerfield
Last night's Clear Spot is now ready to download...
Please Note: THE COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED.
(mp3 format, 60mins, 57.2mb)
For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com
Podcast: The Mark of Aeacus
Alex Fitch's interview with Zan Christensen about The Mark of Aeacus is available to download now...
Originally broadcast on Resonance FM on Thursday 18th September as a part of Strip!.
For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com (mp3 format, 14.3mb)
Links - Zan's company, Northwest Comics
Article on Greek myths which influenced The Mark of Aeacus
Prisim Comics a company that supports LGBT comic creators, of which Zan was the founding President
Buy The Mark of Aeacus from 'Rabbit Valley comics'
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Tonight's show: 15 years of Professor Bernice Summerfield
Starting off as a Doctor Who companion in the novels published by Virgin books after the original TV series was cancelled in 1989, Benny has since appeared in over a hundred books, over 60 without the Doctor and 40 full cast 'radio' plays released on CD in specialist shops. Alex talks to the actress who plays Benny - Lisa Bowerman - the actor who plays her fictional husband - Stephen Fewell - and outgoing producer of the series, Simon Guerrier. Simon in turn interviews actress Sophie Aldred who appeared alongside Lisa in a few of the dramas and Gareth Roberts (Doctor Who: The Shakespeare Code) who has written Benny adventures. Finally, Sci-Fi critic and writer Graham Sleight interviews the character's creator Paul Cornell plus there's even a preview of Benny's next adventure and a competition as well...
Links: Wikipedia entry on Bernice Summerfield
Read the Doctor Who novels: Human Nature and The Dying Days which feature Benny
Buy Benny books and audio CDs from Big Finish
Simon's blog
Graham's website
Paul's blog
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Podcast: Neil Gaiman's Stardust
Alex Fitch's interview with Neil Gaiman about Stardust and other adaptations of his work is available to download now...
Originally broadcast on Resonance FM on Monday 15th September as a special 'Clear Spot'.
For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com (mp3 format, 14.6mb)

In comics news:

ComICA at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London is on now and continues until November 6th and sees performances, screenings and live talks with the likes of Jamie Delano, Posy Simmonds and Kevin O'Neil.
More info at www.ica.org and www.paulgravett.com
Friday, October 19, 2007
Podcast: The work of Leah Moore and John Reppion part 3
The final part of Alex & Duncan's interview with Leah Moore and John Reppion in which they talk about writing Witchblade: Shades of Grey, Leah's Christmas Stamps story and the kind of comics they'd like to do in the future. Unfortunately this interview was recorded using Skype on a noisy computer and is not the best quality, so we recommend you listen to it using speakers rather than headphones...
Originally broadcast on Resonance FM on Thursday 27th September as part of Strip!. Panel Borders is Alex and Duncan's contribution to Strip! and will vary from week to week as a multiple of 15 mins within the hour...
For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com (mp3 format, 16.3mb)
Links: Leah and John's website and blog
Interview with John & Leah about their recent work at Forbidden Planet International's blog
Interview with Leah at dragonskeep.com
In comics news:

ComICA at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London starts tomorrow and continues until November 6th and sees performances, screenings and live talks with the likes of Jamie Delano, Posy Simmonds and Kevin O'Neil.
More info at www.ica.org and www.paulgravett.com
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Today's show: Comic book writers
In a repeat of Monday's clear spot, Alex Fitch interviews renowned author Neil Gaiman about the big screen adaptation of his illustrated novel Stardust which was originally serialised by DC Comics.
Then, Alex interviews Zan Christensen about his homoerotic vigilante comic The Mark of Aeacus which looks to Greek Myths for its inspiration.
For the second half of the hour long show, we're broadcasting the previously podcast interview author Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, Xtnct) conducted with prolific comic book writer Peter David (The Incredible Hulk, Fallen Angel) about his career...
Links:
Neil Gaiman - Neil's website
Wikipedia entries on Neil, Stardust and Anansi Boys
Official movie website
Dreamhaven's online book shop
Zan Christensen - Zan's company, Northwest Comics
Article on Greek myths which influenced The Mark of Aeacus
Peter David - Wikipedia entries on:
Peter David, Paul Cornell, The Spectacular Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk and Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man
IDW page on Fallen Angel
Marvel pages on Peter's The Dark Tower and Paul's Wisdom
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Podcast: The work of Leah Moore and John Reppion part 2
The second part of Alex & Duncan's interview with Leah Moore and John Reppion in which they talk about writing Wildgirl, moving to Dynamite Entertainment and John Reppion's Zombie Army. Unfortunately this interview was recorded using Skype on a noisy computer and is not the best quality, so we recommend you listen to it using speakers rather than headphones...
Originally broadcast on Resonance FM on Thursday 27th September as part of Strip!. Panel Borders is Alex and Duncan's contribution to Strip! and will vary from week to week as a multiple of 15 mins within the hour...
For more info and a selection of different file formats you can download or stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.com (mp3 format, 14.4mb)
Links: Leah and John's website and blog
Buy a John Reppion's Zombie Army T-shirt
Interview with Leah about Wildgirl at www.thecomicfanatic.com
Dynamite Entertainment press release about John & Leah moving to their company



