Douglas Mangum

Contributor: Douglas Mangum
Born: September 1973
Lives: Greensboro, NC USA
Duties: Editor, current summarizer of Astonishing X-Men
Staffer since: January 2002
E-mail address: douglasmangum@gmail.com

In the Brief:
Discovered the UXN in November or December of 2001 and thought it was a great site with much potential. I especially liked the fact that it had issue summaries, like the old Marvel Indices, something that I have always wanted to see on the Net, especially ones without personal opinion interjected. After a bit of exploring, I thought to myself that I would enjoy contributing. Then, I pretty much forgot about it. Later, after rediscovering the site in early January 2002, I submitted my first two summaries, Uncanny #244 & 245 and have never looked back. I soon was given New X-Men to summarize (I ended up doing 35 consecutive issues - #122-156) and also became one of the editors for half of all contributors and all Spotlights and articles.

History:
I was born in North Carolina and have lived there my whole life. I grew up in Durham, but moved to Greensboro to go to college. After graduating with a business degree, I decided that this city felt more like home than the one I grew up in, so I stayed.

I started reading comics with G.I. Joe at age 11 (hey, it was some of Larry Hama's best stuff) and moved into the Marvel Universe with Amazing Spider-Man #259. Soon thereafter, I started collecting comics and focused in on Marvel until eventually finding DC in the late 80s. While the X-Men have always been among my favorite, ol' Spidey will always have the special place in my heart.

Ironically, the favorite series of mine in my early comic reading were Marvel Universe, Marvel Saga, Marvel Tales and Marvel Masterworks. These series, all either reprints or text material, I devoured voraciously, leading to my love of continuity and, eventually, to my becoming a staffer here.

This love of comics history also helped me with the college job that I held from 1992 to 1995, being the assistant manager to a comic book store in Greensboro, called Acme Comics. Upon graduating, the owner asked me to be the general manager, running the three stores, which I did from 1995 to 1998. It was definitely one of the best times of my life and I will always miss it... except for the pay.

While I was there, we turned the three stores into 2, which has since been consolidated from two large stores to one double-sized mega store, from which I still buy my books today. The store even has a web address, www.acmecomics.com. Say hello to Jermaine and Stephen for me.

After leaving Acme in 1998, I started working with a company dealing with moving cargo to and from Central America and the Caribbean. It has led to me visiting Argentina, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic and even Costa Rica, where I almost moved in 2001. I have gone to two separate two-week immersion programs in Antigua, Guatemala - where my Spanish increased dramatically. I am by no means fluent, just know enough to be dangerous, which is still fun.

Favorite series of the past:
DP7, Strikeforce Morituri, Roger Stern & JMS' Amazing Spider-Man, Watchmen, Preacher, John Byrne's Next Men, Peter David's Incredible Hulk, Englehart's West Coast Avengers.

Lines I love:
“The Next Men are free, their impact on the world has already begun. It is only a matter of time before the reign of Sathanas may begin.” – Sathanas, John Byrne’s Next Men #2.

“Any continuation of the hostilities would be unwise, due to the current phenomenon.” – Commander Breetai, Robotech episode #26, “the Messenger.”

“Listen, strange women lying in ponds, distributing swords, is no basis for a system of government." - Dennis the peasant to King Arthur, Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

“We are but warriors for the working-day; our gayness and our gilt are all besmirch’d with rainy marching in the painful field [sic] but, by the mass, our hearts are in the trim.” – Henry V, “The Life of Henry the Fifth” – Act IV, scene III.