Phelan Morkel

Phelan Thomas Morkel (born October 25, 1975) is an American cartoonist, animator, writer, musician, and voice actor best known for creating Mole Miner, Morten and Living on an Edge, co-creating Trisha's Way, Wonderbeaver and Dan & Marilyn, and co-developing The Yuyu Show. He is also known for creating We're the Investigators and being creator of the supergroup The Goodwynes.

Early life
Phelan Thomas Morkel was born on October 25, 1975 at Burbank Hospital in. He is the son of cartoonist Nicholas H. Morkel (born August 16, 1931) of German, Irish and Afrikaner descent and Argentine-born Cassandra Morkel (née Bergamo; May 2, 1930-February 11, 2014) of Italian and Spanish descent. His mother, born in, immigrated to at the age of 10. His uncle-in-law is the Bostonian writer Charles Simonsen (born August 5, 1925).

Personal life
Morkel married cartoonist Gabrielle Babbington in 2010. The couple split their time between and.

Morkel is a devout progressive Christian, and is a member of the. Morkel converted to Christianity in 1997 after hearing a Ronald Hawkins sermon on the radio. He has shown support for the LGBTQ+ community, and has encouraged other Christians to be more inclusive towards those in the community. In 2008, Morkel co-founded the Modern Life Church in Boston, a progressive Christian church and ministry, with Pastor Vahan Avedisian.

His mother Cassandra died on February 11, 2014 due to complications from a botched liver transplant. She was 83 years old.

Morkel had planned to attend the show at The Station nightclub in  on February 20, 2003, but had to leave during the opening act to pick up a friend. When they came back,. Ironically, his uncle Charles Simonsen, at 16 years of age, had survived the 1942.