CGC Signature Series Creator Spotlight: Chris Claremont

Artist: Chris Claremont

Next CGC Signature Series deadline: March 14, 2025, is the deadline to submit your books for the next Chris Claremont Private Signing. Click here to learn more about the upcoming signing, where he’ll be joined by Frank Miller and Alex Sinclair.

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Creator origins: Claremont has had a celebrated career in comics thanks to his time at Marvel, where he wrote issues of Uncanny X-Men from 1975 to 1991. Credited with developing strong female characters and interweaving literary themes into comics, he is a legend in the comic world — inducted into the Will Eisner Hall of Fame and honored with the Harvey Lifetime Achievement Award, the Yellow Kid Award, the Angouleme Grand Prix Award and many more.

Claremont began his career in comics at Marvel Comics as an editorial assistant. His first assignment was on Daredevil. Since then, he has gone on to write extremely important X-Men stories including, The Dark Phoenix Saga and God Loves, Man Kills. Claremont is also the co-creator of fan-favorite characters such as Rogue, Gambit, Shadowcat, Mystique, Sabretooth and many more. He has also been published by Dark Horse, Image and DC Comics.

Top picks: Some of Claremont’s most popular work includes:

• Daredevil #102 (1973) – Claremont’s first comic book work
• Uncanny X-Men #94 (1975) – 2nd appearance of the new X-Men
• Iron Fist #1 (1975) – first solo Iron Fist series
• Uncanny X-Men #100 (1976) – classic battle of X-Men
• Uncanny X-Men #101 (1976) – Jean Grey becomes Phoenix
• Uncanny X-Men #103 (1977) – Wolverine’s first name “Logan” revealed
• Ms. Marvel #18 (1978) – first full appearance of Mystique
• John Carter Warlord of Mars (1978) – first Marvel work by Frank Miller
• Uncanny X-Men #116 (1978) – introduction of Wolverine’s healing ability
• Uncanny X-Men #129 (1980) – begins the Dark Phoenix Saga; first Kitty Pryde
• Uncanny X-Men #130 (1980) – first appearance of Dazzler
• Uncanny X-Men #134 (1980) – Jean Grey becomes Dark Phoenix
• Uncanny X-Men #137 (1980) – death of Jean Grey
• Uncanny X-Men #138 (1980) – Cyclops quits the X-Men
• Uncanny X-Men #141 (1981) – begins the Days of Future Past
• Avengers Annual #10 (1981) – first appearance of Rogue
• Marvel Graphic Novel #4 (1982) – first appearance of New Mutants
• Wolverine #1 (1982) – first solo Wolverine series
• Uncanny X-Men and the Teen Titans (1982) – Marvel/DC crossover
• Marvel Graphic Novel #5 (1982) – God Loves, Man Kills story

CGC Comics Registry highlight: Need more ideas? Check out some of his most iconic work on the X-Men in Registry member Key_Comics’ collection, X-Men, My Lifelong Passion.

Auction highlight: An Uncanny X-Men #94 graded CGC Signature Series 9.6 signed by Chris Claremont, Stan Lee and Len Wein sold for $14,400 in a Heritage Auctions sale in June 2021.

Did you know? Claremont had a cameo as "Lawnmower Man" in the opening scene of “X-Men: The Last Stand” (2006). He also appeared as a congressional committee member in “X-Men: Days of Future Past” (2014), alongside fellow comic writer Len Wein.

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