Dark Horse Comics; $79.95

For the sheer power of creativity and newness of the possibilities in a specific comic book era, it’s hard to beat the early 1980s. While just about every age has something to recommend it, it’s difficult to look past this creator-centric period because it was simply awash in cool concepts from writers and artists who believed the medium had more to offer than had been asked of it previously. Pioneers like Will Eisner and Don McGregor had hit us with their graphic novels in the 1970s, but it was the ‘80s that gave us Howard Chaykin’s American Flagg, Matt Wagner’s Grendel, Doug Moench’s Aztec Ace, Bill Willingham’s The Elementals, Mike Baron and Steve Rude’s Nexus, and Dave Stevens’ The Rocketeer.

On any list of distinctive, game-changing works from that period must be Dean Motter’s Mister X, a brilliant blend of crisp design sensibilities, early German cinema, the art deco movement, and the concept of “retro futurism” and mysteries wrapped in further mysteries. Giving form to these concepts was dazzling arrays of artistic talent: Paul Rivoche, Los Bros. Hernandez, Klaus Schönefeld, Seth, Ty Templeton, and Motter himself were supplemented by the likes of Dave McKean, Bill Sienkiewicz, and others.

Throughout the series, Motter kept readers guessing what would come next. Things were rarely as they seemed, and the only thing one could depend upon was that the next issue would be as good as the previous one.

Dark Horse Comics has done an amazing act of kindness simply by publishing this collection. It’s not that we don’t like superhero comics – check our reviews and you’ll have your proof – but we think folks needed this reminder of what can be done with the medium. Either by itself or taken in conjunction with Motter’s Terminal City (DC/Vertigo) or Electopolis (Image), Mister X: The Archives is a strong dose of comics at their best: challenging, thought-provoking, and fun.

– J.C. Vaughn