Panel Borders: Oscar Zarate, exploring The Park

By John Freeman on March 15, 2014

Continuing a month of shows about comics and graphic novels which present ‘slices of life’ on the page on Panel Borders, Britain’s only regular radio show about comics, Alex Fitch talks to cartoonist Oscar Zarate about his latest graphic novel The Park, an exploration of various characters whose lives intersect on Hampstead Heath, published by SelfMadeHero.

The Park is the first graphic novel illustrated by Zarate that the artist has also written rather than working from someone else’s script, and he discusses the genesis of the project, his previous graphic albums published in France and his rereleased short story anthology It’s Dark in London.

The interview was recorded in front of an audience at the Lakes International Comic Art Festival last Autumn.

• More about “The Park”: http://www.selfmadehero.com/news/tag/oscar-zarate

• Panel Borders: Oscar Zarate, exploring The Park airs at 4.30pm, Monday 17th March, repeated 11.00am Thursday 20th March 2014 on Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.