Mandrake with his wife, fellow comics artistJan Duursema
Mandrake began working forDC Comics where he drew backup stories for theSgt. Rock title. In a 2001 interview, he recalled "finally landing my first real work, that was a two part story in DC'sNew Talent Showcase. Once again with my old buddy L.B. at the writers helm on our pirate epic 'Skydogs'."[5] ForMarvel Comics, Mandrake provided finished art over layouts bySal Buscema on theNew Mutants title. Back at DC, he and writerDoug Moench created theBlack Mask inBatman #386 (August 1985)[6][7] and theFilm Freak inBatman #395 (May 1986).[8] Mandrake was one of the contributors to theDC Challenge limited series in 1986 after finishing his run onBatman.[9] In 1992, Mandrake and writer John Ostrander launchedTheSpectre series at DC Comics.[10] In issue #54 (June 1997), the creative team introduced the character Michael Holt as a new version ofMister Terrific.[11] Following the end ofThe Spectre series, they moved onto aMartian Manhunter series.[12] In 2001, he worked with writerDan Mishkin on the short lived seriesCreeps and in 2006 on the children's bookThe Forest King: Woodlark's Shadow.[13] In 2007, a story-arc titled "Grotesk" reuniting Ostrander and Mandrake appeared inBatman issues 659-662.[3] AnX-Files/30 Days of Night crossover in 2010 was drawn by Mandrake and co-written by30 Days creatorSteve Niles andAdam Jones, the guitarist for the bandTool.[14] Mandrake drew theDC Retroactive: Batman - The '70s one-shot (Sept. 2011)[15] and a revival ofMarv Wolfman'sNight Force series (May–Nov. 2012).[16] He collaborated withJ. Michael Straczynski on theSidekick series in 2013–2014.[17]
Mandrake is married to fellow comic book artistJan Duursema, whom he met while both were students atThe Kubert School. Their wedding was held on the school's grounds.[5] The couple have a son, Jack Moses Mandrake,[18] and Sian Mandrake,[19] who is also a Kubert School-trained comics illustrator.[20]
^abcdContino, Jennifer (2001)."Creepy Concepts". Sequential Tart. Archived fromthe original on September 24, 2015. RetrievedMarch 11, 2012.
^Wallace, Dan (2008). "Black Mask". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.).The DC Comics Encyclopedia. London, United Kingdom:Dorling Kindersley. p. 52.ISBN978-0-7566-4119-1.
^Manning, Matthew K.; Dougall, Alastair, ed. (2014). "1980s".Batman: A Visual History. London, United Kingdom:Dorling Kindersley. p. 153.ISBN978-1465424563.Writer Doug Moench and artist Tom Mandrake would make an important contribution to the Batman mythos with the villain Black Mask.{{cite book}}:|first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Manning "1980s" in Dougall (2014), p. 161: "In this start of a three-part story, writer Doug Moench and artist Tom Mandrake introduced the villain Film Freak."
^Manning, Matthew K.; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1990s".DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom:Dorling Kindersley. p. 255.ISBN978-0-7566-6742-9.The crime fighter from beyond the grave, the Spectre, was back in a new series by writer John Ostrander and artist Tom Mandrake.{{cite book}}:|first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 279:The Spectre ongoing series was nearing its end, but that didn't stop writer John Ostrander and artist Tom Mandrake from pooling their creative forces to create one of the DCU's newest shining stars...An inspired and reborn [Michael] Holt then picked up the mantle of Mr. Terrific."
^Manning "1990s" in Dolan, p. 285: "The fan-favorite team of writer John Ostrander and artist Tom Mandrake, fresh off their lengthy run onThe Spectre, were ready to take on another caped powerhouse withMartian Manhunter.
^Manning "2010s" in Dougall (2014), p. 319: "In this 1970s [tribute] issue, a new Terrible Trio was introduced that included Lucius Fox's son, Tim, thanks to writer Len Wein and artist Tom Mandrake."
