Phoenix #1 is written by Stephanie Phillips and published by Marvel. Artwork is by Alessandro Miracolo, colours by David Curiel and letters by VC’s Cory Petit. Main cover art (left) is by Yasmine Putri.
Phoenix #1 is available from today, in print and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your digital copy from Amazon Comixology right here.
Synopsis
She is JEAN GREY. She is PHOENIX. She saves the world. She brings death. One woman, alone in space, who not only must do what no one else can: she yearns to. A desperate S.O.S. from NOVA brings the Phoenix to the edge of a black hole, where hundreds of lives hang in the balance…and whatever Jean does – or fails to do – will bring darkness to the universe and haunt her in ways she can scarcely imagine…
Review
The Phoenix Force is back! But don’t worry, this time Jean Grey is in control and using her incredible and infinite powers for good. As Marvel gets underway with its brand new creative overhaul for the X-Men and mutant-kind, one of the OG heroes is getting her own series from the force of nature that is writer Stephanie Phillips.
I am the first to admit that coming off the back of X-Men ‘97 and being of the era of the original cartoon, it’s characters like Jean Grey which captivate my attention. So Phoenix is a book I’ve been looking forward to since the “From the Ashes” initiative was announced. If this first issue is anything to go by then Marvel has a certified hit on their hands.
Phillips finds an incredible balance between the heart of Jean Grey and the powers of the Phoenix. By comparison, look at how certain members of the audience mock a character like Captain Marvel for being too powerful on the big screen in the MCU. At this stage, fully merged and in control of the Phoenix Force, Jean is infinitely more powerful than even the Omega level classification is able to quantify. Those abilities are fully on show right across issue #1. But Phillips never loses sight of what fans like me love the character that’s what is so impressive with this book.
The issue is framed by the story of a narrator, Adani, a young alien from an unnamed world which is about to find itself in mortal danger. Adani’s narrative builds a picture of the Phoenix which aligns with what the reader would expect. It comes from a place of fear and a lack of understanding. But Adani herself explains this story is being filtered through her own experience of the universe and the Phoenix Force. But as with all great stories it’s far more complicated. That seeing Jean swallow the power of a dying sun. Oh. Yes Jean can do that now.
Jumping to the Kyln-2 intergalactic prison we find Nova, a surprise supporting character in the story, struggling to maintain order. The prison is falling in to the mouth of a supermassive black hole and Nova needs backup. You see Jean can also absorb the power of a black hole now too. So after reaching out psychically, Jean steps in to help save the day. Huge scope aside, the scene sets up a new status quo as the character really sets out to be a hero for all people. There’s also a touching moment as Jean uses her powers to reach out to Scott at the new X-base in Alaska for some quality husband and wife time. Phillips sets up a great dynamic amongst the core cast, keeping Jean within psychic distance of her family whilst placed with an exciting group of people who should serve the story beautifully as it continues.
Miracolo is an incredible choice of artist for the series. The artwork is truly the stuff of Marvel legend. It screams classic Marvel from start to finish as the artwork perfectly presents the spectacle of Phillips’ story. No detail is lost in Miracolo’s work. The space station and Adani’s home work take on a life of their own, never dwarfing important aspects of the frame. Whilst characters all leap in to action as if animated on the page. Phoenix is a book filled with life and crackling with electric energy.
Verdict
An incredible start to Marvel’s latest X series. Phillips writes an electric story which takes Jean Grey and her Phoenix powers to whole new levels. That story is matched with epic gusto by Miracolo’s effortlessly cool artwork.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
