"A documentary no comic book fan should miss."
-- Mark L. Miller, Ain't It Cool News
During his 17 years writing the X-Men, from 1974 to 1991, Chris Claremont took the title from the brink of cancellation to being the best-selling comic of all time, co-creating more iconic characters than any comic-book writer since Stan Lee. Over the course of his run, Claremont remained remarkably fluid, changing with the times. Today, the “X-books” remain a massive franchise that spans comics, movies, video games, and TV. But unlike most such properties, the X-Men we know and love is mostly one man’s vision. Claremont’s work has inspired writers like Joss Whedon and Matt Fraction and redefined the super-team, creating a set of stories (such as “The Dark Phoenix Saga”) that endures decades after original publication.
Comics in Focus: Chris Claremont’s X-Men takes an in-depth look at Claremont’s monumental run. Using high-profile interviews, the film explores the behind-the-scenes development of notable characters like Wolverine, Storm, and Phoenix, as well as the challenges of creating art within a corporate system.
The film includes new interviews with many of the biggest players involved, including Claremont, Louise Simonson, Ann Nocenti, Art Adams, and Jim Shooter. Particularly notable is a roundtable interview featuring Claremont, Simonson, and Nocenti, together for the first time in 10 years. The film also includes new interviews with comics scholars (such as Tom McLean and Peter Sanderson) and contemporary artists inspired by Claremont’s work (such as Jason Aaron).
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