Manning Lee Stokes

Manning Lee Stokes (June 21, 1911 – January 5, 1976) was an American novelist who used a large number of pseudonyms. He specialized in paperback fiction, especially in the genres of mystery, detective fiction, westerns, spy fiction and science fiction. Stokes is also notable as one of the innovators of graphic novels.

Early life

On 21 June 1911, Stokes was born in St. Louis, Missouri. His father was William John Stokes (1881–1948) and his mother was Bearnice Lee (1882–1975).

Personal

In Sept 1957, Stokes's brother, Ben McCutcheon Stokes, died in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Stokes married March Lurea Marlow on September 26, 1959, who was previously married to his brother, Ben McCutcheon Stokes (April 15, 1919 – September 22, 1957). They had no children of their own but Marlow had two children with his brother: Bearnice Lee Stokes (born April 29, 1953) and Benita McCutcheon Stokes (born Feb 04, 1956).

On January 5, 1976, Stokes died at his home in Peekskill, now a part of Cortlandt Manor, Westchester County, New York. He is buried in a National Cemetery located in Farmingdale, New York.

Career

Starting in 1945, Stokes published by his own name and at least 9 different pseudonyms. He also worked as a comic book writer, scripting Seven Sea Comics for Iger and the graphic novel The Case of the Winking Buddha for St. John in 1950, illustrated by Charles Raab, who had assisted Milton Caniff on Terry and the Pirates and Alfred Andriola on Charlie Chan. Created in the wake of the success of It Rhymes with Lust—often regarded as the first graphic novel—The Case of the Winking Buddha was later reprinted in Authentic Police Cases #25 (January 1953).

As by Manning Lee Stokes

• The Wolf Howls “Murder” (Prize Mystery Novels #21, Phoenix Press, 1945)
• Green For A Grave (Phoenix Press, 1946)
• The Dying Room (Mercury Mystery #124, Phoenix Press, 1947)
• The Case of the Winking Buddha (St. John Publications, 1950), reprinted in Authentic Police Cases #25 (St. John, Jan 1953)
• The Lady Lost Her Head (Phoenix Press, 1950)
• The Crooked Circle (Graphic Mystery #40, 1951) (also released as “Too Many Murderers”, Graphic Mystery #98, 1955)
• Murder Can't Wait (Graphic Mystery #117, 1955)
• The Case of the Presidents' Heads (Arcadia House, 1956)
• The Case of the Judas Spoon (Arcadia House, 1957)
• Under Cover of Night (Dell Publishing Co. Inc., 1958)
• Triangle of Sin (Beacon, 1959)
• The Grave's in the Meadow (Dell Publishing Co. Inc., 1961) (as Un trou dans l'herbe, Serie Noire, 1967)
• Girl on a Couch (Beacon, 1961)
• Grand Prix (Avon Paperback, 1967)
• Winning (Signet Books, 1969)
• The Evangelist (Pyramid Books, 1974)
• Corporate Hooker, Inc (Pocket Books, 1975)

Other information

• Stokes has had several novels published by two different titles and two different pseudonyms, e.g.

Pleasure Bound (Kermit Welles) = Man-Chaser (Kirk Westley)
Sin Preferred (Kermit Welles) = Shanty Boat Girl (Kirk Westley)
Wild Sister (Kermit Welles) = The Innocent Wanton (Kirk Westley)

• Other sources claim that Stokes has also published using the pseudonym “Lee Manning” although this cannot be corroborated.
• The pseudonym "March Marlowe" is similar to his wife's maiden name (March Marlow).
• The major character of the series “The Aquanauts” is named William Martin. Stokes used the same name for a different character for the Nick Carter novel Double Identity.
• In the Nick Carter novel Dragon Flame Stokes introduces the character “Bob Ludwell” using of one of his own pseudonyms “B (Bernice) Ludwell”.
• For the Nick Carter novels, Stokes first introduces and subsequently sustains the character of Della Stokes - the secretary of Carter's boss, David Hawk.
• For the Nick Carter novel Macao, Stokes uses his own first name as Carter's cover name (Frank Manning).

References

External links

• MANNING LEE STOKES