Claremontisms
Even if you dig a writer, you can find things that they do that are odd.
For instance, even if you dig Bendis, you can appreciate a good-natured joke about his dialogue.
Same thing with Chris Claremont.
Even people who are big fans of his X-Men work can acknowledge that he has some pretty goofy shticks, which I refer to as "Claremontisms."
Some Claremontisms...
-Referring to Psylocke's psi-blade as "the focused totality of my telepathic power"
-Likewise, referring to Magik's sword as "The eldritch blade is the ultimate expression of Illyana's power"
Or how about...
-Welcome to the X-Men, hope you survive the experience!
-Bang...you dead.
- ____witch!!
- No quarter asked, none given.
-I'm nigh invunerable when I'm blastin'!
Or how about how Claremont almost made sure to let us know what nationality each character was by peppering in foreign phrases into their dialogue, or at least giving them their own nationality-specific exclamations, like...
- Mein Gott!!
- By the White Wolf!
- By the Goddess!
Then again, I guess when you are writing characters for 17 years, you are bound to repeat some shtick...I wonder, though, if anyone remembers Marv Wolfman having the same thing with his 14 years on New Titans?
Feel free to tell me any Wolfmanisms you can recall, or fill me in on a Claremontism that I missed!
For instance, even if you dig Bendis, you can appreciate a good-natured joke about his dialogue.
Same thing with Chris Claremont.
Even people who are big fans of his X-Men work can acknowledge that he has some pretty goofy shticks, which I refer to as "Claremontisms."
Some Claremontisms...
-Referring to Psylocke's psi-blade as "the focused totality of my telepathic power"
-Likewise, referring to Magik's sword as "The eldritch blade is the ultimate expression of Illyana's power"
Or how about...
-Welcome to the X-Men, hope you survive the experience!
-Bang...you dead.
- ____witch!!
- No quarter asked, none given.
-I'm nigh invunerable when I'm blastin'!
Or how about how Claremont almost made sure to let us know what nationality each character was by peppering in foreign phrases into their dialogue, or at least giving them their own nationality-specific exclamations, like...
- Mein Gott!!
- By the White Wolf!
- By the Goddess!
Then again, I guess when you are writing characters for 17 years, you are bound to repeat some shtick...I wonder, though, if anyone remembers Marv Wolfman having the same thing with his 14 years on New Titans?
Feel free to tell me any Wolfmanisms you can recall, or fill me in on a Claremontism that I missed!
posted by Brian Cronin at 2:24 PM
2 Comments:
Come on, Brian - "the best there is at what he does!"
There's also something that I liked to call "Berlitz Claremont", where Chris would not only have a non-English speaking character use a non-English expression, but would thoughtfully proVide us with an immediate translation in the same word balloon. This always vaguely felt like the character was telling his or her friends what they just said in a lightly condescending tone. For example:
"Unglaublich!! Unbelivable."
"Nicht Wahr? Don't you think?"
"Das Vidanya. Goodnight..."
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