Sam Maggs

Sam Maggs is a Canadian-American author of books, comics, and video games, and is known especially for her work on The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy and Marvel Action: Captain Marvel. She was born on November 10, 1988 in London, Ontario, Canada[1] and currently lives in Los Angeles.

Sam Maggs
Born (1988-11-10) November 10, 1988
London, Ontario, Canada
NationalityCanadian-American
Area(s)Writer
Notable works
The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy
Marvel Action: Captain Marvel
AwardsAmazon national bestseller, 2015, 2016
Dragon Award nominee, 2020
http://www.sammaggs.com/

The Toronto Star referred to her as an "ambassador of the Canadian fan culture scene."[2]

Early Life and Education

Maggs credits her parents with her love of "geeky fandom," telling the Calgary Herald that "[My] parents were both really big nerds who saw Star Wars over 20 times in theatres."[1] She received her formative education at the Lester B. Pearson School for the Arts and London Central Secondary School.[3]

She received her BA in English language and literature and film studies from the University of Western Ontario in 2010, where she studied Victorian literature and sensation fiction.[4] In the fall of 2016, she appeared on the cover of the Alumni Gazette.[4]

Along with her BA, Maggs holds an MA in literatures of modernity from Ryerson University, completed in 2011.[5]

Career

Maggs began her writing career as the weekend editor of the Abrams Media site Geekosystem, which was eventually consolidated into the feminist-leaning geek culture commentary site The Mary Sue.[6] Following this merger, she took on an associate editor role.[7]

As an entertainment journalist, Maggs has also contributed to io9,[8] Tor.com,[9] Time Out London,[10] National Post,[11] Marie Claire,[12] The Guardian,[13] PC Gamer,[14] BuzzFeed,[15] and Barnes & Noble.[15]

Books

While at The Mary Sue, Maggs sold her first book, The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy, to Quirk Books. It was published in 2015.[16] A second edition, titled the Fangirl’s Guide to the Universe and featuring updated text and new illustrations, was released October 27, 2020.[17] A companion guided journal, The Fangirl’s Journal for Leveling Up: Conquer Your Life Through Fandoms, came out on the same day.[18]

Maggs followed up her debut with Wonder Women: 25 Innovators, Inventors and Trailblazers Who Changed History, also from Quirk Books, in 2016.[19] Dubbed "extraordinary" by Entertainment Weekly,[20] the book shares the histories of notable women in the STEM fields, adventure, and espionage. In 2018, she published Girl Squads: 20 Female Friendships That Changed History with Quirk Books, which Booklist referred to as "impressively researched and fascinating." [21] Both publications reflect Maggs’ desire to celebrate the overlooked accomplishments of women throughout history [22] and the power of female friendships and women supporting women.[23]

In addition, Maggs has penned two encyclopedias about women superheroes for DK: Marvel Fearless and Fantastic! Female Super Heroes Save the World, published in 2018, and DC Brave and Bold!, published in 2019.[24]

She made her middle grade novel debut in June 2020 with the publication of Con Quest! from Imprint/Macmillan Publishers. The story follows a pair of twins as they run away from their older sister for a chance to meet one of their favorite celebrities at a giant comics and pop culture convention. Kirkus gave it a starred review.[25]

In July 2020, she released her first young adult novel, The Unstoppable Wasp: Built on Hope via Marvel Press. The book follows the third Wasp, Nadia van Dyne, as she learns to balance her science career with school, superheroes, and the general stress and strain that comes with being a teenager.[26]

Her books have been translated into Turkish,[27] Portuguese,[28] Korean,[29] and French.[30]

Comics

In her first foray into comics, Maggs penned a story titled "Legacy" for IDW Publishing’s Star Trek: Waypoint #2 in 2016.[31] Her story filled in the life and experiences of the series’ first-ever female redshirt, and she told SyFy Wire that, "It's easy to forget, when you're watching any sci-fi, that the goons and extras and henchmen who die for the sake of plot momentum or main character development are all (hypothetically) people with their own lives and families and stories… Now, [Thompson] isn't just another one of the faceless masses who die so Kirk may live. I wanted to make sure that you knew why she would have sacrificed her life." [32]

Maggs has also written for the comic book adaptations of Jem and the Holograms (IDW),[33] Rick & Morty (Oni Press),[34] My Little Pony (IDW),[35] Transformers (IDW),[36] and Invader Zim (Oni Press).[37]

She wrote Marvel Action: Captain Marvel for IDW, where the inclusion of characters like Squirrel Girl, Nadia van Dyne/Unstoppable Wasp, and Spider-Woman continue to reflect her favored theme of the strength to be found in female friendship.[38]

Future projects include the Viz Media manga adaptation of Rainbow Rowell’s bestselling YA novel Fangirl, with illustrations by Gabi Nam, released on October 13, 2020.[39] Her first full-length original graphic novel Tell No Tales: Pirates of the Southern Seas, co-created with Kendra Wells and published by the Abrams Books imprint Amulet Books, is set for release on February 9, 2021.[40] The story will revolve around the real-life pirating adventures of Anne Bonny and Mary Read.[41]

Video Games

From 2016 through 2018, Maggs worked as an associate writer for the video game studio BioWare, where she contributed writing to the Cards Against Humanity: Mass Effect pack.[42] She also wrote for the online game Anthem, specifically the asexual [43] character Ryssa Brin.[44]

After BioWare, Maggs went on to serve as a senior writer for Insomniac Games,[45] working as a writer [46] for the Spider-Man: The City that Never Sleeps DLC and head writer for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart [47] before leaving the studio in January 2020.

On December 16, 2020, it was announced that Maggs is one of the founders of a new video game studio, Soft Lock.[48]

Awards and Recognition

Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy

Wonder Women: 25 Innovators, Inventors and Trailblazers Who Changed History

Con Quest!
  • Kirkus Starred Review, 2020 [25]

Marvel Action: Captain Marvel
  • Joel Schuster Awards Dragon Award nominee, 2020[58]

Personal life

Maggs is openly bisexual [59] and dedicates herself to including queer representation in her writing.[60] She wed video game producer Blair Brown in 2018. Their wedding photo won an elopement photo contest at Wandering Weddings.[61]

Maggs currently splits her time between Toronto, Ontario and Los Angeles, where she lives with her husband and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Eevee O’Connell.[62]

The Questionable Content background character Blemenda is based on Maggs’ likeness.

Bibliography

Books
  • The Unstoppable Wasp: Built on Hope, Marvel 2020
  • Con Quest!, Imprint/MacMillan 2020
  • The Fangirl’s Journal for Leveling Up, Quirk Books 2020
  • The Fangirl’s Guide to the Universe, Quirk Books 2020
  • DC Brave and Bold!, DK 2018
  • Marvel Fearless and Fantastic!, DK 2018
  • Girl Squads: 20 Female Friendships that Changed History, Quirk Books 2018
  • Wonder Women: 25 Innovators, Inventors, and Trailblazers Who Changed History, Quirk Books 2016
  • The Fangirl’s Guide to the Galaxy, Quirk Books 2015

Trade Paperback Comics
  • Rick & Morty Ever After Vol. 1, Oni Press 2021
  • Marvel Action: Captain Marvel: Cosmic Cat-astrophe Vol. 1, IDW 2020
  • Marvel Action: Captain Marvel: A.I.M Small Vol. 2, IDW 2020
  • Tell No Tales: Pirates of the Southern Seas, Amulet Books 2020
  • Fangirl Vol. 1, Viz Media 2020
  • My Little Pony/Transformers: Friendship in Disguise!, IDW 2020
  • Transformers: All Fall Down Vol. 3, IDW 2020
  • My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Vol. 18, IDW 2020

Single Issue Comics
  • Rick & Morty Ever After #1, Oni Press 2021
  • Marvel Action: Captain Marvel #1-6, IDW 2020
  • Marvel Action: Captain Marvel #1-2, IDW 2020-
  • My Little Pony/Transformers: Friendship in Disguise! #2-3, IDW 2020
  • Transformers #7-9, IDW 2020
  • Invader Zim #40, Oni Press 2019
  • My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic #79-80, IDW 2019
  • Jem and the Holograms: Dimensions #3, IDW 2018
  • Star Trek: Waypoint #2, IDW 2016
  • Critical Role: The Mighty Nein Origins: Jester Lavorre, Dark Horse Comics 2021[63]

Video Games
  • Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Insomniac Games (no release date announced)
  • Dungeons and Dragons: Dark Alliance, Wizards of the Coast (no release date announced) [64]
  • Scavengers, Midwinter Entertainment/Improbable (currently in play test mode) [65]
  • Anthem, BioWare, 2019
  • Marvel’s Spider-Man: The City That Never Sleeps - Turf Wars, Insomniac Games, 2018
  • Cards Against Humanity: Mass Effect pack, BioWare, 2017

Anthologies
  • Becoming Dangerous: Witchy Femmes, Queer Conjurers, and Magical Rebels on Summoning the Power to Resist, Weiser Books, 2018
  • The Secret Loves of Geek Girls, Dark Horse, 2016
  • Outside In 2: 125 Unique Perspectives on 125 Modern Doctor Who Stories by 125 Writers, ATB Publishing, 2015
  • Chicks Dig Gaming, Mad Norwegian Press, 2014
  • The Language of Doctor Who: From Shakespeare to Alien Tongues, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2014

References
  1. "Sam Maggs explores fangirl passion and real-life wonder women". Calgary Herald.
  2. "One fangirl's rallying cry". Toronto Star. May 12, 2015.
  3. "Author Sam Maggs back in London for geek meet and greet". London Free Press.
  4. "Millennial Falcon - Western Alumni". alumni2.westernu.ca.
  5. Barr, Jason; Mustachio, Camille D. G. (May 15, 2014). The Language of Doctor Who: From Shakespeare to Alien Tongues. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781442234819 – via Google Books.
  6. Maggs, Sam. "New geeky gig, & my Fan Expo wrap-up! | Sam Maggs".
  7. "The Mary Sue". The Mary Sue. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  8. Maggs, Sam. "The io9 Guide to Stargate". io9.
  9. Maggs, Sam (October 12, 2016). "Five Books About Kick-Ass Chicks in Space". Tor.com.
  10. "Bam! How female superheroes are taking over the movies". Time Out London.
  11. "Why the gaming world still needs more complex female protagonists". Financial Post.
  12. Maggs, Sam (September 16, 2019). "A Feminist Ranking of Female Superheroes". Marie Claire.
  13. Maggs, Sam (June 14, 2015). "Top 10 tips for girl geeks". The Guardian.
  14. Maggs, Sam (July 23, 2015). "Why BioWare's games inspire a unique kind of fandom".
  15. "I'm A Fangirl: An Excerpt From "The Fangirl's Guide To The Galaxy"". BuzzFeed.
  16. "The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy". Quirk Books : Publishers & Seekers of All Things Awesome.
  17. "The Fangirl's Guide to the Universe". Quirk Books : Publishers & Seekers of All Things Awesome.
  18. "The Fangirl's Journal for Leveling Up | Sam Maggs".
  19. "Wonder Women". Quirk Books : Publishers & Seekers of All Things Awesome.
  20. "Sam Maggs' New Book 'Wonder Women' Revisits 25 Women Who Inspire". Entertainment Weekly.
  21. "Girl Squads". Quirk Books : Publishers & Seekers of All Things Awesome.
  22. "A new book by Sam Maggs celebrates 25 world-changing women". chatelaine.com.
  23. "GIRL SQUADS Author Sam Maggs Reveals Cover and Talks Bringing Feminist History to Comics". Nerdist.
  24. "DC Brave and Bold!". dkbooks.
  25. "CON QUEST!". Kirkus Reviews.
  26. "The Unstoppable Wasp: Built on Hope".
  27. Maggs, Sam (September 2016). Amazon listing. ISBN 978-6059397032.
  28. Maggs, Sam; Kroll, Guilherme (2 April 2015). Amazon listing. ISBN 978-8545200277.
  29. "휴머니스트 > BOOK > > 걸 스쿼드". humanistbooks.com.
  30. Amazon listing. ISBN 2258135052.
  31. "Star Trek: Waypoint #2". IDW Publishing.
  32. Dennis, Catrina (September 26, 2016). "Writer Sam Maggs talks Star Trek and Wonder Women". SYFY WIRE.
  33. "Jem and the Holograms: Dimensions #3". IDW Publishing.
  34. "RICK & MORTY EVER AFTER #1 CVR A (AUG201481)". Previews World. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  35. "'Transformers' to Meet 'My Little Pony' in Comic Miniseries". The Hollywood Reporter.
  36. "TRANSFORMERS GALAXIES #9 CVR A MIYAO (MAR200706)". Previews World. 2020-09-09. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  37. "INVADER ZIM #40 CVR A (DEC181971)". Previews World. 2019-02-27. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  38. "Video". Retrieved 2020-09-28 – via YouTube.
  39. "VIZ: Read a Free Preview of Fangirl, Vol. 1". viz.com.
  40. "Tell No Tales Pirates of the Southern Seas" – via abramsbooks.com.
  41. Puc, Samantha (March 13, 2019). "Syndicated Comics". The Beat.
  42. Sarkar, Samit (February 22, 2017). "Hot and heavy Mass Effect pack comes to Cards Against Humanity". Polygon.
  43. "Tweet". Retrieved 2020-09-28 – via Twitter.
  44. "Tweet". Retrieved 2020-09-28 – via Twitter.
  45. "Video". Retrieved 2020-09-28 – via YouTube.
  46. "Episode info". scriptlock.simplecast.com. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  47. "Tweet". Retrieved 2020-09-28 – via Twitter.
  48. @xavierck3d (December 16, 2020). "My afternoons and weekends just got really busy. That's right! @KatVHarris, @SamMaggs, @wuffles, and I are starting a new studio: @SoftLockStudio. We're making nice games for nice people". Twitter. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  49. "The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy | Sam Maggs".
  50. "B&N Bookseller's Picks: The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Books of May 2015". May 4, 2015.
  51. "Books". mariavicente.com.
  52. "2016 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). January 11, 2016.
  53. "Wonder Women | Sam Maggs".
  54. "CPL Best of the Best Books 2016". chipublib.org.
  55. "The November 2016 Indie Next List Preview". the American Booksellers Association. September 29, 2016.
  56. "Listing" (PDF). accessola.org. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  57. "The Amelia Bloomer Book List | Awards & Grants". ala.org.
  58. Boyd, Kevin A. (September 8, 2020). "Nominations for the 2020 Joe Shuster Awards".
  59. Utz, Judith. "MUNA, Kesha, and Brooke Candy Told Us the Most MEANINGFUL Part of Pride". Teen Vogue.
  60. "Out writer Sam Maggs on "The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy," comic book love and more - Page 2 of 2". April 23, 2015.
  61. Edmundson, Nick (August 14, 2019). "2019 Elopement Photo Contest Winners".
  62. "Tweet". Retrieved 2020-09-28 – via Twitter.
  63. Hall, Charlie (2020-11-10). "Critical Role's Mighty Nein is getting a Dark Horse comic series". Polygon. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
  64. "Dungeons & Dragons - Dark Alliance". darkalliance.com.
  65. "Home". Scavengers.
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