X-Men is one of the oldest and still coolest comics from the Marvel universe. So many likable characters and story lines that it’s a blast to read. Many fans of the comic book have their favorite characters, but one of the most popular is that of Jean Grey or Phoenix. She has an interesting story and great mutant powers. So in this sped-up tutorial, you’ll see how to draw Jean Grey in your X-Men outfit. So good luck, pay attention, and enjoy!

For more free tutorials, many in real time, check out http://ipaintgirls.com

The romance between Jean Grey and Wolverine has been by far the most mishandled, misconstrued, and at times destructive pairing in the history of X-men. I know that’s saying a lot, but given how long this plot has been used I think we can objectively say it ranks right up there. I’ve never come across a comic book couple that has such ardent detractors and die-hard supporters. As a fan in general, I think it’s one of those “good on paper” type ideas that just was so poorly fleshed out that it’s become an open scab throughout the story of the X-men. Part of the problem was how it started. Chris Claremont originally had Logan attracted to Jean Grey because he just soured on Cyclops and Jean Grey. He has gone on record as saying he completely despised the Scott/Jean romance after what happened with Madelyn Pryor and had he stayed on board, he would have broken them up and put Jean with Logan. He’s already shown this in his X-men Forever series. It was one of the many reasons he split with the editors at the time. I think this sort of sets the tone because it wasn’t so much done because these characters complimented each other. It was done more so as a foil to the Scott/Jean romance. That just really doesn’t work. That would be akin to being a soccer fan just because you hate American football.

As a result, Logan and Jean’s attraction was made to be really spotty. There were moments like Xtinction Agenda and Inferno where they kissed, but Jean pushed away. Then there were later moments like in Morrison where the kissing was mutual, but coupled with Jean lamenting over her love for Scott. The movies played this up even more by not just having Logan be the anti-Scott, but by having the part of Jean that was attracted to him be the darker part that became Phoenix. That really doesn’t fall in line with her character and it speaks poorly of Logan’s influence not just on her, but on everybody he’s close to. In both cases it’s always the same. There’s an unrequited love between them. Logan loves Jean, but Jean doesn’t love him in the same way and the man she does love is a man Logan can’t stand. This sort of angle is good for a few plots, but it has been dragged out for so long over the years that it’s not just old. It’s destructive to their characters.

I look at X-men Forever as the best example. In this Chris Claremont clearly wanted them together now that no editors were in his way. But he couldn’t undo the depth and complexity of the relationship Jean had with Scott, much of which he himself built up. The only way to make it happen was to force it and that just destroyed the elements of each character. It made Jean come off as a cheating skank and Logan come off as some overly emotional pretty boy when he’s supposed to be the ultimate loner. This highlights the main stumbling block to their affairs. Logan and Jean aren’t really made to compliment each other in the proper context. X-men Forever just thrust them together through sheer editorial force. Other mediums like the movies, Ultimate X-men, and the Earth X series put them together without any real depth. It was all just attraction that was pulled out of the air and used as a plot device. At no point was any effort made to really let it happen naturally as has been done with other successful pairings. The only instance I can cite that really made a serious effort to show their chemistry was Age of Apocalypse. That’s where their romance was built around their respective characters and plot. It felt natural as it emerged and it was a good dramatic element to the underlying story. That’s been the lone exception and I can’t contemplate too many other areas where it has been done quite as well.

Now I know there are some who are completely disgusted by Jean and Logan as a pairing. That’s perfectly fair. People can have their own tastes. Some hate it just because they love Scott and Jean so much better or they prefer Logan with someone else. My position is that any pairing can be made to work if it’s done properly. And Jean/Logan has almost never been done properly. It’s almost always been detrimental to each character. It either makes Jean out to be a skank or it takes away some of the defining characteristics that make Logan who he is. That’s why I’ve often dreaded seeing references to it in most comics. That is also why I’m often against Jean hooking up with Logan when she comes back in 616 because given how it’s been handled, it has little chance of ending well. I can understand in some ways how these two would be drawn together. They do have serious chemistry. That attraction is not just physical. There is some emotional depth to it and they do have potential. It’s just the kind of potential that’s not easily realized.

I’ve tried to keep this in mind as I’ve written my X-men Supreme series. At the moment, I have Jean and Logan dating. There’s no unrequited love or unspoken passion. They actually are boyfriend and girlfriend and they actually are dating as a real couple. It’s an angle to the characters I haven’t seen explored too often even in fanfiction. I wanted to set my series apart in that respect so I’ve made a concerted effort to flesh out the Jean/Logan romance while avoiding some of the mistakes I feel have been made in other mediums. I’m sure some of the Jean fans here will disapprove. I respect that. But this is something I feel should be addressed because it’s been so mangled in so many other ways.

Now I don’t know how many here on this board have been following my series. Right now I’m just 9 issues in and Jean and Logan have been together since issue 5. But since you guys are the hardcore Jean fans I want to know what you think about the Jean/Logan pairing. Can it be done well? Has it been done well? Have I done an okay job with it on my end? Am I completely wrong on my assessment? If so, please tell me. I want to know what you think. Jean and Logan are both some of my all time favorite comic characters. I’ve often had a conflicted view of the romance plots they’ve endured and I think it’s something that deserves to be discussed.

by MarvelMaster616 – Check out his site at www.xmen-supreme.com

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 is based around the story of the Civil War comics event that took place in 2006-2007. The game itself is similar to its predecessor with the added feature of a new attack known as a fusion, which sees two heroes combining their powers to defeat an opposing enemy or threat to them.

In July 2009 Jean Grey fans were happy to hear that she was indeed playable in this installation of the series. The game developers said in an interview that they had always planned to include Jean in the game and that she was one of the characters who was favoured by a lot of the game developers.

In the game Jean possesses both her telepathic and telekinetic powers and even has access to some Phoenix powers such as resurrection. Her default outfit in the game is her Phoenix outfit and her alternate outfit is her X-men First Class costume. She is unlocked by collecting five pieces of the M’Krann Crystal throughout the course of the game. She has special conversations with her son, Cable and the Young Avenger, Patriot. In the game Jean is listed as being a crowd control character.

Overall Jean Grey really lives up to her name in this game and she is a valuable asset to any team in the game. Her telepathic and telekinetic powers are very powerful and her Phoenix powers are kept at a certain level, so fans can experience her as a superhero rather than a goddess. She has excellent fusions with other characters such as Cyclops (only playable on the PS2 and Wii platforms) and Storm. Jean Grey is really all the fans expected and more in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2.

Conor McKenna

This is a great cover featuring Jean Grey as Marvel Girl. Just gorgeous…the cover, I mean.

X-Men Origins: Jean Grey #1

This review from Comixology, click here for the full review.

…expanding on her established background from a black-and-white story in Bizarre Adventures #27 that most current readers probably don’t even know exists. McKeever sticks to telling the story of Jean’s traumatic telepathic awakening, adding just a little extra to what we knew to provide a sense of resolution.

But the real reason to get this issue is the artwork. Mayhew’s cover is nice, but his interior artwork is also painted and is superior throughout. Not only does everything look wonderful, but his storytelling skills are more than up to the challenge of showing us all the things here that happen in Jean’s head without major action scenes to drive them.

This review is from Comics Bulletin, click here for the full review.

McKeever and Mayhew have two main challenges in this story: to capture a teenage Jean Grey who is recognizably different from the adult warrior who fought so valiantly in the X-Men, and to make an oft-told story fresh again. They succeed admirably on both counts. Mayhew brings a compelling realism (which is still a far cry from anything resembling photo-realism) to the initial introduction of Professor Xavier to the Grey family (who are both wary and desperate concerning the condition of their traumatized daughter after the shocking initial manifestation of her powers).
Mayhew comes up with many masterful views into Jean’s private turmoil, in a delicate and straightforward watercolor style that foregoes heavy inks but still manages a full range of value. Jean’s red hair unites page after page, as do her signature green eyes.

The scenes where Xavier discusses his plans with Jean’s parents recall the scenes with Angel’s parents from X-Men #2. Professor Grey’s affiliation with Bard College is recalled, and throughout he and Mrs. Grey are every inch the concerned, caring, worried parents, good people who obviously contributed to Jean the basis for a stable and nurturing core personality.

And it’s here in this story in a crucial scene where Jean plays hooky from Xavier’s first Academy and ends up embroiled in another car accident in Westchester Center, where she uses her considerable telekinetic gifts to save the day.  Jean looks like Jean throughout, and in this nuanced and detailed exploration of her psyche in her early adolescence, McKeever too has painted a fascinating portrait of one of Marvel’s major mutant stars in her formative years.

I have been experimenting with a website called animoto.com and it is very cool. It allows you to upload images, select a soundtrack and it makes a video for you. Of course I decided to try it out with some covers depicting Jean. What do you think?

In my opinion there are some comics that every fan of Jean Grey should own, whether they are original or reprints. Here are the top Jean Grey comics, in my opinion. Here are the Top 10 Comics with Jean Grey:

1. Uncanny X-men 101 – “Enter The Phoenix”
2. Uncanny X-men 137 – “Phoenix Must Die”
3. Uncanny X-men 135 – “Defeated by Dark Phoenix”
4. Uncanny X-men 136 – “Child of Light and Darkness”
5. Bizarre Adventures 27 – “Secret Lives of the X-men”
6. Phoenix: The Untold Story
7. Fantastic Four 286 – “Like A Phoenix”
8. Uncanny X-men 1
9. X-men Teen Titans Team-up
10. X-men 30 – “The Ties That Bind”

I’m looking for interesting and original fan sites, preferably relating to Jean Grey and the X-men. I’ll consider any well-done sites that are comic related, especially if you are willing to reciprocate a link to my site. Email me at admin@jean-grey.com if you are interested.

The Scott and Jean Archives

This archive project was inspired by the urge to record all notable appearances (no matter how minor) of Scott Summers and Jean Grey, thus preserving the couple’s legacy.

Phoenix, Jean Grey – the first X-woman

Jean Grey (comic book character) – comicvine.com

Rise Above – The Jean Grey/Phoenix Fansite & Fanlisting – Comics …

You’ve discovered Rise Above, the Jean Grey Fanlisting. This is a listing of fans from around the world for (listed in the Book/Movie Character & Comic …

jeangrey.com – The Female of the Species

Since January 8th, is the wedding anniversary of Jean Grey and Scott, I thought I would start off this very first blast from the past with the memorable …

Bianca’s Ultimate Jean Grey Site ~ Hundreds of Pics, Fanart, Links

Bianca’s Ultimate Jean Grey Site,The ULTIMATE Jean Grey Database!Hundreds of Pics, Fanart, Links, Contests and More!all the JEAN you can handle!!!this Site

Emma Frost Gallery

Well, as much as  can’t stand Emma, I guess that means she is a great character since she illicits such emotion from me. And you can’t deny she is interesting. Here is a wonderful site by Aimee who has done the White Queen justice.