Panel Borders – Panel Borders and other podcasts

First Graphic Novel Award 2023: Alex Fitch hosts the presentation ceremony of the 2023 First Graphic Novel Award, featuring short interviews with shortlisted artists Cathy Brett, Gareth Cowlin, Mereida Fajardo, Alexander Taylor, Anna Trench, Myfanwy Tristram, and Corban Wilkin, presentations by Fitch and his fellow judges: Sabba Khan, Corinne Pearlman, Ayoola Solarin, Steve Marchant and Mark Wallinger, and the presentation of the award to the winner by graphic novelist Jenny Robins. Recorded at Waterstones Piccadilly, December 2023. Originally broadcast Wednesday 3rd January 2024 on Resonance 104.4 FM + DAB (London)

For more download formats, and to stream the podcast, please visit archive.org

Links: First Graphic Novel Award website including info on how to enter the 2025 competition

Drawing on Artistic Practice: In this month’s podcast episode of Panel Borders, Alex Fitch presents a pair of interviews about the connections between sequential art and fine art. Simon Wildsmith chats about the major exhibition in Barnsley which showcases the work of his father Brian Wildsmith, and Katriona Chapman discusses the use of her paintings and sketchbooks to create such books as Follow Me In and Breakwater published by Avery Hill.

Partially broadcast 6th November 2024 on Resonance 104.4 FM (London)

For more formats and to stream this podcast, please visit archive.org

Links: Info about Katriona Chapman’s graphic novels from Avery Hill

The Past and Future in Comics at LICAF: Alex Fitch chats to a quartet of comics creators about reviving old characters, and to Ivanka Hahnenberger about helping to launch a Comics Rights Market at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. In the ‘Mantles and Legacies’ Panel, Greg Rucka, Ram V, Michael Lark and Mike Perkins discuss creating new comics based on long running titles such as Swamp Thing and Batman, while Hahnenberger chats about how young creators and small comics publishing companies can find new opportunities publishing in Europe, with funding from Arts Council England, Creative Scotland, and the Adlard Foundation.

Originally broadcast 10th September 2024 on Resonance 104.4 FM / DAB (London)

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

Links: Info about LICAF Comics Rights Market and list of attendees

Pricks, and Sea Sick: In an episode on provocation and sequential art, Alex Fitch talks to Fraser Geesin and Laurie Rowan, the creators of Purple Hate Balloon and Pricks, magical realist tales of toxic masculinty set in Worthing, recorded at Cartoon County. Also, in a panel discussion recorded at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, Myfanwy Tristram, Zara Slattery and Karrie Fransman, organisers of The Comics Cultural Impact Collective (CCIC / pronounced ‘Seasick’) relate their plans, ambitions and ideas to bring new audiences to British comics.

Originally broadcast 6th December 2023 on Resonance 104.4 FM / DAB (London)

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

Links: Info about Purple Hate Balloon and Pricks: Flat part 1 and 2 on Fraser Geesin’s website

Young Graphic Novelists to Watch: In a special Summer episode that looks at up and coming graphic novelists, Alex Fitch talks to a pair of creators who are exhibiting at the inaugural Sequent’ull Comic Art Festival in Hull this month. Michelle Freeman chats about turning her interest in fine art to storytelling, expressed in a number of short titles and her graphic novel in progress, The Room of Stars, and Shane Melisse discusses how an influence in street art and skating culture has influenced his ongoing comics project Road Knight and related works.

Originally broadcast 2nd August 2024 on Resonance 104.4 FM / DAB (London)

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

More info: Shane Melisse’s website

Fantasy and Horror Locations: In an episode that looks at Fantasy and Horror Comics in memoriable locations, a trio of creators talk about their work in this area. Alex Fitch talks to John Dudley and Scott Gray about their kickstarted title Big Shoulders which mixes music and magic, dragons and immortal storytellers in contemporary and historic Chicago. Plus, in an interview recorded at Cartoon County, Lucy Sullivan discusses her folk horror comics including Black Hammer: Madame Dragonfly and Shelter: Early Doors, with a look at the latter’s London based location inspired by her childhood growing up in a pub!

Originally broadcast 3rd July 2024 on Resonance 104.4 FM / DAB (London)

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

More info: Lucy Sullivan’s website

Euro Visions: In a pair of interviews with European artists now working in English, Alex Fitch talks to Gigi Cavenago about his work on iconic characters such as Dylan Dog / Batman, and Spider-Man in Across the Spider-Verse, and to Lucie Arnoux about her autobiographical graphic novel Je Ne Sais Quoi and illustrating the comics adaptations of the Enola Holmes novels by Nancy Springer. Recorded at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, and Cartoon County, Brighton.

Originally broadcast 7th February 2024 on Resonance 104.4 FM / DAB (London)

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

More info: Lucie Arnoux’s website and instagram site

Learning from the Past and Future: Alex Fitch talks to creators whose work set in the past and future offer salient warnings about the present. Julian Hanshaw discusses his graphic novel Free Pass which tells the tale of a couple who let a robot join in their intimate relationships, while Sophie and Scarlett Rickard chat about their comic book adaptations of Edwardian protest novels The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists and No Surrender. Both interviews recorded at Cartoon County, Brighton.

Originally broadcast 7th April 2024 on Resonance 104.4 FM / DAB (London)

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

More info: Hanshaw’s Instagram site

Guest presenter Ivanka Hahnenberger talks to three comics creators whose work has been adapted for film and television. Writer Peter Hogan discusses the TV version of his comic Resident Alien, cartoonist Posy Simmonds chats about the adaptations of Tamara Drew and Fred, and Luke Pearson explores the Netflix adaptation of his children comic Hilda. Recorded at Comica, curated by Paul Gravett, and held at The Century Club, London, April 2024. Recorded and edited by Alex Fitch.

Originally broadcast 1st May 2024 on Resonance 104.4 FM / DAB (London)

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

Links: Comica’s facebook page

Life Drawing: In a pair of interviews recorded at Cartoon County, Brighton, Alex Fitch talks to a pair of artists whose work is drawn from life. Nick Sayers discusses his projects Nick Draws Neighbours, and Nick Draws Nationals which see the artist pencil likenesses of people met locally and on zoom to compile vignettes of life during lockdown and beyond. Also, Hayley Gullen chats about her graphic memoir in process – This Might Surprise You – which chronicles her diagnosis of, and recovery from cancer, which was shortlisted for the 2023 Caliburn Prize for Comics.

Originally broadcast 6th March 2024 on Resonance 104.4 FM / DAB (London)

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

Links: Hayley Gullen’s pages on Twitter / X and Instagram