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Mister X (Vortex)
Encyclopedia
Mister X was a series of comic books first published in 1983–90 by Toronto-based Vortex Comics
. Created by album and book cover designer Dean Motter
, it was developed for a year in close collaboration with comic artist and illustrator Paul Rivoche, whose series of poster illustrations stirred up great interest in the project. The series is notable for publishing early work by comic artists who would later emerge as important alternative cartoonists
, including Jaime Hernandez
, Gilbert Hernandez
, Mario Hernandez
, Seth
, Shane Oakley
and D'Israeli
.
In the early 1990s, a CD-ROM
computer animated version of Series Two, issues seven and eight, was created by the now-defunct Kinetic Opera Company.
After the first volume of the Motter-based series ended in 1985, a second 12-issue black-and-white series concluding the saga was written by Jeffrey Morgan
. The first six issues were penciled by Shane Oakley, and the remaining six by D'Israeli with inks by Ken Holewczynski.
Although a 13th issue of Volume II was published, beginning a story by Seth (writing as "Wilbur Webb") the rest of the story remained unpublished until it appeared in New Worlds Anthology. In 1996, Caliber Comics
published Volume 3, a 4-issue story by Deborah Marks.
The character reappeared in Motter's Electropolis mini-series from Image Comics
in 2001-03. Motter's Vortex issues, along with the covers by Michael Kaluta, Bill Sienkiewicz
, Howard Chaykin
, Dave McKean
, and others, were reprinted in Mister X: The Definitive Collection (Volumes I and II) from iBooks in 2005.
In 2008, Dark Horse Comics
published a hardcover book titled Mister X: The Archives, collecting the Volume I run along with additional material including an introduction by Warren Ellis
(Transmetropolitan
), and a thesis written by Volume II writer Morgan.
The character was rebooted by Motter in the miniseries, Mister X: Condemned, first published December 24, 2008 by Dark Horse.
and Fritz Lang's
Metropolis, the series concerns a mysterious figure who purports to be its architect. His radical theories of "psychetecture" cause the citizenry to go mad, just as he did, and he takes on the mission to repair his creation.
In order to accomplish this he remains awake twenty-four hours a day by means of the drug "insomnalin," all the while coping with a Dick Tracy
–like rogues gallery and supporting cast including his long-suffering ex-girlfriend Mercedes.
Under Motter's art direction the series became known for its distinctive blend of Art Deco
, German Expressionism
, and film noir
motifs as well as the new wave graphic design also popularized at the time by Art Spiegelman
's RAW
and The Face
.
Mister Xs influence can be seen and was acknowledged in films like Terry Gilliam
's Brazil
, Tim Burton
's Batman
, and Alex Proyas
' Dark City.
Vortex Comics
Vortex Comics was a Canadian independent comic book publisher that operated during the years 1982 to 1994. Under the supervision of president, publisher, and editor Bill Marks, Vortex was known for such titles as Dean Motter's Mister X, Howard Chaykin's Black Kiss, and Chester Brown's Yummy Fur...
. Created by album and book cover designer Dean Motter
Dean Motter
Dean Motter is an illustrator, designer and writer who worked for many years in Toronto, Canada, New York City, and Atlanta. Motter is best known as the creator and designer of Mister X, one of the most influential "new-wave" comics of the 1980s....
, it was developed for a year in close collaboration with comic artist and illustrator Paul Rivoche, whose series of poster illustrations stirred up great interest in the project. The series is notable for publishing early work by comic artists who would later emerge as important alternative cartoonists
Alternative comics
Alternative comics defines a range of American comics that have appeared since the 1980s, following the underground comix movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Alternative comics present an alternative to "mainstream" superhero comics which in the past have dominated the US comic book industry...
, including Jaime Hernandez
Jaime Hernandez
Jaime Hernandez is the co-creator of the black & white independent comic book Love and Rockets .-Early life:...
, Gilbert Hernandez
Gilbert Hernandez
Gilberto Hernández, born February 1, 1957, in Oxnard, California, usually credited as Gilbert Hernandez and also known by the nickname Beto , is an American comics writer/artist...
, Mario Hernandez
Mario Hernandez
Mario Hernandez is an American writer, artist, and sometime publisher of comics. Along with his younger brothers Gilbert and Jaime he co-created the acclaimed independent comic book Love and Rockets.- Biography :...
, Seth
Seth (cartoonist)
Seth is the pen name of Gregory Gallant , a Canadian comic book artist and writer. He is best known for comics such as Palookaville.Born in Clinton, Ontario, Seth attended the Ontario College of Art in Toronto...
, Shane Oakley
Shane Oakley
Shane Oakley is a British illustrator and comic book artist from Stoke-on-Trent, England.-Biography:He began his career contributing to the alternative comics review Deadline Magazine in the 1980s . In 1989 Shane worked as the penciller on issues 1 to 6 of Mister X volume two...
and D'Israeli
D'Israeli
Matt Brooker, whose work most often appears under the pseudonym D'Israeli , is a British comic artist, colorist, writer and letterer. Other pseudonyms he uses include "Molly Eyre" , for his writing, and "Harry V...
.
In the early 1990s, a CD-ROM
CD-ROM
A CD-ROM is a pre-pressed compact disc that contains data accessible to, but not writable by, a computer for data storage and music playback. The 1985 “Yellow Book” standard developed by Sony and Philips adapted the format to hold any form of binary data....
computer animated version of Series Two, issues seven and eight, was created by the now-defunct Kinetic Opera Company.
Publication history
The first four issues were written and illustrated by Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez, with additional writing by Mario Hernandez. The Hernandez brothers quit over payment delays from Vortex. Issues 5 through 14 of the series were then written by Motter, with issues 6 through 13 illustrated by Seth.After the first volume of the Motter-based series ended in 1985, a second 12-issue black-and-white series concluding the saga was written by Jeffrey Morgan
Jeffrey Morgan
Jeffrey Morgan is a Canadian writer, musician, photographer, and poet who lives in Toronto, Ontario. Morgan is best known for being the authorized biographer of both Alice Cooper and The Stooges.-CREEM:...
. The first six issues were penciled by Shane Oakley, and the remaining six by D'Israeli with inks by Ken Holewczynski.
Although a 13th issue of Volume II was published, beginning a story by Seth (writing as "Wilbur Webb") the rest of the story remained unpublished until it appeared in New Worlds Anthology. In 1996, Caliber Comics
Caliber Comics
Caliber Comics or Caliber Press was an American comic book publisher founded in 1989 by Gary Reed. Featuring primarily creator-owned comics, in the next decade Caliber published over 1300 comics and ranked as one of the America's leading independent publishers...
published Volume 3, a 4-issue story by Deborah Marks.
The character reappeared in Motter's Electropolis mini-series from Image Comics
Image Comics
Image Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
in 2001-03. Motter's Vortex issues, along with the covers by Michael Kaluta, Bill Sienkiewicz
Bill Sienkiewicz
Boleslav Felix Robert "Bill" Sienkiewicz [pronounced sin-KEV-itch] is an Eisner Award-winning American artist and writer best known for his comic book work, primarily for Marvel Comics' The New Mutants and Elektra: Assassin...
, Howard Chaykin
Howard Chaykin
Howard Victor Chaykin is an American comic book writer and artist famous for his innovative storytelling and sometimes controversial material...
, Dave McKean
Dave McKean
David McKean is an English illustrator, photographer, comic book artist, graphic designer, filmmaker and musician....
, and others, were reprinted in Mister X: The Definitive Collection (Volumes I and II) from iBooks in 2005.
In 2008, Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
published a hardcover book titled Mister X: The Archives, collecting the Volume I run along with additional material including an introduction by Warren Ellis
Warren Ellis
Warren Girard Ellis is an English author of comics, novels, and television, who is well-known for sociocultural commentary, both through his online presence and through his writing, which covers transhumanist themes...
(Transmetropolitan
Transmetropolitan
Transmetropolitan is a cyberpunk comic book series written by Warren Ellis with art by Darick Robertson and published by DC Comics. The series was originally part of the short-lived DC Comics imprint Helix, but upon the end of the book's first year the series was moved to the Vertigo imprint as DC...
), and a thesis written by Volume II writer Morgan.
The character was rebooted by Motter in the miniseries, Mister X: Condemned, first published December 24, 2008 by Dark Horse.
Series background
Set in Radiant City, a dystopian municipality influenced by BauhausBauhaus
', commonly known simply as Bauhaus, was a school in Germany that combined crafts and the fine arts, and was famous for the approach to design that it publicized and taught. It operated from 1919 to 1933. At that time the German term stood for "School of Building".The Bauhaus school was founded by...
and Fritz Lang's
Fritz Lang
Friedrich Christian Anton "Fritz" Lang was an Austrian-American filmmaker, screenwriter, and occasional film producer and actor. One of the best known émigrés from Germany's school of Expressionism, he was dubbed the "Master of Darkness" by the British Film Institute...
Metropolis, the series concerns a mysterious figure who purports to be its architect. His radical theories of "psychetecture" cause the citizenry to go mad, just as he did, and he takes on the mission to repair his creation.
In order to accomplish this he remains awake twenty-four hours a day by means of the drug "insomnalin," all the while coping with a Dick Tracy
Dick Tracy
Dick Tracy is a comic strip featuring Dick Tracy, a hard-hitting, fast-shooting and intelligent police detective. Created by Chester Gould, the strip made its debut on October 4, 1931, in the Detroit Mirror. It was distributed by the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate...
–like rogues gallery and supporting cast including his long-suffering ex-girlfriend Mercedes.
Under Motter's art direction the series became known for its distinctive blend of Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
, German Expressionism
German Expressionism
German Expressionism refers to a number of related creative movements beginning in Germany before the First World War that reached a peak in Berlin, during the 1920s...
, and film noir
Film noir
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as extending from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...
motifs as well as the new wave graphic design also popularized at the time by Art Spiegelman
Art Spiegelman
Art Spiegelman is an American comics artist, editor, and advocate for the medium of comics, best known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning comic book memoir, Maus. His works are published with his name in lowercase: art spiegelman.-Biography:Spiegelman was born in Stockholm, Sweden, to Polish Jews...
's RAW
RAW (magazine)
RAW was a comics anthology edited by Art Spiegelman and Françoise Mouly and published by Mouly from 1980 to 1991. It was a flagship publication of the 1980s alternative comics movement, serving as a more intellectual counterpoint to Robert Crumb's visceral Weirdo, which followed squarely in the...
and The Face
The Face (magazine)
The Face was a British music, fashion and culture monthly magazine started in May 1980 by Nick Logan.-1980s:Logan had previously created the teen pop magazine Smash Hits, and had been an editor at the New Musical Express in the 1970s before launching The Face in 1980.The magazine was influential in...
.
Mister Xs influence can be seen and was acknowledged in films like Terry Gilliam
Terry Gilliam
Terrence Vance "Terry" Gilliam is an American-born British screenwriter, film director, animator, actor and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam is also known for directing several films, including Brazil , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen , The Fisher King , and 12 Monkeys...
's Brazil
Brazil (film)
Brazil is a 1985 British science fiction fantasy/black comedy film directed by Terry Gilliam. It was written by Gilliam, Charles McKeown, and Tom Stoppard and stars Jonathan Pryce. The film also features Robert De Niro, Kim Greist, Michael Palin, Katherine Helmond, Bob Hoskins, and Ian Holm...
, Tim Burton
Tim Burton
Timothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
's Batman
Batman (1989 film)
Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, directed by Tim Burton. The film stars Michael Keaton in the title role, as well as Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl and Jack Palance...
, and Alex Proyas
Alex Proyas
Alexander "Alex" Proyas is a Australian film director, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for directing such films as The Crow, Dark City, I, Robot and Knowing. He is known for employing a stylish photographic techniques in his films, with dark overtones usually in a post-apocalyptic...
' Dark City.
External links
- Jeffery Klaehn interviews Dean Motter on Mister X, Publishers Weekly Nov 11, 2008
- podcast interview with Dean Motter on Mister X: Condemned at comic book website comiXology. (12-29-2008)
- superheroes r us http://www.superheroes-r-us.com/2008/mister-x-returns-to-dark-horse/
- http://www.metrotimes.com/archives/story.asp?id=13581
- radio/podcast interview with Dean Motter on college radio comic book interview show Inkstuds. - 12-30-09