6 Greatest Stories Featuring Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force
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The X-Men made their debut in 1963. The comic was ultimately a failure until the series had a creative relaunch in 1975 with Giant-Sized X-Men #1. Jean Grey, also known as Marvel Girl, ultimately did not become a popular character until her cosmic possession by the Phoenix Force. After 62 years of publication, what are the best Jean Grey stories out there to read?
The Phoenix Force
The Phoenix is an ancient and deadly entity that has been around since the Big Bang. After possessing Jean Grey, the Phoenix amplifies her powers to a celestial degree. Jean Grey becomes so dangerous that she is a threat to planets and galaxies. In a pivotal 1980 story, Jean sacrifices herself to save the world and stop the Phoenix.
The story and history of Jean Grey are mythical and confusing in Marvel Comics. The character makes her debut in 1963 and dies in 1980. Jean was then brought back from the dead in the mid-1980s for the X-Factor comic book series, but died again in 2001. Jean’s corpse, technically not the real Jean Grey, experiences possession by the Phoenix Force in the late 2000s.
The real Jean Grey and a young time-traveler version of Jean make their debuts in the late 2010s.
To cut through he confusion, here are the six greatest comic books featuring Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force.
1. Phoenix Omnibus Vol. 1.
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This 688-page omnibus collects all of the classic 1970s X-Men stories that introduce the concept of the Phoenix Force. After an X-Men mission in space, Jean Grey finds herself bonded to a cosmic force that begins to take over her personality and amplify her mutant powers to cosmic levels. After demonstrating her destructive potential as Dark Phoenix, Jean Grey ultimately sacrifices herself to save the X-Men and the world.
Get the hardcover omnibus for $92.99 at Amazon right now.
2. X-Men Origins: Jean Grey #1 (2008)
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This story is a revision of Jean Grey’s origin. Jean’s awesome mutant powers begin to manifest in her childhood after she witnesses a fatal accident. The traumatic experience manifests Jean’s powers with horrific side effects that she can’t control. Jean’s parents are unable to help her.
Professor X learns about Jean and introduces the concept of the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters as a place to help Jean, and her parents allow her to enroll in the school. However, Professor X. later performs telepathic surgery on Jean to limit the power of her mind. This act will cause unforeseen consequences for herself, the X-Men, and the Phoenix Force in her future
One of the highlights of this intense story is the entrancing photorealistic artwork. Buy it on Kindle for $1.99 at Amazon now.
You can also buy a first print copy in NM condition, but act now because there is only one left in stock at Amazon for $29.95.
3. X-Men: Phoenix – Endsong (2005)
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Phoenix: Endsong is a 5-part comic book series that works almost like a superheroes-meets-The Exorcist body horror drama. In Marvel Comics, the Phoenix Force is an ancient, omnipotent cosmic force of nature that terrorizes galaxies. The Shi-ar is an intergalactic alien empire known for battling the Phoenix Force.
The Shi’ar accidentally reawaken a dormant Phoenix Force while trying to destroy it. Now awake, the Phoenix Force escapes in search of its last and most powerful host, Jean Grey! Unfortunately, Jean Grey is dead. So, the Phoenix Force travels to Earth, finds Jean’s corpse, resurrects her, re-possesses her, and becomes the Dark Phoenix Force.
The X-Men now have to fight Jean Grey after her resurrection by the Phoenix Force.
Get the 128-page hardcover for $20.13 now at Amazon.
4. Phoenix Resurrection: The Return Of Jean Grey (2017)
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You must remember that retcons, or the retroactive rewriting of character histories and backstories, are common and rampant in comic books. Technically speaking, it was Jean Grey’s corpse in the 2005 Endsong comic experiencing a resurrection and controlling possession by the Phoenix Force. The Real Jean Grey officially returns in Phoenix Resurrection: The Return Of Jean Grey.
In this comic, odd events begin occurring all over the world. People are seeing images of a large, flaming-bird like apparition among other things. The X-Men begin to realize Jean Grey might be back, but they don’t know where. Meanwhile, a suburban woman named Jean is living a quiet life when she suddenly experiences memories, nightmares, and hallucinations about the Phoenix Force.
Get this 144-page story on Kindle right now for $8.99 at Amazon.
5. Jean Grey: Nightmare Fuel (2017)
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This comic book might be confusing to casual readers, but it is an interesting story about a time-traveling younger version of Jean Grey. This younger version of Jean learns that her possession by the Phoenix Force seems to be inevitable. Young Jean tries to prevent this inescapable future from happening by teaming up with Thor, Namor, Hope Summer, Psylocke, and other Marvel heroes.
Buy this 136-page story for $10.99 on Kindle now at Amazon.
6. X-Men: Phoenix – Warsong (2008)
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Jean Grey is not the central character in this story, a sequel to Endsong. The Stepford Cuckoos are clones of Emma Frost. There were originally five identical sisters, but now there are only three. They look like identical triplets, have hive-mind communication, and telepathic and telekinetic powers. The Stepford Cuckoos can also transform into an indestructible diamond form like Emma Frost.
While they were never in the formal MCU, the Stepford Cuckoos did appear in the 2017 X-Men-related TV show The Gifted.
In this story, the Phoenix Force possesses the Stepford Cuckoos and amplifies their powers to a cosmic level. The X-Men have to find to way to stop the Phoenix Entity without sacrificing the Stepford Cuckoos.
Get the 128-page hardcover for $19.99 at Amazon now.
The Dark Phoenix Saga is a Classic
Most of you know about Jean Grey and the Dark Phoenix saga, even if you are a casual comic book reader. Jean Grey has been a staple in popular culture via cartoons, video games, animation, and live-action films since the 1990s. Because of this fact, you are doing yourself a favor if you read one of the stories on this list. If you only know about Jean Grey through comic book adaptations, then you only know a small fraction of the 62-year-old Jean Grey saga.
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Allen Francis is a full-time writer, prolific comic book investor and author of The Casual’s Guide: Why You Should Get Into Comic Book Investing. Allen holds a BA degree from Marymount Manhattan College. Before becoming a writer Allen was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years. Allen is an advocate of best personal financial practices including saving and investing in your own small business.
