Panel Borders: Funny Monsters and Zoom Rockman

By John Freeman on January 28, 2015

Concluding a month of shows looking at children’s comics on Britain’s only regularly broadcast radio show Panel Borders, Alex Fitch talks to a pair of cartoonists who both publish ‘traditional’ style British anthology comics in the style of The Dandy and other weekly titles – Joe Matthews, creator of Funny Monster Comics, and Zoom Rockman, the young creator of The Zoom.

Joe Matthews discusses Funny Monsters Comic, his new periodical that mixes comedy / horror strips featuring zombies and werewolves with child-friendly gags, puzzles and text pages, while, in an interview recorded at the Crouch End Comic Art Festival, Alex talks to Zoom Rockman, the 14-year-old, award-winning teenager who has been publishing his own humour title – The Zoom – since the age of nine, with 10 biannual issues under his belt.

The Zoom features satirical strips looking at modern culture and life in London as well as reoccurring characters such as Skanky Pigeon who has also appeared in The Beano. The comic has attracted plenty of press interest and acclaim from a huge range of comic critics.

• Panel Borders: Funny Monsters and Zoom Rockman airs at 11.00am on Thursday 29th January, repeated 7.00am Saturday 31st January 2015, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) / streamed at www.resonancefm.com / podcast after broadcast at www.panelborders.wordpress.com

• Follow Joe Matthews on Twitter @funnymonstersco

• Follow Zoom Rockman on Twitter @the_zoomcomic

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.