Jean Grey / Phoenix Appreciation 2024

[whitecrown]

That issue showed a lot of memories of hers, I think. This is after she sacrificed herself in her battle with Necrom. The Pheonix had taken over at this point and this was Rachel basically coming back to consciousness and they are merged again instead of being separate. Thats the best I can describe it. Then she returns to Excalibur. Unfortunately, it didn't last long. I hope I'm not ruining it for you, whitecrown.

I haven't been spoiled by anything, if that's what you mean! I'm familiar with what happened to Rachel, I just hadn't seen that particular panel before of Scott and Jean with baby Rachel. It is sad that she was relegated to character limbo for so many years, outside of her Askani appearances. If she had stuck around in Excalibur, I wonder what they would have done with her during the time Kurt, Kitty, and Peter rejoined the X-Men.

[From The Shadows]

I haven't been spoiled by anything, if that's what you mean! I'm familiar with what happened to Rachel, I just hadn't seen that particular panel before of Scott and Jean with baby Rachel. It is sad that she was relegated to character limbo for so many years, outside of her Askani appearances. If she had stuck around in Excalibur, I wonder what they would have done with her during the time Kurt, Kitty, and Peter rejoined the X-Men.

I agree. I actually wonder how she would have been written by Warren Ellis. He wrote Excalibur more edgy and then you had other X-characters like Piotr, Rahne and Douglocke. It was probably the most X-Men it has ever been. Under Claremont and Davis, it was really its own thing entirely. She was sort of used elsewhere when she wasn't used in Excalibur in Cable as mother Askani, though in little pieces, but you probably know this already. They may have fleshed out that more at the time if she didn't return to the states with Piotr, Kurt and Kitty.

[whitecrown]

I agree. I actually wonder how she would have been written by Warren Ellis. He wrote Excalibur more edgy and then you had other X-characters like Piotr, Rahne and Douglocke. It was probably the most X-Men it has ever been. Under Claremont and Davis, it was really its own thing entirely. She was sort of used elsewhere when she wasn't used in Excalibur in Cable as mother Askani, though in little pieces, but you probably know this already. They may have fleshed out that more at the time if she didn't return to the states with Piotr, Kurt and Kitty.

It would have been nice to see Rachel develop closer bonds to those characters. Outside of the main Claremont gang, she's never really been allowed to be close to anyone else. In fact, I think she barely has relationships with the O5 members like Warren, Hank, and Bobby. I remember the first few times I read Excalibur, I found the book so confusing because I had zero idea who Saturnyne, Courtney Ross, Otherworld, and Technet were. It didn't help that even in the pages of UXM, characters like Roma were just sprung upon readers without any context. Excalibur barely felt like an X-Title, even with Kurt, Kitty, and Rachel, and it didn't help that it was more or less far removed from the other X-Books and basically never included in any of the main crossovers.

I've never read the Cable series but I know Rachel popped up there first before returning in X-Treme X-Men. Cable has never interested me as a character besides the brief time Claremont wrote him in X-Men Revolution alongside Jean.

[From The Shadows]

It would have been nice to see Rachel develop closer bonds to those characters. Outside of the main Claremont gang, she's never really been allowed to be close to anyone else. In fact, I think she barely has relationships with the O5 members like Warren, Hank, and Bobby. I remember the first few times I read Excalibur, I found the book so confusing because I had zero idea who Saturnyne, Courtney Ross, Otherworld, and Technet were. It didn't help that even in the pages of UXM, characters like Roma were just sprung upon readers without any context. Excalibur barely felt like an X-Title, even with Kurt, Kitty, and Rachel, and it didn't help that it was more or less far removed from the other X-Books and basically never included in any of the main crossovers.

I've never read the Cable series but I know Rachel popped up there first before returning in X-Treme X-Men. Cable has never interested me as a character besides the brief time Claremont wrote him in X-Men Revolution alongside Jean.

Well, Excalibur had a lot of left over Marvel UK stuff but I actually liked it. It was something fresh and new for those X-characters. Yeah, Excalibur didn't really join in on any storylines in the X-Verse until the 90's, not all of them, but some. I didn't think much of Cable at all myself at first. To me he was just another 90's grrr big guns gritty character (Same with Bishop who grew on me). It wasn't until the Casey/Ladronn runas he seemed more fleshed out and I actually enjoyed the mythos when I hadn't really cared before. But Claremont definitely brought him up another notch. It really depends on the writer.

[Grinning Soul]

holempathic crystal Jean

Where? I can't find it! :D

Also, next to Iron Man, could those be Jean's parents and either Jean or Sara?

[nightw1ng]

Where? I can't find it!

Also, next to Iron Man, could those be Jean's parents and either Jean or Sara?

The holempathic matrix crystal of Jean is in the lower right hand corner, at the feet of the X-baby version of Outback-era armored Psylocke.
I couldn't find it either until I saw this Bleeding Cool article where they split the image, which made it easier to scan.
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/spli...eable-slivers/

[Darth_Caedus]

I heard that the Fall of X arc was supposed to be even longer. Had the original plans for Fall of X gone through would Jean's return have been dragged out even longer?

Probably. I just can't wait for this mess to be over

[Thirteen]

Where? I can't find it!

Also, next to Iron Man, could those be Jean's parents and either Jean or Sara?

That does indeed appear to be Sara along with Dr and Mrs Grey as seen in DARK PHOENIX SAGA

[Grinning Soul]

The holempathic matrix crystal of Jean is in the lower right hand corner, at the feet of the X-baby version of Outback-era armored Psylocke.
I couldn't find it either until I saw this Bleeding Cool article where they split the image, which made it easier to scan.
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/spli...eable-slivers/

Thank you so much! I'd never find it on my own and it was driving me crazy. :)

[Grinning Soul]

That does indeed appear to be Sara along with Dr and Mrs Grey as seen in DARK PHOENIX SAGA

Exactly! Thanks for posting the panels. It's nice to see the Greys together again. :)

[Note: I replied in two messages to keep the images, since the posts are about them.]

[whitecrown]

Well, Excalibur had a lot of left over Marvel UK stuff but I actually liked it. It was something fresh and new for those X-characters. Yeah, Excalibur didn't really join in on any storylines in the X-Verse until the 90's, not all of them, but some. I didn't think much of Cable at all myself at first. To me he was just another 90's grrr big guns gritty character (Same with Bishop who grew on me). It wasn't until the Casey/Ladronn runas he seemed more fleshed out and I actually enjoyed the mythos when I hadn't really cared before. But Claremont definitely brought him up another notch. It really depends on the writer.

I think Claremont could have done a better job of clueing in readers about the Marvel UK stuff since most people would have no idea who these characters are or what their deal is. I grew to like it all after I had some inkling on who everyone was especially because all the Saturnyne/Courtney Ross stuff and her doppelgangers was extremely confusing to me.
Bishop grew on me under Claremont but it also helped that he was part of the X-Men team since he joined. Cable I associated with X-Force which I never cared for and a retcon that his own creator was against. I've never really read anything with him in a solo book but he seemed most enjoyable to me when dealing with the Askani and him being a sorta chosen one against Apocalypse. It's interesting since originally, before he was a Summers-Grey, the plan was for his archenemy to be a non-mutant character like Doom or Kang.

[Phoenixx9]

That's what I'm thinking now that it was really Maddie's episode. I still think the signs are all there that Jean as Phoenix is coming. Almost every episode's opening theme keeps showing Dark Phoenix and Jean's comments to Logan about how she wanted to fly away into space and go cosmic (synergy with the new ongoing) except Scott grounded her, makes me think this is going to happen. Especially with her relationship in shambles, being rejected romantically by Logan, and her best friend/sister away, there's very little to keep Jean from not becoming Phoenix again. Especially with Sinister as the Big Bad as he is exactly the villain who can push her buttons and set her off. Storm getting her Cockrum costume again feels like it can't just be a coincidence.

As I predicted a year + ago, it was not Jean who was pregos, but Maddie!

[Phoenixx9]

Jean is rising from the ashes! Who is ready for her return?

I am always ready!

[Phoenixx9]

Where? I can't find it!

Also, next to Iron Man, could those be Jean's parents and either Jean or Sara?

Yes, it looks like them to me. Good catch, GS!

[Celestialbodies]

With the spoilers I've just seen, her current state isn't a coincidence!