Fearless Dawn Secret of the Swamp cover

Gee, I think it’s been at least a couple of years since I picked up a new Mannion piece. Much too long to get a fix from one of my favorite artists. Getting a new piece by Steve is like meeting a new friend and instantly hitting it off. There’s a feeling of comfort and satisfaction. It’s like knowing your life somehow just got a little bit better.

It’s funny because just last night, an art buddy of mine was here at the house and we were going through my collection. Out of all the stuff I showed him (Art Adams, Mignola, Jim Lee, and more) one of the artists whose work he was most impressed by was Steve Mannion. That’s quite a compliment.

Anyway, this piece is the cover to Steve’s latest Fearless Dawn offering. It’s a one shot special entitled Secret of the Swamp. Steve’s beautiful linework and lush inks are once again on fine display here. While he certainly has no problem working in a traditional commercial comic book style, his own brand of artwork seems to hint at more of a Golden Age sensibility. A classic throwback if you will. His monsters are as disturbing as his women are sexy. And there’s no shortage of gorgeous detail on this piece. I was so, so happy to be able to add this wonderful example to my collection.

Thank you Steve! Especially for graciously holding the piece and waiting for me to get paid. My paychecks only come once a month, so I know it was asking a lot for Steve to hang on to this for as long as he did. Appreciate it buddy!