Jean Grey: Phoenix/Marvel Girl Appreciation 2020

[johnnysv75]

In a double interview Kelly & Seagle said Jean was the most powerful member of the team. She seemed to be their favorite. The fact that editorial won't let them write her anymore was one of the reason they left.

Seagle also wanted Jean to embrace her Phoenix powers, and not going dark again :

One of my main never-to-be-completed story arcs (started in Uncanny 353) was that Jean Grey - who - after all the convoluted ret-cons inflicted on her over the years following the Dark Phoenix story - had techincally never been Dark Phoenix - would get the Phoenix powers. I wanted to look at whether the actual Jean Grey would have succumbed to the dark side the way the "coocoon-not-Jean-Grey-thing" did. Scott, having lived through this scenario once, was in a very different starting position and would have gone against Jean's wishes to embrace this power as Jean became more and more influenced by the Phoenix. With a wedge between them and an X-Men team looking at a history they didn't want to repeat, Jean and love would have prevailed - barely - because I like a (somewhat) happy ending - and because I see Jean Grey as strong enough to overcome the temptation.

https://www.cbr.com/comic-book-legends-revealed-361/

The way Seagle was building that Phoenix story. It was so damm good. I had chills when Jean removed the snow.

[johnnysv75]

[andreikes]

so many marvel characters already have contact with the phoenix force that it is even strange to put this codename again

[franckd]

I'm such a fan of those pages. I was actually living in USA at the very time it was released. It was so exciting.

[Omega_DCD]

In regards to Phoenix...before they whore'd it out to everyone just shy of Bill the Lobster, when it was just Jean and Rachel...I thought it would be cool to differentiate and specialize them a bit.

Jean would have a connection to the M'Kraan Crystal and act as a guardian of realities. Jean's biggest Phoenix feats include healing the M'Kraan Crystal itself, and undoing the Here Comes Tomorrow alternate reality and replacing it. Jean(from the White Hot Room) also seemingly protected Rachel and Psylocke from Wanda's House of M reality warp.

Rachel/Phoenix would have a connection to the timestream and act as guardian. Rachel's biggest Phoenix feats include rescuing Captain Britain from the timestream and taking his place, eventually becoming Mother Askani in the far future, and psychically retrieving Scott&Jean to raise and protect Nathan/Cable. Also, while unable to change her timeline, she was able to physically travel to it(with Excalibur) and end the Sentinel threat there going forward.

[Micabe]

If I wasn't so attached to my current avatar I'd use this

[Soulsword323]

Love those Alaska Jean/Scott images. Such a powerful moment for Jean, and was truly a gem of the 90s.

[Phoenixx9]

I love Jean looking powerful and strong in that pic!

[franckd]

When I think that editors killed that story for one of the mediocre arc and terrible ideas they had in mind (fake X-Men, the hunt for Xavier) it still pains me.

[Phoenixx9]

When I think that editors killed that story for one of the mediocre arc and terrible ideas they had in mind (fake X-Men, the hunt for Xavier) it still pains me.

I know, right? What great stories we could have had with Jean as Phoenix.

[franckd]

I know, right? What great stories we could have had with Jean as Phoenix.

Each time writers want Jean to embrace her Phoenix imagery, some Marvel editors cancel it. It's crazy. It's like :"Jean Grey as Phoenix is powerful. We don't want that. Let have her cry and die in space, in her mini skirt. A codename ? Phoenix has to much depths, it sounds way too good. So no. Give her the Marvel Girl codename instead. The Phoenix suit? It's perfect and timeless. Who in the hell want perfection for a super-hero?? Let her wear washing gloves and a suit from the 60's"

[Harpsikord]

No, no, no. Let's not blame Jean's death in HoX on Jordan White, who was the editor through most of X-Men Red, Extermination, and Decimation/Age of X-Man, all of which showed Jean as pretty badass in her own right. All regression is to be blamed on Jonathan Hickman.

[franckd]

No, no, no. Let's not blame Jean's death in HoX on Jordan White, who was the editor through most of X-Men Red, Extermination, and Decimation/Age of X-Man, all of which showed Jean as pretty badass in her own right. All regression is to be blamed on Jonathan Hickman.

I agree.

But who asked the Phoenix (name, suit, imagery, powers) to be served from Jean. it's a genuine question. And I'd love to have an answer. Was it all Rosenberg? Or was it editorially mandated?

[Havok83]

I agree.

But who asked the Phoenix (name, suit, imagery, powers) to be served from Jean. it's a genuine question. And I'd love to have an answer. Was it all Rosenberg? Or was it editorially mandated?

The Phoenix was in the hands of the Avengers office. It seemed they only allowed it to be used as a means to bring Jean back but the X-line didnt have access to it bc Aaron was using it extensively in his books

[MechaJeanix]

When I think that editors killed that story for one of the mediocre arc and terrible ideas they had in mind (fake X-Men, the hunt for Xavier) it still pains me.

Yeah that era was bad. Though I admit I loved Kitty, Nightcrawler, and Colossus coming back to the X-men but overall the stories weren't so good and the arcs forgettable. Remember the Gathering? Or was it the Shattering? The stuff with Nina? Astonishing X-men with Scott, Jean, Nate Grey, Cable, and Angel? The Twelve. Ages of Apocalypse. Yikes!