Mister X: The Definitive Collection, Vol. 1

Mr. X #1.1-6

by Dean Motter, Gilbert Hernández, Jaime Hernández

Mr. X's cache was his ambiguity, his mystique, his aura of menace; he was simply a mask that any member of the audience could put on. He was the model a character out to save the world not out of any heroic motives, but out of a manicial sense of guilt that compelled him to repari the disastrous results of his own well-intentioned but reckless machinations.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Comix, Graphic Novels Comics Manga, Graphic Novels Comics, Science Fiction, Fiction

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Dean R. 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.

Dean then took up the Creative Services Art Director's post at Time Warner/DC Comics, where he oversaw the corporate and licensing designs of America’s most beloved comic book characters such as Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. In his off-hours he went on to create and design the highly acclaimed, retro-futuristic comic book series, Terminal City-- and its sequels, Aerial Graffiti. and Electropolis.

Reviews

[Robert Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those great series of the 1980s that seems largely forgotten today. In its time, I would consider it easily as influential as Swamp Thing, Watchmen, and Dark Knight Returns.

The design work on these issues sets them apart.

The story is light on details and can be confusing. But if you're bothered by that, this really isn't the book for you.

The iBooks reprints are OK. I haven't had a chance to compare them to earlier collections or my originals. Sometimes the reproduction feels more like they were taken from color copies with little correction. And at least one page is reproduced twice. Not sure if a page was dropped without checking my originals, which are stored away right now.

Also wished iBooks had reproduced the frontispieces at full scale rather than thumbnail size.

Still check it out for great art and a glimpse of what a strong indy book was like back in the 80s heyday of indy comics standing alongside the Big 2.

[The Fizza · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.8 STARS - Mister X... what can one say about this mysterious figure??? According to some sources he is THE most recognizable graphic expression in the world.

Though I found that claim odd as I had no idea, what-so-ever, who he was until I saw his book on the shelf and decided to read it. That being said some might ask, 'Why I would jump onto an odd looking book like this?'

I might almost answer, that it being so odd were reason enough... but, let's be serious here: it's all about Dean Motter, a well-known album and book cover designer.

Previously I had read his Prisoner prestige format books (YES, that Prisoner) for DC and the VERTIGO Terminal City series. Both were excellent! So Dean was the selling point for me.

Because Mister X was first published between 1983–84 by the Toronto based Vortex Comics, I can see why the character had flown under my radar but Mister X's influence can be seen, and acknowledged, in films like Dark City, Brazil and Tim Burton's Batman.

This book also had a few different artists throughout, many of whom would later emerge as important alternative caricaturist. They would include Paul Rivoche, Ty Templeton, Dave McKean and Jaime Hernandez.

Was I happy with the story?

Well I really enjoyed the world that Mr. X inhabits: Radiant City, a dystopian megalopolis similar to the Fritz Lang's Metropolis.

The story concerns a mysterious figure who purports to be its architect (or is he?). Either way the man claiming to be the city's architect holds radical theories of 'psychetecture' and the designs that were followed in building Radiant City may have cause it's citizenry to go mad, just as the architect did.

Mr. X is on a mission to repair all the flaws and in order to accomplish this he MUST remain awake 24/7 by means of the drug "insomnalin." All while staying out of Radiant City's 'Dick Tracy–like' rogues sight as he is supported his girlfriend Mercedes and architect's socialite Ex-wife.

But was I HAPPY with the story?

Okay Motter's story might not seem to be very cohesive, and after reading both volumes, and a recent new story called "Condemned", there seems to be no end to the story as of yet.

However the art direction has made this series a cult favorite (especially on the world stage), known for its distinctive blend of Art Deco, German Expressionism and film noir motifs. Not to mention the new wave graphic design, popularized at the time by Art Spiegleman [Maus].

In short, it's pretty and fun. But you won't like the ending (because there isn't an ending).

This two volume collection also boasts a short Mister X piece by Neil Gaiman as an intro. And though for my taste Terminal City is where it's at, this was a interesting book none-the-less.

[Óscar Trobo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parece que hay consenso en que Mister X es una obra fallida. La misma introducción de este tebeo viene a decir que el concepto de Dean Motter y Paul Rivoche era genial y que los hermanos Hernández no entendieron nada. Le dieron un tono caricaturesco a la historia, se equivocaron a la hora de plasmar Radiant City en el papel y demás errores. La sustitución por un primerizo Seth no mejoró la cosa. Sólo un Dave McKean, que todavía no dibujaba raro, y un Bill Sienkiewicz que ya sí, supieron captar el espíritu de la historia en una historia de 3 páginas que realizó el primero y un episodio inconcluso del segundo.

A mí la verdad lo de McKean y Sienkiewicz me ha dejado bastante frío y los cuatro cómics que realizaron los Hernández me han gustado bastante. Los he leído como una historia más del universo Love and Rockets (hasta aparece Luba en una fiesta). A partir del número 5 en que Dean Motter recupera el control de la historia me he aburrido bastante. Y no lo salva ni el dibujo de Seth en el número 6. O sea que, obra fallida sí, pero disiento en la elección de los culpables.

De todas maneras me hubiera gustado que Norma hubiera publicado el segundo volumen para ver como evolucionaba este Seth pre-Palookaville. Motivo principal por el que me acerqué a esta historia.

(Al final va a resultar que el único en captar el verdadero espíritu de Mister X fue José María Beroy con su Doctor Mabuse)

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd give this collection 5 stars for content and maybe 2 or 3 for presentation. There are a few pages missing or out of order, and the reproduction is pretty muddy. You'd be better off buying the more recent Dark Horse version.

I bought this comic semi-regularly when it was first published, back in the eighties. It's definitely a flawed book, for a lot of reasons, but it was always fun to read, and broke some new ground in terms of graphic design in comics. It's always been a sentimental favorite of mine, despite all the flaws. It was a lot of fun to go back and read it again.

[Linton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Immensely frustrating. The artwork is breathtaking and intricate, but the story never goes anywhere nor makes much sense. And while the title character looks cool and seems like he should be interesting based on the initial concept, the comic is marred by the "mystery" of "Who is Mister X?" I read the trade and have no clue if there is a clear answer. There certainly wasn't any climax/resolution/catharsis.

Missed potential.

[Maria Morais · Rating 3 out of 5]

A premissa da história é muito interessante, o traço é incrível, guarda uma estética futurista com base em traços do passado, mas faltou desenvolvimento de algumas questões à medida que novos personagens entram na trama... Acaba ficando gente demais num plot twist infinito que acaba não nos levando lugar algum. No entanto, as ideias que circundam a narrativa com relação ao sono, às drogas, à construção de uma cidade perfeita que, na verdade, está enlouquecendo as pessoas, ainda faz a história valer a pena. Não é uma grande história, mas, suas ideias originais e traço único, o tornam um livro que sobrevive a seu tempo.

[Mjhancock · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection is all 14 issues of Mister X, plus assorted vignettes. The premise: Mr X. was part of a group that designed Radiant City on principles of psychogeometry; but something went wrong with the design, people are afraid to go to sleep, and Mister X is back, to restore the city's shape. At least, in theory, that's the premise. In actuality, what we mostly get is a bunch of stories revolving around Mr X's encounters with the high and mighty of Radiant City, and a twisted knot of identities as to who Mr X might actually be. The plot and story captures the feel of Mr X and Radiant City well enough, but doesn't do a lot for me beyond that. It's just too busy trying to present the next surprise to be particularly coherent. The real draw here, though, is the art. The first arc has the Hernandez brothers working on it; the last arc has Seth, in some of his earliest publish work. And it's all some very attractive stuff. The Hernandez brothers focus on some very attractive and expressive people, as is their strength, and Seth has some stunning layouts and designs--though they do seem to get a little sparse as his run goes on. I can see the ideas the writer Dean Motter seems to be aiming for, but I'm not sure they really land for me. Everything's a little too rote to hit the level of comedy, and a little too comedic (Mr X's identity basically becomes a farcical question by the end) to be taken seriously. In the introduction, Warren Ellis claims that Mister X was one of his influences, and I think it's fairly easy to see roots of Transmetropolitan, among other works, in Mr X's city and features. That's probably the biggest draw of the book at this point: as a moment in comic history that lay the ground work for more off-the-wall worlds.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard of this, even though it's more than 20 years old, and I like many of the people involved with it. Huh!?! Quite enjoyable, but a bit frustrating that it keeps adding complications and no resolutions.

[Aras · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://electric-pages.livejournal.com...

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

ambiguously fun. i didn't actually read it in spanish, but i couldn't find the english edition on this here thing.

[Sasha Boersma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smartly written and designed. Quite the intricate storyline involving the mysterious Mister X....