Shaun Manning

@fasterthanshaun

Former bookstore owner, current university press book guy. Writer of things, mostly comics. Always open for freelancing. He/Him.

4,245 Following2,661 Followers4,286 Posts

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Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· 28d

Sell your book in five words: "Macbeth is the hero (kinda)." www.shaunmanning.com/shop/macbeth...

Cover of Macbeth: The Red King, featuring a warrior with a huge mane of hair lifting a sword aloft

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· 29d

Last night I finished Final Fantasy Tactics: The Invalice Chronicles, the third time I have played through some version of this game, going back to its original release when I was 18 years old. Really gotta appreciate that “History is Written by the Victors: The Video Game” has become such a classic

Art from Final Fantasy Tactics. Armored heroes (?) Delita and Ramza stand back to back.

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· Jul 13

New season of X-Men ‘97 is incredible, of course. But I don’t remember last season specifically setting itself in the ‘90s on-screen, and I kind of wish it had stuck with the usual comic book premise that everything is happening roughly “now.” Even if they are all wearing huge shoulder pads.

Cable looking very inconspicuous, wearing a brown jacket and blue cap, sipping a soda

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· Jul 8

A photo of John Fetterman edited with elements of the villain Krang from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon. In addition to his standard black hoodie and blue shorts, Fetterman wears a metal visor, and at his midsection is a compartment with a see-through window where we can see a hideous living brain that's really calling the shots. The brain has the face of Mitch McConnell.

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· Jul 6

Hey friends! I'm so happy that @abdulelsayed.bsky.social's team are helping walk folks through ways to get a do-over if you vote for somebody who later drops out of the race. And as your friendly election official myself, I'm happy to answer any questions as well. It's easier than you think!

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· Jun 30

Listening to @digkabri.bsky.social's Love, War, and Diplomacy from @princetonaudio.bsky.social -- always a treat! libro.fm/audiobooks/9...

Audiobook cover to Love, War and Diplomacy: The Discovery of the Amarna Letters & the Bronze Age World They Revealed by Eric H. Cline

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· Jun 30

Promise to America just released a policy document

Three images from The Good Place, in sequence. The Good Place Committee, led by a kind-looking bald white man, says:

1. “He’s got a point. The fair thing to do is
2. “Just keep giving up more and more stuff we want, unilaterally
3. “Until this demon is finally happy.”

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· Jun 25

Two images of Chidi on the Good Place. The first is captioned, “Ok, but that’s worse.” The second, “You do see how that’s worse, right?”

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· Jun 25

Interesting that @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social thinks it’s Mamdani who has the “serious work to do,” when it’s increasingly clear that his vision is what Democrats (and Americans) actually want in Congress

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· Jun 23

Today on FB marketplace

Where to start. The listing describes this as “Daddy’s Li’l Girl inflatable adult costume.” You can buy it for $45. The costume, presumably with Daddy inside it, stands in the middle of a large kitchen. It’s.. a baby, wearing a diaper and sucking a pacifier, with a bib that says “It’s a girl!” It appears to be partially deflated, or maybe just very wonky. The face seems to be puckering around the pacifier, making it look a bit like a leech. The whole thing is very menacing.

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· Jun 21

An image of Emhyr from Witcher season 2. The bottom text reads "Happy Father's Day"

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· Jun 20

I watched the Persona 4 Revival video -- looks gorgeous, but no answers about how/whether they'll revise Kanji and Naoto's problematic arcs. Naoto only appears once, Kanji's bathhouse and Shadow are intact. Of course everything depends on how these are handled. www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3WD...

Screenshot from the Persona 4 Revival "Broadcast" trailer. Naoto, introduced in the dialogue box as "Slender Young Man," tells Kanji "Then let's meet at the gate tomorrow once school's out."

The Protagonist running through the Steamy Bathhouse dungeon.

Kanji faces us, his towel-clad Shadow pleading behind him.

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· Jun 15

Can anyone tell me what I’ve done and how to fix it? Playing FF Tactics, this is my screen. I cannot move the cursor to other menu items or exit the menu. Pressing A gives the sound but no selection. L,R,Z work. All buttons work on Switch outside of game. Same behavior w controller and joycons ???

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· Jun 12

“The market” has got to be the most credulous mf alive

Screenshot ofthe Guardian app. Main headline is “Trump says Iran’s version of peace deal has ‘no relation to the truth,” while beneath it another article states “Oil prices plummet as Teump claims he is close to US-Iran deal”

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· Jun 11

Really enjoyed interviewing Patrick Dunn about his social media horror comic Followed for @pulp.aadl.org pulp.aadl.org/node/671033

Cover of Followed, an illustration of a grooup of friends at what looks like a club. A woman and a man stand to the left of the central character, and another woman and man to the right, all smiling and having a good itme. The central character, a Black man in a hoodie and jeans and wearing glasses, stands rigid with his mouth wide open in a posture of terror.

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· Jun 6

So amazing to see @chucktingle.bsky.social prove Love Is Real at @aadl.org as part of the library’s #BigGayRead program! Also, if you were wondering which monster Ann Arbor would romance, the city is now in a polycule with Godzilla and the Babadook

Chuck Tingle, wearing his pink Love Is Real mask, a silver tinsel vest, and a black t-shirt with metal font that says Support Your Public Library

Chuck in front of a screen that says Who is Your Monster Dream Date, with photos of a Xenomorph, the Babadook, Godzilla, The Thing, and Predator

Chuck’s books Not Pounded By Anything, Bury Your Gays, and Lucky Day

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· Jun 6

Sophie Labelle print from her event at my store in 2023. Had to move shelves to accommodate the crowd, which was *not easy*. One of my favorite events we did, took this with me when we sold the shop. Happy pride!

An illustration of a hippo sitting upright and leaning forward, in a pose I’m pretty sure only humans can do. The hippo wears a black jacket and red shoes, and says “Some men don’t have a vagina or a uterus. They’re valid too!”

Inscription says, “To Booksweet! Keep supporting the cis! Sophie 2023”

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· Jun 3

Really disappointed to see Mike Rogers use AI when he could have hired an artist

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· Jun 2

Flashback to maybe the most terrifying spam message I have ever received

A spam email. Subject line is simply “RE: Mailbox,” but we the message preview warns me that “Your poop quota has been exceeded”

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· May 22

In light of the @democrats.org really terrible postmortem, I'm reminded of my response to the authors and publishers of a book called Democrats 101, which sought to define a platform all Dems could support. This was in 2021 when I owned a bookstore. I was... fairly direct. But I could have said more

An email, pt. 1:

[greeting intro]

I am very interested in the Democrats 101 project because I've felt for a while that Democrats need to get much better about articulating their values, especially in communicating them to audiences that may be sympathetic but have been made hostile by Conservative demagoguery. I also find it vital that, when in power, we actually act on those values -- decisively, unapologetically. Our elected representatives actually need to earn our support.

I agree with much of the book's discussion of emotion vs. intellectualizing, and appealing to folks who don't have time to follow politics. I would like to see more emphasis on how to make the "politics" personal. As the parent of a transgender child, "identity politics" and transgender rights are not at all abstract concepts to me; recognizing that this is not most people's experience, I wonder how we might bring empathy and pro-LGBTQ policies to folks who "aren't that political."

I do have some concerns about the book's positions, however. In an effort to reconcile "supporters of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and ... Joe Manchin," I get the sense the proposed solution is to follow Manchin's lead. There is, for example, discussion of how we will never reclaim the word "socialism," but nothing about how the pro-social policies like the Green New Deal and others promoted by the Squad reflect our values and must be pursued. I don't think anyone would argue that saving the word "socialism" is vital to our democracy, but since Republicans are going to label anything we do as socialism anyway, what is the best way to fight back? Or, put another way, how might we discuss environmentally-friendly policies in a way that will be meaningful and motivating for West Virginia coal miners? I recognize that not every Democrat can forcefully advocate for things like the Green New Deal, gun control, and equitable wages -- I was very happy to see Rep. Elissa Slotkin elected in the conservative area where I

pt. 2

I was very happy to see Rep. Elissa Slotkin elected in the conservative area where I grew up (my mother in law worked on her campaign!), but I'm also very aware of the line she has to walk -- but those who can absolutely should, and frankly should be driving our conversations so that the party, and our country, can get out of its long stagnation. These are the Democrats who have no trouble speaking about values. Elizabeth Warren would be a center-right politician in nearly every other major democracy, and the fact that she's considered "far left" shows nothing so much as how far to the right our "center" is.

The devaluing of policy outcomes is also concerning. "If most Americans believe clean water is an inalienable right, sooner or later, policies will happen." (p. 118). The residents of Flint might like a word. There are so many urgent fires Democrats need to be putting out, and Republicans are only too eager to throw gasoline whenever they have the opportunity. That's immediate, with lasting damage. We cannot wait, and -- especially given the drive of our younger and most ardent activists -- this is not only a losing position, but would be devastating to the party. And finally, what is the point of having values if we do not act on them? This comes back to driving the conversation: how do we articulate our values so that we can pass meaningful legislation to improve the lives of Americans?

pt. 3

In short, I really applaud Jim's effort in assembling an argument for articulating Democratic values, as well as both the history and present of the opposition we face. But I feel there's a real dismissal of the concerns raised by significant portions of the party -- the portion that, ironically, is best at articulating their values. This also leads to a lack of intersectionality, as if the values (and, many times, urgent needs) of some groups can and should be deemphasized in the interest of party unity. There's a reason young voters are exasperated by centrism and, though I am no longer young, I absolutely agree with them. I know that not all Democrats agree with this stance, but a book that purports to represent the values of Democrats absolutely must contend with it.

I offer my comments out of genuine interest in seeing Democrats 101, or something like it, exist and thrive in the world. We desperately need to get better at bringing our values to the broader public. But I do not feel that the book in its current incarnation accomplishes this goal.

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· May 22

Quote with a fictional band that is not Spinal Tap

Close up of Chris Gaines from his album cover. Gaines looks a whole lot like Garth Brooks with ‘90s boy hair and a soul patch

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· May 19

Can’t wait to get spammed by 465 numbers!

Screenshot of a text message:

Verizon Msg: Area code 465 is being added to the 718/917/347/929 area on 6/18/26. See verizon.com/areacodes. Data charges may apply.

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· May 14

An ad for I don’t know, hot dogs I guess, playing on a screen at O’Hare. Why the f would you show this to someone about to get on a plane

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· May 14

I mean

Denise Gough as Dedra Meero on Star Wars show Andor, looking very like Trump’s “human printer.” I’m sure everything will go well for these ladies.

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· May 9

These two things back to back on my fb feed, tech bros have absolutely lost the plot

An Ars Technica about a screenless fitbit with an AI assistant and a Verge article about Airpods with a camera for AI, two very useful inventions that everyone has been clamoring for.

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· May 7

Actually, it’s pronounced

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· May 4

Happy Star Wars Day! This reminds me I really ought to read some Doctor Aphra stories—utterly brilliant character but I stopped after Kieron Gillen’s run. What should I read from the volumes that followed?

Cover of a Marvel Star Wars: Doctor Aphra comic with the character looking off into the horizon

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· May 4

I’ve said before that I’m skeptical of Free Comic Book Day’s ability to bring in new, regular readers for monthly comics. @ignitionpress.bsky.social Minotaur does a great job of making that easier, though, by devoting a page to comics-buying process, including release schedules. Very cool.

Back page of Minotaur #0, explaining how to buy monthly comics and showing the series’ release schedule

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· May 1

Time for scritches

Kitski the torty cat getting chin rubs, with her eyes little

Shaun Manning@fasterthanshaun· May 1

Ann Arbor is hiring poll workers for early voting and election days. $19/hr, including for training sessions. lmk if you apply and if we’re mutuals I’ll put in a good word. (I will not be your boss but you’ll see me around helping out.) www.a2gov.org/city-clerk/e...