Chris Claremont, architect of mutant mythology

As X-Men: The Last Stand opens, the Philadelphia Daily News celebrates writer Chris Claremont for his contributions to Marvel's expansive mutant universe.

"He's the architect of their current mythology," writer Christos Gage told the newspaper. "He didn't create the X-Men, but his vision of the characters is what's endured. Before him, Wolverine was supposed to be a teenager and his claws were part of his gloves, not his body. ... Claremont didn't do it alone, but he's been doing it so long and so consistently that he's the person most responsible for what people think of when they hear the name X-Men."

The article goes on to chronicle the resurrection of the failed series with Giant-Size X-Men # 1 in May 1975, followed a few months later by Claremont's first issue, X-Men #94 ("All-New, All-Different").

"X-Men was the right book at the right place and time that was further blessed by an exceptional consistency of art those first, critical years," Claremont told the Daily News. "We had great characters, we put them through hell and they still found a way to win. What more could you ask for?"

Along with Claremont and Gage, the newspaper speaks with Tom DeFalco and Chuck Dixon.

Related: Nashville City Paper on "The Dark Phoenix Saga"