Chris Claremont's X-MenFor mainstream comic book fans, it's hard to picture a time when the ubiquitous "X-Men" were anything but. Yet in the early days of Marvel Comics--who publishes the X-Men books--this was not the case. According to documentary Chris Claremont's X-Men, this now flagship title of the comic book publishing icon was niche...until it received the attentions of a young and talented writer named (you guessed it) Chris Claremont. For a span of a little more than a decade and a half, Chris Claremont created a vast mythology of beloved characters and stories that has defined not just the X-Men but the entire genre to this day.
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Chris Claremont's X-Men is a documentary that pretty much already has comic aficionados (especially those of the X-Men comics) in mind. With a svelte runtime of not much more than an hour, it is a quick hit about a crucial moment in comic book history. This is also a movie that largely exists to provide background about what became the uber-popular Marvel movies, like X-Men (which is discussed in brief in an addendum to this movie). But what makes this film enjoyable is that it gives viewers insight into this world and community that produced some of the most famous (or infamous) comics storylines of all time. Originally trained as an actor, the young Claremont found work with Marvel Comics in 1969, and worked on assorted titles (including Iron Fist and Fantastic Four) until taking over as a writer for X-Men in 1974. Chris Claremont has been described as the "soapiest" of comic writers, owing to his interest in painstakingly exploring the mindsets of the characters that make up these fantasy yarns. But this dismissive comment fails to really acknowledge just how much Claremont succeeded in tapping into his readers unspoken needs for complex stories and nuanced characters. Incidentally, that deep dive into classic characters--not to mention the bevy of new blood he brought into the mutant hero periodical--really drove its mitts into not just long-time readers of the book, but more importantly drew new ones in. In a key moment, this documentary makes a comparison between Chris Claremont and Babe Ruth, observing that neither of them invented the venues which made them famous, but they were essentially responsible for "building the house" to which they belonged.
Like many documentaries, Chris Claremont's X-Men has many interviews with key people who were a part of this comics revolution, not least of which with Claremont himself. This also includes his then editor-in-chief, Jim Shooter (who made a name for himself as a very young comic writer himself), alongside Claremont's longtime editor, Louise "Wheezy" Simonson and more. These creators recall the fast-and-loose days of Marvel before its corporatization in the early Nineties, where great ideas and creativity reigned. Just watching the film, you can see that wistful recollection on the faces of these icons of the industry as they think back to the decisions which led to seminal stories like "The Dark Phoenix Saga" or "Mutant Massacre". In addition to Claremont, Shooter, and Simonson, the documentary includes the thoughts and opinions of many other comic book creators, including artists and writers. They offer their own input about how Claremont's stories and his characters inspired their own contributions to the medium, and what those characters said to them on an individual level. Claremont also shares his feelings about how writing these characters affected him as well. He recalls a story about a woman who felt conflicted about her fondness for the characters and their adventures versus a family conflict between her and her spouse over whether it was appropriate to share these stories with their children. Claremont observes that at this moment he truly realized just how real these characters were for this woman, and that his stories had a real effect on her life. Chris Claremont's X-Men also makes a connection between the end of Claremont's work on X-Men and an end of an era in comic books, ironically owing in no small part to his own contributions. With readership of the X-Men titles soaring and Marvel's rising popularity leading to new leadership, Claremont was witness to the very style of storytelling to which he had grown accustomed continue to grow beyond his individual sphere of influence. In short, he had helped launch a storytelling universe into the mainstream that could no longer be as "auteur" driven as it once had been. There is something bittersweet in this; on one hand, there is the loss of individual control over the stories and characters that were defined by him; but on the other, it is not unlike children leaving the nest, spreading their wings and becoming something far greater than what could be shackled by just one single periodical. This sentiment underscores just how important Chris Claremont was to X-Men--and comics on the whole--by acknowledging him here as a true pillar of the medium now and forever.
Recommended for: Fans of a documentary that takes a look at a very specific era in comic books and the creator that made it happen. Chris Claremont's X-Men is pretty standard fare for a documentary, checking all of the boxes and essentially building into a commercial for the comics and the franchise at large. Despite this, it is still engaging for fans of these excellent stories and insightful enough for the uninitiated to feel like they learned something new about the X-Men.
Like many documentaries, Chris Claremont's X-Men has many interviews with key people who were a part of this comics revolution, not least of which with Claremont himself. This also includes his then editor-in-chief, Jim Shooter (who made a name for himself as a very young comic writer himself), alongside Claremont's longtime editor, Louise "Wheezy" Simonson and more. These creators recall the fast-and-loose days of Marvel before its corporatization in the early Nineties, where great ideas and creativity reigned. Just watching the film, you can see that wistful recollection on the faces of these icons of the industry as they think back to the decisions which led to seminal stories like "The Dark Phoenix Saga" or "Mutant Massacre". In addition to Claremont, Shooter, and Simonson, the documentary includes the thoughts and opinions of many other comic book creators, including artists and writers. They offer their own input about how Claremont's stories and his characters inspired their own contributions to the medium, and what those characters said to them on an individual level. Claremont also shares his feelings about how writing these characters affected him as well. He recalls a story about a woman who felt conflicted about her fondness for the characters and their adventures versus a family conflict between her and her spouse over whether it was appropriate to share these stories with their children. Claremont observes that at this moment he truly realized just how real these characters were for this woman, and that his stories had a real effect on her life. Chris Claremont's X-Men also makes a connection between the end of Claremont's work on X-Men and an end of an era in comic books, ironically owing in no small part to his own contributions. With readership of the X-Men titles soaring and Marvel's rising popularity leading to new leadership, Claremont was witness to the very style of storytelling to which he had grown accustomed continue to grow beyond his individual sphere of influence. In short, he had helped launch a storytelling universe into the mainstream that could no longer be as "auteur" driven as it once had been. There is something bittersweet in this; on one hand, there is the loss of individual control over the stories and characters that were defined by him; but on the other, it is not unlike children leaving the nest, spreading their wings and becoming something far greater than what could be shackled by just one single periodical. This sentiment underscores just how important Chris Claremont was to X-Men--and comics on the whole--by acknowledging him here as a true pillar of the medium now and forever.
Recommended for: Fans of a documentary that takes a look at a very specific era in comic books and the creator that made it happen. Chris Claremont's X-Men is pretty standard fare for a documentary, checking all of the boxes and essentially building into a commercial for the comics and the franchise at large. Despite this, it is still engaging for fans of these excellent stories and insightful enough for the uninitiated to feel like they learned something new about the X-Men.