BY JENNIFER M. CONTINO Writer Dean Motter tells us what it means to be "Unique" in the new Platinum three part limited series, the first part of which hits stores this March.
THE PULSE: You told me in an e-mail you found the assignment for Unique to be "simple." But it doesn't sound like a simple concept. How did you come up with your story, without making it sound like something out of any in a long line of dimension hopping tales?
DEAN MOTTER: The idea was simple in that it was very concisely stated and as noted, was also well-traveled territory (Sliders, Star Trek Mirror Universe, Crisis on Infinite Earths.) Being aware of the more popular explorations of the concept, I knew what sorts of things I wanted to avoid; Either for reasons of originality or because I found them trite or ill-conceived. Finding (and convincing editorial voices) the way to make it 'mine' and set it apart from other such tales-- that was somewhat more difficult. So I started from scratch. Instead of pondering what if a brilliant scientist, or space adventurer or super-hero found themselves confronting an alternate reality that had disrupted their life- I wondered how a common man might be forced to deal with this.
THE PULSE: It seems like it would be a challenge to take a concept that has been done before in a variety of medias and make it, as the title states, "Unique." How did you go about making this material your own and breaking out of the standard mold that most stories seem entrenched in?
MOTTER: The first thing I wanted to do was to abandon the quantum universe theory-- the idea that ours is one of an infinite number of realities. Not because I disliked it, but it was hard to imagine coming up with a story based on that concept that wasn't derivative. So I opted for a premise based on the idea of a symmetrical, physical reflection of our 'dimension.' There would be no 'moral' polar forces ie. there would not necessarily be evil twins etc. Simply a physicality somehow opposite to ours, not divergent from one or more possibilities on the theoretical outcome of events.
THE PULSE: What is your lead's world like when this story begins? Does he have lives in other dimensions?
MOTTER: Jon is a normal guy- or so he believes. He lives and works in Chicago, as a low-level financial analyst for a large mutli-national. He suffers from mild paranoid depression. But unknown to him at the beginning, Jon is a 'unique'-- one of a very few human beings who do not have a counterpart in the other dimension. As such he has no life there. But he is also one an even smaller sub-group that is able to move between these worlds. He is ignorant of this condition. When it first manifests itself he believes it to be another of the very intense nightmares that plague him-- until he learns otherwise. He is not a particularly remarkable man, but when he becomes both the pawn and prey of an inter-dimensional conspiracy he is forced into action.
THE PULSE: Although I'm sure you don't want to spoil things, how does he come to find himself traversing dimensions and what is this "evil" that's hot on his trail?
MOTTER: There are forces in both worlds that have discovered the means to communicate with one and other and are conspiring to dominate their world by manipulating events in the other. There are a few 'unique' agents whose role it is to either accomplish this, or prevent it. Jon being the most potent 'unique' yet discovered is sought by both sides-- one to recruit him, the other to eliminate him. He just wants his life back. But to do so he must engage the conflict at its most dramatic and critical levels.
THE PULSE: Why did you want to have a world just like ours, except have it be "sociologically nocturnal"? What elements does that add to the mix?
MOTTER: As I said, I wanted a symmetrical counter-Earth. Not just for the quasi-physics, but for the mood. I wanted to elicit the flavor of the old Outer Limits/Twilight Zone/Fugitive episodes. I liked the noir, almost claustrophobic flavor as opposed to a high-tech/high-adventure world-spanning epic. Since paranoia plays a big role in Jon's ordeal, the 'world of night' appealed to me because of its menace and mystery. I describe the anthropological reasons for this condition in the first issue. The cultural ramifications go from human eyesight being far more sensitive to light to the scarcity of windows and night-time illumination in architecture, to simply saying "Good Morning" instead of "Good Night"
THE PULSE: One could probably see some of the sci-fi things that influenced you here, but what are some of the things that played a role in how you came up with Unique that aren't so easy to spot?
MOTTER: My long-time hero in creating altered worlds--J.G. Ballard-- I don't think his influence isn't too hard to spot. Richard Mattheson (Twilight Zone, My Name is Legend) was another inspiration. But I was really trying to write with a somewhat different approach than my work in the past few decades. It isn't retro, vintage or satirical. Despite what I've said here about noir, Outer Limits et al, I wasn't trying ape, or do an homage to another era. I wanted to work somewhat less self-consciously than usual.
THE PULSE: What have been some of the problems with getting everything streamlined so you can have everything play out as you envision on the page, without it feeling too overwhelming to the average reader or too bogged down?
MOTTER: That challenge really came back to treating this more like Vertigo or Spellbound and less like Time Cop-- easy to understand protagonist, who isn't driven by mission or morality, but more from desperation.
THE PULSE: How is working on this project different from some of your other recent projects in and around the world of comic books?
MOTTER: In addition to what I've already noted, much of this take place in present-day Chicago, not in an alternate future of my creation. It was, like most of Platinum's projects, also designed for film development. That made a difference, though I'm not certain I can describe exactly how.
THE PULSE: How has the story grown since your initial ideas for its direction?
MOTTER: The story is very character-driven, yet the main character is very non-heroic; non-archetypal. Not to say he is ineffective. But writing a Jimmy Stewart-like protagonist is always very challenging. I think I knew that at the beginning, but didn't get comfortable with writing it until a couple drafts in. I owe much of that to the persistence of the editors.
THE PULSE: Who is collaborating with you on the tale?
MOTTER: Dennis Calero is illustrating the book. He is best know for his recent run on X-Factor. I came across his work via Mark Chiarello at DC- and had wanted to work with him ever since. When Platinum enlisted him at my behest (after a frustrating two-year attempt with another illustrator in Italy was finally abandoned.) Dennis completely 'got it'-- He had the mood, the ambiance and the storytelling down pat. I am hoping to do more projects with him.
THE PULSE: Any teasers on what's coming up in Unique?
MOTTER: Televangelism, HAARP, love, betrayal, and a cool cross-dimensional chase scene on the El.
THE PULSE: What other projects - in or out of comics - are you working on?
MOTTER: Right now I'm hard at work on a new Mister X project for Dark Horse. Dennis and I have a non-fiction historical graphic novel on Coney Island in the works. I am designing new books on Frank Brunner, Rich Buckler and J. Allen St. John for Vanguard. I also have a children's book on architecture and a burlesque version of Faust on my drawing board. Not to mention a (non-graphic) novel that is beckoning me to finish. Thank god I'm a working insomniac.
You can learn more about me at these links: NEW WEBSITE address– deanmotter.com LATEST NEWS– deanmotter.com/news.htm
Posts: 20777 | From: PA | Registered: Aug 2002
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I enjoyed Motter's Prisoner miniseries and Terminal City miniseries, so I'll be checking this out.
I'm also a fan of the original Outer Limits and hope that the series isn't like the latter-day version where the characters have no chance of winning.
Posts: 3415 | From: San Bruno | Registered: Aug 2002
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