Dear Diary (to My Friends),

I knew three things going into my new role of Publisher at Source Point Press:

1. It would mean I would be doing a lot more work.
2. Creating and/or implementing systems would make it a bit easier.
3. I would learn a lot about how much I didn’t know.

Friends… all three turned out to be extraordinarily more true than I suspected! Mind you, that’s not a complaint, as I love learning, and love staying busy, and I daresay I even love creating systems. The learning curve has been steep (who knew there was so much “metadata” necessary to publish comics?), but it’s been exciting, and I remain exceptionally grateful to have this opportunity to help more creators have the access and opportunities I’ve had to get their books in front of more readers are more economical price points.

As it stands right now, by the end of 2026 Source Point Press will have released (or in a few cases, re-released) over 30 graphic novels into comic shops, and we’re also in the midst of preparing a “full court press” into book stores in 2027 alongside a few more initiatives we’re exploring to broaden access to the books we’re publishing to even more readers.

Back in July I started off my update saying: “If all goes according to plan (he says, knowing very little in his twenty-two year comic book career has gone exactly as planned), this month will be the last month of my current status quo in my professional career.”

Well, it all went according to plan, and for the last several months I’ve been officially serving as Publisher of Source Point Press.

Personally, the biggest adjustment I’ve found I have had to deal with is a completely new way of managing my already nigh-legendary packed schedule. Every creator — or even prospective creator — needs a certain amount of time, and that’s time that can’t be split or multi-tasked. Furthermore, every book then needs a certain amount of time, too. The books don’t just magically appear in the Prana section of the Direct Market (comic shop) catalogs,  nor do they just magically populate with Simon and Schuster. It all takes time, and until Source Point Press gets to a point where I can justify paying someone else to help me (and Josh Werner, who I continue to have the privilege of partnership with in his role as Chief Creative Officer) do some of the work we’re not uniquely qualified to do at this time.

In full transparency, this has certainly impacted — at least thus far as we’ve been building all the aforementioned systems — my writing time, which is in turn causing me to also reevaluate my touring/signing appearances looking towards 2027. Where does my time need to be spent… or more specifically, what will the best balance look like?

Fear not, though, friends: That’s not to say that I’ve not been writing — a lot, as I have.

In the past few months I finished a three-issue arc for a major force in comics that is currently in production and will be released in 2027. I can’t say what it is, yet, but I can tease that it’s a true monster of a book. Heh.

I’ve also been working away on FROG SWEAT, and I can say with no hyperbole that the artwork of Les Lindon Garner of HOMESTEAD fame is some of the best of his already impressive body of work… and… you know what? If you’re here, here’s a special treat for you in the form of an uncolored page from the book I’m not going to share anywhere else — at least not for quite some time:

And mind you, this is the uncolored art! Colin Johnson is also rocking it on the colors for this story that can best be described as “Pulp Fiction meets Lovecraftian horror in the bayou.” This one will be launching on Kickstarter around Halloween… so prepare accordingly, friends. I have one more big ace up my sleeve on FROG SWEAT that I’ll be revealing closer to the Kickstarter launch.

Speaking of Kickstarter, as I’m typing this all the TALES OF MR. RHEE Volume 6: “Blood for Blood” Kickstarter packages are now en route to those who backed it on Kickstarter after the book was delayed by a random customs inspection for months! Huzzah! Illustrator Austin McKinley, colorist Colin Johnson, and editor Drena Jo all helped me make what may be my favorite volume of TALES OF MR. RHEE to date. There’s bits in this volume I’ve been waiting to get to not only since the first volume of the series 20 years ago(!), but in some cases even before that stretching back to the NIGHTMARE WORLD days. I’m already very, very anxious to get to writing TALES OF MR. RHEE Volume 7, and have every intent of that happening soon!

(Also, how great is this cover by Mike Krome and colorist David Dunstan, eh?)

Before I get to TALES OF MR. RHEE Volume 7, though, is HOPE Volume 3, which Sally Scott (as well as all of you) have been patiently waiting on. It’s next in queue after FROG SWEAT, I promise!

To that end, I promised myself I’d spend today primarily on writing, so I’m going to get to that. Before I do, though, here’s one more thing I want to share for the sake of prosperity: A big ol’ shout-out to Twisty’s Tricks & Treats in Sterling Heights, Michigan for helping me achieve a “life list” moment of having not just one — but two — of my own ice cream flavors in conjunction with the 20th Anniversary celebration for TALES OF MR. RHEE!

What an absolute honor this was… and, yes, we fully attend to “run it back” again given how both the “Dirk’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Delight” and the “RHEE-ly Raspberry Chip” almost totally sold-out during the few hours I was there!

I’ll post another full blog here in January, but if you enjoy updates like this one and want to keep in touch in real time, the best way to do so is to subscribe to my once-a-month newsletter via the front page of this very website. It’s crafted by me, to you, and is the best way to stay posted on upcoming projects and signing appearances.

(Social Media works, too, of course, and I’ve been trying — and I think succeeding — in upping my Instagram game to match my strong Facebook presence, so if we’re not connected there, let’s fix that, yeah?)

Thank you for your support, everyone. None of this happens alone, and I sincerely appreciate you riding with me and us.

Your support of good horror, good comics, good music, good food, and and good art matters so much to those of us creating it. Keep your focus and energy on that and it’ll keep being brought into the world!

Your friend in comics,
Dirk Manning