Panel Borders: European Female Voices

By John Freeman on June 2, 2014

One of Line Hoven’s illustrations for Jochen Schmidt’s ‘Dudenbrooks’ , published in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Art © Line Hoven

Starting a month of shows looking at the work of female comic creators on Britain’s comic radio show Panel Borders, Alex Fitch talks to German scratch board artist Line Hoven and Belgian cartoonist Judith Vanistendael about their family drama graphic novels Love Looks Away published by Blank Slate Books and When David Lost His Voice, published by Self Made Hero.

“When David Lost His Voice” cover by Judith Vanistendael

Hoven discusses her meticulous technique used to render the biography of three generations of her family, including a member of the Hitler Youth, while Vanistendael explores how her various graphic novels have each used a different artistic style, depending on the subject matter she is bringing to the page, in this case about a grandfather who reconnects with his family when diagnosed with throat cancer.

The interviews were recorded at the British Library exhibition ‘Comics Unmasked: Art and Anarchy in the UK’

• Line Hoven’s official site: http://www.linehoven.de

Judith Vanistendael official site: http://judithvanistendael.wordpress.com

• Comics UnMasked: http://www.bl.uk/whatson/exhibitions/comics-unmasked

• Panel Borders: European Female Voices: 4.30pm Monday 2nd June, repeated 11.00am 5th June 2014 on Resonance 104.4 FM / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / extended 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.