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SECTION 31
Where no man
has gone betöre
Portland writers warp
science fiction to a new
dimension BY P eter Z uckerman
One scene features Hawk and his partner
talking in their bedroom. He wishes he could
discuss the decision he must make—a decision
that will affect the fate of his ship, a world and
possibly the universe itself. The novel also
includes wiry, triple-jointed aliens wielding
Samurai swords.
W a
rogue
The high-tech thriller hooks you from the
. ?ANOY MANGELS and
start.
Picard, staring out the window at Earth,
MICHAEL A. MARTIN
thinks to himself, “Population approximately
9 billion...all Borg.”
S ection 31: R ogue
Mangels treats homosexuality the way it
by Andy Mangels and Michael A. Martin.
should be treated in the future. Hawk’s same-
Pocket Books, 2001; $6.99 softcover.
sex attraction is not the focal point of the
character but a defining piece of a complex
lthough few science fiction novels hinge
personality.
on queer characters, beam over to a
“Through the character of Hawk, readers
major Star Trek convention and you
will see how the concepts of duty, loyalty and
probably will have to choose which gay
love are universal in their essence, as are the
fan club you want to join. Our community has
ways these qualities are tested in every individ­
ual,” Mangels explains. “In this year of Star
embraced this genre—we relate to the aliens
and outsiders who come from other planets and
Trek's 35th anniversary, we’re immensely proud
don’t fit into the known world.
to be able to offer in our novel not only a story
The original 1960s Star Trek television
of action, adventure, intrigue and heroism but
series helped missile
through social prejudice
when it featured an inter­
racial kiss in prime time,
and the recently conclud­
ed Voyager featured a
female captain. However,
despite galactic letter­
writing campaigns and
petitions, this purportedly
socially progressive show
has suffered a stratospher­
ic subspace distortion:
Queers do not seem to
exist in the future.
Gene Rodenberry an­
nounced in a 1991 inter­
view with The Advocate
that the fifth season of
The Next Generation regu­
larly would feature identi-
fiably gay and lesbian
characters, But after he
Andy Mangels (left) and Michael A. Martin beam down a good story
died a few months later,
also one that continues Star Trek’s lifelong cele­
his heir Rick Beman apparently had no inten­
bration of human diversity and the power of
tion of keeping this promise.
the human heart.”
Tons of Internet sites and newsgroups on
Mangels is a veteran of science fiction writ­
the Internet have long lists of PG- to NC-17-
ing and Star Trek. He has written for Star Trek
rated Star Trek love stories written by fans,
Monthly, Star Trek Explorer, The Advocate, Out-
many of which are queer and some of which
week and The Mercury. His comic book writing
have won awards. But queer content has failed
has been published by DC and Marvel Comics,
to surface from the Star Trek underground and
and he was editor of the award-winning Gay
into the mainstream.
Comics
for eight years. He also has written
Until now.
licensed material for Lucasfilm, Paramount;
Just Out contributor Andy Mangels has co­
authored a Next Generation pivotal thriller. Sec­ New Line, Universal and Warner Bros.
His co-author, Michael A. Martin, also
tion 31: Rogue pits Capt. Jean-Luc Picard and
wrote with Mangels at Marvel Comics. They
his crew against the futuristic version of the
recently signed contracts to produce a second
Navy SEALs, the covert protectors of the Fed­
collaborative Star Trek novel for Pocket Books,
eration. The thriller transports readers back six
this one with characters and situations from
months before the Starship Enterprise battled
the
original series.
the Borg for the fate of Earth.
Even if you don’t know your Borgs from
The novel introduces Lt. Hawk, a young
your Klingons, you still can enjoy Section 3 1:
homosexual officer. When a diplomatic confer­
Rogue. For lots of great info and links, cruise
ence goes awry, he becomes entangled in a web
over to www.andymangels.com/section31. JF1
of revelations, conspiracies and betrayal.
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