Shawn McManus - Children's Art

Children's Art

Writer-illustrator and lecturer Mark McKenna, creator of the Banana Tail children's book series, described his long association with McManus that led to their Banana Tail: The Early Years (2009) color print:

I met Shawn McManus in the DC Comics offices back in late 1985. I was up at DC Comics to meet with an editor or show samples, I forget, the old brain is failing me here. But I do recall Shawn sitting in with the editor who I was about to have a meeting with. At the time, Shawn was drawing Swamp Thing, and I was delighted to see his lively, bouncy and very refreshing art style. Little did I know that within a year we would be an art team along with writer J. M. DeMatteis on DC's Doctor Fate series... We worked together for six months on Doctor Fate until the DC editor moved me to another book. I haven't had any creative contact with Shawn since that time in 1987. We really never spoke during the time we worked together. I was still very new to the business and didn't think to call and collaborate with Shawn to get his sensibilities about direction and vision for the book. No contact with Shawn until a few brief comic con "how ya doing's?", and an eventual reconnect through our mutual art rep, Bob Shaw... Bob had this idea that Shawn should work with me and create some ultra cool Banana Tail painting... Seeing Bob Shaw's excitement, Shawn then saw the potential in Banana Tail.