manta dad – terrible timing
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manta dad – terrible timing

by Chad Sell on May 15, 2013 at 2:00 pm

And thus begins my latest comic in the MANTA-MAN universe, MANTA DAD!

MANTA DAD is actually a prequel story, set many years before the start of MANTA-MAN, and it will be told in this fun, goofy graphic novel format. I’m planning to post a page every Wednesday, but I may end up posting more frequently if I’m able to!

I’ll be posting a lot more about MANTA DAD soon! If you’re a new reader, check below for my introduction to all this MANTA insanity!

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New Reader? Well, hello!

by Chad Sell on May 15, 2013 at 2:35 pm

Hi there! This is the home of MANTA-MAN, MANTA DAD, and all the other crazy webcomics that take place in this shared world.

It all started with MANTA-MAN, which was an irreverent comic strip farce about a guy who turns into a manta ray. I posted that weekly for about a year and a half, then I brought that storyline to a close (for now). It is sexy and silly, definitely not for kids. But if you are not a kid, you should go check out MANTA-MAN or buy the collection MANTA-MAN: Swimming with Sharks.

MANTA DAD is my latest installment, and it’s actually a prequel that follows Manta-Man as an awkward 12-year-old aboard his father’s ship, sharing in his adventures at sea. I’ve switched to a graphic novel format so that I can have more fun with panel layouts and narrative pacing. I’m keeping the style loose and playful, limiting myself to just two hours on each page. I’ll be posting one page every Wednesday, but I’ve actually already finished the first 24 page story of MANTA DAD, and the first issue is on sale now!

I’ve had a ton of fun with MANTA DAD so far, and I plan on continuing the story until a certain point where I’ll then zap back to “present day” and resume the original MANTA-MAN comic! So… that’s the idea.

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News!

by Chad Sell on September 9, 2012 at 9:41 am

Hey folks,

So! I haven’t been able to update Manta-Man for a few weeks, and I’m sorry. That’s partly because I’ve been doing another weekly webcomic, but for Rupaul’s All Stars Drag Race! (I know, right??) That’s being posted every week on the All Stars Facebook page, here.

I’ve also been preparing for the enormous indie comics convention SPX, which will be next weekend, Sept. 15-16! So if you’re in the DC/Baltimore area, you should absolutely come! It’s just about the biggest show ever for small press creators like myself. (And yes, I’m terrified.)

I have been writing the future adventures of Manta-Man, but I can’t say for sure when I’ll be able to finish and post them.

Regardless, it’s been a really busy, exciting time! More soon!

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Good news, bad news…

by Chad Sell on August 26, 2012 at 8:19 pm

Hi everyone! So, the bad news: there’s no new MANTA-MAN comic this week. I’m sorry, I really am! But I just couldn’t find the time to mess around in the MM universe.

The good news! A crazy new comic project of mine will be unveiled this week, and it’s something both familiar and totally different from anything I’ve done before. You won’t want to miss it, so make sure you “like” me on Facebook so that you don’t miss the latest developments in my work!

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Harold, Nibs

by Chad Sell on June 22, 2012 at 5:51 pm

Look who I’ve been drawing! Yeah, you might be seeing a lot more of Harold soon! In fact, just scroll down, and you might see more of him than you ever wanted!

But seriously, I’ve been trying to mix up my inking style a bit. For a while, I thought I might try setting aside my nib pens in favor of fancy brushwork in Manta-Man, but I realized that using old tools in new ways could get some sleek results. Basically, I never used nib pens the “proper” way, varying pressure for the sake of varied line width. But I’ve been experimenting with that, and I really dig the results!

And also, I’ve been doing some studies for the next Manta-Man story! Once we’re done with Foolgirl, we might go back in time for an intimate look at some of our characters’ younger selves!

Yes, including Harold.

Yeah, his neck is a bit too long, but that’s largely because I was messing around with the stylized conventions of superhero anatomy. And reading old Aquaman comics. Which, seriously, are ridiiiiculous. But some really nice artwork!

Anyway, lots more soon!

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Oops…

by Chad Sell on May 6, 2012 at 9:31 am

Okay, so, there’s not a new Manta-Man this week. That’s because the past few weeks have been stupendously, stupidly busy, that I have barely had time to make so much as a doodle. I’ve done three comics shows in a row (in Ohio, New York, and Canada!) and have been enlisted for some really exciting (and secret!) illustration jobs!

Anyhoo, I’m planning to have a new strip next week! It’s already kind of sketched out and stuff! So… check back then!

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