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This Week’s Panel Borders: “Challenging Lives” with comic creators Eliza Fricker and Jonathan Sandler

By John Freeman on April 3, 2023

Airing this coming Wednesday on Resonance FM is Panel Borders: Challenging Lives, a programme looking at comics that detail some extraordinarily challenging lives in biography and autobiography.

Two graphic novelists discuss with Alex FItch their work on the topic.

Cartoonist and designer Eliza Fricker explores her book Can’t Not Won’t, which illustrates her experiences of raising a child who suffers from Pathological Demand Avoidance.

Can’t Not Won’t: A Story About A Child Who Couldn’t Go School, has been published by Autism, ADHD and other Neurodiversity from Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

The work draws from Elize’s own experience of raising a child who can’t go to school, which formed the basis of “Missing the Mark” which began in early 2020 as an illustrated blog – a deeply personal and all too human exploration of a mother’s journey navigating the education system and everyday life.

*Eliza Fricker is a British illustrator, author and mother*

In response to overwhelmingly positive and supportive feedback Eliza went on to launch a limited run companion Missing The Mark Podcast, authored several works on the subject of autism and the education system, and launched a series of Talks, Consulations, and online courses to support parents in similar situations.

This guide acts as a way to communicate these difficult circumstances with others.
Wonderfully relatable, the book also includes written guidance for parents and professionals on what works best when it comes to managing school avoidance.

Plus, writer Jonathan Sandler talks about turning his father’s wartime memories into the graphic novel The English G.I., featuring art by Brian Bicknell – a moving personal story about coming-of-age, the powerful bond of families, and the tragedy of war.

Jonathan Sandler studied Politics at Leicester University and has spent a large part of his career working in software industry leading and managing complex projects. Jonathan, a keen sketcher, has always been passionate about World War Two history and graphic novels.

In 2020, he combined these dual interests and commenced work on The English GI which was published by graphicmemoir.co.uk in 2022.

Panel Borders: Challenging Lives airs at 5.30pm, Wednesday 5th April 2023, repeat broadcast 11.00am, Sunday 9th April 2022, Resonance 104.4 FM + DAB (London) / podcast after broadcast at panelborders.wordpress.com

• Missing the Mark blog

• Can’t Not Won’t: A Story About A Child Who Couldn’t Go School (AmazonUK Affiliate Link) | ISBN: 978-1839975202

Can't Not Won't: A Story About A Child Who Couldn't Go School by Eliza Fricker

Eliza Fricker gets it. Her compelling, hard-hitting and irreverently humorous illustrations follow a family through the early days of school avoidance, the process of accessing support and the challenges of coping in the meantime. Can’t Not Won’t illuminates the absurdity and frustrations that often arise when dealing with health, social and educational systems, and will help any parent in the same boat feel seen. This guide acts as a way to communicate these difficult circumstances with others.

Wonderfully relatable, the book also includes written guidance for parents and professionals on what works best when it comes to managing school avoidance.

• Graphic Memoir: The English G.I. | Jonathan Sandler on Twitter

• The English G.I. (AmazonUK Affiliate Link) | ISBN: 979-8793377874

In September 1939, Britain declares war on Germany. Bernard Sandler, a 17-year-old schoolboy from Yorkshire, is on a school trip to the United States and consequently finds himself unable to return home, separated from his close-knit Jewish family in Britain.

Stranded in cosmopolitan New York for an unknown duration, he must grow up quickly. He discovers the pleasures and excitement of Broadway theatre and jazz while developing his own social circle at New York University. But just as he finds his independence, the United States declares war in December 1941, which changes his life once again. Bernard is drafted into the United States Army, joining the 26th Infantry “Yankee” Division. Eventually, he returns to Europe, serving on the front lines alongside General Patton’s Third Army during the brutal Lorraine Campaign in Northern France in the fall of 1944.

The book also follows the remarkable story of Bernard’s family in England, and the fate of his wider family in Latvia (whom he visited in an epic journey in 1937, also as a schoolboy), during this period.

The English GI is a moving personal story about coming-of-age, the powerful bond of families, and the tragedy of war.

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.