Manning Lee Stokes


Manning Lee Stokes 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 and his mother was Bearnice Lee.

Personal

In Sept 1957, Stokes's brother, Ben McCutchen Stokes, died in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Stokes married March Lurea Marlow on September 26, 1959, who was previously married to his brother, Ben McCutchen Stokes. They had no children of their own but Marlow had two children with his brother: Bearnice Lee Stokes and Benita McCutchen Stokes.
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.

As by Manning Lee Stokes

  • The Wolf Howls “Murder”
  • Green For A Grave
  • The Dying Room
  • The Case of the Winking Buddha, reprinted in Authentic Police Cases #25
  • The Lady Lost Her Head
  • The Crooked Circle
  • Murder Can't Wait
  • The Case of the Presidents' Heads
  • The Case of the Judas Spoon
  • Under Cover of Night
  • Triangle of Sin
  • The Grave's in the Meadow
  • Girl on a Couch
  • Grand Prix
  • Winning
  • The Evangelist
  • Corporate Hooker, Inc

    As by Nick Carter - [Nick Carter-Killmaster] Series

This is a series of spy adventures published from 1964 until 1990. For a complete list, see Nick Carter-Killmaster. The publisher name also evolved from Award Books to Ace Books and Jove Books.
No actual author is credited for the books, with the Nick Carter name being used as a house pseudonym. Volumes varied between first person and third person narrative. Authors known to have contributed entries in the series are Michael Avallone, Valerie Moolman, Manning Lee Stokes and Martin Cruz Smith.
Publisher: Award Books
  • Run, Spy, Run, #1
  • The China Doll, #2
  • The Eyes of the Tiger, #9
  • Istanbul, #10
  • Web of Spies, #11
  • Spy Castle, #12
  • Dragon Flame, #14
  • The Golden Serpent, #20
  • Mission to Venice, #21
  • Double Identity, #22
  • The Devil's Cockpit, #23
  • A Korean Tiger, #26
  • Assignment: Israel, #27
  • The Red Guard, #28
  • The Filthy Five, #29
  • Macao, #31
  • Temple of Fear, #35
  • The Red Rays, #41
  • The Cobra Kill, #47
  • The Black Death, #56

    As by Paul Edwards - John Eagle “Expeditor” Series

Publisher: Pyramid Books
  • Needles of Death, #1
  • The Brain Scavengers, #2
  • Valley of Vultures, #5
  • The Green Goddess, #12
  • Silverskull, #14

    As by Jeffrey Lord - Series Richard Blade">Richard Blade (series)">Richard Blade

  • The Bronze Axe, #1
  • The Jade Warrior, #2
  • Jewel of Tharn, #3
  • Slave of Sarma, #4
  • Liberator of Jedd, #5
  • Monster of the Maze, #6
  • Pearl of Patmos, #7
  • Undying World, #8

    As by Bernice Ludwell

Published by Arcadia House
  • Love Without Armor
  • Haunted Spring
  • Moon of Hope
  • Cordelia

    As by March Marlowe

Published by Arcadia House
  • FBI Girl

    As by Ken Stanton - The Aquanauts Series

Publisher: Manor Books, Inc
  • Cold Blue Death, #1
  • Ten Seconds To Zero, #2
  • Seek, Strike And Destroy, #3
  • Sargasso Secret, #4
  • Stalkers Of The Sea, #5
  • Whirlwind Beneath The Sea, #6
  • Operation Deep Six, #7
  • Operation Steelfish, #8
  • Evil Cargo, #9
  • Operation Sea Monster, #10
  • Operation Mermaid, #11

    As by Kermit Welles

  • Sin Preferred
  • Gambler's Girl
  • She Had What It Takes
  • Wild Sister
  • Pleasure Bound
  • See No Evil
  • Beloved Enemy
  • Reckless
  • Shanty Boat Girl
  • Blood on Boot Hill
  • Reformatory Women
  • Wild Wanton
  • Strange Love
  • Les soeurs rivales - French.

    As by Kirk Westley

  • The Innocent Wanton
  • Shanty Boat Girl
  • Man-Chaser
  • The Velvet Trap

    As by Ford Worth

  • Pilgrim's Pistols
  • Rustler's Warning

    As by Helen Sayle

  • The Blue Smock

    Other information

  • Stokes has had several novels published by two different titles and two different pseudonyms, e.g.
Pleasure Bound = Man-Chaser

Sin Preferred = Shanty Boat Girl

Wild Sister = The Innocent Wanton
  • 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.
  • 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 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.