CBR: X-POSITION: Chris Claremont

[CBR News]

The writer of "X-Men Forever" joins X-Position and answers your queries about timelines, a possible alternate future for the "New Mutants," and X-Men on the Mediterranean. Plus, exclusive look at art from "X-Men Forever" #12!


Full article here.

[AcesX1X]

i'm really thankful for that question about the italian x-women series. i hope the US format come out soon!

[RolandJP]

I drop trolling and look what happens. Yay!

[Talisman]

I don't understand why they'll let Fraction have a rotating cast, but CC can't? Not that I like Forever, but that seems like some double standard bull.

[Pixie_Solanas]

I don't understand why they'll let Fraction have a rotating cast, but CC can't? Not that I like Forever, but that seems like some double standard bull.

Marvel bends over backwards for whatever Bendis and Fraction want. Everyone else can deal with their leftovers.

[AcesX1X]

I don't understand why they'll let Fraction have a rotating cast, but CC can't? Not that I like Forever, but that seems like some double standard bull.

they do not have the same editors.

[Talisman]

Marvel bends over backwards for whatever Bendis and Fraction want. Everyone else can deal with their leftovers.

Of course. I should be used to Marvel pandering to those two.

they do not have the same editors.

You would think he'd go over his head. Isn't Axel the group editor?

[AcesX1X]

You would think he'd go over his head. Isn't Axel the group editor?

i don't think CC's book is handled by the x-office, but i can't confirm. maybe someone else can.

[worstblogever]

He does a masterful job of not answering questions, really. He should be in politics. Translations of this stuff:

1. Will you publish a timeline of XMF?
A. Lord, no. Then I'd have to honor some sort of continuity. What did I originally say? X-Men #1-3? Yeah, that still. If I screw it up, no big deal.

2. Where's Jubilee?
A. I only want to write eight people. She's not one of them. Tough titty.

3. Where will New Mutants Forever fit in?
A. It's months earlier. So uhm.... forget what I said in question #1. I'll be retconning a lot of stuff that happened before Wheezie took over, and some of the stuff I even wrote, possibly. I don't know. I can't remember what's what.

4. Who will be in New Mutants Forever?
A. Sam, Dani, Rahne, Doug. Amara. Even though Ilyana should be there, she's still not, because she was de-aged in Inferno. Even though that didn't happen yet. 'Berto and Warlock are uhm... I dunno, Fallen Angels? And Karma had a sex change since she's a lesbian and is now going by Shaun. Next question.

5. What's up with Nathan Summers being the age he is, and in Alaska, when he was sent to the future?
A. Wait, what? I plotted what in X-Factor? Uhm... Lee and Liefeld made me do it. Forget that. And look, so what if Nate suddenly aged seven years or so? We make Kitty's age go up and down all the time, and my other colleagues, "*Cough* Byrne *Cough*!" can't get Franklin Richards' age straight, either. If you give them a pass, so shall you for the Claremont.

6. Will there ever be an Excalibur (vol. 3) Forever?
A. TRUNCATION! BAH! TRUNCATION! DAMN YOU BENDIS! DAMN YOUZ EDITORS!

Sorry about that. Reflex. No, we won't be doing that. Because there's stuff that happened between 1991 and 2001 I don't want to have to acknowledge. Like all of it. Next question.

7. How did your book with Manara come about?
A. Placing all the X-ladies in bondage back in Genosha with a guy who excels at soft core porn comics? Are you kidding me? That was totally like getting chocolate in the peanut butter.

8. When will that copy be released in the States?
A. Marvel's not peddling my masterworks? Damn them! It'll happen. It's too good NOT to sell!

9. Will the American version be censored?
A. Come on... come on!!! This is CC you're talking to, baby. Nobody is better about pushing the envelope of sexual content and then playing it cool like it's not there than me. See, and I realize, I'm telling you the whole secret of how to do things, here, that's made me my fortune... Leave out the nipples, and anything in the "landing strip" area. Buttcrack is fine. S&M gear is fine, as long as you call it a "prisoner's uniform", or whatever. Everything else is kosher. I've done this for like, 30 years now. I know what I'm doing.

And now... Claremont, AWAY!

[kk1]

For a book that is supposed to not have editorial interference it sure sounds like there is a lot of it.

[quillero]

i don't think CC's book is handled by the x-office, but i can't confirm. maybe someone else can.

I think it's handled by the same guy that handles Hulk books.

[Majinoaw]

I loved this quote:

The paradox with comics these days as opposed to when I did the "X-Men" originally is that nowadays things are, of necessity, much faster-paced and compressed. We can't assume that we'll have years to play out a scenario; we have to get onstage, say our piece, and move on, as quickly and efficiently as possible. Our hope is always that the Gods of Publishing will smile and we'll go on beyond Year One. But comics today is run much more like TV than publishing, in terms of structural state-of-mind. Nothing is guaranteed; you have to look at work in short and defined arcs - and as I said, keep your fingers crossed

This is my biggest problem with comics today. I'm more for the longer story than the short defined arcs. It's good to hear an old shcool writer comment on this.

[Pixie_Solanas]

I think it's handled by the same guy that handles Hulk books.

That explains all.

[Majinoaw]

I drop trolling and look what happens. Yay!

This was a great interview. Am I the only Claremont mark on this board?

[worstblogever]

This was a great interview. Am I the only Claremont mark on this board?

No there are others. Those few who keep X-Men Forever discussion threads on the first page weeks after they're out, to try to garner interest are the other CC marks.

I mark for CC prior to 1990, exclusively.