Vortex Comics
Encyclopedia
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. Vortex also earned a reputation for publishing Canadian comic book creators such as Brown, Ty Templeton
, Ken Steacy
, Jeffrey Morgan
, and Dean Motter
.
In 1984 Vortex added new titles like Mister X and Templeton's Stig's Inferno, as well as Templeton & Klaus Schoenefeld's Kelvin Mace and Matt Howarth
's Those Annoying Post Bros. The first four issues of Mister X featured work by the Jaime
and Gilbert Hernandez
; they later left the publisher for lack of payment (though they were finally paid in 1988).
In 1986–1987, Vortex again expanded, adding titles such as Ted McKeever
's Transit, Bill White
's Kaptain Keen & Kompany, Howarth's Savage Henry, and the two-issue Peter Milligan
series Paradax. More significantly, Vortex began publishing a full-sized version of Chester Brown
's mini-comic Yummy Fur, bringing Brown's surreal, black-humor stories to a wider audience. In 1990, Yummy Fur was nominated for a Harvey Award
(Special Award for Humor category). Around this time Vortex also began publishing book-length graphic novels and compilations.
Hard times hit the comics industry in 1988, however, and Vortex, like many other small publishers, suffered. The company was able to launch a few new titles in 1988, most notably Howard Chaykin
's erotic thriller Black Kiss
. Black Kiss became one of the most controversial North American comics of the late 1980s
, due to the comic having the sort of explicit scenes of sex and violence unseen in most comics published at the time. In addition, Vortex's printer at the time, Ronald's Printing, refused to print the book due to its content. To help retailers who had worries over selling what could be described as pornography
, Vortex released the series sealed in a plastic bag. (This meant that casual browsers could not open the comic, or obviously see the internal content.) The publicity over Black Kiss didn't necessarily lead to strong sales, however, and by the end of 1988 Vortex's publishing schedule was erratic. Nonetheless, in January 1989, Vortex declared itself the third largest North American independent comic book publisher.
Reflecting publisher Marks' interest in car racing, Vortex survived until 1994 with an odd mixture of alternative titles and NASCAR
-themed comics. (In 1991 and 1992 Vortex sponsored the 'Rookie of the Year' award in NASCAR's Grand National series; the 1991 prize was won by future superstar Jeff Gordon
.)
In May 1994 Matt Howarth
officially moved Those Annoying Post Bros. to rival publisher Aeon
. Shakeups in the comics industry that year hit the small press hard, and Vortex was no exception. The last comic published by the company was Nocturnal Emissions #4, in March 1994.
After a brief career as a race car driver, publisher Marks went on to produce and direct numerous feature films. Vortex was re-branded by Marks in 2009 as Vortex Words + Pictures, and most recently Vortex has produced the George Hickenlooper film Casino Jack starring Kevin Spacey
.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
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
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....
's Mister X
Mister X (Vortex)
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...
, Howard Chaykin
Howard Chaykin
Howard Victor Chaykin is an American comic book writer and artist famous for his innovative storytelling and sometimes controversial material...
's Black Kiss
Black Kiss
Black Kiss is a hardboiled erotic American comic book limited series written and drawn by Howard Chaykin, which was originally published in 1988 by Vortex Comics.-Publication history:...
, and Chester Brown
Chester Brown
Chester William David Brown , is an award-winning, best-selling Canadian alternative cartoonist and, since 2008, the Libertarian Party of Canada's candidate for the riding of Trinity-Spadina in Toronto, Canada....
's Yummy Fur. Vortex also earned a reputation for publishing Canadian comic book creators such as Brown, Ty Templeton
Ty Templeton
Ty Templeton is a popular Canadian comic book artist and writer who has drawn a number of popular mainstream titles, TV-associated titles and his own series.-Biography:Templeton was born on May 9, 1962...
, Ken Steacy
Ken Steacy
Ken “Value Added” Steacy is a Canadian comics artist and writer best known for his work on the NOW Comics comic book series of Astro Boy and of the Comico comic series of Jonny Quest, as well as his graphic novel collaborations with Harlan Ellison and Dean Motter...
, 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:...
, and 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....
.
History
William P. "Bill" Marks of Toronto founded Vortex in 1982, with its first title being an anthology comic of the same name. Vortex received good distribution in both the U.S. and Canada, and the company proved to be a major force in Canadian comics publishing throughout the 1980s.In 1984 Vortex added new titles like Mister X and Templeton's Stig's Inferno, as well as Templeton & Klaus Schoenefeld's Kelvin Mace and Matt Howarth
Matt Howarth
Matt Howarth is an American comic book writer/artist known for such series as Those Annoying Post Bros, Savage Henry, Star Crossed, and Bugtown....
's Those Annoying Post Bros. The first four issues of Mister X featured work by the Jaime
Jaime Hernandez
Jaime Hernandez is the co-creator of the black & white independent comic book Love and Rockets .-Early life:...
and 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...
; they later left the publisher for lack of payment (though they were finally paid in 1988).
In 1986–1987, Vortex again expanded, adding titles such as Ted McKeever
Ted McKeever
-Career:McKeever first professional work appeared in 1987, when he published the first five parts of his unfinished series Transit , establishing his trademark style. This was followed in 1987-1988 by his 12-part series Eddy Current. This "12-hour book" centers on an escapee from an asylum...
's Transit, Bill White
Bill White (artist)
Bill White is an American animator, and a comic book writer, penciller, and inker.White studied animation under former Disney animator Milt Neil at The Kubert School. He has contributed artwork and stories to many comic book publishers, including DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Archie Comics, Harvey...
's Kaptain Keen & Kompany, Howarth's Savage Henry, and the two-issue Peter Milligan
Peter Milligan
Peter Milligan born in London, a British writer, best known for his comic book, film and television work.-Early career:Milligan started his comic career with short stories for 2000 AD in the early 1980s. By 1986, Milligan had his first ongoing strip in 2000AD called Bad Company, with artists Brett...
series Paradax. More significantly, Vortex began publishing a full-sized version of Chester Brown
Chester Brown
Chester William David Brown , is an award-winning, best-selling Canadian alternative cartoonist and, since 2008, the Libertarian Party of Canada's candidate for the riding of Trinity-Spadina in Toronto, Canada....
's mini-comic Yummy Fur, bringing Brown's surreal, black-humor stories to a wider audience. In 1990, Yummy Fur was nominated for a Harvey Award
Harvey Award
The Harvey Awards, named for writer-artist Harvey Kurtzman and founded by Gary Groth, President of the publisher Fantagraphics, are given for achievement in comic books. The Harveys were created as part of a successor to the Kirby Awards which were discontinued after 1987.The Harvey Awards are...
(Special Award for Humor category). Around this time Vortex also began publishing book-length graphic novels and compilations.
Hard times hit the comics industry in 1988, however, and Vortex, like many other small publishers, suffered. The company was able to launch a few new titles in 1988, most notably Howard Chaykin
Howard Chaykin
Howard Victor Chaykin is an American comic book writer and artist famous for his innovative storytelling and sometimes controversial material...
's erotic thriller Black Kiss
Black Kiss
Black Kiss is a hardboiled erotic American comic book limited series written and drawn by Howard Chaykin, which was originally published in 1988 by Vortex Comics.-Publication history:...
. Black Kiss became one of the most controversial North American comics of the late 1980s
1980s in comics
This article lists major events in the field of comics during the 1980s.Publications: 1980 - 1981 - 1982 - 1983 - 1984 - 1985 - 1986 - 1987 - 1988 - 1989-1982:*Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo debuts in Young Magazine.- March :...
, due to the comic having the sort of explicit scenes of sex and violence unseen in most comics published at the time. In addition, Vortex's printer at the time, Ronald's Printing, refused to print the book due to its content. To help retailers who had worries over selling what could be described as pornography
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
, Vortex released the series sealed in a plastic bag. (This meant that casual browsers could not open the comic, or obviously see the internal content.) The publicity over Black Kiss didn't necessarily lead to strong sales, however, and by the end of 1988 Vortex's publishing schedule was erratic. Nonetheless, in January 1989, Vortex declared itself the third largest North American independent comic book publisher.
Reflecting publisher Marks' interest in car racing, Vortex survived until 1994 with an odd mixture of alternative titles and NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
-themed comics. (In 1991 and 1992 Vortex sponsored the 'Rookie of the Year' award in NASCAR's Grand National series; the 1991 prize was won by future superstar Jeff Gordon
Jeff Gordon
Jeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon is a professional NASCAR driver. He is the driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala. He is a four-time Sprint Cup Series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins, and has the...
.)
In May 1994 Matt Howarth
Matt Howarth
Matt Howarth is an American comic book writer/artist known for such series as Those Annoying Post Bros, Savage Henry, Star Crossed, and Bugtown....
officially moved Those Annoying Post Bros. to rival publisher Aeon
MU Press
MU Press was an independent comic book publisher based in Seattle, Washington, which operated from 1990–c. 2006. MU Press was one of the industry's most prolific "furry" comic publishers, while its mid-90s imprint Aeon Publications specialized in alternative fare. MU Press was founded by...
. Shakeups in the comics industry that year hit the small press hard, and Vortex was no exception. The last comic published by the company was Nocturnal Emissions #4, in March 1994.
After a brief career as a race car driver, publisher Marks went on to produce and direct numerous feature films. Vortex was re-branded by Marks in 2009 as Vortex Words + Pictures, and most recently Vortex has produced the George Hickenlooper film Casino Jack starring Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey, CBE is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and crooner. He grew up in California, and began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, before being cast in supporting roles in film and television...
.
Ongoing titles
- Big Black KissBlack KissBlack Kiss is a hardboiled erotic American comic book limited series written and drawn by Howard Chaykin, which was originally published in 1988 by Vortex Comics.-Publication history:...
(1989–1990) - Black KissBlack KissBlack Kiss is a hardboiled erotic American comic book limited series written and drawn by Howard Chaykin, which was originally published in 1988 by Vortex Comics.-Publication history:...
(1988–1989) - Bloodlines #4-7 (1987–1988)
- Doc Chaos: The Strange Attractor (1990–1992)
- Kaptain Keen and Company (1987)
- Kelvin Mace (1985–1986)
- Ken SteacyKen SteacyKen “Value Added” Steacy is a Canadian comics artist and writer best known for his work on the NOW Comics comic book series of Astro Boy and of the Comico comic series of Jonny Quest, as well as his graphic novel collaborations with Harlan Ellison and Dean Motter...
's Summer Rerun (1987) - The Legends of NASCAR (1990–1992)
- Mister XMister X (Vortex)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...
(3 series, 1984–1992) - NASCAR Adventures (1991–1992)
- Nocturnal Emissions (1991–1994)
- Paradax (1987)
- Savage Henry (1987–1990)
- S'not for Kids (1991)
- Stig's Inferno (1985–1986)
- Those Annoying Post Bros. (1985–1991) — acquired by Rip Off PressRip Off PressRip Off Press, Inc. is a seminal publishing company that specializes in adult-themed literature and graphic novels, mostly in a specific comic book format known as underground comix.-Overview:...
- Transit (1987)
- Vortex Comics (1982–1988)
- Yummy Fur (1986–1991)
Specials and one-shots
- Badlands (1990)
- Brain of Mister XMister X (Vortex)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...
(1988) - Daytona Special (1991)
- Ed the Happy Clown (two one-shots, 1989 & 1992)
- The Legends of NASCAR Christmas Special (1991)
- Mister X SpecialMister X (Vortex)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...
(1990) - The Return of Mister XMister X (Vortex)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...
(1986) - Thick Black KissBlack KissBlack Kiss is a hardboiled erotic American comic book limited series written and drawn by Howard Chaykin, which was originally published in 1988 by Vortex Comics.-Publication history:...
(1993)
Creators associated with Vortex Comics
- Chester BrownChester BrownChester William David Brown , is an award-winning, best-selling Canadian alternative cartoonist and, since 2008, the Libertarian Party of Canada's candidate for the riding of Trinity-Spadina in Toronto, Canada....
- Howard ChaykinHoward ChaykinHoward Victor Chaykin is an American comic book writer and artist famous for his innovative storytelling and sometimes controversial material...
- Gilbert HernandezGilbert HernandezGilberto 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...
- Jaime HernandezJaime HernandezJaime Hernandez is the co-creator of the black & white independent comic book Love and Rockets .-Early life:...
- Mario HernandezMario HernandezMario 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 :...
- Matt HowarthMatt HowarthMatt Howarth is an American comic book writer/artist known for such series as Those Annoying Post Bros, Savage Henry, Star Crossed, and Bugtown....
- Ted McKeeverTed McKeever-Career:McKeever first professional work appeared in 1987, when he published the first five parts of his unfinished series Transit , establishing his trademark style. This was followed in 1987-1988 by his 12-part series Eddy Current. This "12-hour book" centers on an escapee from an asylum...
- Peter MilliganPeter MilliganPeter Milligan born in London, a British writer, best known for his comic book, film and television work.-Early career:Milligan started his comic career with short stories for 2000 AD in the early 1980s. By 1986, Milligan had his first ongoing strip in 2000AD called Bad Company, with artists Brett...
- Jeffrey MorganJeffrey MorganJeffrey 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:...
- Dean MotterDean MotterDean 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....
- SethSeth (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...
- Fiona Smyth
- Ty TempletonTy TempletonTy Templeton is a popular Canadian comic book artist and writer who has drawn a number of popular mainstream titles, TV-associated titles and his own series.-Biography:Templeton was born on May 9, 1962...
- Dave ThorpeDave ThorpeDave Thorpe is a British writer who is best known for his work on Captain Britain.-Biography:Thorpe's career began with Marvel UK's Captain Britain character in the early 1980s. He created many of the characters later used by Alan Moore...