Top Ten Jean Grey Covers of all time
10. X-men Forever # 3
Jean relives important key moments in her life while at the same time re-bonding with the Phoenix force. The cover depicts Jean in her Revolution era costume, which was extremely short lived and forgotten by most fans. Prior to this costume, Jean had been wearing her traditional green Phoenix costume and calling herself Phoenix.
Uncanny X-men 137
#2 Comic to Own for Phoenix Fans – “Phoenix Must Die”
The second most important phoenix comic to own after Uncanny X-men 101 is Uncanny X-men 137 where we witness the death of Jean Grey / Phoenix. Maybe the best written comic of all time.
The X-Men find themselves amidst a Shi’ar tribunal, hovering around earth to judge and sentence the Phoenix. Charges are presented. There is legal wrangling. A duel for Phoenix is agreed upon, and the X-Men are given a day to rest. The duel is to be between the X-Men and the Imperial Guard, and they fight on the Dark Side of the Moon in a base of fabulous technology. They fight valiantly but are defeated one by one. Phoenix goes out of control and Professor X directs the X-Men to attack her. Scott talks Phoenix to her senses, and she sacrifices herself to save the universe.
Below are active auctions on eBay if you wish to purchase Uncanny X-men 137 – “Phoenix Must Die”
Uncanny X-men 101
#1 Comic to Own for Phoenix Fans – “Enter the Phoenix”
It all started with Uncanny X-men 101, with Phoenix bursting forth from Jamaica Bay, changing the history of Comics forever. Phoenix’s first appearance is one of the top covers of all-time. This is the first appearance and origin issue of Phoenix.
They are taken to a S.H.I.E.L.D. orbital platform under the command of the anti-mutant activist Steven Lang, who is plotting to unleash Sentinels. The other X-Men rescue them. During the space station’s destruction, the X-Men find that their shuttle has been damaged in the fight with the Sentinels. Someone must stay at the controls and pilot the ship, while everyone else remains in the shuttle’s heavily-shielded life cell.
Knowing no one else could survive long enough to pilot the shuttle to safety, Jean uses her telepathy to learn how to pilot the shuttle and her telekinesis to block the radiation as she pilots the ship back to Earth. Her telekinetic shields give way under the onslaught of the intense radiation. The strain of holding the solar radiation at bay with her powers destroys the psychic shields Xavier placed in her mind as a child, and Jean assumes her ultimate potential as a psychic, becoming an entity of pure thought. The shuttle crashes into a bay, and Jean telekinetically reforms her body and emerges from the water of Jamaica Bay.
You simply must own this if you are a fan of the Phoenix. Below are available auctions on ebay.
Top Ten X-men Villains
Thanks to Marvel for providing the basis for this list. For a full reading, please visit their page on this subject: X-men villains. Marvel classified Dark Phoenix as #4, but I moved her up to #2. I couldn’t delude myself into thinking she was their ultimate villain, I think everyone would agree that has been and always will be Magneto. But for pure power, emotion and the effect she had on the X-men I think Dark Phoenix deserves #2 status, no offense Marvel. I found a similar list of the top ten comic book villains at TopTenz.net
10. ONSLAUGHT
First Appearance: X-MEN v2 #53 (1996)
The very concept of this character hinges on the enduring, enthralling and never boring relationship between Charles Xavier and Magneto. Onslaught is big, ambitious and the kind of threat worthy of an event.
9. STRYFE
First Appearance: NEW MUTANTS v1 #87 (1990)
What makes Stryfe such a great foe for the X-Men isn’t his cool powers or rad costume, it’s his very personal connection to several of their key members and the fact that so much of his hatred towards them feels quite justified.
8. THE SHADOW KING
First Appearance: X-MEN v1 #117 (1979)
The very first mutant menace Charles Xavier ever encountered—the Shadow King—was, as Professor X has said more than once, in many ways the reason the X-Men were formed.
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Comics
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:
- Uncanny X-men 101 – “Enter The Phoenix”
- Uncanny X-men 137 – “Phoenix Must Die”
- Uncanny X-men 135 – “Defeated by Dark Phoenix”
- Uncanny X-men 136 – “Child of Light and Darkness”
- Bizarre Adventures 27 – “Secret Lives of the X-men”
- Phoenix: The Untold Story
- Fantastic Four 286 – “Like A Phoenix”
- Uncanny X-men 1
- X-men Teen Titans Team-up
- X-men 30 – “The Ties That Bind”