Mort the Dead Teenager is a limited series published by Marvel Comics. The comic centers on the titular Mort who dies while street racing and returns as an incorporeal being who is tormented by both the living and the dead. Despite its offbeat humor and bizarre scenario, it has been designated as officially being part of the Marvel Universe, though the continuity is unspecified.Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z Update #5
The comic, while unpopular on release, was the subject of several attempts to be adapted into film as well as a primetime animated series intended for UPN.
Publication history According to writer Larry Hama, the idea for the comic came about during a meeting where many Marvel executives were considering optioning several of the publisher's comics to be adapted into film and television productions, although few of the successful comic adaptations at that time were based on Marvel titles. Hama recalls a sort of elevator pitch where he "went in and came up with some new stuff that wasn't really a superhero, that somebody could do fairly cheap. A youth market-type thing." The executives approved of the concept, and shortly after pitching the name alone, Hama began writing the comic. Hama later recalled that while working at Marvel, he received praise from Stan Lee for only two works: Mort, and The 'Nam.Hama in
The miniseries ran for four issues dated December 1993 to March 1994, with writing by Hama while the art was handled by former Air Pirates member Gary Hallgren. The logo was designed by letterer Todd Klein, who, according to his blog, had only saved one marker sketch pass of the initial design, which had minimal changes made before finalization. A preview was issued in mid-to-late-1993 to comics distributors and shop owners, in an effort to gauge interest in pre-ordering the series for sale to consumers via Marvel's burgeoning direct market strategy. The preview was printed in monotone and scanned from the manuscripts.
The distinct Brookhaven, Long Island setting was chosen due to Hama and Hallgren's area of residence at the time of production. Much of the two's interests were incorporated into the comic, such as Studebaker cars, the Long Island Rail Road, and their experience in a band. Said band, a blues/brass outfit called The K-Otics, appears in the third issue as an easter egg with caricatures of the group's members; all of whom were New York-area comic artists and writers at the time of the band's creation.
Hallgren, through his since-defunct website, has confirmed that he retains the original manuscripts and color guides for the series, which were for sale at one point before 2016. The original illustrations for the covers are no longer in his possession, having been sold as a set at the Chicago Alternative Comics Expo. Available to purchase on the site were also signed copies of the comic, but due to the website's closure in early 2023, they are unavailable for purchase.
Plot Mort Graves is a slacker teen from Mistake Beach, Long Island, New York, who, in a futile attempt to impress his crush Kimberly Dimenmein, races against her boyfriend Lance Boyle in his father's recently refurbished 1950 "bullet-nose" Commander coupe. While doing so, he gets struck and beheaded by an oncoming train and ends up in the afterlife where he meets Teen Death, the son of the actual Death.Mort the Dead Teenager #1
Hell is already full and Heaven is closed for repairs. With no other choice due to his morally dubious nature, Mort is sent back to the living world where he is now a ghostly being and discovers that his family is in "mourning" for him (actually more concerned with other things relating to his death). To Mort's pleasure, Kimberly seems genuinely saddened at his death while Maureen, a tough motorcycle-riding teen who was friends with him prior to the incident, accuses her of not caring about him prior. Mort fails to realize that Maureen clearly had feelings for him and perceives her behavior as bullying, though his friends, Slick and Weirdo, can see it's obvious.
After an unintentional reaction to a haunting in a movie theater, Mort is visited by Teen Death and is dragged to a processing division of the Netherworld for youth casualties, wherein he is told that his haunting isn't up to the quality expected, and is advised to try better in another setting: his high school. Mort soon discovers that he wasn't very well-known or respected at his school, and attacks the school grief psychologist through her hearing aid after an argument between Maureen and Kimberly. Slick and Weirdo then advertise auditions for a garage band, and invite Mort to come. At dinner that night, Mort is left alone with his younger brother Kyle who demands that he pay back his loans owed to him and his relatives or suffer a blackmailing. After a stressful, existential conversation with his family, Mort attends Slick and Weirdo's band tryouts and are quickly joined by Kimberly and Maureen. Jealous of the chemistry between Slick and Kimberly, Mort attempts to sabotage their equipment, but Weirdo's dad loves their new sound and names himself their manager, much to Mort's (and the others') chagrin.Mort the Dead Teenager #2
The band, Positive Feedback (named by Weirdo's dad, objected to by his son), treks to a formerly major club to perform with Mort following along. Weirdo threatens Mort with ensuring the performance goes smoothly, due to the loans his father took out to finance the band that could have him and his parents evicted if not paid. The green room in the club is occupied by a hard rock outfit named Bombs and Hoses, who don't take kindly to the band and Weirdo's parents. While in the bathroom, Mort once again gets dragged back to the Netherworld by Teen Death who tells him that he needs to begin haunting again or he will be left in purgatory. After 'Hoses' finishes their act, destroys equipment, and misnames Positive Feedback as "Positive Feedbags", the band gets on stage to perform with Mort creating a wide variety of strange effects to please Teen Death's quota, only to realize they were playing to an empty house, save Weirdo's confused, drunk, and distraught parents. After coming home from the previous night's show, Mort discovers that Weirdo's parents were robbed and their car stripped, and that his father's debt from financing the band is inescapable.Mort the Dead Teenager #3
Fed up with the stress of non-existence, alongside his friend's predicament, Mort confronts Teen Death who proposes three different potential outcomes had he not died. The first involves him having a menial job at a car wash and getting put into an irreversible coma after being drafted in an upcoming war with Canada. The second has him marry an overweight Kimberly, still working the car wash, while all of his friends have become famous or otherwise successful, and the last has him quitting his car wash job to travel the world where he is presented a moral dilemma in Tibet: the secret to eternal happiness or a bag of gold, choosing the latter, with which he buys a NASCAR stock racer, only for aliens to attack during the car's inaugural race with him as driver.Mort the Dead Teenager #4
Mort returns to the present where his family still doesn't respect him enough, Weirdo has become homeless and is bunking with his grandmother, Slick kills his dream of becoming a musician and gets into science fiction like his parents, Maureen changes her style and starts dating Lance, and Kimberly runs away to become a beat poet. After laughing at Kimberly's performance, Mort awakens to realize the whole ordeal was a dream and is alive again. However, he seems destined for failure as he leaves in his dad's Studebaker to relive the incident that caused his demise.
Characters The supernatural Mort Graves – An inept loser teenager who was beheaded by a train in a racing accident. It seems that before his death, he already had a pathetic life. After his death, his "life" is actually much worse with his family being totally indifferent to his situation. He has a crush on Kimberly and is oblivious to Maureen's clear feelings for him, interpreting her grief as bullying towards Kimberly. As a ghost, he has the ability to detach his head, float around, and become invisible and otherwise intangible to living people. He also has the ability to affect electronic equipment using a technique he named "ectoplasmic shock". Mort can also look into daydreams of others and interact with film as if he were in a movie, and create objects or props alongside multiple apparitions of himself in the event of a haunting. Teen Death – The son of Death who takes in dumb teens who died in ridiculous predicaments. He loves his job and apparently likes to torment Mort. Despite this, he has admitted that he does care for him to some degree. Teen Death acts as a tour guide/employer for Mort in the Netherworld, where many bizarre subdivisions exist for different deaths. He shows a particular interest in trains and video games, alongside trying to get Mort to haunt his family.
Mort's family Bruce Graves – Mort's father who seems more concerned with the state of his Studebaker than the loss of his son. Wendy Graves – Mort's mother who is upset about how things have been going for the family. Is the most caring of Mort's family post-death, though is still bitter that Mort left so soon. Kyle Graves – Mort's younger brother who is an expert in finances and wants his brother's room. Known blackmailer amongst his family. Cyndi Graves – Mort's older sister who uses his death as a way to pick up boys. It's implied that Cyndi's fashion taste was much more reserved and modest before the events of the comic, but after Mort's death, she's taken on a more bombastic style and approach to relationships. Digby "Grandpa" Graves – Mort's crotchety grandfather. Lives at a nursing home and doesn't get out much. Likes fast food and Wheel of Fortune.
Living teens Kimberly Dimenmein – A beautiful brunette teen who is admired by Mort. She is into poetry and singing, and though despite showing no interest in the titular loser prior to his death, openly showed sadness for him and dedicated several poems to him and his demise. It's never made clear her true feelings for Mort despite her creative output, though she does participate in Positive Feedback while not being familiar with his friends. Is Lance's on-and-off girlfriend, until she leaves him to run away from home in the hopes of becoming a performance artist. She assumes lead vocals and songwriting for Positive Feedback after her audition in the second issue. Maureen Redding – A tough biker girl who showed an interest in Mort while being a platonic friend. After his death, she was noticeably distraught, and accused Kimberly of latching onto a tragedy for attention (Mort interprets this as bullying, and as such, harbors a misunderstood resentment towards her). Maureen was a childhood guitar prodigy, and though she dislikes Kimberly, she was nevertheless willing to play alongside her when she joined Slick and Weirdo's band. Maureen mentions that the Harley-Davidson motorcycle she rides is her dispatched brother's, who was currently serving at Guantanamo Bay during the events of the comic. Maureen later sells the bike once she begins dating Lance in Kimberly's absence, apparently unbeknownst to her brother. Lance Boyle – Kimberly's handsome jock boyfriend. Initiates the race that lead to Mort's death, but inadvertently comes to his funeral because of Kimberly's objections. He later leaves Kimberly after she runs away from home and decides to hook up with Maureen. George "Slick" Slikowski – One of Mort's friends. He is a tall lanky boy with long hair. Slick seems to have a womanizing personality, but after Mort's death, he grows a strong fascination with Kimberly, which the latter is particularly afflicted by. His parents are science fiction fans. Plays the bass in Positive Feedback.