This week on(line)...: Mike Carey on remixing the classics / Catherine Anyango on Conrad's Heart of Darkness / Criteria for a new Pope
Alex Fitch
Dear all,
here's info on this week's shows and recommended events and fundraisers...
on air
Panel Borders: Updating the classics
Concluding our month of shows looking at the connections between comics and literature, Alex Fitch talks to a pair of authors who have used graphic novels and comics to update classic literature. Mike Carey discusses his comic The Unwritten which sees characters from classic literature - such as Frankenstein's monster - and authors - like Mark Twain - being caught up in a fantastical conspiracy through the ages; Alex and Mike also discuss how the latter's parallel career as a novelist effects his comic book writing.
Also, in an interview delayed from last week's show, newspaper cartoonist Martin Rowson discusses his graphic novel adaptation and updating of Gulliver's Travels, with its art and content reflecting current political leaders and situations.
6pm, Sunday 24th February 2013, repeated 4.30pm, Tuesday 26th February, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com
recent podcasts
This week we look at Terry (Horrible Histories) Deary's daft ideas, we speak to a space archaeologist (!) and look at Blackberry’s rise and fall… Also: Alex Fitch looks at criteria the Vatican might investigate when choosing a (more progressive) new Pope and Liz Lutgendorff talks to Janet Heimlich author of Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment. (Originally broadcast 22nd Feb 2013 on Resonance 104.4 FM)
http://poddelusion.co.uk/blog/2013/02/21/episode-175-22nd-february-2013
Panel Borders: Inhumanity and darkness in literature
Continuing our month of shows about comics and literature, Alex Fitch talks to a trio of graphic novelists about adapting classic 19th century novels as sequential art. In a panel discussion recorded at Comica Comiket in 2011, David Hine and Mark Stafford discuss their adaptation of Victor Hugo’s The Man who Laughs, a tale that has already cast a long shadow over comics, as the lead character Gwynplaine was supposedly an influence on the creation of The Joker. Also, fine artist Catherine Anyango discusses her visual approach to her 2010 adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, best known as the inspiration for Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, which sees her intricate pencilling style married with both text from the original novel and also Conrad’s The Congo Diary. (Originally broadcast 17/02/13 on Resonance 104.4 FM)
http://panelborders.wordpress.com/2013/02/17/panel-borders-inhumanity-and-darkness-in-literature
'on stage'
Cartoon County - February 2013
Alex Fitch will be talking about his career so far as a comics / arts journalist; how to made a radio show about a visual medium and his experiences commissioning art for Electric Sheep Magazine and running film and comic book events in various venues... Come along to hang out with other Sussex based comic book creators or just enjoy the environment of a nice Brighton pub!
The Cricketers, 15 Black Lion St, Brighton BN1 1ND, Monday 25th February 7pm (Doors open at 6pm for free sandwiches!)
More info: www.cartooncounty.com / www.cricketersbrighton.co.uk
online magazine
Fortresses: Hidden, black, ancient, high-rise and alternative
Electric Sheep Magazine issue seventy-two This month we are proud to present a 35mm screening of Michael Mann’s rare 1983 film The Keep in collaboration with Cigarette Burns at the Prince Charles in London on 21 February. This is the occasion for a look at fortresses on film, with reviews of The Keep, Akira Kurosawa’s feudal Japan tale The Hidden Fortress and housing project-set shocker Citadel (released on UK screens next month), an interview with Citadel director Ciaran Foy and a feature on alternative fortresses.
Out at the cinema we review classic Hollywood melodrama A Place in the Sun, unique Belgian crime drama Bullhead, supernatural thriller Mama, Brandon Cronenberg’s first feature Antiviral and Pablo Larraín’s No, which continues the director’s exploration of Chile’s politics and history.
In home entertainment releases we look at two new Mario Bava Blu-rays, Barbara Steele witch chiller Black Sunday and nightmarish fairy tale Lisa and the Devil. In Alter Ego, author Travis Elborough is James Mason in The London That Nobody Knows.
And to celebrate 6 years of Electric Sheep, for February our publishers Strange Attractor Press are offering our anthology, The End, for only £9.99.■
www.electricsheepmagazine.com
recommended events
London Super Comic Con
London’s premier comic convention which concentrates on ‘mainstream’ American comics, undiluted by TV and film tie-ins. Guests include Neal Adams, Brian Bolland, Carlos Ezquerra, David Finch, Alan Grant, Klaus Janson, David Mack, George Pérez, Bill Sienkiewicz, Dan Slott, Herb Trimpe, John Wagner, and many more.
February 23rd & 24th, 2013, Excel Centre, London
More info at www.londonsupercomicconvention.com
Develop your graphic fiction ideas with Mike Carey
This one-day course will enable you to really build on and develop your own ideas, and to take some practical steps towards getting your graphic fiction work into shape for an agent or publisher. Mike will look at how to develop ideas for a series, and lead some discussion around the wider scope of the graphic form. There will also be plenty of time for you to craft your own work under Mike’s guidance.
This workshop is perfect for anyone who is already working on an idea for the graphic form, and is looking to develop their ideas further. You don’t need to have come to last season’s workshop to attend.
Saturday 16 March, 11am – 4.30pm
£60 / £45 concessions
Toynbee Studios
28 Commercial Street
London E1 6AB
Nearest Tube/Train: Aldgate East (Hammersmith and City, District)
More info: www.spreadtheword.org.uk
Tripwire 21st anniversary Kickstarter campaign
In 2013, Britain's favourite comics and genre magazine celebrates its 21st birthday. To commemorate, we are doing a must-buy book.
TRIPWIRE has been Britain's only features-driven comics and genre magazine which has published since 1992 and with 2013 being the magazine's 21st anniversary, its coming of age if you like, we thought it would be remiss if we didn't do something to commemorate this.
The book will come in regular paperback and in a limited hardcover edition. Between its covers will be a selection of new material, including art either never seen before or rarely seen from the likes of Drew Struzan (poster artist for Indiana Jones, The Shawshank Redemption, Star Wars), Mike Mignola (Hellboy), Phil Hale (award-winning portrait painter), Howard Chaykin (American Flagg, The Shadow, Blackhawk),Frank Quitely (Batman & Robin, All-Star Superman), Walter Simonson (Elric, Thor), Dave Taylor (Batman, Tongue Lash) and many more. Additionally, it will include features looking at the trends and issues that have played a major part in comics and genre over the past 21 years, including the best and worst comic and genre movies 1992-2013, the 21 most important creators to come to the fore in the last twenty-one years, the 21 best graphic novels (mainstream and independent) and much more. It will also include the best content from twenty-one years of TRIPWIRE, a magazine which covered the cream of comics and genre and will include the likes of Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Guillermo Del Toro, Mike Mignola, Joss Whedon, Joe Kubert, Will Eisner to name but a few. It will also include a selection of photos pulled from the magazine of genre movers and shakers. It will be a must-buy for fans and aficionados of comics and genre, approached with the same level of professionalism and quality that people have come to expect from the magazine.
"TRIPWIRE really is a breath of fresh air. Its layouts are superb, with great well-written features perfectly set off by the pictures, adding clarity and intelligence to every page. And it keeps on doing it. Amazing, Gratifying. A pleasure to look at, a pleasure to read..." MICHAEL MOORCOCK
Incentives run at prices between £1 and £500 including signed copies, PDFs, prints T-Shirts and more...
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/154246759/tripwire-21st-anniversary
Webcomic Artist Swap Project 2013
Eleven Webcomics drawn by guest artists!
Starts Febraury 25th, creators involved include: Nich Angell Cat and Meringue / Sammy Borras Instant Comics / Rebecca Burgess Strangers and Friends / Sarah Burgess The Summer of Blake Sinclair / Richy K. Chandler Lucy the Octopus / Francesca Dare Penny Blackfeather / Evelyn Hewett Fruit Machine / Zarina Liew Le Mime / Naniiebim Mephistos / Jade Sarson Cafe Suada / Louise Wei & Dave Hodgkinson Panda & Polar Bear and David O’Connell, creator of Tozo The Public Servant will also be contributing art!
If you're a fan of online trips, check out the project and you might have a few new favourite creators by the end of the week...
More info: http://www.tempolush.com/wasp
Help launch The Black Cloud
Support Charles Cutting's new graphic short story compilation... If you think it's the kind of thing you would be cool with posting about, liking and sharing on Facespace and Twitter, Charlie would be most grateful...
Over the last year and a half Charles has produced three short stories in graphic form for three different authors.
'After The End' is penned by Tauriq Moosa and deals with a secret scientific experiment.
'Two Little Boys' concerns an intriguing coincidence linking the lives of Adolf Hitler and Ludwig Wittgenstein and is written by Christian David. It first appeared in Issue 29 of The Illustrated Ape.
The final story 'The Bleeding Horse' is an adaptation of a macabre story by Brian J Showers about a haunted Irish pub.
Charlie needs $2000 to cover the printing and shipping costs. By pre-ordering a copy of Black Cloud via Indiegogo you will be entitled to various perks depending on how much you wish to chip in to the campaign. These cost between $15 and $200 and include sketches, advertising space and original artwork.
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/black-cloud
SF Short Film needs funding
If you're a fan of SF short films or SCI-FI-LONDON, you could help and find a moment to post some news to your friends/contacts about their crowd funding...
They're making a film called "Ellipse" - co-written and directed by Ilana (We Are All Cylons) Rein. It's a co-production with SCI-FI-LONDON and The Royal Observatory Greenwich. Thaey have much incredible talent on board including Territory Studios - the group that did some of the FX for Prometheus....
The campaign page is here http://www.sponsume.com/project/ellipse
thanks for listening,
Alex
iTunes "New and noteworthy" podcasterNovember 2011 - http://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/id390974029
Programme maker, Resonance 104.4 FM (Arts Council) - www.resonancefm.com
Assistant editor, Electric Sheep Magazine - www.electricsheepmagazine.com
Events / Podcasts, SCI-FI-LONDON - www.sci-fi-london.com