Mr. A
Encyclopedia
Mr. A is a fictional comic book
hero created by Steve Ditko
. Unlike most of his work, the character of Mr. A and the Mr. A stories remain the property of Ditko, all of which were written and illustrated by himself. The character first appeared in Witzend
#3, 1967. Mr. A's name comes from "A is A", a reference to the law of identity
in Aristotelian
logic
. It is also in poetic reference to Ditko's other, similar character, The Question
, as in "question and answer" (i.e. often shortened in American English
to "Q and A").
reporter for the Daily Crusader. He is known for his uncompromising principles and incorruptibility. In order to fight crime Graine wears metal gloves and a steel mask that resembles a placid face, thus becoming Mr. A. In keeping with the hardboiled
detective theme, both personae typically wear suits and fedora hats; Mr. A's outfit is completely white. There is no origin story for the character, thus the only discernible reason why Graine sometimes disguises himself (both his identities are equally threatened by criminals and sometimes hated by the general public) is due to his choice to become a vigilante. Mr. A uses half white-half black business cards to signify his arrival, as well as to represent his belief that there can only be good and evil, and no moral grey area.
. Typical stories will have one character convince him or herself that doing just a few illegal acts to get ahead in life will not make him or her a bad person. This character's crimes escalate when they must either take action to cover their previous misdeeds or are now too closely tied to more dangerous criminals to simply walk away. The stories invariably end with Mr. A confronting the criminals and telling them that they are all guilty, including the character who had wished to remain good. A staple for most stories involves this character trying to justify his or her immoral actions to both others and him or herself, blaming things such as environment and society rather than taking responsibility.
In some of the stories characters speak about the reasoning behind their actions in every panel, thus showing that the adventure story is not meant to be just entertainment, but is to show a deeper, philosophical dialogue.
Not all of Mr. A's stories are crime adventures. Some are allegorical representations of the guilty trying to explain why they compromised their values. Mr. A, on a white platform, denounces their explanations. These stories typically end with the guilty falling into an abyss off of their black platform. This representation often occurs at the end of the adventure stories as well. Mr. A says that he feels only for the innocent and victimized. People who commit "just one crime", such as accepting dirty money, are turned over to authorities to stand trial for what they have done. Mr. A refuses to overlook their transgressions, even if they profess they will be good from then on. Killers and would-be-killers generally find themselves in situations where they need Mr. A's assistance to save them, but since they had no respect for innocent lives then he offers no aid for their guilty ones. It is only when an innocent life is directly threatened that Mr. A will kill, and when he does so it is without remorse.
, originally a Charlton Comics
character and currently owned by DC Comics
, is a hero very similar to Mr. A. Both men are uncompromising reporters who operate as vigilantes when wearing masks. Both characters also follow Objectivism, and it is often believed that the Question is a softer, more marketable version of Mr. A.
Ditko’s H Series and J Series (standing for "hero" and "justice" respectively) tell the stories of men who never compromise their beliefs, even when their futures or lives are at stake. At the end of H Series, the hero’s brother is distraught because he is disgusted by himself when compared to someone like his brother who never bends to the will of others and never does wrong. This is another common theme with Mr. A.
Frederick Foswell
, a reporter for the Daily Bugle, led a double life behind a mask as The Big Man, head of New York's crime and the boss of the notorious Enforcers. Although he did not possess any actual superpowers, he was a slippery opponent. However, Spider-Man eventually revealed his identity and brought him in. This being a 180 from Mr. A and The Question
as his character donned in familiar Fedora hat and over-coat coupled with being an Investigative Reporter was instead the bad guy. Continues the trend of Ditko characters with the letter K in the name.
See also Guts, the Magazine with Intestinal Fortitude.
[Bruce Hershenson promoted "Mr. A. vs. the Polluters" on the backcover of #2, but it never appeared. A new series was advertised by Mort Todd
's AAA around 1991 but never published and only a few images have been seen publicly, in addition to a sticker set and a t-shirt]
A new edition of the 1973 Mr. A. #1 comic was published by Snyder and Ditko in late 2009 (dated January 2010). This edition has all the story contents of the original, though with a different story order, the covers and centerfold printed in black and white and the splash page to "Right to Kill!" restored to Ditko's original intent.
In addition, Ditko drew numerous single page Mr. A images for fanzines in the 1960s and 1970s.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
hero created by Steve Ditko
Steve Ditko
Stephen J. "Steve" Ditko is an American comic book artist and writer best known as the artist co-creator, with Stan Lee, of the Marvel Comics heroes Spider-Man and Doctor Strange....
. Unlike most of his work, the character of Mr. A and the Mr. A stories remain the property of Ditko, all of which were written and illustrated by himself. The character first appeared in Witzend
Witzend
witzend, published on an irregular schedule spanning decades, was an underground comic showcasing contributions by comic book professionals, leading illustrators and new artists. witzend was launched in 1966 by the writer-artist Wallace Wood, who handed the reins to Bill Pearson from 1968–1985...
#3, 1967. Mr. A's name comes from "A is A", a reference to the law of identity
Law of identity
In logic, the law of identity is the first of the so-called three classic laws of thought. It states that an object is the same as itself: A → A ; While this can also be listed as A ≡ A this is redundant Any reflexive relation upholds the law of identity...
in Aristotelian
Aristotelianism
Aristotelianism is a tradition of philosophy that takes its defining inspiration from the work of Aristotle. The works of Aristotle were initially defended by the members of the Peripatetic school, and, later on, by the Neoplatonists, who produced many commentaries on Aristotle's writings...
logic
Logic
In philosophy, Logic is the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. Logic is used in most intellectual activities, but is studied primarily in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and computer science...
. It is also in poetic reference to Ditko's other, similar character, The Question
Question (comics)
The Question is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by DC Comics. The original was created by writer-artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Blue Beetle #1...
, as in "question and answer" (i.e. often shortened in American English
American English
American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
to "Q and A").
Synopsis
Rex Graine is a newspaperNewspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
reporter for the Daily Crusader. He is known for his uncompromising principles and incorruptibility. In order to fight crime Graine wears metal gloves and a steel mask that resembles a placid face, thus becoming Mr. A. In keeping with the hardboiled
Hardboiled
Hardboiled crime fiction is a literary style, most commonly associated with detective stories, distinguished by the unsentimental portrayal of violence and sex. The style was pioneered by Carroll John Daly in the mid-1920s, popularized by Dashiell Hammett over the course of the decade, and refined...
detective theme, both personae typically wear suits and fedora hats; Mr. A's outfit is completely white. There is no origin story for the character, thus the only discernible reason why Graine sometimes disguises himself (both his identities are equally threatened by criminals and sometimes hated by the general public) is due to his choice to become a vigilante. Mr. A uses half white-half black business cards to signify his arrival, as well as to represent his belief that there can only be good and evil, and no moral grey area.
Ideology behind Mr. A
Mr. A is one of the clearest examples of Ditko's conviction in ObjectivismObjectivism (Ayn Rand)
Objectivism is a philosophy created by the Russian-American philosopher and novelist Ayn Rand . Objectivism holds that reality exists independent of consciousness, that human beings have direct contact with reality through sense perception, that one can attain objective knowledge from perception...
. Typical stories will have one character convince him or herself that doing just a few illegal acts to get ahead in life will not make him or her a bad person. This character's crimes escalate when they must either take action to cover their previous misdeeds or are now too closely tied to more dangerous criminals to simply walk away. The stories invariably end with Mr. A confronting the criminals and telling them that they are all guilty, including the character who had wished to remain good. A staple for most stories involves this character trying to justify his or her immoral actions to both others and him or herself, blaming things such as environment and society rather than taking responsibility.
In some of the stories characters speak about the reasoning behind their actions in every panel, thus showing that the adventure story is not meant to be just entertainment, but is to show a deeper, philosophical dialogue.
Not all of Mr. A's stories are crime adventures. Some are allegorical representations of the guilty trying to explain why they compromised their values. Mr. A, on a white platform, denounces their explanations. These stories typically end with the guilty falling into an abyss off of their black platform. This representation often occurs at the end of the adventure stories as well. Mr. A says that he feels only for the innocent and victimized. People who commit "just one crime", such as accepting dirty money, are turned over to authorities to stand trial for what they have done. Mr. A refuses to overlook their transgressions, even if they profess they will be good from then on. Killers and would-be-killers generally find themselves in situations where they need Mr. A's assistance to save them, but since they had no respect for innocent lives then he offers no aid for their guilty ones. It is only when an innocent life is directly threatened that Mr. A will kill, and when he does so it is without remorse.
Similar work by Ditko
The QuestionQuestion (comics)
The Question is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by DC Comics. The original was created by writer-artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Blue Beetle #1...
, originally a Charlton Comics
Charlton Comics
Charlton Comics was an American comic book publishing company that existed from 1946 to 1985, having begun under a different name in 1944. It was based in Derby, Connecticut...
character and currently owned by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
, is a hero very similar to Mr. A. Both men are uncompromising reporters who operate as vigilantes when wearing masks. Both characters also follow Objectivism, and it is often believed that the Question is a softer, more marketable version of Mr. A.
Ditko’s H Series and J Series (standing for "hero" and "justice" respectively) tell the stories of men who never compromise their beliefs, even when their futures or lives are at stake. At the end of H Series, the hero’s brother is distraught because he is disgusted by himself when compared to someone like his brother who never bends to the will of others and never does wrong. This is another common theme with Mr. A.
Frederick Foswell
Frederick Foswell
Frederick Foswell is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:Frederick Foswell first appeared, as the Big Man, in The Amazing Spider-Man #10 , and was created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko....
, a reporter for the Daily Bugle, led a double life behind a mask as The Big Man, head of New York's crime and the boss of the notorious Enforcers. Although he did not possess any actual superpowers, he was a slippery opponent. However, Spider-Man eventually revealed his identity and brought him in. This being a 180 from Mr. A and The Question
Question (comics)
The Question is a fictional character, a superhero in comic books published by DC Comics. The original was created by writer-artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Blue Beetle #1...
as his character donned in familiar Fedora hat and over-coat coupled with being an Investigative Reporter was instead the bad guy. Continues the trend of Ditko characters with the letter K in the name.
Influence
- Both Steve Ditko and Mr. A are referenced in the song "New Broom" by British band XTCXTCXTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...
, on the album Take Away/The Lure of SalvageTake Away/The Lure of SalvageTake Away/The Lure of Salvage is a record containing dub versions of XTC tracks released under the "Mr. Partridge" moniker of Andy Partridge. It was released on February 29, 1980 on Virgin Records. Side A is titled "Take Away" and side B "The Lure of Salvage." Partridge made Take Away... totally...
: "Mr. Ditko was right / Mr. A so near". - Famed comics creator Alan MooreAlan MooreAlan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
was once a member of a band called The Emperors of Ice Cream (a name derived from the poemThe Emperor of Ice Cream"The Emperor of Ice-Cream" is a celebrated poem from Wallace Stevens' first collection of poetry, Harmonium. It was first published in 1922, so it is in the public domain...
by Wallace StevensWallace StevensWallace Stevens was an American Modernist poet. He was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, educated at Harvard and then New York Law School, and spent most of his life working as a lawyer for the Hartford insurance company in Connecticut.His best-known poems include "Anecdote of the Jar",...
) which performed a Moore-penned song entitled "Mr. A.", criticizing Steve Ditko's political ideology. The song is written to the tune of The Velvet UndergroundThe Velvet UndergroundThe Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...
's song "Sister RaySister RaySister Ray may mean one of the following:* "Sister Ray", 1968 song by The Velvet Underground* A fictional enormous laser cannon in the video game Final Fantasy VII* Sister Ray , a punk rock band from Youngstown, Ohio...
". - The WatchmenWatchmenWatchmen is a twelve-issue comic book limited series created by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colourist John Higgins. The series was published by DC Comics during 1986 and 1987, and has been subsequently reprinted in collected form...
character RorschachRorschach (comics)Rorschach is a fictional comic book character and antihero that was featured in the acclaimed 1986 DC Comics miniseries Watchmen...
has been compared to Mr. A. Watchmen writer Alan MooreAlan MooreAlan Oswald Moore is an English writer primarily known for his work in comic books, a medium where he has produced a number of critically acclaimed and popular series, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta, and From Hell...
has related a story about an acquaintance (not specified who) who said he asked Ditko about whether he was familiar with Rorschach. Reportedly, Ditko acknowledged, describing Rorschach as being "like Mr. A except insane". - Q from Street Fighter III: Third Strike resembles Mr. A, and has a "Q" for "question". http://streetfighter.wikia.com/wiki/Q
- The song "Goodbye Mr. A" by the band "The Hoosiers" is likely referring to the superhero, Mr. A, especially since the song's music video features a superhero named Mr. A.
Publication history
- "Mr. A." (5 pages) (witzend #3, 1967)
- "Mr. A." (10 pages) (witzend #4, 1968)
- Eon #3 zine by Gustaveson (1968/9) back cover Mr. A by Steve Ditko
- "Middle of the Road?" (5 pages) (Graphic Illusions #1, 1971) (Considered Eon #4)
- Also 2 color back cover of Graphic Illusions #1 Mr. A. by Steve Ditko (Summer 1971)
See also Guts, the Magazine with Intestinal Fortitude.
-
- Above reprinted in The Ditko Collection #1, by Fantagraphics without permission 2/85
- "When Is A Man To Be Judged Evil?" (6 pages) (THE COLLECTOR #26, Sum/72)
- wrap-around cover to THE COLLECTOR #26, Sum/72
- "What Happens To A Man When He Refuses To Uphold The Good" (8 pages) (COMIC CRUSADER #6, Sum/69 and #7, Fal/69)
- "Mr. A. : Chapterplay" (8 pages) (COMIC CRUSADER #13, 1972)
- "Right to Kill" (9 pages)
- Above published as Mr. A. #1 by Comic Art Publishers, 1973
- Above reprinted in The Ditko Collection #1, by Fantagraphics 2/85
- "Count Rogue" (16 pages)
- "Brotherhood Of The Collective" (16 pages)
- Above published in Mr. A. #2 by Bruce Hershenson, 1975 (labelled "D.4" on the cover, other 2 were the Ditko comics Avenging World and Wha!?! published by Hershenson)
- "Death vs. Love-Song" (10 pages) (COMIC CRUSADER STORYBOOK, 1978)
- Above reprinted in The Ditko Collection #2, by Fantagraphics 8/86
[Bruce Hershenson promoted "Mr. A. vs. the Polluters" on the backcover of #2, but it never appeared. A new series was advertised by Mort Todd
Mort Todd
Mort Todd , is an American who has spent his career in comics, animation and entertainment, notably as the editor-in-chief of Cracked magazine, and later, Marvel Music...
's AAA around 1991 but never published and only a few images have been seen publicly, in addition to a sticker set and a t-shirt]
- "Mr. A. Faces The Knifer" (30 pages). (Steve Ditko's 176-Page, Heroes Package, Robin Snyder & Steve Ditko, 2000)
- "Mr. A." (8 pages) (DITKO CONTINUED, Robin Snyder & Steve Ditko, 2009 and OH, NO! NOT AGAIN, DITKO!, Robin Snyder & Steve Ditko, 2009)
A new edition of the 1973 Mr. A. #1 comic was published by Snyder and Ditko in late 2009 (dated January 2010). This edition has all the story contents of the original, though with a different story order, the covers and centerfold printed in black and white and the splash page to "Right to Kill!" restored to Ditko's original intent.
In addition, Ditko drew numerous single page Mr. A images for fanzines in the 1960s and 1970s.