Chris Claremont: Dim Sum Warriors is “Sodding Brilliant!”

We had the privilege of meeting Chris Claremont at the Comic New York symposium at Columbia University, and he gave us a wonderful quote when we showed him Dim Sum Warriors.

Mr Claremont, of course, is the legendary writer whose work on Uncanny X-Men pulled the world of comics from a late-60′s sensibility right into the globalised 80′s. He was probably the first to write strong, believable women characters and take a non-stereotyped approach to non-Caucasian/non-American characters. Uncanny X-Men #137 (the death of Phoenix/Jean Grey) was the first comic to make me cry (I was 10).  It was also the first time that I realized  the potential of the comics medium; hitherto, comics were mostly about colorful fights and wisecracking heroes, but #137 left with me the impression that one could convey genuine and multi-layered emotions too. In many ways, all the comic and cartoon work we’re doing now owes a debt to Chris Claremont’s work.

To hear him say, “This is sodding brilliant!” about Dim Sum Warriors is a personal high watermark for me.

–Colin