Yeah, at first read about this from a fan of the X-Men on Instagram that had a complete meltdown over it and wanted Claremont canceled (while completely covering his Instagram with pictures from Claremont run xD), so I decided to read the transcript by myself and promptly unfollowed that Instagram user. And of course people are going to have a meltdown on Twitter, that's probably the most toxic of all social media outlets (Reddit is getting up there too). Another non-controversy over an old creator in an industry with actual pedophiles and sexual harrasers/abusers.
Last edited by Technopriest; 08-06-2022 at 08:30 PM.
"The Marvel EIC Chair has a certain curse that goes along with it: it tends to drive people insane, and ultimately, out of the business altogether. It is the notorious last stop for many staffers, as once you've sat in The Big Chair, your pariah status is usually locked in." Christopher Priest
Here is a video i found in regards to this topic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q1rNzV0wZw
Honestly, IMO, i think that while it could have been said better he raised very valid points in regards to the current state of affairs in regards to the X-men, and i feel that current writers just don't get the characters like he did, but that's just my opinion on the matter.
Ommadon: “By summoning all the dark powers I will infest the spirit of man So that he uses his science and logic to destroy himself. Greed and avarice shall prevail, and those who do not hear my words shall pay the price. I'll teach man to use his machines, I'll show him what distorted science can give birth to. I'll teach him to fly like a fairy, and I'll give him the ultimate answer to all his science can ask. And the world will be free for my magic again.”
I'm mixed on Claremont and his comments. Claremont has had wacky ideas for a long time. Even in his 80s/early 90s work he had some wacky ideas. His X-men Revolution run was not good (though I loved his Jean). X-treme X-men had some good moments (my fav issues being when he borrowed some of the New X-men cast like Jean, Beast, or Emma). His X-men Reload also had some good moments (but then there was Dino Rachel or the End of Greys). He can be uneven.
Claremont had some classic stories like DPS and we credit him for the success of the X-men. He also had strong editors and artists that help sort of contain him and his wilder ideas.
I am a fan of his OG X-men work and I like some of his other work. His style does feel a bit dated.
As for his comments I understand why some fans are upset. The idea of having Kitty become a black woman is bizarre and offensive. I said on another forum that I wouldn't cancel Claremont over it (we have known for years he has some wild ideas - and let's be honest he has playing with characters switching social races before - look no further than Betsy and Tom & Sharon. This appears to be a theme for him.
The folks going off on twitter (the so called twitter mob) can feel a little extreme at times (and appropriate at other times). Humans are problematic and often messy (that is mean as an empirical/factual statement and not to be confused with I'm saying it is ok to be problematic because it isn't - in our current climate making neutral statements are often misinterpreted as endorsing something sadly because we are so used to value laden statements especially on social media).
I tend to give people some grace and hope that when people do offend or are ignorant that they can learn and do and be better. Hopefully Claremont can understand why fans took offense to his idea for the Kitty Pryde storyline idea. And hopefully younger (and some older) fans can be more nuanced with how they view human behavior and try not to think in the binary of just good and bad (and once someone does or says something bad that means that person is and will always be bad forevermore).
Just my quick thoughts about this issue.
Best detail I saw was Claremont calling Professor X a “twat”. God help us if there’s a War though!
He himself acknowledged the absurdity of his ideas back then...and also why he would have gotten away with them at the time but knows and understands why, they would not work in today's Industry because of what Marvel (and DC) has become.
I still can't believe some are willing to praise him for his not so subtle SnM/Kink proclivities that actually made it to print but are offended and angered and hurt by ideas that never did and never will see the light of day at Marvel. Ideas that had he not revealed we would've had absolutely no clue.
And to be clear...all writers...ALL...have far more larger shit-stacks of reprehensibly bad ideas that they keep hidden and tucked away which they will never reveal, than they do good ones. It's just that at this point Claremont, bless his heart, just doesn't have any Fucks to give.
Lord Ewing *Praise His name! Uplift Him in song!* Your divine works will be remembered and glorified in worship for all eternity. Amen!
"The Marvel EIC Chair has a certain curse that goes along with it: it tends to drive people insane, and ultimately, out of the business altogether. It is the notorious last stop for many staffers, as once you've sat in The Big Chair, your pariah status is usually locked in." Christopher Priest
Him saying Dazzler was intended to be Black until the higher ups interfered was interesting news to me.