The line between magic and technology in the 21st century is blurrier than ever, especially in Mysterius, the Unfathomable, Jeff Parker and Tom Fowler's hilarious comic released this week as a paperback collection from DC's Wildstorm imprint.
"I would liken tech to stage magic," Parker told Wired.com. "The tech that catches on has the best barkers, entrancing and mesmerizing you."
Other comics transpose a vanishing magical tradition into our postmodern setting, like those from Neil Gaiman or Alan Moore. Parker and Fowler's tome is an unrepentant laugher. Watching a deathless, magical lout named Mysterius try to negotiate the 21st century and its techno-magical rites like Burning Man and tools like the internet, is a hoot.
"Burning Man seemed the perfect place to have occult orgies," Parker said.
Tom Fowler's cartoonish tableaux only intensify Mysterius' goofy proceedings. But ironically enough, Parker simply can't wait for the comic's digital upgrade.
"I hope we'll soon be reading Mysterius on the iPad," he said. "It looks perfect for reading color comics."
True enough. But until the age of iComics arrives, we'll still have the material iteration to make us laugh and cry. If you want to do both with Mysterius, check out the rest of our chat with Parker below for a chance to win a free copy. Abra-ca-freebies!
A red-nosed hybrid of Dr. Who and a totally drunk Vincent Price, Mysterius is both eccentric and genius. Much of the comic makes purposeful allusions to other characters, said Parker, especially Mysterius' geek-generation assistant, Delfi.
"We certainly acknowledge the Dr. Who dynamic with the assistant, but if Dr. Who were a completely selfish a-hole," Parker explained. "It's really borne out of wanting to do an unlikable character, because I write so many noble ones."
Indeed, Mysterius is nothing like the heroic icons Parker has penned for Marvel and DC, who range from Spider-Man, Avengers and the X-Men to Wonder Woman and more. One of Mysterius' coolest magic tricks is replacing his bills with photos of his creditors in compromising positions.
"He's a lech," Parker said. "He rarely pays for anything, because he can cast an illusion to make a laundry ticket look like cash."
In Fowler's hands, Mysterius, Delfi and the rest of their madcap acquaintances come off as riotous caricatures. Thankfully, unlike the majority of comics from both of the major publishing houses and a great many of the indie ones, Mysterius never takes itself too seriously. Whether it is ripping on the postmodern primitives of Burning Man, the nefarious tongue-twisting incantations of Dr. Seuss, the faux spectacle of David Blaine or better.
"I think Tom is finally about to be acknowledged as a talent," Parker said. "He does an amazing pen-ink of a caveman abducting an opera diva. We're trying to get another story off the ground now – an Irish adventure."
That would place him, however spiritually, within the realm of the magic-minded comics gods from across the pond, like Moore, Gaiman and Grant Morrison. Indeed, much of the mayhem of Mysterius recalls Morrison's hilarious work in Doom Patrol and especially 52.
"I'm enjoying Grant's Joe the Barbarian and I've read plenty of Gaiman," he said. "But Alan Moore is the one who has captivated me again and again. When I was a teenager and Moore's Swamp Thing came out, I thought the back of my head blew off."
Although it's not as thematically weighty, Mysterius might blow your head off as well – or at least infect it with laughter. Wired.com has three copies to give away for those looking to test out that theory. Just let us know your favorite magic-related comic or character in the comments section below.
See Also:
- Alan Moore: Comics Won’t Save You, but Dodgem Logic Might
- 7 More Alan Moore Comics That Could Get Librarians Fired
- Review: Alan Moore’s Seminal Swamp Thing Resurfaces
- After Watchmen, What’s Unfilmable? These Legendary Texts
- Grant Morrison Talks Brainy Comics, Sexy Apocalypse
- Neil Gaiman Writes a Final Love Letter to Batman
