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{{BLP sources|date=November 2012}}
[[Image:Electro.jpg|right|Menlo Park & Anesta Robbins from ''Electropolis'']]
{{Infobox comics creator
In the late 1970s Toronto-based illustrator/ designer/ writer [http://home.earthlink.net/~dean.motter '''Dean Motter'''] edited and art directed Andromeda, a Canadian comic book series which adapted the works of major science–fiction authors such as Arthur C. Clarke and AE Van Vogt. During that time he and collaborator [[Ken Steacy]] created The Sacred & The Profane for [[Star_Reach|Star Reach]], which the late Archie Goodwin referred to as 'the first true graphic novel' in the contemporary comics medium.
| image = MotterComicConWeb.jpg
| imagesize = 150
| caption = Motter in 2008
| birth_name =
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = [[Canadian-American]]
| area =
| cartoonist =
| write = y
| art =
| pencil = y
| ink = y
| edit = y
| publish =
| letter = y
| color = y
| alias =
| signature = <!-- very optional -->
| notable works = ''[[Mister X (Vortex)|Mister X]]'', ''[[Terminal City (comics)|Terminal City]]'', ''[[The Prisoner: Shattered Visage]]''
| awards = 1983 Juno Award / Album Graphics: Anvil: Metal on Metal


1984 Juno Award / Album Graphics: The Nylons: Seamless
Motter achieved recognition for his album cover design during his tenure as art director for CBS Records Canada, and later with his own studio, Modern Imageworks. His record jackets and promotional graphics (for acts such as [[The_Nylons|The Nylons]], [[Triumph (band)|Triumph]], [[Loverboy#discography|Loverboy]], [[The_Diodes|The Diodes]], [[Liona_Boyd|Liona Boyd]], and [[Jane_Siberry|Jane Siberry]]) have been conferred with several awards.


1985 Casby Award / Album Cover: Jane Siberry: No Borders Here
Motter is best known as the creator and designer of [[Mister X (Vortex)|Mister X]], one the most influential ‘new-wave’ comics of the ‘80s[http://www.albany.net/~dsissman/misterx '''.'''] In 1988 he co-wrote and illustrated [[The_Prisoner|The Prisoner]] for [[DC_Comics|DC Comics]] based on Patrick McGoohan's 1960s British television series.


1985 Toronto Art Directors Club, Best of the 80's / Album Cover: Honeymoon Suite
Dean relocated in New York City in 1990 where he served as art director and senior designer for Byron Preiss Visual Publications (for whom he also edited a line of Philip Marlowe graphic novels.) In 1993 he joined the staff at [[DC_Comics|DC Comics]] where he oversaw the corporate and licensing designs for many of America’s most beloved comic book characters. He returned to the freelance community in 1997, retaining his previous employers among his most active clients.
| website = http://deanmotter.com
| nonUS = y
}}
'''Dean Motter''' is an illustrator, designer and writer who has worked for many years in Canada ([[Toronto]]) and the United States ([[New York City]] and [[Atlanta]]). He is best known for his [[album cover]] designs, two of which won [[Juno Award]]s. He is also the creator and designer of ''[[Mister X (Vortex)|Mister X]]'', one of the most influential "new-wave" comics of the 1980s.<ref>[http://www.albany.net/~dsissman/misterx Mister X<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051028084556/http://www.albany.net/~dsissman/misterx/ |date=2005-10-28 }}</ref>


==Early career==
Motter’s acclaimed Vertigo mini-series Terminal City and its sequel, Terminal City: Aerial Graffiti (both illustrated by Michael Lark) were nominated for a number of [[Eisner_Awards|Eisner]] and [[Harvey_Award|Harvey Awards]] during their 1996-1998 run.
Dean Motter showed interest in drawing from an early age, and his parents, both artists themselves, encouraged his endeavors.<ref name="DAK39">{{cite news | first = Marty | last = Herzog | date = October 1986 | title = Dean Motter | work = [[Comics Interview]] | issue = 39 | pages = 60–77 | publisher = [[Fictioneer Books]]}}</ref> He initially attended college for [[fine art]]s, but lost interest and segued into music.<ref name="DAK39"/> In the late 1970s, Motter edited and art directed ''Andromeda'', a Canadian comic book series which adapted the works of major science–fiction authors such as [[Arthur C. Clarke]] and [[A. E. van Vogt]]. During that time Motter and collaborator [[Ken Steacy]] created ''The Sacred & The Profane'' (published in ''[[Star Reach]]''), which [[Archie Goodwin (comics)|Archie Goodwin]] referred to as "the first true graphic novel" in the contemporary comics medium.<ref>Introduction to The Scared & The Profane collected edition. Eclipse Books 1986</ref> He also collaborated on the design for [[Marshall McLuhan]]'s posthumous book ''Laws of Media'' and illustrated several educational [[children's book]]s.<ref name="DAK39"/>


Motter achieved recognition for his album cover design during his tenure as art director for CBS Records Canada, and later with his own studios, Diagram Studios and (following the closure of Diagram) [[Modern Imageworks]].<ref name="DAK39"/> His record jackets and promotional graphics (for acts such as [[The Nylons]], [[Triumph (band)|Triumph]], [[Loverboy#Discography|Loverboy]], [[Honeymoon Suite]], [[The Diodes]], [[Liona Boyd]], [[The Irish Rovers]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theballadeers.com/ir_d21_no_butter.htm |title=No More Bread and Butter: The Irish Rovers at theBalladeers |accessdate=2014-06-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902110619/http://www.theballadeers.com/ir_d21_no_butter.htm |archivedate=2012-09-02 }}</ref> and [[Jane Siberry]]) have won several awards. Motter has been nominated for a [[Juno Award]] six times, and won twice. He won a [[Juno Awards of 1983|Juno Award]] in 1983 for "[[Juno Award for CD/DVD Artwork Design of the Year|Best Album Graphics]]" for his work on the [[Anvil (band)|Anvil]] album ''[[Metal on Metal]]''. The following year, he again won the "Best Album Graphics" award for his work on the ''Seamless'' album by [[The Nylons]], along with Jeff Jackson and Deborah Samuel.
His artwork has been featured in many comic book publications, notably the [[Classics_Illustrated|Classics Illustrated]] adaptation of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Batman: Gotham Knights, [[Hunter_Rose|Grendel: Red, White and Black,]] John Constantine: [[Hellblazer]], and 9-11: Artists Respond as well as the Superman's First Flight children's book for Scholastic. He has written stories for Superman Adventures and Star Wars Tales.


In 1988, he co-wrote and illustrated ''[[Shattered Visage (The Prisoner)|Shattered Visage]]'' for [[DC Comics]] based on Patrick McGoohan's 1960s British television series ''[[The Prisoner]]''. The following year he created the logo and basic cover design for DC's [[Piranha Press]] imprint.
In 2001 Dean re-united with Michael Lark to create the award-winning Batman: Nine Lives graphic novel for [[DC_Comics|DC Comics]]. During that time he also wrote and illustrated [http://home.earthlink.net/~dean.motter/electopolis.htm|Electropolis] for [[Image_Comics|Image Comics]].


==Later years==
Motter has compiled and designed the retrospectives, Echoes:The Drawings of Michael Wm. Kaluta, and The Thrilling Comic Book Cover Art of Alex Schomberg for Vanguard Productions as well as Mister X:The Definitive Collection (including Motter’s reminisces and newly illustrated finale) for ibooks.
[[File:Electropolis graphic novel cover art.jpg|right|Menlo Park & Anesta Robbins from ''Electropolis'']]
Dean relocated in New York City in 1990 where he served as art director and senior designer for Byron Preiss Visual Publications (for whom he also edited a line of [[Philip Marlowe]] graphic novels.) In 1993, he joined the staff at [[DC Comics]] where he oversaw the corporate and licensing designs for many of their characters. He returned to the freelance community in 1997, retaining his previous employers among his most active clients.


Motter's acclaimed Vertigo mini-series ''[[Terminal City (comics)|Terminal City]]'' and its sequel ''Terminal City: Aerial Graffiti'' (both illustrated by [[Michael Lark]]) were nominated for a number of [[Eisner Awards|Eisner]] and [[Harvey Award]]s during their 1996–1998 run.
[[Image:Evidence.jpg|left|Who Stole the Tarts?]][http://home.earthlink.net/~dean.motter/alice.htm Through a Glassy Darkly: Shattered Reflections of Wonderland], a book of Motter’s illustrations from the Lewis Carroll classic was released in 2005.

His artwork has been featured in many comic book publications, notably the ''[[Classics Illustrated]]'' adaptation of ''The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'', ''Batman: Black & White'', ''[[Hunter Rose|Grendel: Red, White and Black]]'', ''John Constantine: [[Hellblazer]]'' and ''9-11: Artists Respond'' as well as the ''Superman's First Flight'' children's book for Scholastic. He has written stories for ''Superman Adventures'', ''Star Wars Tales'', ''Will Eisner's The Spirit'', and ''Wolverine''.

In 2001 Dean re-united with Michael Lark to create the award-winning ''Batman: Nine Lives'' graphic novel for [[DC Comics]]. During that time he also wrote and illustrated ''Electropolis'' for [[Image Comics]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://deanmotter.com/electopolis.htm|title = Electopolis}}</ref>

Motter has compiled and designed the retrospectives, ''Echoes: The Drawings of [[Michael Kaluta|Michael Wm. Kaluta]]'' and ''The Thrilling Comic Book Cover Art of Alex Schomberg'' for Vanguard Productions, as well as ''Mister X: The Archives'' (including Motter's reminiscences and newly illustrated finale) and Mister X: The Modern Age (collecting Motter's post-millennial Radiant City stories) for Dark Horse Books. He continues to write and illustrate Mister X comics for Dark Horse Comics as well as documentary comic book works for the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust, the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies, the Karski Institute for Holocaust Education and the [[Spyscape]] museum in NYC.

==Personal life==
Born in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, Dean Motter was raised in a family of devout [[Protestant]]s. Though an [[agnostic]] himself, he regards religion as a positive institution, commenting that "it has value and it has enriched people's lives."<ref name="DAK39"/> He studied under [[Tom Lodge]], [[Eric McLuhan]] and artist [[Michael Hayden (artist)|Michael Hayden]] in his college years. He has been married three times, including to author [[Judith Dupré]] and the late Heather Brown. Having lived in Toronto and Manhattan, he currently makes his home outside of Atlanta, Georgia.

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
{{refbegin}}
*{{gcdb|type=credit|search=Dean+Motter|title=Dean Motter}}
*{{comicbookdb|type=creator|id=1462|title=Dean Motter}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
*{{official website|http://deanmotter.com}}

===Interviews===
{{More footnotes needed|section|date=April 2009}}
* Cooke, Jon B.. Mister X-Man Motter, '' [[Comic Book Artist]]'', No. 15 November 2001
* Klaehn, Jeffery. [http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6617385.html Mister X: Still Sleepless After All These Years], ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'', November 24, 2008
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090202112505/http://www.comixology.com/podcasts/76/Dean-Motter Episode 74: Dean Motter], comiXology, December 29, 2008
* Klaehn, Jeffery. [https://web.archive.org/web/20101122125328/http://graphicnovelreporter.com/content/mister-m-career-retrospective-dean-motter-interview Mister M: A Career Retrospective with Dean Motter], Graphic Novel Reporter, February 2009

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Motter, Dean}}
[[Category:Canadian illustrators]]
[[Category:Juno Award for Recording Package of the Year winners]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]

Latest revision as of 20:50, 13 December 2024

Dean Motter
Motter in 2008
NationalityCanadian-American
Area(s)Writer, Penciller, Inker, Editor, Letterer, Colorist
Notable works
Mister X, Terminal City, The Prisoner: Shattered Visage
Awards1983 Juno Award / Album Graphics: Anvil: Metal on Metal

1984 Juno Award / Album Graphics: The Nylons: Seamless

1985 Casby Award / Album Cover: Jane Siberry: No Borders Here

1985 Toronto Art Directors Club, Best of the 80's / Album Cover: Honeymoon Suite
http://deanmotter.com

Dean Motter is an illustrator, designer and writer who has worked for many years in Canada (Toronto) and the United States (New York City and Atlanta). He is best known for his album cover designs, two of which won Juno Awards. He is also the creator and designer of Mister X, one of the most influential "new-wave" comics of the 1980s.[1]

Early career

[edit]

Dean Motter showed interest in drawing from an early age, and his parents, both artists themselves, encouraged his endeavors.[2] He initially attended college for fine arts, but lost interest and segued into music.[2] In the late 1970s, Motter edited and art directed Andromeda, a Canadian comic book series which adapted the works of major science–fiction authors such as Arthur C. Clarke and A. E. van Vogt. During that time Motter and collaborator Ken Steacy created The Sacred & The Profane (published in Star Reach), which Archie Goodwin referred to as "the first true graphic novel" in the contemporary comics medium.[3] He also collaborated on the design for Marshall McLuhan's posthumous book Laws of Media and illustrated several educational children's books.[2]

Motter achieved recognition for his album cover design during his tenure as art director for CBS Records Canada, and later with his own studios, Diagram Studios and (following the closure of Diagram) Modern Imageworks.[2] His record jackets and promotional graphics (for acts such as The Nylons, Triumph, Loverboy, Honeymoon Suite, The Diodes, Liona Boyd, The Irish Rovers[4] and Jane Siberry) have won several awards. Motter has been nominated for a Juno Award six times, and won twice. He won a Juno Award in 1983 for "Best Album Graphics" for his work on the Anvil album Metal on Metal. The following year, he again won the "Best Album Graphics" award for his work on the Seamless album by The Nylons, along with Jeff Jackson and Deborah Samuel.

In 1988, he co-wrote and illustrated Shattered Visage for DC Comics based on Patrick McGoohan's 1960s British television series The Prisoner. The following year he created the logo and basic cover design for DC's Piranha Press imprint.

Later years

[edit]
Menlo Park & Anesta Robbins from Electropolis
Menlo Park & Anesta Robbins from Electropolis

Dean relocated in New York City in 1990 where he served as art director and senior designer for Byron Preiss Visual Publications (for whom he also edited a line of Philip Marlowe graphic novels.) In 1993, he joined the staff at DC Comics where he oversaw the corporate and licensing designs for many of their characters. He returned to the freelance community in 1997, retaining his previous employers among his most active clients.

Motter's acclaimed Vertigo mini-series Terminal City and its sequel Terminal City: Aerial Graffiti (both illustrated by Michael Lark) were nominated for a number of Eisner and Harvey Awards during their 1996–1998 run.

His artwork has been featured in many comic book publications, notably the Classics Illustrated adaptation of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Batman: Black & White, Grendel: Red, White and Black, John Constantine: Hellblazer and 9-11: Artists Respond as well as the Superman's First Flight children's book for Scholastic. He has written stories for Superman Adventures, Star Wars Tales, Will Eisner's The Spirit, and Wolverine.

In 2001 Dean re-united with Michael Lark to create the award-winning Batman: Nine Lives graphic novel for DC Comics. During that time he also wrote and illustrated Electropolis for Image Comics.[5]

Motter has compiled and designed the retrospectives, Echoes: The Drawings of Michael Wm. Kaluta and The Thrilling Comic Book Cover Art of Alex Schomberg for Vanguard Productions, as well as Mister X: The Archives (including Motter's reminiscences and newly illustrated finale) and Mister X: The Modern Age (collecting Motter's post-millennial Radiant City stories) for Dark Horse Books. He continues to write and illustrate Mister X comics for Dark Horse Comics as well as documentary comic book works for the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust, the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies, the Karski Institute for Holocaust Education and the Spyscape museum in NYC.

Personal life

[edit]

Born in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, Dean Motter was raised in a family of devout Protestants. Though an agnostic himself, he regards religion as a positive institution, commenting that "it has value and it has enriched people's lives."[2] He studied under Tom Lodge, Eric McLuhan and artist Michael Hayden in his college years. He has been married three times, including to author Judith Dupré and the late Heather Brown. Having lived in Toronto and Manhattan, he currently makes his home outside of Atlanta, Georgia.

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Mister X Archived 2005-10-28 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b c d e Herzog, Marty (October 1986). "Dean Motter". Comics Interview. No. 39. Fictioneer Books. pp. 60–77.
  3. ^ Introduction to The Scared & The Profane collected edition. Eclipse Books 1986
  4. ^ "No More Bread and Butter: The Irish Rovers at theBalladeers". Archived from the original on 2012-09-02. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  5. ^ "Electopolis".

References

[edit]
[edit]

Interviews

[edit]