The following is an interview with Shannon Eric Denton (Kingdom Riders) and Tom Mandrake (Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight) regarding the release of the Monster Forge supernatural graphic novel, Monster Born, with Dark Horse Comics. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Denton and Mandrake about their shared creative process (alongside co-creator Steve Niles) in bringing the monster-filled world to life on the page, how the story pays homage to and deviates from the horror genre, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the release of Monster Born! How would you describe the premise of the monster-laden story, and what can you tell us about the genesis behind this action-adventure tale?
Shannon Eric Denton: It largely came out of a desire to create something with Steve Niles, Tom Mandrake, and myself. The last time we’d all worked together was the X-Files/30 Days of Night crossover, so it was long overdue. Steve had a strong vision for the kind of world he wanted to introduce, I was excited about introducing a family of Vietnamese-American monster hunters with the Lam family, and Tom just brought the visual awesome like he always does and we ended up with Monster Born. Amanda Lam was kidnapped by an undead creature as a child and raised to fight to survive for their entertainment. Amanda eventually gains her freedom, only to discover her parents were killed, and she now has an inhuman brother and the monsters who raised her aren’t happy she’s free. Her years in captivity have changed her. She had to fight to survive and vowed to eradicate the world of the kinds of monsters that caused her so much pain. However, she learns that in her parents’ grief at losing her, they’d created a monster of their own to help them find their missing daughter. This monster is genetically linked to her…a brother of sorts. So now, this brother and sister odd-couple are determined to destroy the monsters that killed their parents and brought so much grief to both their lives. Amanda directs her rage in a constructive way (monster-killing) while exploring what it means to finally have a family, even if that family is one of the monsters you swore to rid the Earth of. So, it’s a full-on monster romp mixed with some fun family dynamics and gorgeous Tom Mandrake art!
BD: Given that you have both worked extensively in the horror genre, how would you describe your shared creative process in bringing this particular story to life in a way that both honors and pushes the genre forward?
SED: I think for all of us we wanted to lean into the classic monsters that we all know and love while at the same time contributing something new to the mythology with monsters of our own. We’d all worked together previously on the X-Files/30 Days of Night crossover, so it was pure joy to be making horror and monsters together again. So, other than guiding a few visuals up front with things we’d like to see Tom draw, it’s generally just a big trust that Tom’s vision is the way to go.
Tom Mandrake: There’s a fun back and forth in the initial stages. Characters and locations come in and out of focus. Monster Born is partially an homage to classic monsters while it tells a story about our new characters. We lean into the horror/humor genre a bit more than some of the other stories I’ve done. Ultimately, this is a very personal story about Amanda and Ben.
BD: Tom, your artistic style naturally exudes deep ambience, tone, and mood. When tackling a project like Monster Born, is there anything that guides or propels your approach to the artwork?
TM: I’ll be thinking and sketching about location, period of time, and characters as soon as we start talking. Reading the plot or script helps hone in even more in my quest to develop a look for the project. I’ll also be considering how I want to approach the graphic storytelling aspect. Am I going to be more conservative and lean into the 6-panel grid or will I be free and explosive with the panel designs? Maybe I’ll go all widescreen! Whatever the choice I like to begin with a concept for the overall storytelling based on what I feel will be best for the story.
BD: At Fanbase Press, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums. How do you feel that Amanda’s story may connect with and impact readers?
SED: My younger sister is Korean-American and I’m not, so I wanted there to be some of that in our story with Amanda Lam and her monstrous brother (and their Asian-American monster hunting parents). I know how important it is for people to see themselves in the stories they enjoy. Without getting too deep into it in our monster-action-romp, the siblings have both dealt with their childhood “adoptions” and the feelings that go along with wondering who you are and where you came from.
TM: Amanda is struggling with emotional loss, abuse, coming to terms with siblings, all while fighting to save her home from literal monsters at the gate. These are things that, in one way or another, we all deal with at some point in our lives.
BD: What makes Dark Horse the perfect home for Monster Born?
SED: Dark Horse has such a fantastic legacy of horror from Hellboy to The Goon, Aliens, Predator, Criminal Macabre, and more. It seemed like the perfect place for Monster Born.
TM: I feel I’m stating the obvious when I say that Dark Horse has a long history of publishing great horror comics. That makes Dark Horse an ideal landing place for Monster Born!
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to highlight for our readers?
SED: Absolutely. Aside from Return of the Monsters, other Monster Forge projects like Savager at Panick Entertainment, Kingdom Riders at IDW, Monster Born at Dark Horse, Kraken and Spectors at Titan, gHosts at GlobalComix (along with other Monster Forge titles), The Bernie Wrightson Tribute Art Book with pals at Printed In Blood! And please stay tuned to our socials for some more upcoming announcements soon!
TM: You could check out two of my recent projects, Wisdom, with J. M. DeMatteis from Spellbound Comics and Jimi Hendrix: Purple Haze from Titan Comics written by Mellow Brown and DJ Ben Hameen. Both projects with Eisner-nominated Justin Prokovich on colors.
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about Monster Born and your other work?
SED: You can follow us here to stay current on all Monster Forge news at monsterforge.substack.com, as well as www.monsterforgeproductions.com. Thanks!
TM: I’ve been pretty bad at social media recently, but I try to keep up on Instagram and Bluesky.
