Broken Frontier

One of Platinum’s best-received projects has been Unique, a three-issue mini series written by Dean Motter with art by Dennis Calero and starring Jon Geoffries, a man who can hop between parallel worlds at will. BF turned to Motter for a chat…

BROKEN FRONTIER: Like Platinum’s debut release, Cowboys & Aliens, Unique is a project that Platinum created the very core concept for, and then turned it over to an established writer to flesh it out What parts of Unique’s premise is Platinum’s and which is yours?

DEAN MOTTER: Platinum's original précis simply described a man who could travel between dimensions and was being pursued by parties unknown as he jumped from world to world. Anything beyond that is of my creation.

BF: The book stars Jon Geoffries, a ‘unique’—what’s a unique, and how did Jon become one?

DM: A Unique is an individual who has no counterpart in another dimension or vice versa. The idea is that one could not exist in the same dimension as one's counterpart; two beings cannot occupy the same place at the same time sort of idea. A Unique could, if he had the means, travel to and from either dimension.

Jon has that ability, albeit with limited control, to do so. That makes him even more unique, and a very desirable asset for any pan-dimensional conspiracy that desires to influence the outcome of events in one reality by manipulating corresponding events in the other. Which is exactly why Jon is being pursued.

BF: You’re probably best known in comic book circles for doing Terminal City for Vertigo along with Michael Lark. What have you been up to over the last couple of years, before landing the job of writing Unique?

DM: I did ELECTROPOLIS for Image; part of my Mister X/Terminal City ouvre. I created a new finale for the orginal Mister X series as part of the Mister X collection for ibooks. I designed several books for ibooks and Vanguard, including Reduced Shakespeare, Baker Street, Vic and Blood, books on Basil Gogos, Roy Krenkel, Michael Kaluta and John Buscema. Of course there was Batman: Nine Lives with Michael Lark as well. Lots of hip hop, house and country CD covers. Some animation work.

BF: How did you end up as the series writer, and more importantly, how do you make a series about an infinite number of worlds a stable read, and prevent it from turning each issue into a trivial story in a trivial place?

DM: My longtime ally, Lee Nordling was editor at Platinum at the time. He invited me in and worked quite closely in tailoring the the concept as well as 'keeping me honest' as I scripted the series. He's quite a good editor. As for the second part of your question—that was tricky.

This has been done so many times: Crisis on Infinite Earths, Sliders, the Star Trek mirror universe. et al. Ah, the burden of quantum theory. I chose to simply treat Earth and its nocturnal counterpart as symmetrical dimensions-two side of a single coin. Basically I dismissed any multiverse concept (Platinum introduced that idea into their publishing line well after I was well into the series) In fact, the cabal that polices the separation between my worlds call themselves Symetricists.

BF: Given the possibilities that the premise entails, there must be more stories to be told in the world(s) of Unique—are there any plans for that at this point?

DM: There are no plans as of yet. If there is interest, I'll certainly consider it.

BF: Something that is in the planning stages is a movie based on the property, with David Goyer involved in its development. Are you involved on some level as well?

DM: I have been told at various times that I may be asked to contribute something or other. But to be frank, since it isn't creator-owned, my expectations are not particularly high. I would love to be asked.

BF: Did you end up coordinating a lot of elements with David during the scripting process?

DM: As I said, the projects have been developed along very separate lines. I love David's films and would be eager to work with him. Maybe films like 300 and Hellboy will impress upon filmmakers the value of working with the comics' creators.

BF: What have you got coming up after Unique wraps up, either in or out of comics?

DM: I have a big Mister X reboot on the boards for next year. Another series for Platinum called ESPD. I also have a graphic novel based on Faust in the works called The Devil's G-String, a children's book on architecture, a couple of horror stories and a novel without pictures beckoning me to finish. Interested parties can visit my news page for updates: www.deanmotter.com/news.htm.

Other than that, I have some sleep planned.

Unique #3 goes on sale May 23rd from Platinum Studios. In the final issue, Jon Geoffries must come to grips with the fact that he is the only one on parallel worlds that has the power to destroy a bridge that would connect those worlds…