Meet the Superhero Who Graduated from The Ohio State University & TV Director Who Created Him

LOS ANGELES - Sept. 30, 2015 - PRLog -- Did you know a superhero graduated from THE Ohio State University? And no, we're not talking about Brutus. Elijah Alexander, the title hero of Legend of the Mantamaji [LegendoftheMantamaji.com], earned his undergrad degree from the famed university and so did his creator, television director Eric Dean Seaton. Seaton returns to Ohio State this weekend to take part in the first SOL-Con: Black and Brown Comix Expo, a comics festival highlighting the work of Black and Latino comics creators [https://laser.osu.edu/events/sol-con-black-brown-comix-expo-2015].

In addition to bringing a superhero "home," Seaton is speaking to Ohio State University Film Studies students and local elementary students about his career as a director for some of the hottest shows on television and how he created a new universe as a graphic novelist.

"I haven't been back to OSU in a very long time. I can't wait to see how it's changed, what things stayed the same and to connect with students. I'm also glad to see that SOL-Con joined forces with Cartoons Crossroads Columbus. It's important to show what creators of color are doing in the comics industry - the breadth and depth of work available is outstanding. Joining forces broadens the conversation about the impact of these important pieces of art and literature across genres. It's not all superheroes and jokes. Graphic novels and cartoons take on societal issues in a way that few other mediums can."

Those broader issues are the motivation behind Seaton's work on the Legend of the Mantamaji.

"Legend of the Mantamaji, both the books and the short, demonstrate fun, exciting storytelling with all that you expect from the superhero genre. The books and the film also demonstrate something that we haven't seen enough of in the past -- heroes of color with leading roles," Seaton said. "The books are diverse and feature female characters with agency. Not because that's what's popular now, but because it's what I grew up seeing in the world around me, yet, found missing in my favorite comics. The image of the Black male is often marginalized, female characters, particularly Black and Asian characters are often sidelined until they are needed to add to the action. I wanted my books to be different. I want to make people comfortable with and help them get used to the idea that characters of color shouldn't be an afterthought in science fiction and fantasy. To not see the cover and immediately think, 'That's a Black book or an Asian book.' No, they are awesome, all-aged books for everyone who likes a little mystery, lots of action, fantastic art, and smart plot twists."

Event Schedule:

Thursday

SolCon Reception & Book Signing - Hale Hall 5:30 pm

Friday

Q&A with Film Study Students at Ohio State University
Talk & Q&A at Berwick Alternative K-8 School
Talk & Q&A at Columbus Gifted Academy

Saturday

10 am - 11:30 am  Alternative Futures in Black & Brown Panel
Ohio State University

3:15 pm - 4:30 pm Black and Brown Film Shorts & Clips Showing Legend of the Mantamaji: Live Action Short
Ohio State University

Sunday

10:45 am - Noon    Featured Conversation with Eric Dean Seaton & David Walker
Ohio State University

Legend of the Mantamaji is a three book graphic novel series that tells the story of Elijah Alexander, an Assistant D.A. who learns his childhood storybook legends are actually the true stories of a race of mystical knights known as the Mantamaji. After realizing he is one of the last Mantamaji to walk the earth, Elijah struggles with the shift in his world and becomes a hunted man charged with ridding the world of an ancient evil no other Mantamaji has ever been able to defeat. The full-color, action packed series has hair-raising plot twists and smart storytelling for all superhero fans.

About Legend of the Mantamaji: Live Action:

Legend of the Mantamaji Live Action Short is six minutes of high flying superhero action directed by Eric Dean Seaton and based on the critically-acclaimed graphic novel trilogy Legend of the Mantamaji. When a masked gang known as the New World Knights plan an attack on New York City, only a mystical warrior known as a Mantamaji can stand in the way. His powers are untested and he's outgunned. Can he survive his first big challenge?

About Eric Dean Seaton:

As a two-time NAACP Image Award-nominated episodic director and 2014 Ohio State University Samella Lewis Professional Achievement Award winner, Eric Dean Seaton has directed over 200 television episodes of 38 different hit TV series, including NBC/Warner Bros. comedy "Undateable," TBS's "Ground Floor," BET's "Let's Stay Together," Disney's "Austin & Ally" and Nickelodeon's "Bella and the Bulldogs." He has also directed 18 music videos and two pilots for Nickelodeon, as well as two pilots for Disney XD.

Seaton is also the creator, writer and publisher of the Legend of the Mantamaji graphic novel trilogy and director of the Legend of the Mantamaji Live Action Short. The series, published by "And... Action!" Entertainment was named a Top Graphic Novel by Examiner.com and Atlanta Black Star and nominated for a 2015 Glyph Comics Awards. The Legend of the Mantamaji Live Action Short based on the series won a Best Editing and Honorable Mention nod from the Los Angeles Movie Awards and Awards of Excellence in the Film Short, TV Program - Pilot and African American categories from the Best Shorts Competition.

For Media Interview | Book Review Requests Contact:

Terreece M. Clarke, (614)467-0361 | TClarke@LifeSliceMedia.com

Tagan Lee, (714)713-3175 | taganlee@gmail.com or

LegendoftheMantamaji.com | Facebook: LegendoftheMantamaji