Panel Borders: Action – The Story of a Violent Comic

Guest presenter Professor Martin Barker (University of Aberystwyth) investigates the story of Britain’s notorious Action comic, which was launched on Valentine’s Day and banned by Halloween in 1976. Professor Barker explores the rise and fall of the comic, what elements of the strips were censored and censured, and how the legacy of Action was continued in “The Galaxy’s Greatest Comic” – 2000AD. Also, in a panel discussion entitled: “Poor, angry white kids”, Barker discusses Action with its writer Pat Mills and 2000AD artist Jim McCarthy. Edited, and recorded at Graphic Brighton / Cine-Excess 2015 by Alex Fitch.

(Panel Borders continues on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 8pm, repeated the following day at 9am. Originally broadcast as a Clear Spot on Resonance 104.4 FM, 8th March 2016)

The most notorious cover of Action, and the issue never printed / Barker, Mills and McCarthy at Graphic Brighton and Cine-Excess (photo by Lisa Mills) / cover of The Story of a Violent Comic by Martin Barker

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

Links: Wikipedia page on Action

Pat Mills’ blog

Jim McCarthy’s website

Alex’s discussion with McCarthy, Milligan and Ewins about 2000AD and interviews with Pat Mills

Martin Barker and Roger Sabin’s discussion of Doonesbury at the Imperial War Museum

Graphic Brighton website

Cine-Excess website