Wolverine #8 may be amongst the strangest stories that Claremont has ever written - a bizarre, deeply comedic take on the longstanding rivalry between a pair of iconic Marvel superheroes that seems to exist entirely out of time, genre, and expectation. #xmen 1/7
The basic premise is a chance encounter between Logan and Hulk. Hulk (somehow) doesn’t recognize Logan in his Patch persona, but Logan knows Hulk all too well and trades on their pre-existing rivalry through a series of elaborate pranks (mostly pants-based). 2/7
The most glaring strangeness of the story comes from the many anachronisms. The story is set in modern times, yet plays like very much like a comedic iteration of Casablanca, even featuring some references to the classic film. 3/7
There’s also a lot of genre-blending, with a mix of superheroes, 20th C mobster movies (via Joe Fixit), and a healthy dose of slapstick comedy such as you might find in a vaudeville act. 4/7
Jarringly, the tone of levity is blended into a narrative that features sex trafficking, murder, political corruption, and the drug trade. This too can read as anachronism, given a more modern sensibility and awareness (even in the late '80s). 5/7
Lastly, the characterization of the two characters is a far cry from their epic first confrontation. These are entirely different people, which is a little refreshing, but also somewhat jarring, depending, of course, on one’s attachment to either. 6/7
Outside of the dissonant elements, it’s interesting to see Claremont get to take a stab at comedy, at the Wolverine/Hulk feud, and at Peter David's Grey Hulk, and it’s definitely a very unique tale amongst all of Claremont’s Wolverine stories. 7/7

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More from @ClaremontRun

May 9
In "American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1990s," comics historians Keith Dallas and Jason Sacks place Claremont’s departure from X-Men into the context of the pivotal movements of the medium in the 1990s. #xmen 1/5 Image
“Like Louise Simonson before him, Claremont had fallen out of favor with Bob Harras. Indeed, Harras had spent much of the previous year undoing many of the changes Claremont made to the X-Men (e.g. removing the team from exile, returning Professor Xavier from outer space).” 2/5 Image
“Before long, Claremont had enough of the situation and he quit. His final issue was X-Men 3 (Dec. 1991), not that Marvel promoted the fact with any kind of fanfare. The printed acknowledgement of Claremont’s departure was almost unnoticeable.” 3/5 Image
Read 7 tweets
May 1
In describing his version of Colossus, Marc Silvestri speaks to the character’s capacity for visceral visual impact, but also of the (less-considered) emotional relationship between artist and character, something that can impact (or even define) the resulting imagery. #xmen 1/6
For Silvestri, that relationship is defined by “glee,” something that might be counter-intuitive for an artist known for dark characters and kinetic violence, but his sense of joy is clearly the focus when he describes Colossus in an interview with Marvel Age: 2/6
“Colossus is always a lot of fun. Any time you have to draw a big bruiser like that, you know you’re going to have a good time. There’s a lot of broad action with him because of his strength and size.” 3/6
Read 8 tweets
Apr 30
In light of his recent passing, I’d like to re-post this thread we did in 2020 on Neal Adams’ immense impact on the Claremont run of X-Men comics, and on the X-Franchise in general: #xmen
Though Claremont is credited with reviving the X-Men, the run prior to Claremont’s very nearly accomplished the same thing but for some unfortunate circumstances; nonetheless, Neal Adams’ run served as an important precursor for Claremont’s. 1/6
Neal Adams’ run on X-Men began in 1969. He was credited as artist for the series (with Roy Thomas scripting) but it was Adams doing most of the plotting as well (as revealed by Thomas in later interviews). 2/6
Read 7 tweets
Apr 29
Illyana Rasputin’s initial character development unfolded along a complex and atypical trajectory, yet so much of who the character is and would become is deftly articulated in the prose found on the first page of the Magik mini-series. #xmen 1/11 Image
The context preceding the story is important. Claremont let the nature of Illyana’s time in limbo dangle for over a year with just a few hints at what might have been, most notably in UXM 171. It is not clear if Illyana is a victim, or a demonic villain infiltrating the team 2/11 Image
That changes immediately with the first words on page 1 of the mini, which gives the reader their first real interior perspective on Illyana: “I was born in a small house in a land so vast you could walk for days and never see another living soul.” 3/11 Image
Read 11 tweets
Apr 4
Where suggestive imagery is often considered a lazy and salacious aspect of comics storytelling, UXM 137 contains a sequence of vignettes that use sexuality to create a complex balance that advances important themes and symbols of the Dark Phoenix Saga. #xmen 1/10
Claremont & Byrne give the X-Men an evening’s respite before the final battle, and the narrative takes the time to portray each of them in brief scenes that highlight intimacy (and with it vulnerability), undress, and, in some cases, sexual drive. 2/10
Jean is seen in her robe in her private quarters; Logan emerges naked from the shower; Colossus rises out of bed in his underwear; Storm luxuriates in her own bed in the nude; Beast exchanges sexual innuendo with a Shi’ar attendant; and Scott and Jean kiss. 3/10
Read 10 tweets
Apr 3
UXM 137 showcases one of Tom Orzechowski’s greatest (and most necessary) talents as a letterer: enhancing the sense of a scene’s spatial geometry and movement, thus bridging the distance between the competing interests of script and imagery. #xmen 1/10
The first thing to note is the degree of difficulty. The issue is scripted by (arguably) the wordiest writer in Marvel history and pencilled by (arguably) one of the finest illustrators in that same history. Orz is caught between them, laying reams of text over drawings. 2/10
We should also note that Tom’s career began largely as an inker; thus he’s an artist with a background in visual composition – someone with an intimate understanding of how to create and enhance the sense of space on a comics page. 3/10
Read 10 tweets

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