Bill Nichols’ Prescription:
Comics 10ccs of the Process with
Dirk Manning

What inspires you to create and keeps you going?

As cliché as it may sound, it really comes down to the fact that there’s just things I have an overwhelming desire to say and/or talk about. NIGHTMARE WORLD was my project about why I love horror and what a huge umbrella for all kinds of stories that genre really is. TALES OF MR. RHEE is about what life would *really* be like for a noir-style lone wolf monster-hunter. HOPE is about what it means to be a woman and a mother in today’s day and age… and yes, I have things to say about that, too, even though I’m not a mom myself, obviously. [laughs]

Do you have a set routine?

I always plan my writing times ahead, but I don’t write every day, per say. Because most of my projects are creator-owned or co-creator-owned (by me and the artist who created the series with me) I oftentimes have to assume the role of Project Manager as well, meaning that I may spend a few days a week doing edits, promoting the work, answering e-mails, things like that. When I sit down to write a script, I like to have several hours to write at a time, so to me a weekend home is ideal – or a long evening where I can really dive into the work without having to do anything else.

What kind of output do you try to achieve?

There’s an old adage that being a writer is like having homework every day and then you die. So, for me, it’s just a matter of telling all the stories I want to tell. Finishing NIGHTMARE WORLD and collecting the whole series as THE NIGHTMARE WORLD OMNIBUS and THE NIGHTMARENOMICON was a big milestone for me, so now I’m starting to release stories that will either be a mini-series (like COSA NOSTRA with Dan Dougherty) or stories that will be a series of mini-series/OGNs such as HOPE (with K Lynn Smith), THE ADVENTURES OF CTHULHU JR. AND DASTARDLY DIRK (with Scoot McMahon) and – perhaps most importantly to me – TALES OF MR. RHEE (with Seth Damoose and a host of other amazing artists).

What inspires you WHEN you create? Music?Noise?Silence?

I like a certain amount of background noise, but it also depends on what I’m writing. I oftentimes am listening to music when I write, including anything from the Harp Twins to Twiztid to Dead Cross (anyone who’s ever taken a long-distance car ride with me can tell you I have some of the most eclectic stacks of CDs you’ll ever see in there with me). When I’m doing Project Management work I tend to listen to podcasts, though… or perhaps explore new music. I’ve just learned I can’t listen to podcasts when I write for reasons that I’m sure are obvious… [laughs] 

Who was the first comic book creator that influenced you to pursue this?

Alan Moore, due to the complexity of his storytelling. Again, I know it’s cliché to say how great WATCHMEN is, but to me it’s not so much about the story – which, really, is fairly pedestrian – as it is the amazing execution of the story. That book is a bible of storytelling techniques for the comic medium due to the work both he and Dave Gibbons did. That being said, James O’Barr was right behind him with THE CROW. 

When did you realize you could follow this path yourself?

I fell in love with the medium as a teenager and just decided this is how I wanted to tell my stories… so in that regard I don’t know if I ever “realized” I could do it as much as it was I just decided I was going to do it, period. In hindsight, this probably explains a lot about my approach to my career from the early days when I started releasing NIGHTMARE WORLD as an online self-published comic up to the present and how I still approach the business-side of making and releasing comics with my friends, both through established publishers and on our own. I love the medium, I wanted to do it, and here I am all these years later, finally able to monetize on my passion (at least a little bit) while also working with people I like who can also make a little money while, together, we make some great comics for people to read, enjoy, and share.

What do you find to be a challenge in creating?

I always wish I had more time, but I also enjoy the financial freedom that having a secondary source of income (that includes health insurance) continues to provide.

What else do you have to learn? 

These last few years I’ve really been learning – again, through doing – about the ins-and-outs of Kickstarter and crowdfunding, and we’ve made over $1000,000 via Kickstarter so far… but I still think there’s a bit more to learn about it and how I can really maximize this delivery and distribution model. I’m getting close to getting really comfortable with it, though, and I’ll then in turn share that knowledge (as well as a lot of other things) in WRITE OR WRONG Volume 2/

What keeps you motivated to get better?

Being able to tell my stories as well as possible in a way that gets the best artists for each project interested in working with me on them… and then sharing those stories (and what I’ve learned from the business-side of creating these stories) with aspiring and up-and-coming creators so they, too, can go forth and create as great of comics as they can.

Can you turn your brain (creativity) off (and on)?

I wish! Heck, I’ve been mentally pre-writing scenes for TALES OF MR. RHEE Volume 5 – which I won’t even be soliciting until October 2019 – even as I’ve been doing this! [laughs] 

Booster Shots

What advice do you have for aspiring creators?

Learn from people who know the road and then get out there and do the work. Don’t wait. You’ll always get better… but you’ll only start getting a lot better by doing the work. Oh… and, seriously, if you want to create comics, invest $15 in WRITE OR WRONG: A WRITER’S GUIDE TO CREATING COMICS. I didn’t spend a year writing a 200-page book to bilk people out of $15 minus production and publishing costs per unit. I wrote it to help the people who know they can write and want to start creating comics. It’ll help you in what to do and what not to do, too. 

Do you ever worry about running out of ideas?

I think that’s every writer’s secret worst fear… but every time I think I’m close to that point – “Once I finish this story I’ll be done writing forever!” – more ideas come rushing in to fill the void… and from there I start to pick at them and sort them out and decide which ones to pursue… and thus it has been for as long as I can remember, really. Remember what I said about being a writer is like having homework for the rest of your life? Well, being a writer is like a curse in that regard, really… [laughs] 

How do you handle the slow times?

I’ll let you know if I ever experience a real one. If I’m even in a “slow time” it’s probably because I’ve forgotten about something I have to do… [laughs] 

How do you feel about the industry?

That’s another interview altogether! [laughs] In short, though, I’ll say that it’s continuing to evolve… and that some people are going to do better than ever as a result, and some aren’t. 

And do you have a website you would want to direct folks to?

All my basic information – including my bibliography and touring schedule – are all available at www.DirkManning.com, but live updates about what I’m up to can be found at most social media platforms under the handle @DirkManning, and most of my comics and graphic novels are available for purchase on my Amazon page, so anyone interested can search-out my work there, too.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed by the above creator are theirs. This interview may not 

be reprinted or reposted without permission.