This Halloween King Features, Red 5 Comics and StoneBot present the return of Mandrake the Magician in the all new Legacy of Mandrake from writer Erica Schultz.
1. Tell us about Legend of Mandrake!
Mandragora Constanza Terrado Paz, or Mandy Paz, is Mandrake the Magician in the new Legacy of Mandrake series. Mandy takes the mantle and title of Mandrake to bring a new generation of fans and readers into this world. Mandy tackles the mystery, magic, and allure of the old series with her own brand of kick ass sass.
Despite not being the master magician the original Mandrake was, this first arc takes you through Mandy’s growing pains not only as a magician, but as a high school senior trying to manage drama with bullies, college applications, her mom, AND keeping her powers in check. Mandy has a lot on her plate to juggle, but that’s part of the fun!
2. The Mandrake the Magician saga began way back in 1936. What do you think is the key to its longevity?
Whether he was in Marrakesh or Rome, the original Mandrake was always guided by a sense of justice. He fought for the greater good all over the world and beyond. That idea of righting wrongs is something I think resonates with fans no matter where or when we are. Mandy Paz may not be globetrotting (Yet!), but she definitely fights the good fight close to home in Mountain Vista.
One aspect of the original Mandrake we worked hard to change was the lack of diversity in the cast. The stories were very centered on a male point of view and had little representation of female characters with the exception of Princess Narda and a few others. There were also offensive depictions of Lothar and other People of Color in the earlier strips. Mandy’s world reflects reality much more than the original Mandrake strips, and that’s something we’re very proud of. We are very excited to open Mandy and her cast up to more characters of color, gender identities, and diversity in general. Mandy is a Latinx woman who is first generation American. Her mother, Mabel, is from Argentina and has limited magical abilities. Mandy’s partner and best friend, LJ, is the son of Lothar, the original Mandrake’s former partner, so we’ve got legacies all around.
Yes, there’s magic and all kinds of fantastical set pieces and baddies, but the people inhabiting this grand world are more relatable and make it feel like this could be the world we’re living in…it just might be!
3. Mandrake's stories always had a strong connection to family, in many cases even the villains. Is that something that fans can expect to continue?
I won’t spoil anything, but there will be a strong familial connection explored in this arc. The original Mandrake stories were always rooted in a type of family, be it by blood or bond, and that part of the Mandrake tradition is definitely present.
The connection between Mandy and her mother, LJ and Lothar, as well as other characters comes into play throughout this arc. I just can’t say much more without giving something away.
4. How did you guys form your creative partnership?
Matias Timarchi from AlterComics reached out to me to see if I was available to pitch for this new series. When I was awarded the job, I delved into all the great character work Matias and the artists at Stonebot had put together for Mandy and her supporting cast. Tea Fougner from King Features supplied me with many of the original Mandrake strips so I could get a feel for the series and find some interesting Easter Eggs for old fans to find. Some of them are pretty overt while others are a bit obscure. It really is a great balance of old and new.
The whole team from AlterComics, King Features, and Stonebot really came together to make something I think will attract a lot of new fans.
5. What comics did you grow up loving that encouraged you to become a creator?
I grew up reading X-Men and Batman comics in the 80s and 90s, but I didn’t think about comics as a career until I was working at a studio in New York in 2008/2009. I was an animator and digital artist on the Astonishing X-Men motion comic “Gifted,” and that reignited my love of comics.
After that project, I was tasked with a lot of behind the scenes work on the next comic project that came through the studio. I worked on a lot of backgrounds, ink and color assists, formatting, and digital clean up. That was a real education in the technical side of how comics were made.
With all that experience, I started writing M3, my first comic project, and I was lucky enough to pair up with Vicente Alcázar to give the book its terrific illustrations. I just kept going from there.
6. Mandrake is one of the few all-ages books that can truly be enjoyed by ALL ages. Do you think that's part of its appeal?
I feel having a wide audience is definitely the way to go with a book like Legacy of Mandrake and a character like Mandy. She’s aspirational for younger readers, inspirational for readers of her age, and just fun for anyone.
My biggest hope is that people don’t label this as any one type of book. It’s a mystery story, a coming of age story, a story about family, and a whole lot more. It’s just plain fun!
7. What outside-influences unrelated to comics influence your work as a creative person?
I grew up on a steady diet of sci-fi, fantasy, and Tom Clancy-type stories, and that hasn’t changed much since I was a kid, but I’ve always been interested in storytelling either through books, films or television. I talk to friends and see what they’re watching and reading to see if it interests me. I read weird articles to see if they spark a story idea. Sometimes it’s just a lack of sleep that helps me come up with something. Like a magician, I won’t reveal my trick! Hahaha.
8. What's next for Erica Schultz?
Well, aside from Legacy of Mandrake, the collected edition of Forgotten Home came out last month on comiXology. I can’t announce a print date yet, but it’s coming. I’m editing a new series at Mad Cave Studios with a fabulous team and working on my own sci-fi OGN and a crime miniseries right now. I’m also continuing online courses at The Kubert School, and will be teaching again there this Autumn. Believe me, that’s enough!