One of Claremont’s goto strategies for character-building revolves around creating conflict out of character dualities in which their superpowers put them at odds with their personal goals and ambitions, ultimately distancing them from their own sense of humanity. #xmen 1/7 Image
This strategy is very very old. Nietzsche identified something similar in Ancient Greek Tragedy. It’s also quite foundational to Marvel (and other) comics of the era, most easily recognized in the Spider-Man aphorism of “with great power…..” 2/7 Image
Claremont’s approach, however, is individualized. So Logan is animal/man, Storm is goddess/woman, Kitty is child/adult, Colossus is muscle/imagination. Havok is raw power/pacifism, Dazzler is fame/normality, Cyclops is mission/well-being. On and on. 3/7 Image
Storm’s powers dehumanize her. Kitty’s powers put her into dangerous/mature situations. Colossus’s require him to be violently physical (same w Havok and Logan). Dazzler’s cause her to (basically) rock too hard and shine too bright - Cyclops to lose himself in superheroism. 4/7 Image
These dualities place the character in the position of sacrificing personal desires, goals, and ambitions in order to serve their community through their powers, a classic and deeply relatable question that we all have to ask ourselves all the time (minus the superpowers). 5/7 Image
The powers are the pivotal point here, though – Claremont’s X-Men are each specifically at odds with their specific superpowers – there’s a fundamental misalignment that takes the abstract burden of responsibility and personalizes it. 6/7 Image
Put together, this characterization through dualism is effective at establishing the martyrdom of the characters, at creating rich, individual interior conflicts, and of giving each X-Man a specific goal/motivation that they are forced to sacrifice for their heroic virtue. 7/7 Image

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More from @ClaremontRun

14 Dec
In “Mutant Mutandis: The X-Men’s Wolverine and the Construction of Canada,” scholar Vivian Zenari explores the portrayal of Canada within the X-Men narrative and how that portrayal informs the character of Wolverine (and vice versa). #xmen #wolverine 1/7 Image
Zenari sees Logan’s nationality as a somewhat lazy product of international market-building, with Wolverine’s Canadian-ness generally underconsidered in terms of its connection to his character/identity. 2/7 Image
"The imagined Canada of Wolverine is for the most part the imagining of another country. At the level of language, a Canadaphile will notice factual errors, such as misspelled place-names…and incongruous terminology… that could be chalked up to a careless copyeditor.” 3/7 Image
Read 7 tweets
13 Dec
Amidst the chaos of UXM #272, Claremont gives Gambit a moment to shine at a time when he was still largely an unknown to both the X-Men and the readers. In addition to saving the team, Gambit’s actions relay a ton of information about his character. #xmen 1/7 Image
Gambit plays an essential role in the X-Men’s escape, first by perceiving and supporting Cable’s own attempt, then by using that as a ruse by which he can obtain the means to execute a secondary escape attempt thereafter, at great personal cost. 2/7 Image
Cable attacks their jailers and Gambit immediately follows suit. Cable is, however, talked down by Hodge threatening Psylocke. When Hodge fires at Cable anyway, Gambit heroically dives to save Cable, taking a spike to the thigh in the process. 3/7 Image
Read 8 tweets
11 Dec
Despite the expectations that come with a young cast of characters (but also because of them), The New Mutants is a deeply dark, highly traumatic series. New Mutants #37 takes this to a new level by portraying -on panel- the violent deaths of each character. #xmen 1/6 Image
Woven into the critically maligned “Secret Wars II” event, the New Mutants have rejected the indoctrination of the Beyonder and, insulted by this, the Beyonder arrives to claim their lives if he can’t have their loyalty. As Dani astutely observes, it’s no contest. 2/6 Image
The Beyonder toys with the team before killing them in nightmarish ways. Rahne’s death, an execution while she kneels in her prayer, is particularly horrific, while Doug’s casual death while espousing the value of friendship is symbolic of the lack of plot armour. 3/6 ImageImageImageImage
Read 6 tweets
9 Dec
The siege perilous was the magical artifact that book-ended the Australian era of X-Men. Those who pass through it are judged and given their greatest desire. As a plot device, it thus provides Claremont with a wonderful tool by which to telegraph character desire. #xmen 1/7
Colossus gets to be a Soho artist. It speaks to his gentle, creative soul and the tragedy created by his mutant powers, due to the responsibility that goes with them, taking him away from the artist’s life. 2/7
Psylocke becomes an emotionless assassin with a physicality and outward demeanour that more closely reflects the warrior heart and attitude that she expresses in earlier issues. It makes perfect sense that if Psylocke could be anyone, she’d choose Elektra 2.0. 3/7
Read 8 tweets
7 Dec
Rachel Summers embodies an important contrast for key X-Men character projects: in a world littered with characters reforming themselves through found family and purpose, Rachel shows that you can’t save everyone ideologically rather than physically. #xmen 1/8 Image
Just as Thunderbird and Jean (Rachel’s mom-ish) establish physical consequence in defiance of plot armour for UXM, Rachel establishes that not every turn toward the gentler way can be successful. Rachel is a friend, Rachel is family, but Rachel is also a problem at times. 2/8 Image
Professor X has a strong record of integrating unstable characters who pose a threat to the X-Men and themselves (such as Wolverine, Rogue & Magneto). It’s also a very common comics conceit where a villain goes righteous and transitions pretty seamlessly. Rachel is different. 3/8 Image
Read 8 tweets
6 Dec
The “angry Claremontian narrator” is a weird and delightful stylistic variation that has been elevated to new heights by @XPlaintheXmen. There might be a simple explanation for the odd style shift, wherein Claremont picked up the habit through osmosis with “Iron Fist.” #xmen 1/6
The angry Claremontian narrator doesn’t appear too often, shows up mostly in early UXM issues, and involves the narrator of the story actively (and aggressively) taunting and demoralizing the characters within the panels of the story. 2/6
In Iron Fist’s first appearance, legendary author (and Claremont’s mentor) Roy Thomas launched IF with a unique narrative conceit: a rare 2nd person narration style which immerses the reader in the life of Iron Fist in a manner quite similar to a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure. 3/6
Read 6 tweets

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