The Claremont Run
@claremontrun.bsky.social
An academic research project devoted to the study of Chris Claremont's 16 yr run on Uncanny X-Men comics and associated titles.
We should consider that Shyminsky’s read offers a harsh take on Kurt’s actions and their symbolic import given the brutal context surrounding his debate with Callisto, but nonetheless it offer us an interesting lens through which to consider Kurt’s role in a class metaphor. 7/7
November 23, 2025 at 6:51 PM
We should consider that Shyminsky’s read offers a harsh take on Kurt’s actions and their symbolic import given the brutal context surrounding his debate with Callisto, but nonetheless it offer us an interesting lens through which to consider Kurt’s role in a class metaphor. 7/7
That Nightcrawler, as the true believer, idealist, and soul of the team, should be the one to invalidate Callisto’s argument is telling, as is Kurt’s later willingness to risk his life to defend these same Morlocks during the Mutant Massacre, again showing the transition. 6/7
November 23, 2025 at 6:51 PM
That Nightcrawler, as the true believer, idealist, and soul of the team, should be the one to invalidate Callisto’s argument is telling, as is Kurt’s later willingness to risk his life to defend these same Morlocks during the Mutant Massacre, again showing the transition. 6/7
Claremont would progressively erode the villain-coding of the Morlocks, starting almost immediately thereafter, transitioning them, eventually, into a sympathetic portrayal of the underprivileged that often directly calls the X-Men’s privilege into consideration. 5/7
November 23, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Claremont would progressively erode the villain-coding of the Morlocks, starting almost immediately thereafter, transitioning them, eventually, into a sympathetic portrayal of the underprivileged that often directly calls the X-Men’s privilege into consideration. 5/7
“Nightcrawler accuses the Morlocks of being victims of their own prejudices first and foremost, chiding them for their own intolerance of non-mutant humans.” For Shyminsky, this action eschews the series’ potential exploration of “anti-oppressive mutant activism.” 4/7
November 23, 2025 at 6:51 PM
“Nightcrawler accuses the Morlocks of being victims of their own prejudices first and foremost, chiding them for their own intolerance of non-mutant humans.” For Shyminsky, this action eschews the series’ potential exploration of “anti-oppressive mutant activism.” 4/7
According to Shyminsky, here Kurt “rhetorically undercuts the Morlock’s victim claims by explaining that he lives by the creed that he be “judged by my deeds instead of my looks” (14). Aligning himself with a conservative ideology of meritocracy,” 3/7
November 23, 2025 at 6:51 PM
According to Shyminsky, here Kurt “rhetorically undercuts the Morlock’s victim claims by explaining that he lives by the creed that he be “judged by my deeds instead of my looks” (14). Aligning himself with a conservative ideology of meritocracy,” 3/7
In the X-Men’s first encounter with the Morlocks, Nightcrawler is singled out by Callisto as something of a traitor as a result of supporting the X-Men, despite being an “outcast” himself due to his Morlock-like visual appearance. 2/7
November 23, 2025 at 6:51 PM
In the X-Men’s first encounter with the Morlocks, Nightcrawler is singled out by Callisto as something of a traitor as a result of supporting the X-Men, despite being an “outcast” himself due to his Morlock-like visual appearance. 2/7
According to scholar Neil Shyminsky, Nightcrawler plays a major role in undermining Claremont’s debut of the Morlocks as a metaphor for the underprivileged, by serving as a contradiction to Callisto’s perception of the role of privilege in defining the Morlocks. #xmen 1/7
November 23, 2025 at 6:51 PM
According to scholar Neil Shyminsky, Nightcrawler plays a major role in undermining Claremont’s debut of the Morlocks as a metaphor for the underprivileged, by serving as a contradiction to Callisto’s perception of the role of privilege in defining the Morlocks. #xmen 1/7
November 10, 2025 at 5:34 PM
November 8, 2025 at 12:29 PM
November 7, 2025 at 7:27 PM
November 5, 2025 at 9:16 PM
November 3, 2025 at 1:57 PM
October 29, 2025 at 6:44 PM
October 27, 2025 at 7:30 PM
October 26, 2025 at 1:40 PM
October 24, 2025 at 1:12 PM
October 22, 2025 at 2:31 PM
October 21, 2025 at 4:04 PM
October 20, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Kurt becomes a capable leader, a better fighter, and more willing to lean on others (it helps that Rachel and Kitty force him). Most importantly, though, Kurt is still a superhero, and that representation matters within the context of the disability metaphor. 9/9
October 6, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Kurt becomes a capable leader, a better fighter, and more willing to lean on others (it helps that Rachel and Kitty force him). Most importantly, though, Kurt is still a superhero, and that representation matters within the context of the disability metaphor. 9/9
At the point of Claremont’s departure, he has Kurt (and Kitty) still pursuing a slow recovery, but – more importantly – Kurt has learned how to live and excel with his injury, adjusting his approach to superheroism in accord with the demands of his embodied experience. 8/9
October 6, 2025 at 11:28 AM
At the point of Claremont’s departure, he has Kurt (and Kitty) still pursuing a slow recovery, but – more importantly – Kurt has learned how to live and excel with his injury, adjusting his approach to superheroism in accord with the demands of his embodied experience. 8/9
As with the others, Kurt’s super-injury comes with challenging mental side effects such as depression, frustration, and even suicidal ideation, allowing Claremont to portray a more humanist look at traumatic injury. 7/9
October 6, 2025 at 11:28 AM
As with the others, Kurt’s super-injury comes with challenging mental side effects such as depression, frustration, and even suicidal ideation, allowing Claremont to portray a more humanist look at traumatic injury. 7/9
As with Kitty and Colossus, Kurt’s post-massacre disability is specifically centred on his superpowers (and thus supernatural/metaphorical). This further builds on earlier powers-based metaphors for disability seen in both Rogue and Storm. 6/9
October 6, 2025 at 11:28 AM
As with Kitty and Colossus, Kurt’s post-massacre disability is specifically centred on his superpowers (and thus supernatural/metaphorical). This further builds on earlier powers-based metaphors for disability seen in both Rogue and Storm. 6/9
More recently, x-scholars have explored perceiving mutanity itself as a metaphor for disability – something that might even be particularly apt for Kurt, who is unable to visibly pass in society the way his peers can. Famously, he rejects trying to pass and accepts who he is. 5/9
October 6, 2025 at 11:28 AM
More recently, x-scholars have explored perceiving mutanity itself as a metaphor for disability – something that might even be particularly apt for Kurt, who is unable to visibly pass in society the way his peers can. Famously, he rejects trying to pass and accepts who he is. 5/9
In contrast, media such as comics can be seen to, at times, reify ableist perspectives on traumatic injury by having the hero recover fully and and/or immediately, thus portraying disability as something that is antithetical to superheroism. There are, of course, exceptions. 4/9
October 6, 2025 at 11:28 AM
In contrast, media such as comics can be seen to, at times, reify ableist perspectives on traumatic injury by having the hero recover fully and and/or immediately, thus portraying disability as something that is antithetical to superheroism. There are, of course, exceptions. 4/9