The Pulse

In Excalibur #5, Magneto is reading a bedtime story to Karima Shapandar, the reprogrammed Omega Sentinal (this is already ridiculous, since it has been established that Karima is a trained police officer, not some sulky child). Seeing as Karima is Indian, he decides to read from Kipling's Kim. The panel shows the following conversation.

Karima: That story is set in Lahore. It belongs to Pakistan now.

Magneto: A lot has changed since Kipling.

Oye Claremont, WHAT were you attempting with this little piece of writing? A belated attempt to show how much you know about other cultures? Yeah, right! This from a man who thinks SHAPANDAR is a common Indian surname. I mean please, the world and its brother are aware of the existence of Pakistan - where have you been all these years. You might as well have had the character say "Apartheid is dead in South Africa". "Really, you don't say!"

There are only two conclusions I can draw from this piece - one, that Magneto has been living under the same rock as Claremont and was genuinely surprised upon learning that Lahore was a part of Pakistan. This also begs the question as to how such a person can be a fan of Kipling.

The other is that Karima is just being plain petty - making it quite clear that Pakistan and India are different. This again is in direct contrast to her established character.

I think Marvel needs to give grandpa Claremont another shot of tranquilisers before he tries to get out of his hospital bed and dislocates his hip. Let it go grandpa, or you'll be known as the only man to have actively caused the downfall of the very title you helped popularise.