Mister X (Vortex)

For other uses, see Mister X (comics).

Mister X
Cover of issue #2 illustrated by Paul Rivoche
Publication information
Publisher	Vortex Comics
Schedule	Monthly
Format	Standard
Publication date	(Series 1) June 1984 - August 1988 (Series 2) April 1989 - March 1990 (Series 3) 1996 Caliber Comics (Series4) 2008–2009 Dark Horse Comics
Number of issues	(Series 1) 14 (Series 2) 13 (Series 3) 4 (Series 4) 4
Creative team
Writer(s)	(Series 1) Jaime Hernandez Gilbert Hernandez Mario Hernandez Dean Motter (Series 2) Jeffrey Morgan (Series 3) Deborah Marks (Series 4) Dean Motter
Penciller(s)	Jaime Hernandez Gilbert Hernandez Paul Rivoche Seth (Series 2) Shane Oakley, D'Israeli (Series 4) Dean Motter
Inker(s)	(Series 2) Ken Holewczynski (Series 4) Dean Motter
Creator(s)	Dean Motter

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.

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.^[1][2] 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. 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issue of Volume II was published, beginning a story by Seth (writing as "Wilbur Webb") the rest of the story remained unpublished until it appeared in New Worlds Anthology.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.^[3]

Series background

Set in Radiant City, a dystopian municipality influenced by Bauhaus 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^{[by whom?]} 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 X's influence can be seen and was acknowledged in films like Terry Gilliam's Brazil,^[4] Tim Burton's Batman,^[5] and Alex Proyas' Dark City.^[6]

References

1. ^ "Hernandez Brothers Leave Mister X Over Payment Dispute," The Comics Journal #101 (August 1985), pp. 19–20.
2. ^ Groth, Gary (January 1989). "The Hernandez Bros. Interview". The Comics Journal: 61. ISSN 0194-7869. 
3. ^ CCI: X-25 - Motter talks Mister X, Comic Book Resources, July 25, 2008
4. ^ "The Many Faces of Mister X" By J. David Spurlock, The Edge 10th Anniversary Book, Vanguard Productions, 2003
5. ^ Comics Interview, No. 70 1989, pp. 43–45
6. ^ Dark City DVD - SAP Commentary Two

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