| Chris Claremont | |
|---|---|
 Claremont at the Big Apple Con, 16 November 2008. |
|
| Born | Christopher S. Claremont[1][2] November 30, 1950 London, England |
| Nationality | American |
| Area(s) | Writer |
| Notable works | Uncanny X-Men Excalibur X-Treme X-Men Captain Britain |
| Awards | Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Award, 1983, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992 Eagle Award, 1978, 1979 |
| Official website | |
Chris Claremont (born November 30, 1950,[3] in London, England)[4] is an award-winning American comic book writer and novelist, known for his 17-year (1975–1991) stint on Uncanny X-Men, far longer than any other writer.[5] Claremont co-created numerous important X-Men characters, and scripted many classic stories, including "The Dark Phoenix Saga" and "Days of Future Past."
|
Contents
|
Career
Claremont was a "soft-sciences" major[6] at Bard College, where he graduated in 1972.[7] Claremont has since been awarded the Charles Flint Kellogg Award in Arts and Letters from Bard, "given in recognition of a significant contribution to the American artistic or literary heritage."[7]
Marvel Comics
Claremont's career began in 1969, as a college undergraduate, when he was a gofer in the Marvel Comics offices.[5] In 1974, as an entry into comics writing, Claremont was given the fledgling title Iron Fist that also teamed him with John Byrne for the second time. (Their first collaboration was in Marvel Premiere, where Byrne had drawn Iron Fist's previous two appearances.)
In 1975, editor Len Wein gave Claremont the writing duties for the relaunched Uncanny X-Men series.[5] During his 17 years as X-Men writer, Claremont wrote or co-wrote many classic X-Men stories, such as "The Dark Phoenix Saga" and "Days of Future Past." The second X-Men film was loosely based on his X-Men graphic novel God Loves, Man Kills.[8]
During his X-Men tenure, Claremont became especially known for his strong characterizations of the female members of the team,[9] particularly Phoenix and Storm. Under Claremont's direction, Jean Grey a.k.a. Marvel Girl, one of Marvel's first female heroes, underwent a huge transformation into the omnipotent Phoenix.[10] Similarly, Storm a.k.a. Ororo Munroe, became one of the first relevant African-American superheroines of the era. She was the first black female to play either a major or supporting role in the big two comic book houses, Marvel and DC Comics; one of her defining moments being successfully battling Cyclops for leadership of the X-Men.[11] In addition, Claremont co-created numerous other important female X-Men characters, including Rogue, Psylocke, Shadowcat, Phoenix, Mystique, Lady Mastermind, Emma Frost, Siryn, Jubilee, Rachel Summers, and Madelyne Pryor. (He also co-created such notable male characters as Sabretooth, Avalanche, Strong Guy, Multiple Man, Captain Britain, Mister Sinister, and Gambit.)
In addition, Claremont helped launch spin-offs such as X-Men, New Mutants, Excalibur and Wolverine. In 1986, Marvel launched an X-Men spinoff, X-Factor, altering the Phoenix/Jean Grey continuity Claremont had established. In 1991, Marvel launched a second X-Men title simply called X-Men with Claremont as writer. After writing three issues of the new X-Men title, Claremont left the book (and for the time being, Marvel Comics) after a series of clashes with editor Bob Harras.[12] For a short time in 1992, Claremont was part of the "X-odus" of Marvel talent to the new consortium Image Comics.[13]
Non-Marvel work
Claremont has written many stories for other publishers including the Star Trek Debt of Honor graphic novel, his creator-owned Sovereign Seven for DC Comics and Aliens vs Predator for Dark Horse Comics. He also wrote a few issues of the series WildC.A.T.s (volume 1, issues #10-13) at Image Comics, which introduced his creator-owned character Huntsman.
Return to Marvel
In 1998, Claremont returned to Marvel as editorial director and the regular writer of Fantastic Four. He also wrote a Wolverine story arc. In 2000, as part of the company's "Revolution" event, he wrote Uncanny X-Men and X-Men until he moved to X-Treme X-Men with penciller Salvador Larroca.
In 2007, Claremont returned to New Excalibur, writing a story arc in which the character Nocturne has a stroke. He has also completed his first arc on Exiles, adding Psylocke to the team.
His latest project will be a sequel to the GeNEXT limited series. He is also the writer of a new Marvel title called X-Men Forever[14][15] which takes place in an alternate universe focusing on the present day lives of the X-Men in a reality where Magneto never returned following the destruction of Asteroid M in the third issue of X-Men.
Novels
Outside of comics, Claremont co-wrote the Chronicles of the Shadow War trilogy, Shadow Moon (1995), Shadow Dawn (1996), and Shadow Star (1999), with George Lucas. This trilogy continues the story of Elora Danan from the movie Willow. He also wrote a science fiction trilogy about female USAF pilot/astronaut Nicole Shea, consisting of First Flight (1987), Grounded! (1991), and Sundowner (1994). Claremont was also a contributor to the Wild Cards anthology series.
In film
Claremont has a cameo in the opening scene of the 2006 film X-Men: The Last Stand, for which he is credited as "Lawnmower man".
Writing style
As the writer of X-Men, Claremont became known for certain characteristic phrases, such as Wolverine's saying, "I'm the best there is at what I do. And what I do...isn't very nice", which became closely associated with the character.[16]
A 2009 Slate article asserted that Claremont is the "soapiest writer in comic books.... The classic Claremont pose is either a character, head hung in shame with two enormous rivers of tears running down the cheeks as he or she delivers a self-loathing monologue, or a character with head thrown back and mouth open in a shout of rage, shaking tiny fists at heaven and vowing that the whole world will soon learn about his or her feelings." However, the article goes to state that "the genius of Chris Claremont was that he made mutants a generic stand-in for all minorities".[17]
Awards
Claremont won the Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Award for "Favorite Writer" in 1983, 1984, 1988, 1989, and 1990. Also, he won CBG Fan Awards for "Favorite Comic Book Story" in 1990 (The X-tinction Agenda) and "Favorite Graphic Novel or Album" in 1992 (Star Trek: Debt of Honor).[18] During the long years of writing Uncanny X-Men the book won numerous Eagle Awards, including:
- 1976 for Favourite Comicbook (Dramatic)
- 1976 for Favourite Comicbook Team
- 1977 for Favourite Comic Book (Dramatic)
- 1977 for Favourite Team
- 1978 for Best Comic Book Writer (US)
- 1978 for Favourite Comic (US)
- 1978 for Favourite Group or Team
- 1978 for Favourite Single Story - X-Men #111 – "Mindgames" [Chris Claremont/John Byrne]
- 1979 for Favourite Comicbook Writer
- 1979 for Favourite Comicbook - X-Men
- 1979 for Favourite Comicbook Team - X-Men
- 1979 for Favourite Continued Comic Story - X-Men #125-128 [Chris Claremont/John Byrne]
- 1983 for Favourite Group or Team (US)- X-Men
- 1985 for Favourite Group or Team (US)- X-Men
- 1985 for Favourite Group or Team (US)- X-Men
- 1986 for Favourite Group or Team (US)- X-Men
- 1989 for Favourite Comicbook US - Uncanny X-Men
Bibliography
Notes
- ^ Christian name: cover, Marvel Graphic Novel #5: X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills.
- ^ Middle initial: "X-Mail" letter column, Uncanny X-Men #144 (Apr. 1981).
- ^ Thompson, Maggie and Miller, John Jackson. "Comics Industry Birthdays," CBGXtra Forum, Comic Buyer's Guide (June 10, 2005). Accessed Apr. 11, 2009.
- ^ Chris Claremont at The Comic Book Database
- ^ a b c Claremont, Chris. Marvel Age Special: X-Men Anniversary Magazine vol. 1, #1 (Sept. 1993).
- ^ "X-Mail," Uncanny X-Men #164 (Dec. 1982).
- ^ a b "Bard College Awards," Bard College Catalogue 2008–2009 (Bard Publications Office, Bard College, 2009).
- ^ Scott Brown (2003-05-09). "The NeXt Level". Entertainment Weekly. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,449160,00.html. Retrieved 2008-02-18.
- ^ "Uncanny X-Men #96," Vintage Spandex (July 10, 2008). Accessed Apr. 20, 2009.
- ^ X-Men #101 (Marvel Comics, Oct. 1976).
- ^ Uncanny X-Men #201 (Jan. 1986).
- ^ O’Neill, Patrick Daniel. "X Marks the Spot: Chris Claremont and Marvel’s Mutants," Wizard #2 (October 1991). Accessed Apr. 20, 2009.
- ^ "Bye Bye Marvel; Here Comes Image: Portacio, Claremont, Liefeld, Jim Lee Join McFarlane's New Imprint at Malibu," The Comics Journal #148 (February 1992), pp. 11-12.
- ^ Steve Ekstrom. "Chris Claremont on GeNext" Newsarama 14 May 2008
- ^ Steve Ekstrom. "NYCC '09: Claremont and the X-Men: With a Twist" Newsarama 6 February 2009
- ^ Peter David. "The Best There Is At What He Does…and What He Does is Set Up Other Movies" peterdavid.net; May 1, 2009
- ^ Hendrix, Grady. "I Heart Wolverine", Slate (Apr. 30, 2009).
- ^ CBGXtra.com - Forums
References
- Chris Claremont at the Comic Book DB
- Chris Claremont at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- Chris Claremont at the Internet Movie Database
External links
- Official website
- Cordially Chris
- The Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators
- The Chris Claremont Checklist
- Chris Claremont talking about Dark Phoenix Time Stamp 22:53
Interviews
- Creating Claremont - X-Men Nation Exclusive Interview with Chris Claremont
- Review Fix Exclusive Chris Claremont Interview 8-19-09
| Preceded by Steve Gerber |
Daredevil writer 1975 |
Succeeded by Tony Isabella |
| Preceded by Len Wein |
Uncanny X-Men writer 1975–1991 |
Succeeded by John Byrne |
| Preceded by Michael Fleisher |
Man-Thing writer 1980-1981 (with fill-ins by Dickie Mackenzie and J. M. DeMatteis) |
Succeeded by J. M. DeMatteis |
| Preceded by None |
New Mutants (vol. 1) writer 1983–1987 |
Succeeded by Louise Simonson |
| Preceded by None |
Excalibur writer 1987–1991 |
Succeeded by Scott Lobdell |
| Preceded by None |
Wolverine writer 1988–1989 |
Succeeded by Peter David |
| Preceded by Whilce Portacio |
X-Factor (vol. 1) writer 1991 |
Succeeded by Peter David |
| Preceded by None |
X-Men (vol. 2) writer 1991 |
Succeeded by John Byrne |
| Preceded by Warren Ellis |
Wolverine writer 1998 |
Succeeded by Todd DeZago |
| Preceded by Scott Lobdell |
Fantastic Four writer 1998–2000 |
Succeeded by John Francis Moore |
| Preceded by Alan Davis |
Uncanny X-Men writer 2000–2001 |
Succeeded by Scott Lobdell |
| Preceded by Alan Davis |
X-Men (vol. 2) writer 2000–2001 |
Succeeded by Scott Lobdell |
| Preceded by Chuck Austen |
Uncanny X-Men writer 2004–2006 |
Succeeded by Ed Brubaker |
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
