Line #50 Creator/ManOfActionStudios


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/man_of_action_studios_logo_2478.jpg]]
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3	Man of Action Studios is a group of comic book creators featuring Duncan Rouleau (writer), Creator/JoeCasey (writer and artist), Joe Kelly (writer and artist) and Steven T. Seagle (writer and artist). They are most famous for creating Creator/CartoonNetwork's CashCowFranchise ''Franchise/Ben10''.
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5	Man of Action got its start when writers Steven Seagle and Joe Kelly stood in front of the panel platform at the San Diego Comic Con, while Joe Casey leaned casually at the end, and artist Duncan Rouleau parked himself behind the lectern. The four friends recalled how they created Man of Action many years ago in response to "wanting a place to sit down at the San Diego Comic Con". They grew tired of wandering around the large convention and decided they needed a booth. In order to have a booth, they needed a company.
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7	During the time they worked with Creator/CartoonNetwork, the team created ''WesternAnimation/Ben10'', which went on to become one of the channel's most popular (and profitable) series, spawning a franchise that continues to this day. Though they had no direct involvement with any of the [[WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce original's]] [[WesternAnimation/Ben10UltimateAlien sequel]] [[WesternAnimation/Ben10Omniverse series]], aside from a few contributions, they would go on to create ''WesternAnimation/GeneratorRex'' and write a [[WesternAnimation/Ben10GeneratorRexHeroesUnited crossover special]] between the two series.
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9	In recent years, Man of Action's work was become rather... [[BrokenBase controversial]] due to more "childish" nature of their later projects. After ''Rex'', the crew jumped to Creator/MarvelAnimation, where they served as the supervising producers for the first two seasons of ''WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan2012'' and executive produced the first two seasons of ''WesternAnimation/AvengersAssemble''. After which they returned to Cartoon Network, they developed [[WesternAnimation/Ben102016 a reboot of]] ''Ben 10'' that was met with as much of a mixed response as their Marvel projects.
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11	!!Shows created:
12	[[index]]
13	* The ''Franchise/Ben10'' franchise (2005 - present): The series follows a ten-year-old boy named Ben Tennyson who, on the first night of a summer road-trip with his grandfather Max and his cousin Gwen, stumbles across [[ImportedAlienPhlebotinum an alien device]] known as the Omnitrix which bonds itself to his wrist like a watch. Ben finds that the device has alien DNA encoded in it which [[VoluntaryShapeshifting allows him to transform to a variety of alien species]], with their own set of skills. From then on, [[HenshinHero Ben uses the device to take on any threats that come his way]], growing as a hero and uncovering mysteries about the world and universe around him while causing a few bouts of mischief in the process. [[note]]Though credited as creators for all incarnations of the series, they only had heavy involvement with the original 2005 series and the 2016 reboot.[[/note]]
14	** ''WesternAnimation/Ben10''
15	** ''WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce''
16	** ''WesternAnimation/Ben10UltimateAlien''
17	** ''WesternAnimation/Ben10Omniverse''
18	** ''WesternAnimation/Ben102016''
19	* ''WesternAnimation/GeneratorRex'' (2010 - 2013): The plot focuses on an amnesiac 15-year-old boy named Rex, who gained the ability to produce bio-organic machines from his body due to a global incident that occurred five years prior known only as "The Event", which caused [[{{Nanomachines}} nanites]] to infect every living thing across the planet, causing random mutations into creatures called E.V.Os (Exponentially Variegated Organisms). Due to his unique ability to control his nanites and cure others of theirs, Rex is enlisted by the private agency known as Providence. While working with the organization, Rex aims to uncover his mysterious past, what really happened to cause "The Event", and whether or not these two things might be linked.
20	** ''WesternAnimation/Ben10GeneratorRexHeroesUnited'': A {{crossover}} taking place between the former's ''Ultimate Alien'' and ''Omniverse'' series and during the latter's third and final season.
21	* ''WesternAnimation/ZakStorm'' (2017-2018): Co-produced with Creator/{{Zagtoon}}, the show follows teenager Zak Storm who, after a surfing incident involving his father's necklace and a mysterious storm, finds himself in TheBermudaTriangle, where he is picked up by an animated pirate ship called the Chaos with a talking sword named Calabrass. From the duo, Zak discovers that his father's necklace contains a magical, power-granting gem called the "Eye of Beru", and that in order to return home, he first needs to become the captain of the Chaos and unite the Seven Seas.
22	* ''WesternAnimation/PowerPlayers'' (2019-2021): Another co-production with Zagtoon, the series involves a team of secret toy heroes led by Axel, a kid who discovers the Power Bandz which can transform him into the living, toy-sized action figure, Action Axel. Together with his team of toys brought to life, the Power Players fight the destructive fun of villainous robot Madcap and his pack of toys gone bad.
23	[[/index]]
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25	!!Other shows:
26	[[index]]
27	* ''[[WesternAnimation/GormitiNatureUnleashed Gormiti: Nature Unleashed]]'' (Served as story editors)
28	* ''[[WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan2012 Ultimate Spider-Man]]'' (Served as supervising producers and writers for Seasons 1 & 2)
29	* ''WesternAnimation/MonSuno'' (Developed the series alongside toy company Jakks Pacific)
30	* ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'' (Wrote select episodes in Season 2)
31	* ''WesternAnimation/AvengersAssemble'' (Served as supervising producers and writers for Season 1; became consultants for season 2)
32	* ''Anime/BakuganBattlePlanet'' (Produced with Creator/TMSEntertainment and Creator/{{Nelvana}}; also serve as story editors)
33	* ''WesternAnimation/MegaManFullyCharged'' (Series developers)
34	* ''WesternAnimation/SonicPrime'' (2022) (Showrunners and executive producers, produced with Creator/WildBrain and Creator/{{Sega}})
35	[[/index]]
36
37	!!Related projects:
38	[[index]]
39	* ''Big Hero 6'' (1998): A Marvel superhero team created by Steven T. Seagle and Duncan Rouleau. The team went on to be revived and reimagined for a [[WesternAnimation/BigHero6 Disney animated film]] (and later [[WesternAnimation/BigHero6TheSeries television series]]) without the involvement of [=MoA=], though the film credits the group as a whole for the creation of the characters.
40	* ''Machina Rex'' (1999): A short-lived Image Comics series created by Joe Kelly and Duncan Rouleau, detailing the events leading up to a robot war that's doomed to take place in five year's time; specifically the roles that a secret agent, a Hollywood model, and an apprentice thief that can control machines played in those years. The concept was later reworked and adapted into ''Generator Rex''.
41	* ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'' (1999-2004): The whole team worked on the ''Superman'' books with Creator/JephLoeb in some capacity, with Kelly taking over ''ComicBook/ActionComics'' alongside Loeb on ''Superman'', Casey shortly afterward taking over ''Adventures of Superman'', Seagle replacing Loeb on ''Superman'' when Loeb left to work on ''ComicBook/SupermanBatman'', and Rouleau doing some one-shots and fill-in work. Their biggest contributions to the lore were the [[PresidentEvil arc with Lex Luthor as President of the United States]], which would inspire elements of Superman lore going forward, including the Cadmus arc of ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Unlimited''; ''ComicBook/OurWorldsAtWar'', which created Imperiex, who'd go on to be the BigBad of season 2 of ''WesternAnimation/LegionOfSuperHeroes2006''; and Kelly's ''ComicBook/ActionComics'' #775, ''ComicBook/WhatsSoFunnyAboutTruthJusticeAndTheAmericanWay'', which features the debut of the Elite, a deconstruction of teams like ''ComicBook/TheAuthority''. The last one led to Kelly doing both ''ComicBook/JusticeLeagueElite'' and a SelfAdaptation for the WesternAnimation/DCUniverseAnimatedOriginalMovies line, ''WesternAnimation/SupermanVsTheElite''.
42	* ''ComicBook/IKillGiants'' (2008-2009): A Creator/ImageComics limited series created by Joe Kelly and J. M. Ken Niimura, outside of the [=MoA=] collective. The graphic novel follows a young girl named Barbara Thorson, a cynical misanthrope who claims to have the ability to see fantasy creatures and fight giants, while the adults around her view such ramblings as a depressed girl struggling to cope with family issues. Was adapted into a film in 2017, with Kelly personally writing the screenplay.
43	[[/index]]
44	----
45	!!Tropes associated with Man of Action and their work:
46	* {{Animesque}}: ''Ben 10'', ''Generator Rex'' and ''WesternAnimation/MonSuno''; ''Ultimate Spider-Man'' and ''Avengers Assemble'' fill this role also to some extent.
47	* CreatorThumbprint: Recurring themes are {{Nanotechnology}}, BodyHorror, high-tech government conspiracies, and ethnically-diverse protagonists.
48	* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: A lot of their characters are this.
49	* IdiotHero: Their usual protagonists.
50	* {{Tsundere}}: Almost all the token female characters in their shows tend to be characterized as Type A Tsundere; special mention to [[WesternAnimation/Ben10 Gwen]], [[WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan2012 White Tiger]], and [[WesternAnimation/AvengersAssemble Black Widow]], who are almost always ''very'' Tsun, especially the latter two, who are almost ''never'' Dere.
51	* VileVillainSaccharineShow: The shows they do usually are comedic and light-hearted, but with vile major antagonists and often a lot of terrifying stuff when it comes to the villains' designs.

Context Creator / ManOfActionStudios