By Mike Luoma • 4/27/09

Declaration Of Independents: Dirk Manning

Dirk Manning is best known for his horror comic Nightmare World and his “Write and Wrong” column for Newsarama. Manning is a proponent of do-it-yourself (DIY) comic publishing and gladly offers his advice and experience in the column. Aspiring comic book creators would do well to read his words of advice in “Write and Wrong”. The latest is here and you'll find links to the first forty-seven before it at the end of the column. Manning's Nightmare World has lately found a home as a Shadowline/Image online web comic, with four new pages a week: www.shadowlinecomics.com.

Nightmare World employs a unique structure. It's made up of fifty-two, eight page stories. The stories share connections and an overarching story of the Armageddon in a world much like our own. As our series on Independent Comic Creators gets under way here at CosmicBookNews, Mike Luoma talks to Manning about Nightmare World, “Write Or Wrong” and independent comic book publishing.

CosmicBookNews: When did you first know you wanted to write comic books?

Dirk Manning: I didn't really grow-up reading comics, per say, so it wasn't until I was in my late-late teens that it really dawned on me how much more you could do with story-telling in comics than with straight-prose. I started reading comics when I was about 13, I think, and I enjoyed a handful of titles, but it wasn't until a buddy of mine shoved Watchemen into my hands and I started reading the older EC-style horror comics that I thought "Yeah... I want to tell my stories like this.

CosmicBookNews: Did you want to be a writer first, or was it “comic book writer” from the start?

Dirk Manning: I've always loved horror/"speculative fiction" short stories by writers like Poe, Bradbury, King and Ellison... and when I first started writing that's what I started experimenting with. Like I said, though, when I started getting into comics I saw the limitless possibilities for storytelling methods there -- especially due to Watchmen -- and it permanently altered my approach to my writing career.

CosmicBookNews: You seem to have a pretty strong DIY ethos. Why do it all yourself?

Dirk Manning: Because when you do it yourself you know exactly who you are dealing with and you don't have to worry about getting screwed-over or forced into "compromises" you don't want to take. Besides, with the evolution/acceptance of quality online/web comics in the eyes of the public and professionals alike, the jumps in Print-On-Demand technology/availability the lack of major financial risks involved in self-publishing make it almost stupid not to go the "DIY" route... unless you plan on sending pitches for preexisting corporately owned characters to major publishers for the tenure of your comic book "career."

CosmicBookNews: Nightmare World has a unique structure and form – what made you decide to go the eight page per story route?

Dirk Manning: The series of eight-page stories format served several purposes: First, it didn't require much of a commitment from potential artists. I mean, anyone seriously interested in drawing comics would usually consider drawing an eight-page story... provided they liked the story, of course. Additionally, I'm just really a fan of the short-story format and I think it's almost criminal how it's been ignored in comics. With Nightmare World you can sit down, read a dense short story or two and then come back for more later... although as I understand it people usually start reading it and don't stop. (laughs)

Finally, as a writer, I like being able to tell all these "small" stories that can stand independently on their own but -- when read as a collection -- all start to play off and with each other to tell one giant "uber-story." It's fun for me and a neat reward for the seriously invested readers... but also something that won't interfere with casual reading either.

CosmicBookNews: The structure of Nightmare World has allowed you to work with a lot of different artists. How do you figure out which artist will do which story?

Dirk Manning: Whenever I would start to develop a new story I'd think about which artists were available and also what kind of "style" I thought would best suit the story. From there I would e-mail the artist I had in mind to see if/when he/she was available. There were a few times when I shelved certain stories for over a year each waiting for a certain artist to become available. Also, I would sometimes have an artist I worked with e-mail me and say "Dirk, I'm really in the mood to draw a story about _____________. Can you hook me up with a Nightmare World script involving that?" It would then be my job (or at least my responsibility) to do that for him or her -- while also crafting stories that fit into the "big picture" of the series.

It's funny, sometimes I would have the germ of an idea for a story in my brain when an artist would e-mail me saying they wanted to draw a story about the same thing I was thinking about. It's all "Ideaspace," I tell ya'. (Laughs) Finally, along with the desires of the artists I would also have to consider what their individual strengths. For example, I originally pitched the script to "The Day I Tried to Live" to Mark Winters. I thought he would bring a nice aesthetic to the "video game" setting of the story. Mark passed on the script, but asked if he could pitch it to his roommate Jason Meek, saying he'd be perfect for the story. Well, Jason read it and liked it, and then became one of the three most prominent and prolific Nightmare World artists in the series (along with Josh Ross and Jeff Welborn). It's all about playing to the strengths and desires of the artists. Once a writer can do that, great comics will oftentimes be the result.

CosmicBookNews: There is an over-arching connectivity between all your stories that dances around the Cthulu Mythos. There are recurring characters, recurring themes... I haven't made all the connections yet myself. Did you know what each of the stories in Nightmare World would be before you started? Some? All? Or did it grow more organically?

Dirk Manning: My good friend and Nightmare World artist Josh Ross always go around and around about this very topic. (laughs) You see, when I started Nightmare World my original plan was to do six stories. Then it grew to twelve, then thirteen, twenty-four, forty-eight, fifty and finally fifty-two. My original intent was to tell all stand-alone stories... but what I REALLY wanted to do was tell a series of stories that all secretly sort of intertwined together -- at least on the edges. I was afraid to commit to doing something like this, though, in fear of starting it and not being able to properly finish it.

Well, as the series started publishing online it pretty quickly became a big hit not only with readers -- but also with comic artists! I soon actually had comic book artists e-mailing me inquiring as to whether or not they would be able to illustrate a story for the series! (laughs) It took me a while -- about twenty-odd stories written, I think -- to become truly comfortable with the fact that I'd be able to make a run at telling "the whole story" the way I wanted to, but once I made the decision to do it there was no turning back. In fact, Josh Ross was especially instrumental in making it happen, as he (along with colorist Austin McKinley) became my "go-to" guys in regards to creating the Cthulhu/Armageddon stories in the series.

Now, to be fair, while I knew the whole story I wanted to tell, certain aspects of the story did certainly come about organically as various artists got involved. For example, Jason Jam wanted to do what I think he called a "grimy and brutal barbarian story," and that helped to push me to tell the origin story of Vanessa, for example. As the series progressed I had a lot of fun bouncing around between the past, present and future of the story's continuity while quietly showing (or at least dropping hints as to) how various stories were connected and plot threads carried over. So, while it was largely planned from the beginning, there were certain "organic moments" as well... but by and large I knew from the beginning where I wanted to go.

Oh... and speaking of hints concerning the "Mythos" aspect of the giant "uber-story," here's one for you and your readers to consider: While the Cthulhu aspect of the story is certainly one of it's most dynamic aspects, make no mistake that in the end it all boils down to Lucifer. Keep your eye on him, too... if not especially.

CosmicBookNews: Nightmare World is now being presented as an Image/Shadowline web comic. Getting picked up by Image is the dream of many Independent creators. How is your relationship with Image going?

Dirk Manning: Having Nightmare World aligned with Shadowline/Image as part of their webcomic family is indeed a dream come true if for no other reason that it really "validates" the work all of us put into the series. Honestly, due to the fact that I was able to bring Nightmare World to Kris Simon and Jim Valentino as a finished product I don't do a lot of day-to-day business with them, but I've made no secret of the fact that I have a lot of respect for them both and that I'd love to work with them both more in the future -- be it with online comics or something new in print.

CosmicBookNews: Will Image be releasing a trade of Nightmare World” at some point?

Dirk Manning: There will be a collection of thirteen of the first Nightmare World stories to run at the Shadowline site -- along with some swanky extras including a new exclusive prose story written by me and an introduction by Rex Mundi scribe Arvid Nelson -- released in print as a trade paperback collection this Halloween 2009... so I'm super-stoked about that! As anyone who is a longtime fan of Nightmare World can tell you, a "definitive" trade paperback collection has been a LOOOOOOONG time coming.

As to who is releasing it, I'm not in a position to say quite yet, but rest assured that the collection is going to be released in time for Halloween and that it will be available wherever comics are sold -- as long as you pre-order it, of course. Once I can say more you'll know. Believe me -- the whole Internet will know. [laughs]

CosmicBookNews: I've personally gotten a lot from your Newsarama column “Write Or Wrong”. How did you come to write the column?

Dirk Manning: Thanks, man! My main goal with the "Write or Wrong" column -- as well as the column that I think is going to follow it after it's natural conclusion -- has been to help guide people towards being able to create comics. Period. As a means of "keeping my hand moving" in college I spent a lot of time doing entertainment and music journalism, and once I dedicated myself fully to writing comics I realized that there were virtually no resources out there for people in my position: Hopeful writers who had no idea how to get in touch with artists and start the process of creating comics. Established professionals like Warren Ellis and Steven Grant both wrote very helpful (and inspirational) columns... but they also only went so far.

Considering this, I decided to "lay it all out there" for other hopeful creators in my position, talking frankly about my experiences -- be them successful or mistakes -- so people could see how a guy like me (one starting out without so much as an Internet connection at home) was able to get to the point of making a successful comic book both online and in-print.

CosmicBookNews: You're primarily known for Nightmare World – what other projects are in the works, and when might we see them?

Dirk Manning: Nightmare World will always hold a special place in my heart as my "first-born" fully realized comic project -- and also because it's a darn good one! (laughs) However, as we march through 2009 and into 2010 (already?!?) it's time for me to start devoting my full attention to other projects I've been working on. Late 2009/early 2010 will see Josh Ross and I re-releasing and finishing the first volume of TALES OF MR. RHEE both online and in-print. Josh has been moving into full-time tattoo art, but given the rabid fanfare concerning Mr. Rhee as well as our love for the character we both want to finish the second six stories of "Volume One" together. After that I'll most likely continue Tales of Mr. Rhee with another artist -- or perhaps series of artists. Either way, in response to the e-mails I get from fans on a weekly basis, yes, Tales of Mr. Rhee will be resurfacing online -- and Josh Ross and I will be finishing "Volume One" together both online and then in-print.

Aside from that, Len O'Grady and I are going to be moving ahead with our fantasy/sci-fi project Farseeker we released a "sampler" of online via Nightmare World a few years ago. I was nervous that the "horror readers" of Nightmare World wouldn't "click" with the more all-ages friendly approach of Farseeker, but we instead inundated with rabidly positive comments. In fact, my friend and NIGHTMARE WORLD artist Kristen Perry even called me to say "Dirk, I didn't know you had it in you!" (laughs) That about best sums-up that, I thought! Farseeker is something Len and I are both very passionate about and I'm tickled that the time is finally right for both of us to move forward on it as we roll into 2010.

Dirk Manning: There are a few other projects in the "active production" stage that I'm excited about, including a horror-western with Ray Dillon titled Homestead and a hilarious "old-timey" comic strip with Nightmare World letterer/occasional artist Jim Reddington we're tentatively calling Lil' Cthulhu. Jim's one of the funniest guys I know and we're having a blast developing this comedy strip that's going to... turn a lot of heads... at the very least. (laughs)

Finally, I'm also in the process of lining-up artists for a few other projects that I'd like to launch from web-to-print in 2010 through "Mind Over Matter Comics"... but those projects aren't quite ready to be spoken about publicly, yet. In 2010 I think people will be pleasantly surprised to see a lot more diversity and product from me and my friends, though -- and it will all continue to be of an extremely high quality, of course. Our motto is "Comics so good you won't be ashamed to tell your friends you read them!" (laughs)

CosmicBookNews: What do you foresee for the future for independently created comics?

Dirk Manning: Honestly, I see the comic book industry going the way the music industry has in the last few years with creators finally realizing that they don't need major labels (or, in this case, publishers) as much as major publishers need them. Don't misread me here, I'm not trying to be a smart-alec of thumb my nose at the system... but the bottom line is that with the increasing acceptance of webcomics as a "worthy" and "quality" source of delivery for good comics -- combined with the availability of superb quality print-on-demand comics -- there's no need for a creator to try and shove their property down the throats of editors at major publishers.

I mean, hey, I'd gladly write, say, a Midnight Sons for Marvel -- but that would be on a work-for-hire basis... and that's what more and more of the "major" publishers are looking for, at this point. I think now, more than ever, the notion that a major publisher is going to pick-up and distribute you creator-owned books (with the obvious exceptions of Image and Dark Horse, both of whom have VERY high standards) is an archaic one. Instead, I hope that more and more creators begin to embrace the web-to-print-on-demand philosophy, as it offers minimal risk with maximum potential gain. That's what I'm going to be doing, anyway. From there I'll be able to use my comics -- and the reputation I build as a result of them -- as a calling-card for work-for-hire writing gigs down the road should that be a route I even decide to pursue.

Regardless of whether I make one dollar or a million dollars when all is said and done, though, I'll have a shelf of comics that I'VE created with my friends and partners... and how cool is that?

Discuss This Article in the CosmicBookNews.com Forums