Jean Grey: Marvel Girl, Phoenix Appreciation 2019

[PsychoEFrost]

The Scarlet Witch has not been depowered in a long time. The Avengers more consistently fight cosmic foes and gods, so they rely on heavy hitters like the Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, Thor, etc.

Even the X-Men have Magik, who does not get depowered. Her mutant power allows her to teleport through time and space, and on top of that she's a powerful sorceress and ruler of a hell dimension. Very few in the X-Universe can beat her, except for the Phoenix. Yet as singularly powerful as she is, writers still use her.

And they make sure to never use her at anywhere close to full power. Same for when Rachel was Phoenix, or Jean during the Morrison run. Most of the time Ilyana is the Magik School Bus, used for her teleportation and nothing else.

The Avengers face cosmic level threats when they have enough team members to do so. They wouldn't be facing them if Thor or Captain Marvel were the only one on the team who would stand a chance.

[nightw1ng]

You can't have singular powerful characters and still tell a solid story. It's the reason the Phoenix is gone. It's the reason Nate Grey/Franklin Richards/Scarlet Witch get depowered every few issues. Same reason Doctor Strange isn't on the level of the Living Tribunal anymore. Same reason Hulk can't destroy planets in one or two hits anymore. When you have a singular powerful character, you need to have a threat that matches them, and especially in a team book like X-Men, it just leaves everyone else behind.

This is why I'd like to see her be on a team like the Ultimates that dealt with global/universal threats. Everyone on the team was a major powerhouse (Captain Marvel, Blue Marvel, America Chavez, Black Panther, and Spectrum) and the people they faced were just as powerful or even more so. Having a team like that greatly lessens the chance of there being any instances of jobbing or of one member making everyone else seem useless.

[From The Shadows]

Uncanny sold me on Jean and Psylocke

I was sold before.

These are my favorite looks for them.



An old "bonding" bit from the 90's.

[PsychoEFrost]

This is why I'd like to see her be on a team like the Ultimates that dealt with global/universal threats. Everyone on the team was a major powerhouse (Captain Marvel, Blue Marvel, America Chavez, Black Panther, and Spectrum) and the people they faced were just as powerful or even more so. Having a team like that greatly lessens the chance of there being any instances of jobbing or of one member making everyone else seem useless.

And that could work. But I'm not sure how a lot of Jean fans would feel about her basically moving to the Avengers. Personally I'd rather her be a central figure for mutant rights since all the other leaders are either ineffective (Kitty, Ororo) or despised (Scott). Even if that means keeping everyone's favorite bird in deep space for a while.

[spirit2011]

And that could work. But I'm not sure how a lot of Jean fans would feel about her basically moving to the Avengers. Personally I'd rather her be a central figure for mutant rights since all the other leaders are either ineffective (Kitty, Ororo) or despised (Scott). Even if that means keeping everyone's favorite bird in deep space for a while.

I don't mind the avengers, X-men is Jean home but sometimes the house can get really small

[WallStreeter]

I don't mind the avengers, X-men is Jean home but sometimes the house can get really small

Of course, the X-Men have cosmic threats. The Shi'ar, Asgardians, Galactus, the Celestials, the N'Gari, the Eternals, Apocalypse, Selene, the Adversary, have all threatened the X-Men at various points.

Callisto herself told Cyclops how humans FEARED the X-Men, Magneto, and Apocalypse and how with all of those gone, that's why anti mutant sentiments increased.

We know humans, sentinels, and Ahab will never be able to be the X-Men. The X-Men are at their best when they have to fight everyone, including Inhumans, Eternals, gods, aliens and the like.

There's a huge place for the X-Men in this.

Particularly with the X-Men soon to be integrated into MCU.

[Havok83]

The X-men have had human and sentinel members

[From The Shadows]

I don't know. I used to like the idea of some X-characters joining the Avengers but it seems that everyone and his/her mother is joining these days and it just isn't as interesting. And I don't like the way they've been written lately - well, the main team books at least.

[Grey]

And that could work. But I'm not sure how a lot of Jean fans would feel about her basically moving to the Avengers. Personally I'd rather her be a central figure for mutant rights since all the other leaders are either ineffective (Kitty, Ororo) or despised (Scott). Even if that means keeping everyone's favorite bird in deep space for a while.

Can only speak for myself but I’m all for jean trying new things, even if it means going to the avengers.

We will see what her role becomes now that cyclops and wolverine are back. If it’s new and different, great. If not, I’d be just fine seeing her explore other corners of 616.

[nightw1ng]

I'm ok with Jean being an Avenger since she could still pull double-duty with the X-Men. The X-office was able to make it work with Wolverine for years, so why not Jean? I'd definitely enjoy seeing Jean developing new friendships outside the X-Men.

On a related note, I've always wondered if there was some unspoken rule within the Avengers office that they couldn't use telepaths, because for the world's most mightiest heroes, it's the one powerset they are almost always lacking in. Perhaps because it's so entrenched in X-Men lore, they just let the X-office handle the psychic domain.

[Can'tHexTheX]

I wouldn't mind Jean becoming an Avenger, but I would absolutely mind her not being with the X-Men. There is plenty of room for her to play a big role even after her inevitable demotion. She doesn't have to be on Wolverine's team and the last thing she needs, besides death, is to be on Cyclops' team. They could easily have her lead her own team. Marvel loves lazy team name mashup concepts so

West Coast X-Men.

Jean, Bishop, Storm, Rogue, and Gambit take to LA to open Xavier's West. Featuring West Coast transplant, Quentin Quire.

Written by Kelly Thompson.

Took me all of 3 minutes to come up with something new for her that lazily riffs on something else, as apparently required.

[Havok83]

I wouldn't mind Jean becoming an Avenger, but I would absolutely mind her not being with the X-Men. There is plenty of room for her to play a big role even after her inevitable demotion. She doesn't have to be on Wolverine's team and the last thing she needs, besides death, is to be on Cyclops' team. They could easily have her lead her own team. Marvel loves lazy team name mashup concepts so

West Coast X-Men.

Jean, Bishop, Storm, Rogue, and Gambit take to LA to open Xavier's West. Featuring West Coast transplant, Quentin Quire.

Written by Kelly Thompson.

Took me all of 3 minutes to come up with something new for her that lazily riffs on something else, as apparently required.

After being gone so long and her profile on the upswing, Jean really needs to be featured in the flagship title, not a spinoff

[From The Shadows]

West Coast X-Men.

Jean, Bishop, Storm, Rogue, and Gambit take to LA to open Xavier's West. Featuring West Coast transplant, Quentin Quire.

Written by Kelly Thompson.

Took me all of 3 minutes to come up with something new for her that lazily riffs on something else, as apparently required.

I actually like this better.

[Del torro]

And they make sure to never use her at anywhere close to full power. Same for when Rachel was Phoenix, or Jean during the Morrison run. Most of the time Ilyana is the Magik School Bus, used for her teleportation and nothing else.

The Avengers face cosmic level threats when they have enough team members to do so. They wouldn't be facing them if Thor or Captain Marvel were the only one on the team who would stand a chance.

I feel kind of jealous how avengers, Ultimates, justice League and fantastic four face credible threats that actually challenge them.

In Uncanny Psylocke couldn't stop a crowd of normal humans because they were "too angry". You won't see that happen to Martian Manhunter in a justice League book.

It's why I want Jean on a space team, look at the era where Rachel, Polaris and Havok were in space and compare them to now being back on earth.

Powerful characters don't break a story. As long as you have a good writer. Look at Gillens extinction team of Magik, Storm, Danger, Magneto, Hope and Emma frost.

I've been saying it, the problem is the writers. Just look at the battles in Disassembled, no coordination, no strategy, just everyone blasting each other and trying to over power them. I miss the times when the Xmen would discuss strategies and formations.
Imagine if Jean had asked Legion to combine his telepathy with her and Psylocke using cerebra to restrain Nate grey,when he first projected his plans to the world, and while other teams went out to stop the attacks around the world. They would have ended the threat easily.

[Can'tHexTheX]

After being gone so long and her profile on the upswing, Jean really needs to be featured in the flagship title, not a spinoff

Nope. What she needs is consistent focus for a bit and writers that will show her struggling to achieve her goal while dealing with that part of herself that enjoyed being Phoenix, that scares herself and others. That's not to say that I don't want her in the main title, but if that would be just to stand around doing nothing or being the new Emma while somebody postures at Captain America or whatever, she'd be better off as the star of a side title.