Matthew K. Manning's Blog, page 2
May 19, 2020
Marvel Action: Avengers # 10...
Marvel Action: Avengers is back this week!
(At least, I think we're back...)
Another incredible cover by Jon Sommariva!
While things are a bit in flux with some comic shops opening this week and some staying shuttered due to stay-at-home orders, those that are open should be stocked with issue #10 of our series.
This is the big one, so I recommend checking with your local shop and seeking it out if you're able! Everything we've been building since issue #1 starts to pay off here. A.I.M. has taken over Manhattan. They're controlling the majority of the city's heroes, forcing our team to lead an underground rebellion. But what can even Captain America do when faced with the combined might of the likes of the Spider-Mechanic, the Advanced Idea Marksman, Yellow Jacket, Ant-Mechanic, and the Yellow Hulk? And just who is that lurking in the shadows?
Written by me
Art by Marcio Fiorito and Nuno Plati
Colors by Protobunker
Letters by Christa Miesner
Assistant edits by Megan Brown
Edits by Bobby Curnow
This variant cover by Luca Claretti is pretty fantastic, too!
I also wanted to clear up a bit of confusion I've been hearing about lately. The series I'm writing (Volume 1) will be completing the twelve-issue run that we intended from the beginning. But, due to delays on the art side of things and decisions way above my pay grade, Marvel and IDW have opted to release Volume 2 of the series at the same time. So while there is a second issue # 1 out there currently, it's not connected to our storyline, and I'm not the writer on that particular book.
In the meantime, we have this final three-issue arc in our series, and I'm really excited for you to check it out. Issue #10 might be my favorite script I've turned in for this title, so I hope you're able to hunt it down and give your local comic shop some support in this brave new world we're living in.
Stay healthy, stay home as much as you can, and if you're out, be like a responsible Avenger and wear a mask!
To be continued...
(At least, I think we're back...)
Another incredible cover by Jon Sommariva!While things are a bit in flux with some comic shops opening this week and some staying shuttered due to stay-at-home orders, those that are open should be stocked with issue #10 of our series.
This is the big one, so I recommend checking with your local shop and seeking it out if you're able! Everything we've been building since issue #1 starts to pay off here. A.I.M. has taken over Manhattan. They're controlling the majority of the city's heroes, forcing our team to lead an underground rebellion. But what can even Captain America do when faced with the combined might of the likes of the Spider-Mechanic, the Advanced Idea Marksman, Yellow Jacket, Ant-Mechanic, and the Yellow Hulk? And just who is that lurking in the shadows?
Written by me
Art by Marcio Fiorito and Nuno Plati
Colors by Protobunker
Letters by Christa Miesner
Assistant edits by Megan Brown
Edits by Bobby Curnow
This variant cover by Luca Claretti is pretty fantastic, too!I also wanted to clear up a bit of confusion I've been hearing about lately. The series I'm writing (Volume 1) will be completing the twelve-issue run that we intended from the beginning. But, due to delays on the art side of things and decisions way above my pay grade, Marvel and IDW have opted to release Volume 2 of the series at the same time. So while there is a second issue # 1 out there currently, it's not connected to our storyline, and I'm not the writer on that particular book.
In the meantime, we have this final three-issue arc in our series, and I'm really excited for you to check it out. Issue #10 might be my favorite script I've turned in for this title, so I hope you're able to hunt it down and give your local comic shop some support in this brave new world we're living in.
Stay healthy, stay home as much as you can, and if you're out, be like a responsible Avenger and wear a mask!
To be continued...
May 15, 2020
Free Scooby-Doo comics...
Hey Kids, Free Comics!
Scooby-Doo heads to Fripp Island and manages to avoid my parents for the full duration of Scooby-Doo, Where are You? # 44, a comic I wrote a few years back. This is one of 250 Scooby digital comics currently free on Comixology. You can find it here:
https://www.comixology.com/Scooby-Doo-Where-Are-You-2010-44/digital-comic/88600?ref=c2VhcmNoL2luZGV4L2Rlc2t0b3Avc2xpZGVyTGlzdC9pdGVtU2xpZGVy
Script by me
Pencils by Robert Pope
Inks by Scott McRae
Colors by Franco Riesco
Letters by Saida Temofonte
Edits by Kristy Quinn and Jessica Chen
And then Scooby-Doo heads to Lapeer, Michigan and manages to avoid my parents for the full duration of Scooby-Doo, Where are You # 56. Also free right now on Comixology. You can find it here:
https://www.comixology.com/Scooby-Doo-Where-Are-You-2010-56/digital-comic/210286?ref=c2VhcmNoL2luZGV4L2Rlc2t0b3Avc2xpZGVyTGlzdC90b3BSZXN1bHRzU2xpZGVy
(Scooby has a thing for visiting places my parents have lived. It's a serious issue, and we've talked to him about it.)
Script by me
Pencils by Scott Neely
Colors by Candace Schiezler-Bell
Letters by Saida Temofonte
Edits by Jessica Chen
Sit your kids in front of a screen right this second!
To be continued...
Scooby-Doo heads to Fripp Island and manages to avoid my parents for the full duration of Scooby-Doo, Where are You? # 44, a comic I wrote a few years back. This is one of 250 Scooby digital comics currently free on Comixology. You can find it here:
https://www.comixology.com/Scooby-Doo-Where-Are-You-2010-44/digital-comic/88600?ref=c2VhcmNoL2luZGV4L2Rlc2t0b3Avc2xpZGVyTGlzdC9pdGVtU2xpZGVy
Script by me
Pencils by Robert Pope
Inks by Scott McRae
Colors by Franco Riesco
Letters by Saida Temofonte
Edits by Kristy Quinn and Jessica Chen
And then Scooby-Doo heads to Lapeer, Michigan and manages to avoid my parents for the full duration of Scooby-Doo, Where are You # 56. Also free right now on Comixology. You can find it here:
https://www.comixology.com/Scooby-Doo-Where-Are-You-2010-56/digital-comic/210286?ref=c2VhcmNoL2luZGV4L2Rlc2t0b3Avc2xpZGVyTGlzdC90b3BSZXN1bHRzU2xpZGVy
(Scooby has a thing for visiting places my parents have lived. It's a serious issue, and we've talked to him about it.)
Script by me
Pencils by Scott Neely
Colors by Candace Schiezler-Bell
Letters by Saida Temofonte
Edits by Jessica Chen
Sit your kids in front of a screen right this second!
To be continued...
May 3, 2020
New Bookshop.org store...
If you're looking for something new to read, check out my new online store at Bookshop.org. Not only do I get a small commission for books purchased on this shop, but part of the purchase price goes directly to supporting independent bookstores.
You can find my shop at: https://bookshop.org/shop/matthewkmanning
Thanks!
To be continued...
April 19, 2020
Artemis Fowl: How To Be a L.E.P. Recon...
As you might have heard, Artemis Fowl was supposed to make his transition from his popular series of books to the big screen this summer. But since we're all stuck at home, Disney is opting to take this big budget adaptation directly to Disney+ instead.
To celebrate the not-so-theatrical debut of everyone's favorite nemesis of fairy kind, I was lucky enough to write Artemis Fowl: How To Be A L.E.P. Recon for Disney Publishing. This guide spotlights the gadgets and gear of the clandestine Lower Elements Police Recon team, the elite fairy force that keeps the magical realms safe.
Even more fun, this one's also available as an audio book, and you can give it a listen with a free trial over on Audible.
Look for Artemis Fowl on digital on June 12th on Disney+, and grab a copy of my book today.
Stay healthy and stay home!
To be continued...
April 9, 2020
Introducing: the Bug Brigade...
Have some little ones in need of some quarantine reading? Available online now (or at any bookstores offering curbside pickup!) is Bug Brigade , my newest chapter book. This book featuring illustrations by Ethen Beavers and is part of the Michael Dahl Presents assortment from Capstone.
Here's the official write-up from the good folks at Capstone:
They're the world's greatest heroes! The grim avengers of the night! The planet's first line of defense against supervillains and alien threats! They're . . . the Bug Brigade? Doug, Josie, Kira, and Reginald were all normal sixth graders at the start of their field trip to the Blue Mountain Science Museum. Proud members of the Bug Society of Littleton, the friends are thrilled to explore a private wing of the museum where they can learn all about their favorite insects. But when they get mixed up in a scientist's experiment involving radioactive bugs, they find themselves in over their heads (and antennas!). The Bug Brigade must swarm together to fight off an evil insect villain. Will their newfound buggy superpowers be up to the test?
You can catch the Bug Brigade in either softcover or a snazzy hardcover library binding here.
Looking for something with a little more rainbow zombie puke? (And really, aren't we all?) The two newest books in the six-volume Xander and the Rainbow-Barfing Unicorn series are still available.
Fairies Hate Ponies and Who Turned Off the Colors? offer brand new adventures of everyone's favorite team of heroic Rainbow-Barfing Unicorns from the magical world of Pegasia. Each book in the Xander series features the work of illustrator Joey Ellis, and the books are designed to be read in any order. These two new additions to the series are also available on Kindle, so you don't even have to leave the couch.
Of course, if you're looking for more details on the origin of these zombie ponies, then be sure to start at the first volume in the series Magic Smells Awful .
More new quarantine reading suggestions to come, so check back soon. Stay isolated and stay healthy!
To be continued...
February 12, 2020
Marvel Action Avengers: The Fear Eaters...
Out now is the third volume of our Marvel Action: Avengers saga, "The Fear Eaters." This three-issue collection pits the Avengers up against a massive alien invasion and sets the stage for our biggest story yet.
Don't miss it! You can pick up a copy at your local comic shop or here.
Script: Me!
Art: Marcio Fiorito!
Colors: Protobunker!
Letters: Christa Miesner!
Edits: Bobby Curnow and Megan Brown!
Cover: Jon Sommariva and PAC 23!
To be continued...
February 11, 2020
Spell Warriors...
Late last year, I was hired by a new creative company about writing a comic title for them, a series of 38-page graphic novels entitled
Spell Warriors
.
Creator Saul Kramer and his partners are developing these sword and sorcery-style characters for use in different mediums, from an animated series to a card game, and they've opted to create a comic book series to get these characters out into the world. They had released a "pilot" style comic in their first successful Kickstarter, and afterwards hired me on as the regular writer to continue the series.
Our first issue together, Spell Warriors # 2 has just launched its kickstarter, one you can check out here.
Drawn by the talented Dheeraj Verma and co-plotted by Saul Kramer, this series stars a band of warriors roaming a magical world known as Erridose. Aided by a wide variety of Wisps, magical beings that give their host special powers and abilities, these Spell Warriors are determined to track down the nefarious Balki and his Pit Lords, the reason for the chaos and rot infecting their world.
I had a blast working on issue # 2, and it serves as an introduction to not only Balki's origins, but the issue also includes everything you need to know about this band of heroes. A great starting point for new readers, this issue focuses on the properties of the Wisps and the magical talismans that contain them, our heroes' abilities, and their wild untamed world. Plus we've packed in so many action scenes we had to extend the page count more than once!
If you're a fan of Dungeons & Dragons type adventuring with a Pokemon-like power scope and some Game of Thrones intrigue tossed in for good measure, be sure to check out Spell Warriors on kickstarter. They have several levels of sponsorship, from a digital copy of the issue I worked on to a deluxe set of my issue and the one that preceded it, so there's a little something for everyone.
Check out their kickstarter here or explore the world of Erridose here on their comprehensive website full of great character and world designs. You can even watch a video primer on the world here.
To be continued...
Creator Saul Kramer and his partners are developing these sword and sorcery-style characters for use in different mediums, from an animated series to a card game, and they've opted to create a comic book series to get these characters out into the world. They had released a "pilot" style comic in their first successful Kickstarter, and afterwards hired me on as the regular writer to continue the series.
Our first issue together, Spell Warriors # 2 has just launched its kickstarter, one you can check out here.
Drawn by the talented Dheeraj Verma and co-plotted by Saul Kramer, this series stars a band of warriors roaming a magical world known as Erridose. Aided by a wide variety of Wisps, magical beings that give their host special powers and abilities, these Spell Warriors are determined to track down the nefarious Balki and his Pit Lords, the reason for the chaos and rot infecting their world.
I had a blast working on issue # 2, and it serves as an introduction to not only Balki's origins, but the issue also includes everything you need to know about this band of heroes. A great starting point for new readers, this issue focuses on the properties of the Wisps and the magical talismans that contain them, our heroes' abilities, and their wild untamed world. Plus we've packed in so many action scenes we had to extend the page count more than once!
If you're a fan of Dungeons & Dragons type adventuring with a Pokemon-like power scope and some Game of Thrones intrigue tossed in for good measure, be sure to check out Spell Warriors on kickstarter. They have several levels of sponsorship, from a digital copy of the issue I worked on to a deluxe set of my issue and the one that preceded it, so there's a little something for everyone.
Check out their kickstarter here or explore the world of Erridose here on their comprehensive website full of great character and world designs. You can even watch a video primer on the world here.
To be continued...
February 5, 2020
Rise of the TMNT: Sound Off!...
Today I achieved that personal milestone for which all writers strive. My new comic collection, Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Sound Off! was awarded "Number 1 New Release in Children's Turtle Books."
Take that, Tolstoy.
This new trade paperback collects the complete Rise of the TMNT: Sound Off! miniseries (issues #'s 1-3) and continues my collaboration on the Rise characters with artist Chad Thomas, colorist Heather Breckel, letterer Christa Miesner, and editors Bobby Curnow and Megan Brown. You can get your copy today at your local comic shop or here.
To be continued...
January 14, 2020
Marvel Action: Avengers # 9...
Cover by Jon Sommariva!Marvel Action: Avengers # 9 is out now at your local comic shop. This is the big conclusion to our Fear Eaters vs. Black Panther three-parter that began in issue # 7.
Trust me, you won't wanna' miss the last explosive page of this one. It's all been building to this...
Writing by me
Art by Marcio Fiorito
Colors by Protobunker
Letters by Christa Miesner
Assistant edits by Megan Brown
Edits by Bobby Curnow
To be continued...
January 10, 2020
New Interviews...
I was recently interviewed for the latest issue of SciFiNow about Edgar Allan Poe's legacy. I adapted a graphic novel about a decade ago from his famous The Fall of the House of Usher. It was a fun excuse to revisit an older book of mine.
Grab a copy of the magazine here, if you're so inclined. (Or get the book here.)
And if you haven't already, be sure to hunt down the very, very large history of Batman from Insight Editions: Batman: The Definitive History of the Dark Knight in Comics, Film, and Beyond by Andrew Farago. It's a great looking book, and features several quotes from me.
Because, as the world has learned the hard way, I'm always up for talking about Batman.
To be continued...
