Podcast: The Art of Mark Buckingham

Panel Borders: The art of Mark Buckingham

Alex's and Duncan's half hour interview with Mark Buckingham about his comic book career so far drawing such titles as Spider-man, Fables, Death and Miracleman and collaborating with Chris Bachalo on Generation X and Ghost Rider 2099- originally broadcast as the first half of last week's Strip! on Resonance FM...

Happy Christmas!

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, 27.1mb)

Today's show: Classic Childrens’ characters in Comics

Today at 5pm on Resonance 104.4FM - Strip!: Classic Childrens’ characters in Comics

In the last Strip! of the year, Alex Fitch and Duncan Nott are looking at the depiction of beloved children’s characters in comics. First we have our interview with Mark Buckingham about reinventing classic fairy tales in Fables and the challenge of bringing something new to the character in his two year run on Spider-man.

Later in the show we have the first on air broadcast of Alex & Duncan’s conversation with Geoff Senior and Simon Furman on 25 years of Transformers, which was first podcast last summer. This is a change to the show advertised at the end of last week’s episode (which was to be about adaptations of classic literature in comics and will be broadcast in a fortnight) mainly because I accidently left the CD at home this morning…

Links: Wikipedia pages on Mark Buckingham, Fables and the comic: Peter Parker, Spider-man
Download free Marvel Comics by Mark
Partial bibliography
Interview with Mark at Silver Bullet Comics

Panel Borders: The work of Simon Spurrier

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)

Today's show: Tamara Drewe and the Angel Gang!*

Today at 5pm on Resonance 104.4FM - Strip!: 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

Podcast: The art of Charlie Adlard

Panel Borders: The art of Charlie Adlard

Alex's and Duncan's half hour interview with Charlie Adlard about his comic book career so far - 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, 32 mins, 29.4mb)

Today's show: Tamara Drewe and the Walking Dead!

Today at 5pm on Resonance 104.4FM - Strip!: 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

Podcast: The art of Sean Phillips and Duncan Fegredo

Panel Borders: The art of Sean Phillips and Duncan Fegredo

Alex's half hour long interview with Sean Phillips and Duncan Fegredo about their work in comics and their art collaborations - originally broadcast as the second half of yesterday'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, 28.6mb)

Today's show: Comics for girls and (Hell) boys part 2

Today at 5pm on Resonance 104.4FM - Strip!: Comics for girls and (Hell) boys part 2


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 that we started broadcasting a couple of weeks ago - 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). 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 Alex Fitch talks to artists Duncan Fegredo and Sean Phillips in a conversation recorded at the Birmingham International Comics Show. Duncan and Sean have recently collaborated on an art book in which they start and finish each other's drawings, which spills over into their conversation style! Duncan's work includes Jay and Silent Bob - Chasing Dogma, Enigma and (to justify the title of this week's show) Hellboy - Darkness Falls. Sean has worked on Hellblazer, WildCATS, Marvel Zombies and both artists worked on the offbeat superhero comic Kid Eternity.

N.B./ As featured on last week's show: Jim Mahfood and Bill Shag's exhibition is still on at Dreamspace Gallery 'til tomorrow...


Links: More info about ComICA at www.ica.org and www.paulgravett.com
Article on I love girls' comics at newsarama.com
Hellboy.com
Wikipedia pages on Kid Eternity, Enigma, WildCATS, Marvel Zombies and Hellblazer
Website promoting Duncan's art book "Stuff"
2000 interview with Duncan at Sequential Tart
Sean's website
Interview with Sean at Forbidden Planet International
Splash Page Art pages on Duncan and Sean

Podcast: The art of Jim Mahfood

Panel Borders: The art of Jim Mahfood

Alex's half hour long interview with Jim Mahfood about his career in comics so far and imminent exhibition at Dreamspace gallery (+ Alex's short chat with gallery coordinator Chloe Brooks) - originally broadcast as the first half of today'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, 29 mins, 28.0mb)

Today's show: Comics in galleries

5pm Resonance 104.4FM: Strip! - Comics in galleries

To coincide with Thanksgiving, Alex Fitch talks to two American 'indie' comics artists who have had work exhibited in galleries this year. A couple of days before Jim Mahfood and Bill Shag have their fine art collaborations displayed in Dreamspace Gallery in London, Alex talks to Jim about his comic book career so far, the cross-over between fine art and comics and his own artistic influences. Alex also has a brief chat with Dreamspace coordinator Chloe Brooks about the gallery.

In the second half of the show it's the first broadcast of an interview previously podcast as an episode of "I'm ready for my close-up", Alex talks to Jacob Ciocci from the art collective 'Paper Rad' about the exhibition of their video art displayed at Sketch gallery in August which combined sampled images, video games and comic book iconography.

The show you may have expected this week - Comics for girls and (Hell) boys part 2, featuring the second half of ComICA's panel on Girls comics plus Alex's interview with Duncan Fegredo and Sean Phillips - will be broadcast next week as Alex wanted to strike while the iron was hot regarding Jim's exhibition.

Special thanks to Joe Gordon @ FPI for the info about Jim & Bill's show...

Links: Information about Jim & Bill's exhibition and Dreamspace gallery
More info on Jim's comic book company 40oz comics

Podcast: The work of Mike Mignola

Panel Borders: 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

Today at 5pm on Resonance 104.4FM - Strip!: 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

Today's shows: ComICA coverage continues

Today on Resonance 104.4 FM we have two more talks culled from the ComICA archives...



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

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

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

Today's show: Comics gossip and Flying Friars

Today on Resonance 104.4FM at 5pm - Strip!: 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

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'

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

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