We recently caught up with George Mann, creator of Newbury and Hobbes, and asked him about his work on Dark Souls for Titan Comics. Plus a little bit about his background in comics. Also you can learn more about George Mann and Newbury and Hobbes by listening to our interview with him from NYCC on our Patreon!

SHS: Have you always wanted to work in comics?
GM: I’ve always wanted to tell stories, and I write in a very visual way, so comics has always felt like a natural home for me, alongside prose. I read a lot of comics as a kid, both British and American reprints, and I still do. So yeah, I think I can trace my desire to want to write comics back to a pretty young age!

SHS: Did you read comics growing up? If so who were some of your favorite characters/creators?
GM: Absolutely. I used to love all the British comics like Dandy, Beano, Buster, Whizzer & Chips. Stuff by Ken Reid, such as Faceache. I had a massive run of Star Wars comics, too, in U.K. reprint editions, as well as Spider-Man and Batman. All of that stuff really left a lasting impression on me, and Star Wars, Spider-Man and Batman are very much on my bucket list to write one day as a result. I still follow all of them in comic form to this day.

SHS: Can you give us the elevator pitch for the Dark Souls Omnibus (why should people run out and buy it)? 
GM: If for no reason than Alan Quah’s amazing artwork, people should check out this book. The guy is a genius and he really brought the world of Dark Souls to life. Or rather, that should be death, shouldn’t it?

The omnibus collects both Dark Souls mini-series I did with Alan, along with a whole host of shorts by me and others, and it was our attempt to capture the spirit and tone of Dark Souls, but to tell some new stories within that world, too. It’s twisted, dark fantasy, and it was a joy to write.

SHS: Do you enjoy working on a licensed property like Dark Souls?
GM: It has to be the right property, but yes, absolutely. It’s a different discipline to creating your own worlds, but what I loved about working on the Dark Souls comics was the freedom we were granted to add and invent and world-build within the setting. It was a great honour to be allowed to contribute to such a beloved setting.

SHS: What do you think the secret is to writing a good story for a property like this?
GM: I think it’s all about the tone. Often, when you’re taking a setting or property into a new medium, there are things that don’t translate immediately or need to be adapted to work well in the new form, and I think the key is that you hold on to the tone of the original, if not all the specifics. That way it’ll look and feel like the thing it’s grounded in, even if some of the way it’s delivered is different. You also can’t go into something like this feeling cynical. You need to want to do your best work and believe wholeheartedly in what you’re doing, and appreciate the property you’re writing for.

SHS: What are some of the pitfalls working on Licensed property?
GM: It can sometimes be challenging if there are a lot of stakeholders who all have a slightly different idea of what they want the end product to be, but there’s usually useful stuff in those conversations, and as the writer the trick is to tease out the best story and character arcs you can from all the different elements in play.

You also need to understand the property, what makes it tick. That’s what’s going to help you get that tone right. Sometimes there’s a lot of research to be done!

SHS: We sign of the podcast  by saying don’t let your cape get caught in the door, it’s a way of saying don’t let obstacles stand in your way to success. What are some obstacles that have stood in your way?
GM: Usually they’re obstacles in my own head. Sometimes it’s hard to see the wood for the trees and know that what you’re writing is good, and not a load of old cobblers. That’s when I have to just power on through and get stuff done. I think lots of writers go through that, though – there’s a point in every project where you look at it and think ‘what the hell am I doing?’. I think that’s just part of the process, and these days I see it for what it is and know that it’s just another stage in the creative process.

SHS: How do you measure success?
GM: I suppose it comes down to whether I’m proud of the end product, and whether people enjoy it. I’m not massively driven by reviews or the like, and I know that not everyone is going to like what I do. But as long as I feel I’ve done the best I can, and that there are readers who enjoy it, then I feel that I’ve done a good job.

SHS: Do you have any other current projects people should look out for?
GM: The last issue of the Newbury & Hobbes comic mini-series is due out soon, and Dan Boultwood has done a tremendous job with the artwork. There’s also a new Newbury & Hobbes novel about to hit the shelves, called The Revenant Express. Other than that, there are a couple of projects that haven’t been announced yet, and I’m working on some brand-new comics, too.

SHS: Where can people find you/your work online?
GM: People can find me on Twitter at @George_Mann. That’s probably the platform I use most, so all the latest news will be posted on there as it happens.

And don’t forget to check out the latest Super Hero Speak podcast: https://superherospeak.com/wp/291-intellectually-dishonest-bullies/