Chris Claremont
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Chris Claremont | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 30, 1950  London, England |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Genres | Comics Fantasy |
Chris Claremont (born November 30, 1950) is a writer of American comic books, known for his 16-year (1975-1991) stint on Uncanny X-Men, during which the series became one of the comic book industry's most successful properties.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Writer profile
Claremont was born in London, England. He is regarded as one of the hallmark Marvel Comics writers, having written one of the flagship titles, the Uncanny X-Men, for sixteen consecutive years (he is the record-holder for having the longest run as a single writer on an American comic book title). Claremont excelled at the task of writing good "team" arcs, in which every member of the ensemble cast of X-Men had his or her moment to shine. He was lauded for writing action-packed stories with strong characters, both heroes and villains, mixing it with soap opera elements and always bringing in the social undercurrent of mutants being a harassed minority. Claremont also promoted strong female characters such as Rogue, Storm and Moira MacTaggert, who were a far cry from the token roles usually reserved for women at that time. Claremont's approach set the standard for team-based comic books for decades.
The most common criticism of his work is his overly descriptive writing style. Claremont's characters have spoken in long paragraphs that are often called forced or unrealistic. He has frequently employed third-person omniscient narration to describe events that might easily be conveyed in the art and (to some) unneeded thought bubbles to spell out character motivation and personality, especially during action scenes. He is also known for certain characteristic phrases, (for example, Wolverine's catchphrase, "I'm the best there is at what I do. And what I do... isn't very nice") known as "Claremontisms" among fans.[1] However, this may not be a valid criticism as these phrases have become a part of the various characters' fictional personalities and have been repeatedly used by others as a tool of characterization.
He has also been criticized for what readers and critics have seen as his inability or unwillingness to bring plots to fruition. He has also tended to revisit certain characters repeatedly over his career, such as Captain Britain, Rogue, Sage, Kitty Pride, and especially Psylocke.
Nonetheless, Claremont's work on X-Men, which was longer than that of any other writer, defined many of the X-Men characters and made an indelible impression on what he made into a franchise.
[edit] Marvel Comics
As an entry into comic writing Claremont was given the fledgling title Iron Fist in 1974 that also teamed him with John Byrne for the second time. (The first was on Marvel Premiere, where Byrne did Fist's last two appearances.) Len Wein then gave him the writing duties for the relaunched X-Men. Claremont also found narrative excuses to sideline Professor X, as one of the problems with the original X-Men series was that the Professor would often appear at the end of the story to provide a deus ex machina solution to whatever problem the X-Men faced.
During his years as X-Men writer, Claremont wrote or co-wrote many classic stories such as the "Dark Phoenix Saga" and "Days of Future Past". He also co-created numerous important X-Men characters, including Rogue, Psylocke, Shadowcat, Phoenix, Sabretooth, Avalanche, Mystique, Emma Frost, Strong Guy, Siryn, Multiple Man, Captain Britain, Jubilee, Rachel Summers, Mister Sinister, Madelyne Pryor, and Gambit. In addition, he helped launch best-selling 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 a second X-Men title simply called X-Men (often referred as "adjectiveless" X-Men) was launched having Claremont as writer though he only wrote three issues since he left Marvel following a series of editorial differences with the X-Men editor at the time Bob Harras.
In 1998, he 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 2006, cardiac illness forced Claremont to postpone the beginning of a planned run on Exiles as well as the launch of GeNext. Also cut short was his run on Uncanny X-Men, which was completed by Tony Bedard over Claremont's plots. Likewise, writer Frank Tieri took over on New Excalibur in Claremont's stead for a time.
In 2007, Claremont returned to New Excalibur, writing a story arc where the character Nocturne has a stroke. It is believed that he is using his recent illness as inspiration.[citation needed] He has also recently completed his first arc on Exiles, introducing Psylocke to the team.
His latest project will be returning to GeNext.[2]
[edit] Career outside Marvel Comics
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.
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. In the 1980s, he also wrote a science fiction trilogy about female starship pilot Nicole Shea, consisting of First Flight (1987), Grounded! (1991), and Sundowner (1994). Claremont was also a contributor to the Wild Cards anthology series.
He has a cameo in the film X-Men 3 during the Jean Grey prologue, for which he is credited as "Lawnmower man".
[edit] Bibliography
- Aliens/Predator: Deadliest of the Species #1-12
- Alpha Flight vol.1 #17
- Amazing Adventures vol.4 #1
- Avengers vol.1 #102
- Avengers Annual #10
- Bizarre Adventures #25, 27
- The Black Dragon #1-6
- Black Goliath #2-5
- Captain Britain vol.1 #1-10
- Captain Britain Annual #1
- Captain Marvel vol.1 #46
- Champions #4
- Contest of Champions II #1-5
- Daredevil vol.1 #102, 117, 375
- Daredevil Annual #4
- Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #19-24, 32-33
- Decimation: House of M - The Day After
- The Defenders vol.1 #19, 57
- Dr. Strange vol.2 #38-45
- Epic Illustrated #10-12, 18, 22-23
- Excalibur vol.1 #1-19, 21-25, 27, 32-34
- Excalibur vol. 3 #1-14
- Excalibur Mojo Mayhem
- Excalibur Special Edition
- Exiles #90-100
- The Fantastic 4th Voyage of Sinbad
- Fantastic Four vol.3 #4-32
- Fantastic Four Annual 1999, 2000
- Fantastic Four vs. X-Men #1-4
- Gambit and Bishop: Sons of the Atom Genesis
- GeNext #1-5
- Giant Sized Spider-Man #1
- Giant-Size Defenders #5
- Giant-Size Dracula #2-3
- Giant-Size Ms. Marvel #1
- Giant-Size Spider-Woman #1
- Giant-Size Super Stars Featuring Fantastic Four #4
- Giant-Size X-Men #1,4
- Heroes for Hope starring X-Men
- Heroes Reborn Ashema 1
- Heroes Reborn Doom 1
- Heroes Reborn Doomsday 1
- The Incredible Hulk vol.2 #148, 170
- Incredible Hulk Annual #5
- Iron Fist vol.1 #1-15
- Iron Man Annual 2001
- John Carter, Warlord of Mars #16-27
- John Carter, Warlord of Mars Annual #3
- Kitty Pryde and Wolverine #1-6
- Magik vol.1 #1-4
- Magneto #0
- Magneto Ascendent #1
- Man-Thing vol.2 #4-8, 10-11
- Marada, the She-Wolf
- Marvel Age Annual #4
- Marvel Chillers #4
- Marvel Classics Comics Series Featuring #14, 17
- Marvel Comics Presents #1-10
- Marvel Fanfare vol.1 #1-5, 24, 33, 40
- Marvel Graphic Novel #4-5, 21
- Marvel Premiere #23-25, 27
- Marvel Preview #3-4, 7, 11, 14-15
- Marvel Spotlight vol.1 #24
- Marvel Super-Heroes vol.2 #97
- Marvel Super-Heroes vol.3 #10-11
- Marvel Tales #131-133, 193-198 , 201-208, 235-236, 242, 245, 250, 255
- Marvel Team-Up vol.1 #57-70, 74-77, 79-86, 88-89, 100, 135
- Marvel Team-Up Annual #1-2
- Marvel/Top Cow Crossovers Vol.1 #1
- Marvel Treasury Edition #26
- Marvel Two-In-One #9-10
- The Mighty Thor Annual #9
- Monsters Unleashed #4, 9-10
- Ms. Marvel #3-23
- New Excalibur #1-8, 16-24
- New Exiles #1-???
- The New Mutants vol.1 #1-54, 63, 81
- The New Mutants Annual #1-3
- New Mutants Special Edition #1
- Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #11
- Peter Parker Spider-Man Annual 2000
- Phoenix: The Untold Story
- Power Man #47-53
- Power Man Annual #1
- Power Man and Iron Fist #76
- Rom #17-18
- The Savage Sword of Conan #74
- Solo Avengers #14
- Sovereign Seven #1-36
- Spider-Woman (I) #34-46
- Star Wars #17, 53-54
- Star-Lord Megazine #1
- Star-Lord Special Edition #1
- Superman/Wonder Woman: Whom Gods Destroy #1-4
- Tales of the Zombie #9
- Uncanny X-Men #94-279, 381-389, 444-473
- Uncanny X-Men Annual #3-12, 14
- Uncanny X-Men/New Teen Titans
- Vampire Tales #9
- War is Hell #9-15
- What if Magneto Had Formed the X-Men with Professor X?
- What if? (II) #32
- WildC.A.T.s: Covert Action Teams (vol. 1) #10-13
- Witchblade/Wolverine #1
- Wolverine (I) #1-4
- Wolverine (II) #1-8, 10, 125 - 128
- Wolverine Saga #1
- Wolverine: Save the Tiger #1
- X-Factor (I) #65-68
- X-Men (II) #1-3, 100-109, 165
- X-Men/Alpha Flight (I) #1-2
- X-Men and the Amazing Spider-Man: Savage Land #1
- X-Men Anniversary Magazine 1
- X-Men Annual 2000
- X-Men Black Sun #1-5
- X-Men vs. Dracula #1
- X-Men: Die By The Sword #1-5
- X-Men: Earthfall #1
- X-Men: The End (I) - Dreamer's and Demons #1-6
- X-Men: The End (II) - Heroes and Martyrs #1-6
- X-Men: The End (III) - Men and X-Men #1-6
- X-Men Firsts #1
- X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills
- X-Men: Lost Tales # 1-2
- X-Men/Micronauts #1-4
- X-Men True friends #1-3
- X-Men Universe #9, 11-15
- X-Men Unlimited (I) #27, 36, 39, 43
- X-Treme X-Men #1-46
- X-Treme X-Men Annual 2001
- X-Treme X-Men: Savage Land #1-4
- X-Treme X-Men X-Pose #1-2
- X-Treme X-Men Mekanix (starring Shadowcat) #1-6
[edit] 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).[3] During the long years of writing Uncanny X-Men the book has been nominated and won several Eagle Awards:
- 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)-Chris Claremont
- 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 INKER - Terry Austin
- 1979 for FAVOURITE COMICBOOK - X-Men
- 1979 for FAVOURITE COMICBOOK CHARACTER - Wolverine
- 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 ARTIST (INKER) (US)- Terry Austin
- 1985 for FAVOURITE GROUP OR TEAM (US)- X-Men
- 1985 for CHARACTER MOST WORTHY OF OWN TITLE (US)- Wolverine
- 1986 for FAVOURITE ARTIST (INKER) (US)- Terry Austin
- 1986 for FAVOURITE GROUP OR TEAM (US)- X-Men
- 1986 for CHARACTER MOST WORTHY OF OWN TITLE (US)- Wolverine
- 1987 for FAVOURITE ARTIST (INKER) (US)- Terry Austin
- 1989 for FAVOURITE COMICBOOK US - Uncanny X-Men
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
- Chris Claremont at the Comic Book DB
- Chris Claremont at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- Chris Claremont at the Internet Movie Database
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Len Wein |
Uncanny X-Men writer 1975–1991 |
Succeeded by John Byrne |
| Preceded by Alan Davis |
Uncanny X-Men writer 2000–2001 |
Succeeded by Scott Lobdell |
| Preceded by Chuck Austen |
Uncanny X-Men writer 2004–2006 |
Succeeded by Ed Brubaker |
| Preceded by None |
X-Men (vol. 2) writer 1991 |
Succeeded by John Byrne |
| Preceded by Alan Davis |
X-Men (vol. 2) writer 2000–2001 |
Succeeded by Scott Lobdell |
| Preceded by None |
New Mutants (vol. 1) writer 1983–1987 |
Succeeded by Louise Simonson |
| Preceded by Whilce Portacio |
X-Factor (vol. 1) writer 1991 |
Succeeded by Peter David |
| Preceded by None |
Wolverine writer 1988–1989 |
Succeeded by Peter David |
| Preceded by Warren Ellis |
Wolverine writer 1998 |
Succeeded by Todd DeZago |
| Preceded by None |
Excalibur writer 1987–1991 |
Succeeded by Scott Lobdell |
| Preceded by Scott Lobdell |
Fantastic Four writer 1998–2000 |
Succeeded by John Francis Moore |
| 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 Steve Gerber |
Daredevil writer 1975 |
Succeeded by Tony Isabella |
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Claremont, Chris |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Writer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 30 November 1950 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | London, England |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
