The Glyph Comics Awards recognize the best in comics and with the release of the 2015 nominees, the judging committee shows there is no shortage of talented creators producing quality work made by, for and about people of color. Television directorEric Dean Seaton scored a ‘Rising Star’ nomination for his first graphic novel series, “Legend of the Mantamaji: Book One and Two,” marking another high point in the series’ debut. In the past year, Legend of the Mantamaji has seen Amazon sell outs, been picked up by major distributors including Barnes & Noble, the creation of a 13 city comic convention book tour, Live Action Short and a flurry of excitement from superhero genre fans of all races and ages.
“The nomination came on my daughter Legend’s first birthday, which seems just perfect,” Seaton said. “I am truly honored to be nominated and that people are so supportive of the series. I set out to write a great story first and to make characters that reflect the world around me – multicultural, with strong male and female characters who have depth to their personal stories. It took six years to build the Mantamaji world, working at night after being on set during the day. It was a real team effort and we’re still having so much fun, we’re already well into the next book. There’s so much talent out there, and those nominated represent a very small sample of the great work being published.”
The Legend of the Mantamaji series has been named a “Top Graphic Novel” by Examiner.com and Atlanta Black Star and all three books made the top 10 list for Graphic Novels, Contemporary Women on Amazon. The 2015 Glyph Comics Awards take place on Friday, May 15 at the African American Museum in Philadelphia in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 6 p.m.
About Legend of the Mantamaji:
Legend of the Mantamaji tells the story of Elijah Alexander, an Assistant D.A. who has learned that his childhood storybook legends are actually the true stories of his heritage and that he is the last of a race of mystical knights known as the Mantamaji. After realizing he’s only part human, Elijah struggles with the shift in his world and becomes a hunted man charged with ridding the world of an ancient evil no other Mantamaji has ever been able to defeat. The full-color, action packed series has hair-raising plot twists and smart storytelling for all superhero fans.
The books feature artwork by Brandon Palas, colorist Andrew Dalhouse who has worked with From Boom, Dark Horse, Image, Marvel and DC and lettering by Deron Bennett, who was nominated for an Eisner Award for his work on titles like Jim Henson’s Dark Crystal, Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand and Helldorado, among others.
Praise for Legend of the Mantamaji:
“Standouts include female characters who are smart, strong warriors equal to the male characters in the book with no “a**-to-the-camera” poses, great pen work by Brandon Palas, coloring by Andrew Dalhouse of Boom!, D.C. and Marvel, and lettering by Eisner-nominated artist Deron Bennett.” –Buzzfeed Community
“Fans who bemoan the ‘big two’ for a lack of vision, or effort, to create bold new characters and franchises, should learn that innovation can often be found elsewhere. ‘Legend of the Mantamaji ‘ has all of the excitement, imagination and suspense to be a TV or film series on its own, but instead it is here as a comic to be enjoyed by the masses who crave them. ‘Legend of the Mantamaji’ volume one is a must read for those who crave all of the spectacle and action of superhero comics, yet want a comic which offers creative new ideas and a progressive storyline with real weight behind it,” Alex Widen, Brooklyn Comic Book Examiner
“Legend of the Mantamaji is teevee director Eric Dean Seaton’s (Sonny with a Chance, That’s So Raven, Good Luck Charlie) first shot at writing comics, but this is clearly a professional storyteller with writing chops and a lifelong love of the medium, both of which are on full display here. I am not sure what I expected when I was invited to review Legends of the Mantamaji, but I can tell you I was definitely impressed by the quality world-building and storytelling.” –GhettoManga.com
About Eric Dean Seaton:
As an episodic director, Eric Dean Seaton has directed 200 television episodes of 38 different hit TV series, including NBC/Warner Bros. comedy “Undateable,” TBS’s “Ground Floor,” BET’s “Let’s Stay Together,” Disney’s “Austin & Ally” and Nickelodeon’s “Bella and the Bulldogs.” He has also directed 18 music videos and two pilots for Nickelodeon, as well as two pilots for Disney XD. Seaton is a Cleveland, Ohio native and graduate of The Ohio State University. Eric, his wife children live in California. Legend of the Mantamaji, named a Top Graphic Novel series by Examiner.com and Atlanta Black Star, is his first graphic novel series.
For Media Interview | Book Review Requests Contact: Terreece M. Clarke, (614) 467-0361 | Press(at)Mantamaji(dot)com or TClarke(at)LifeSliceMedia(dot)com | LegendoftheMantamaji.com
The brainchild of one of the hottest directors on the small screen, Eric Dean Seaton’s Legend of the Mantamaji, with its high-flying adventure, brilliant art and fast-paced action, is landing at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo this weekend. The series brings together diverse characters that are not tied to stereotypes and has gained the recognition of critics, fans and award committees alike.
