MISTER X
“Once they called it Radiant City, a vast and beautiful metropolis designed to fulfill the grandest aesthetic and architectural ideals. Now it molders in dilapidation, its citizens afflicted with sleep disorders, opium addiction and a surfeit of perversions. Stranded in Somnopolis is the mysterious Mr. X. His past shrouded in mystery, he makes his meager living as a private investigator. While probing other people’s darkest secrets, he must protect his own ….
Created and written by Dean Motter who was also its cover artist and art director Mister X vol. 1, no 1, June 1984. It was published in bimonthly magazine format by Vortex Comics Inc. Mister X was available throughout the North American and British markets with responses coming from Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Sweden, Tokyo and Brazil. It was translated into at least three languages. It continued to volume 2, number 13 July 1991 by which time the original creative team had left and the original concept had disappeared.
Mister X reflected Motter’s interest in the future as envisioned in 1935. Radiant City an art deco city was designed by its architect as a Utopian community but something went wrong and people living there became plagued with sleep disorders. Suicides became rampant. Mister X was himself addicted to a substance that kept him awake forever. Mister X himself first appeared on a jacket that Motter had designed for Patrick Crowley’s Megatron Man record album.
“That was Mr. X’s first visualization, I had done this illustration, just a mysterious character sitting in front of this art deco window, a big art deco skyscraper in the background, a kind of combination of Metropolis and Nosferatu … a whole bunch of subliminal influences went into this piece.”
The first four issues were gathered together in a graphic novel format The Return of Mister X which was published in limited hardcover, hardcover and paperback editions.
MEDIUM:
BOOK GRAPHIC:
Content novel & Cover book front:
Mister X: Condemned. Car., Dean Motter. Illus. assist & Colo., Hamid Bahrami. Dark Horse Books, Nov. 2009.
BOOK GRAPHIC COLLECTION:
Content serial & Cover dust jacket front illus., Paul Rivoche:
The Return of Mr. X. Graphitti Designs 1986. This book limited to 1500 copies collects the first for issues of Mister X plus preparatory sketches and a print by Dean Motter. For creator information see the Mister X issues below.
Content story & Cover book front:
Mister X: Eviction & Other Stories. Car., Dean Motter. Milwaukie: Dark Horse Books, Nov. 2013.
PERIODICAL GRAPHIC: All Mister X periodicals published by Vortex Comics.
Content:
Serial:
Mister X…: “Mr. X.” Creator, Dean Motter. |
1-1, June 1984. Car., Jamie & Gilbert Hernandez. Col., & Let., Paul Rivoche: 3-25.
2, Aug. 1984. Car., J., G. & Mario Hernandez. Col., Klaus Schönefeld. Let., P. Rivoche: 1-20 3, Dec.1984. Car., J., G. & M. Hernandez. Col., K. Schönefeld. Let., Ty Templeton: 1-18. 4, May 1985. Car., J., G. & M. Hernandez. Col., K. Schönefeld. Let., T. Templeton: 2-22. |
Mister X …: “Mr. X.” Creator & Writ., Dean Motter. |
5, Aug.1985: “…The Bizarre Death of Walter Eichmann.” Illus. & Col., K. Schönefeld. Co-script. In. & Let., T. Templeton..
6, Dec. 1985: “…: The Revenge of Zamora.” Pen., Seth. In., William Diamond. Col., K. Schönefeld. Let., Deborah Glencross.. 7, Feb.1986: “…The Secret, Pts 1& 2.” Pen., Seth. In., W. Diamond. Col., K. Schönefeld. Let’, D. Glencross.. 8, Oct.1986: “…The Secret Pt 3.” Pen., Seth. In., W. Diamond. Col., P. Rivoche. Let., Deborah Marks (Glencross). 9, Dec.1986: “… The Secret Pts 4 & 5.” Illus., Seth. Col. & Let., D. Marks.. |
Mister X…: “Mr. X: Nightclubs and Daydreams, ….” Creat.& Writ., D. Motter. Illus., Seth. Col. & Let., D. Marks. | ||
“… Pts 1 & 2.” 10, Aug.1987. | “…Pt 3.” 11, Nov.1987. | “…Pts, 4 & 5.” 12, Jan.1988. |
Mister X…:. “William P. Marks presents MR. X in ….” Prod. & Dir., William Marks. Writ., Jeff Morgan. Pen., D’Israeli. In., Ken Holewczynski. Let., Deborah Marks. Des., Diti Katona. | |
2-7, Oct.1989: “… Limbo Boxcars”: 1-22. | 2- 8, Nov. 1989: “…Snake Eyes.”: 1-20. |
Mister X, 2-13, July 1991: “William P. Marks presents MR. X in The Radiant City Story.” Prod. & William Marks. Writ., W. Webb. Pen., D’Israeli. In., K. Holewczynski. Let., D. Marks. Des., Nuala Productions: 1- 20.
Story:
Mister X:. “Tales from Somnopolis”…. |
1-1, June 1984. Car., Gilbert Hernandez.
2, Aug. 1984. Writ., Mario Hernandez. Illus., Gilbert Hernandez: 21-26 3, Dec.1984. “Sad Mas Que Rad Eh ?” Writ., M. Hernandez . Illus., G. Hernandez: 6, Dec. 1985. Car., Seth (Gregory Gallant). 8, Oct.1986. Writ., Rob Eggleton. Illus., K.s Schönefeld. Col., Dan Milligan. 10, Aug.1987. “Hollow Man.” Writ., Rob Eggleton. Illus., Paul Rivoche. 11, Nov.1987. Car., Dave McKean. |
Cover front:
Mister X,1-1, June 1984: Illus., unidentified.
Mister X, …. Illustrator, …. | |
2, Aug. 1984: Paul Rivoche..
3, Dec.1984: Paul Rivoche. 4, May 1985: Dean Motter. 5, Aug.1985: Dean Motter. 6, Dec. 1985: Dean Motter. 7, Feb.1986: Howard Chaykin & Leslie Zahler. 8, Oct.1986: Dean Motter. |
9, Dec.1986: Paul Rivoche.
10, Aug.1987: Bill Sienkiewicz. 11, Nov.1987: Maurice Vellekoop. 12, Jan.1988: Dean Motter. 2-7, Oct.1989: Steve Sampson. 2- 8, Nov. 1989: D’Israeli. 2-13, July 1991: Paul Rivoche. |
SOURCE:
Article book:
The Return of Mr. X. Creator, Motter, D. Writ., G.& M. Hernandez. Illus., J. Hernandez. Col., P. Rivoche & K. Schönefeld. Graphitti Designs 1986: “The X-Files”: 86-95.
Article periodical:
Amazing Heroes, 48, 1 June 1984: “More Fun In The New World With Mr. X.” Writ., “Ace” MacDonald: 29-39.
Mister X, 1-1, June 1984 to 2-13, July 1991: “Exposé: An Introduction by Dean Motter.”.
Article newspaper:
Toronto Sun, 11 Jan. 1987: “Fab Funnies.” Writ., Dan Proudfoot: C8.
Toronto Star, 27 Feb.1987: “Mister X marks the spot in comics.” Writ., Rob Salem: D3.
GALLERY:
Mister X: 2, august 1984: Front cover. Illus., Paul Rivoche.
Print from The Return of Mister X, 1986.
Comics Interview, 39, 1986: Front cover. Illus., Dean Motter,