Andy Mangels | |
|---|---|
 Mangels in 2016 | |
| Born | (1966-12-02)December 2, 1966 (age 58) United States |
| Genre | science fiction, superheroes, non-fiction |
| Notable works | Gay Comix |
| Notable awards | Inkpot Award |
Andy Mangels (born December 2, 1966) is an Americanscience fiction author who has written novels, comic books, and magazine articles, and produced DVD collections, mostly focusing on media inpopular culture. As an openly gay man,[1] he has been a longtime advocate for greater visibility of gay and lesbian characters in various media, especially comics,[2] including the coordination and moderation of the annual "Gays in Comics" panel forSan Diego Comic-Con since it was begun in 1988.[3] He is the founder of an annual "Women of Wonder Day" event,[4] which raised over $136,000 in funds for domestic violence shelters and related programs during its seven-year run.[5][6] As of 2011 he has had three books on theUSA Today "best-selling books" list.[7]
Mangels has written a number of references for popular science fiction and pop culture media. These includeStar Wars: The Essential Guide to Characters (published byDel Rey in 1995),[8] which appeared on theUSA Today "best-selling books" list;[7]Beyond Mulder and Scully: The Mysterious Characters of "The X-Files" (Citadel Press, 1997);Animation on DVD: The Ultimate Guide (Stone Bridge Press, 2003);From Scream To Dawson's Creek: The Phenomenal Career of Kevin Williamson (Renaissance Publishing, 2000);Iron Man: Beneath The Armor (Random House, 2008); andLou Scheimer: Creating The Filmation Generation (TwoMorrows, 2012). He contributed toThe Superhero Book: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Comic Book Icons and Hollywood Heroes (Visible Ink Press, 2004), andThe SuperVillain Book: The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Comic Book and Hollywood Masterminds, Megalomaniacs, and Menaces, (Visible Ink Press, 2006).[1]
Much of Mangels' prose fiction has been related to media franchises begun in television. In collaboration with Michael A. Martin, he wrote a number ofStar Trek novels, two of which appeared on theUSA Today "best-selling books" list. One of them,Star Trek: Section 31Rogue, was the first Star Trek property to feature gay lead characters.[7][9] Mangels and Martin also co-wrote a series of novels serving as the official continuation ofStar Trek: Enterprise following the television series' cancellation. These includeLast Full Measure,The Good That Men Do, andKobayashi Maru. They co-created the crew and wrote the first two novels of theStar Trek: Titan series. Together they wrote the conclusion for the events of the cult-hit television seriesRoswell (which had ended with a cliffhanger) in the novelsPursuit andTurnabout. Mangels and Martin also contributed a story toTales of Zorro, edited byRichard Dean Starr and published byMoonstone Books in 2008.[1]
Since the 1990s Mangels has written comic book stories and text pieces for several major publishers. His work forDC Comics includes writing forJustice League Quarterly,Who's Who in the DC Universe, andWonder Woman '77. HisMarvel Comics work includes issues ofStar Trek: Deep Space Nine,Star Trek Unlimited,Mad Dog,Adventures of the X-Men, andAdventures of Spider-Man. ForDark Horse he wroteBoba Fett: Twin Engines of Destruction, and he scripted a story inWildstorm'sStar Trek Special. Comics published byImage include theBloodwulf mini-series,Badrock & Company, andTroll Halloween Special. ForInnovation he scripted several tie-ins to theChild's Play,Nightmare on Elm Street, andQuantum Leap franchises. ForWaRP he contributed scripts forElfquest: Blood of Ten Chiefs. HisTopps writing includes the comics adaptation ofJason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday.He scriptedPlatinum Studio' graphic novelSuper Larry, World's Toughest Man. ForMicrosoft he wrote the world's first interactive online comic series,RE-Man.[1][10]
Mangels served as editor of the anthologyGay Comix from 1991 to 1998, for issues #14–25 (plus one "special"). He also contributed stories, including creating an early openly gay superhero named Pride.[11] Under his editorship, the series changed its name to "Gay Comics" (symbolically becoming a part of the mainstream instead of underground comix scene), published multiple issues per year, raised page and cover payment rates and instituted a reprint fee, enforced a gender-parity of 50% male and 50% female creators rule, and even occasionally brought in popular heterosexual creators to bump sales, such asGeorge Pérez andSam Kieth.[12] A story that Mangels' commissioned for Gay Comics #19 fromAlison Bechdel would later be expanded upon for Bechdel'sFun Home graphic novel, for which Bechdel thanked him during her keynote speech at the 2016 "Queers and Comics" symposium at City University of New York.[13]
Mangels has written non-fiction articles and reviews – often about the intersection of comics and Hollywood – for magazines such asAmazing Heroes,Alter Ego/FCA,Anime Invasion,Cinescape,Comics Buyer's Guide,Comics Interview,Comics Scene,Overstreet's FAN Magazine,Hero Illustrated,Marvel Age,Marvel Vision,Sci-Fi Invasion,Sci-Fi Universe,SFX,Sketch,Starlog,Star Wars Galaxy Magazine, Star Wars Galaxy Collector,Toons,Wild Cartoon Kingdom,Wizard, and others. He has written for international magazines such asDreamwatch (UK),Edizione Star (Italy),Fantazia (UK),Farscape Magazine (UK),La Tomba Di Dracula (Italy),Star Trek Monthly (UK),Star Wars Magazine (UK), and others. He writes regularly forTwoMorrows' magazineBack Issue!.[1]
In 2012, Mangels was awarded theInkpot Award for Achievement in the Comic Arts atSan Diego Comic-Con. Mangels has presented panels at Comic-Con since 1988.[14]
In July 2016,The New York Times ran a story aboutDynamite Entertainment, which revealed that Mangels was writing a newintercompany crossover mini-series for the company, in conjunction withDC Comics:Wonder Woman '77 Meets The Bionic Woman, bringing together theLynda Carter television character withLindsay Wagner's fellow 1970s television super-heroine. The series was set to start in Fall 2016.[15]
His DVD Special Features production work has primarily been collecting and restoring earlier children's television programs, and serving as host for the representations.[16][17][18][19]
Mangels scripted and directed 16 half-hour documentaries for the variousHe-Man and the Masters of the Universe releases from BCI Eclipse/ Ink & Paint. He also provided Special Features content, including hosting commentary tracks, and other production work and writing for the sets. From 2006 to 2008, Mangels also directed and scripted documentaries and commentary tracks and providing Special Features content for almost forty BCI Eclipse/ Ink & Paint releases, including forShe-Ra: Princess of Power,The Legend of Prince Valiant,Flash Gordon,Blackstar,Space Sentinels,Freedom Force,Groovie Goolies,A Snow White Christmas,Journey Back To OZ,Defenders of the Earth,Ghost Busters – The Animated Series,Ark II,Dungeons & Dragons,Mission: Magic!,Space Academy,The Secret Lives of Waldo Kitty,Fraidy Cat,The New Adventures of Zorro,The Lone Ranger,The Legend of Bravestarr,Snow White: Happily Ever After,Jason of Star Command,Hero High,Ghost Busters (live action),Fabulous Funnies, andThe Secrets of Isis[20]
When BCI Eclipse closed in 2008, Mangels worked for two other companies, scripting and directing documentaries, and providing commentary tracks and production work. ForGenius Products, he producedThe Archie Show andArchie's Funhouse. ForTime Life, he produced a boxed set forThe Real Ghostbusters.[20]
Mangels' work as a DVD producer won him significant critical acclaim. In addition to being a guest at DVD panels atSan Diego Comic-Con,[19] his work onThe Best of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe won a "Best 1980s Series" from Home Media Retailing at their 2005 TVDVD Awards.[20] The Digital Bits website noted in their 2006 Bitsy Awards that with "the hiring of DVD producer Andy Mangels to create extras, things turned around big time in 2006. BCI/Eclipse is now leading the pack with their top-notch releases of nostalgic Saturday morning TV favorites from the 70s and 80s, each one stuffed to the max with fantastic bonuses".[21]
In addition to the above, Mangels has contributed liner notes and materials to multiple Anchor Bay DVDs – includingBeastmaster,Highlander,Elvira: Mistress of the Dark,Plenty,Sleuth andCan't Stop The Music – and has aided Paramount and Warner Bros. with various DVD sets.[20]
Mangels performed onstage in Kalispell, Montana theatres, including roles in such shows asBrigadoon,A Christmas Carol,Once Upon a Mattress and Ira Levine's psycho-thrillerVeronica's Room. He has also performed in Portland, Oregon with Stumptown Stages inThe Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical, JANE Theatre inHullabaloo: The Little Frankenstein, Coho Theatre inMrs California andSteel Magnolias, and on the Lakewood Theatre stage inThe Secret Garden. Additionally, he has performed in fundraising events since the early 1990s in Portland.[22]
In mid-2011, Mangels and fellow Portland performer Mark Brown founded the Broadway Bears singing group, as a way to address the inequality bearded and larger actors faced when being cast for roles. Advertising themselves as "Portland's Furriest Singers," the group of gay performers represented thebear subculture in cabaret concert performances, singing live songs from throughout the musical realm of stage and screen, representing male and female songs that ranged from comedy to pathos, and performing solos, duets, trios, and group numbers. The Broadway Bears has performed six long-form multi-night concert sets through summer 2016, as well as performing at local events, including the famousPeacock in the Park events.[23]
As a screen actor, Mangels has had bit parts or extra roles in television series such asLeverage,The Librarians, andGrimm. He has appeared multiple times onGrimm, most recently in a two-episode arc in 2015 as a featured member of the "Wesenrein" group.[1] He has also been in several films and telefilms, includingUntraceable,Comic Book: The Movie,A Change of Heart, andTotal Reality.[24]
As a pop culture expert, he has been featured in numerous documentaries, including shows for PBS, E!, Warner Bros. and others. These includeWonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines,FANatical,E! True Hollywood Story, and documentaries for theWonder Woman,Batman: The Animated Series,Batman (TV series),All-New Super Friends Hour,Wonder Woman (2009 film),DC Super Heroes: The Filmation Adventures,Batman: Gotham Knight, andNever Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy.[1][25]
Mangels is active in the gay community, particularly in theleather andbear subcultures.[1] He previously held the title of Mr. Oregon State Leather 2004.[26] He has won multiple national Pantheon of Leather awards, specifically the "Northwest Regional Award" in 1995, 2005, and 2011.[27]
He created, moderated, and ran the "Gays In Comics" panel atSan Diego Comic-Con for 25 years, from 1988 to 2012. He is a founding member of the non-profit GLBTQI organizationPRISM Comics, serving gay comic fans and professionals, and is a member of the group's Advisory Board.[28]
As an ordained minister with theUniversal Life Church, Mangels performed the Unity Wedding atDenver Comic Con in June 2016. The wedding featured ten couples – straight, gay, lesbian, and transgender – married in front of a large crowd.[29]
In 2019, Mangels was the subject of state-wide and national attention when he and his husband were forced to find a new home following a 113% increase in their rent.[30] The publicity surrounding this led to the passage of rent-control legislation in the state of Oregon, and Mangels was invited to attend the bill signing by Gov.Kate Brown.[31]
Mangels works as a home care worker for theState of Oregon, for elderly and disabled clients. He resides inPortland, Oregon, with his longtime partner and now husband, Donald Hood, and their dog Lucy.[1]
Solo books
Star Trek novels and stories co-written with Michael A. Martin
Other book work co-written with Michael A. Martin
