"The Dark Phoenix Saga" is an extended
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
comic-book
A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
storyline published by
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
, focusing on
Jean Grey
Jean Elaine Grey is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix and Dark Phoenix. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack K ...
and the
Phoenix Force. It was written by
Chris Claremont
Christopher S. Claremont (; born November 25, 1950) is a British-born American comic book writer and novelist, known for his 17-year stint on ''Uncanny X-Men'' from 1975 to 1991, far longer than that of any other writer,Claremont, Chris. ''Marvel ...
with art by
John Byrne.
The Dark Phoenix Saga commonly refers to the story in ''
Uncanny X-Men
''Uncanny X-Men'', originally published as ''The X-Men'', is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics since 1963, and is the longest-running series in the X-Men comics franchise. It features a team of superheroes called the X ...
'' #129–138 (January - October 1980) of Jean Grey's corruption by the power of the Phoenix and the
Hellfire Club
Hellfire Club was a name for several exclusive clubs for high-society rakes established in Britain and Ireland in the 18th century. The name most commonly refers to Francis Dashwood's Order of the Friars of St. Francis of Wycombe. Such clubs, ...
, the destruction she causes, and ultimately her death. Sometimes included is Jean Grey's assumption of the Phoenix power and the repair of the
M'Kraan Crystal
The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several noteworthy concepts besides its fictional characters, such as unique places and artifacts. There follows a list of those features.
Places
Certain places fe ...
in ''
Uncanny X-Men
''Uncanny X-Men'', originally published as ''The X-Men'', is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics since 1963, and is the longest-running series in the X-Men comics franchise. It features a team of superheroes called the X ...
'' #101–108 (October 1976 - December 1977). It is one of the most well-known and heavily referenced stories in mainstream American superhero comics, and widely considered a classic.
It was adapted for the ''
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
'' animated series, and alluded to in the live-action film ''
X2: X-Men United''. A third live-action film, ''
X-Men: The Last Stand'', released in 2006, contains some elements from the saga. The animated series ''
Wolverine and the X-Men'' adapted the "Dark Phoenix" saga at the end of its first season, though it changed many elements of the story.
Had there been a fifth season of the animated series ''
X-Men: Evolution'', its own version of the four-part ''Dark Phoenix'' would have been adapted. The 2019 live-action
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
film ''
Dark Phoenix
"The Dark Phoenix Saga" is an extended X-Men comic-book storyline published by Marvel Comics, focusing on Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force. It was written by Chris Claremont with art by John Byrne.
The Dark Phoenix Saga commonly refers to the s ...
'' is an adaptation of the Hellfire arc of the story.
Summary
Returning from a mission in space, Jean Grey is exposed to the deadly radiation of a solar flare, and briefly attains her ultimate potential as a telepath and telekinetic. Jean becomes a being of pure thought, and then re-forms herself upon return to Earth with the new costume, identity and power of "
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
". It is with this incredible power that Jean repairs the fractured
M'Kraan Crystal
The comic book stories published by Marvel Comics since the 1940s have featured several noteworthy concepts besides its fictional characters, such as unique places and artifacts. There follows a list of those features.
Places
Certain places fe ...
, but voluntarily restrains her powers afterward in order to keep them under control.
Her vast potential makes her a target for
Mastermind
Mastermind, Master Mind or The Mastermind may refer to:
Fictional characters
* Mastermind (Jason Wyngarde), a fictional supervillain in Marvel Comics, a title also held by his daughters:
** Martinique Jason, the first daughter and successor of th ...
, who is attempting to prove himself in order to join the prestigious Inner Circle of the
Hellfire Club
Hellfire Club was a name for several exclusive clubs for high-society rakes established in Britain and Ireland in the 18th century. The name most commonly refers to Francis Dashwood's Order of the Friars of St. Francis of Wycombe. Such clubs, ...
. Under the identity of Jason Wyngarde, he begins to seduce Jean. With the help of a mind-tap device created by the Club's White Queen,
Emma Frost
Emma Grace Frost is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (Jan. 1980), and was ...
, Mastermind projects his illusions directly into Phoenix's mind. These illusions cause her to believe that she is reliving the memories of an ancestor,
Lady Grey, who in Mastermind's illusions was the Hellfire Club's Black Queen and the lover of one of Wyngarde's ancestors. Phoenix eventually accepts the Black Queen as her actual identity, a decadent role that allows her to relish the extremes of human emotion and begins to break down the barriers that she had erected.
She helps the Hellfire Club capture the
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
, and Jean's true love
Cyclops
In Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, the Cyclopes ( ; el, Κύκλωπες, ''Kýklōpes'', "Circle-eyes" or "Round-eyes"; singular Cyclops ; , ''Kýklōps'') are giant one-eyed creatures. Three groups of Cyclopes can be distinguish ...
faces Mastermind in a psychic duel. When Mastermind kills Cyclops' psychic image, it breaks his hold over Jean's psyche and shatters the final barriers on her power. Experiencing this power in its totality overwhelms Jean, and she renames herself "Dark Phoenix". Enraged at Mastermind, she uses a telepathic illusion to make him experience godhood, driving him insane. To break her ties with her less powerful identity as Jean Grey, she strikes down the X-Men and departs for a distant galaxy. However, her power proves to be far more limited than she thought; the intergalactic trip leaves her almost completely drained. To recharge, she devours the energy of the nearby
D'Bari
The D'Bari are a fictional alien race appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are famous as the people whose star system was destroyed by Phoenix during the Dark Phoenix Saga (1980).
The D'Bari appeared in the 2019 fil ...
star, causing a
supernova
A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion of a star. It has the plural form supernovae or supernovas, and is abbreviated SN or SNe. This transient astronomical event occurs during the last evolutionary stages of a massive star or when ...
which kills the entire population of the only civilized planet orbiting the star. A
Shi'ar
The Shi'ar ( ) are a fictional species of aliens appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Shi'ar Empire (or Imperium), is a vast collection of alien species, cultures, and worlds situated close to the Skrull and Kree Emp ...
vessel attacks to prevent her from destroying other stars. Dark Phoenix easily destroys the vessel, but not before they alert the Shi'ar Empress
Lilandra
Lilandra Neramani () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. She is the Empress, or Majestrix, of the Shi'ar Empire and shares a lifelong bond with the le ...
. A council of intergalactic associates is gathered, including the
Kree
The Kree, briefly known as the Ruul, are a fictional scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic list of fictional extraterrestrials, alien race appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. They are native to the p ...
and
Skrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Skrulls first appeared in ''Fantastic Four'' #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. They originated fro ...
empires, and concludes that Dark Phoenix is an even more serious threat than the planet-consuming
Galactus
Galactus () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Formerly a mortal man, Galactus is a cosmic entity who consumes planets to sustain his life force, and serves a functional role in the upkeep of ...
and must be destroyed.
On Earth, the X-Men are greeted by
Avengers
Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to:
Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe
* Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes
**Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
member (and former X-Man)
Beast. Dark Phoenix returns to Earth, to her family's home, and finds herself conflicted between her normal feelings for her loved ones and her new destructive impulses as Dark Phoenix. The X-Men attack her but are again defeated. Her mentor,
Charles Xavier
Professor X (Charles Francis Xavier) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as the founder and sometimes leader of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co- ...
, arrives, and through a vicious psychic duel, he creates a new set of psychic "circuit-breakers" which reduce her to only her original Marvel Girl powers. This allows Jean's normal personality to reassert control.
The Shi'ar abduct the X-Men, tell them of Dark Phoenix' casual
genocide
Genocide is the intentional destruction of a people—usually defined as an ethnic, national, racial, or religious group—in whole or in part. Raphael Lemkin coined the term in 1944, combining the Greek word (, "race, people") with the Latin ...
, and declare that she must be put to death. Xavier challenges Lilandra to Arin'n Haelar, a Shi'ar duel of honor that cannot be refused. After conferring with the Kree and Skrulls, Lilandra agrees to Xavier's demand.
The next day, the X-Men and the
Shi'ar Imperial Guard are teleported to the
Blue Area of the Moon to do battle, with the victors deciding the fate of Phoenix. The Imperial Guard defeat most of the X-Men, leaving Cyclops and Phoenix alone to make a final stand. When Cyclops is seemingly killed, Jean's panic overrides Xavier's psychic restraints and restores her to Dark Phoenix. Lilandra initiates Plan Omega, which would consist of destroying the whole
Solar System
The Solar SystemCapitalization of the name varies. The International Astronomical Union, the authoritative body regarding astronomical nomenclature, specifies capitalizing the names of all individual astronomical objects but uses mixed "Solar S ...
in hopes of eliminating Dark Phoenix in the process. Xavier orders the X-Men to subdue Jean to preempt Lilandra's emergency measure. They battle her until she regains her senses. Running inside one of the Blue Area's ruins, Jean, struggling to keep control, activates an ancient Kree weapon that disintegrates her after an emotional good-bye to Cyclops. He deduces that Jean had planned her sacrifice from the moment they had landed on the Moon.
[''Uncanny X-Men'' #137 (Sept. 1980)]
The story ends with
Uatu
Uatu (), often simply known as the Watcher, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, he first appeared in ''The Fantastic Four'' #13 (April 1963). He is a membe ...
the Watcher commenting that "Jean Grey could have lived to become a god. But it was more important to her that she die...a human."
Background and creation
According to Byrne, it had become a problem storywise that Claremont kept writing Phoenix stronger and stronger, making her the dominating element of the X-Men book.
Steven Grant then suggested they should make her a villain to solve the issue, and eventually it seemed like the best solution to get the book back on track.
The segment of the saga set at the Hellfire Club (''Uncanny X-Men'' #132–134) was heavily inspired by the ''
Avengers
Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to:
Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe
* Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes
**Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
'' television episode "
A Touch of Brimstone", and some of the characters' appearances were modeled after the cast of "A Touch of Brimstone" as a subtle acknowledgment of the inspiration.
The ending of the story was a matter of intense controversy with the editorial staff. Jim Shooter's recollections are that the original intent of the Dark Phoenix storyline was to introduce Dark Phoenix as a cosmic nemesis for the X-Men. This was what had been discussed originally amongst the creative team and Shooter, and this was the story development that had been approved. When ''Uncanny X-Men'' issue 135 was in the final artwork stages, Shooter happened to look at the proofs for the issue and noticed that the story included the destruction of an inhabited solar system, with an explicit mention of billions of lives lost.
["The Dark Phoenix Tapes", ''Phoenix: The Untold Story'' #1 (April 1984). Note: The indicia lists the publication title as simply ''Phoenix'', with no subtitle.] Louise Simonson
Louise Simonson (née Mary Louise Alexander; born September 26, 1946) is an American comic book writer and editor. She is best known for her work on comic book titles such as ''Conan the Barbarian'', '' Power Pack'', ''X-Factor'', ''New Mutants'', ...
feels it was Shooter's outrage over this plot element which led to him taking editor
Jim Salicrup
Jim Salicrup (; born May 29, 1957) is an American comic book editor, known for his tenures at Marvel Comics and Topps Comics. At Marvel, where he worked for twenty years, he edited books such as ''The Uncanny X-Men'', ''Fantastic Four'', ''Avenger ...
off the series several issues earlier than he had been scheduled to.
Upon questioning Salicrup about where the plot went from there, he was told that issue 137 ended with Jean being permanently depowered by the Shi'ar and released into the custody of the X-Men. Shooter disagreed with this development both from a storytelling standpoint as well as, secondarily, a moral standpoint, likening the ending to "taking the German army away from Hitler and letting him go back to governing Germany," and finding it out of character for the X-Men to retain friendly relations with a being who had committed genocide.
Byrne and Salicrup explained that they had no problem with this resolution because they had always thought of Dark Phoenix as a separate entity who had possessed Jean Grey, with Salicrup drawing an analogy to
the film adaptation of ''The Exorcist'': "In the movie there's this little girl who's taken over and several people get killed, but by the end, when the demon's gone no one thinks, 'Let's kill that murderous little girl.'"
However, on reading the issues over they agreed with Shooter that from the reader's perspective, she did not seem to be possessed, and Claremont admitted that while writing the Dark Phoenix Saga he was never clear in his own mind whether Jean Grey was possessed or her actions as Dark Phoenix were her own.
Shooter, during a conversation with Claremont, suggested a scenario where Jean would be permanently imprisoned as a compromise, and Claremont responded that such a scenario was unfeasible since in his opinion, the X-Men would want to continually try to rescue Jean from imprisonment. According to Shooter, Claremont out of frustration suggested that they kill off Jean completely. Although Shooter suggests that the proposed plot point was a bluff by Claremont, playing on the unwritten rule that main characters were not to be killed permanently, he accepted it, even over later objections by both Claremont and Byrne. Ultimately, it was decided by Byrne and Claremont to have Jean commit suicide after her Dark Phoenix persona resurfaces at the climax of the fight against the Imperial Guard.
Issue 137 was left largely unchanged, but the last five pages were completely rewritten and redrawn for the new ending, and Claremont also took the opportunity to write a second draft of his script.
Because of this, comparison of the original and published versions of ''X-Men'' #137 reveals numerous differences in the script with no connection to the ending; for instance, in the original version of the day of rest, the individual X-Men are each thinking of their own personal issues, while the published version shows them reflecting on their decision to protect Jean.
The original ending ultimately saw print in 1984 in ''Phoenix: The Untold Story''. Besides the original version of ''Uncanny X-Men'' #137, it featured a transcript of a
round table discussion between Claremont, Byrne, Simonson, Salicrup, Shooter, and inker
Terry Austin, discussing the story behind the original ending and why it was changed.
Jean Grey and Phoenix as separate entities
Shortly before the publication of ''Uncanny X-Men'' #137, future freelance writer
Kurt Busiek
Kurt Busiek ( ) (born September 16, 1960) is an American comic book writer. His work includes the ''Marvels'' limited series, his own series titled ''Astro City'', a four-year run on ''The Avengers (comic book), The Avengers, Thunderbolts (comics ...
, then still a college student, heard about the upcoming events through the fan grapevine, as did fellow future comics pros
Carol Kalish
Carol Kalish (February 14, 1955Kraft, David Anthony. 1984, "Sales Director Carol Kalish: Marvel's Direct Sales Manager Tells Her Side," ''Comics Interview'', vol. 1, no. 18, pp. 57-71. – September 5, 1991) was an American writer, editor, comic bo ...
(who would go on to head up Marvel's Direct Sales Department for years) and
Richard Howell
Richard Howell (October 25, 1754April 28, 1802) was the third governor of New Jersey from 1794 to 1801.
Early life and military career
Howell was born in Newark in the Colony of Delaware. He was a lawyer and soldier of the early United States ...
(artist of the ''Vision and The Scarlet Witch'' 12-issue
limited series Limited series may refer to:
*Limited series, individual storylines within an anthology series
*Limited series, a particular run of collectables, usually individually numbered
*Limited series (comics), a comics series with a predetermined number of ...
, among others). The three of them also heard that Marvel editor-in-chief
Jim Shooter
James Shooter (born September 27, 1951) is an American writer, editor and publisher for various comic books. He started professionally in the medium at the age of 14, and he is most notable for his successful and controversial run as Marvel Comic ...
had declared that Jean Grey could not be revived unless it was done in such a way as to render her guiltless of Dark Phoenix' crimes. Taking this as a creative challenge, all three then-fans decided to come up with their own resurrection scenario. Busiek's involved the discovery that Jean Grey was still on the bottom of
Jamaica Bay
Jamaica Bay is an estuary on the southern portion of the western tip of Long Island, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. The estuary is partially man-made, and partially natural. The bay connects with Lower New York Bay to the west, ...
in suspended animation following the original shuttle crash and that the Phoenix entity had used her body and mind as a lens, creating an immensely powerful duplicate of Jean, but one which grew more corrupted and distorted the longer it remained separate from the true Jean.
In 1982, Dark Phoenix resurfaced in the
DC/Marvel
intercompany crossover
In comic books, an intercompany crossover (also called cross-company or company crossover) is a comic or series of comics in which characters, that at the time of publication are the property or licensed property of one publisher, meet character ...
one-shot ''
The Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans'', written by regular ''X-Men'' writer
Chris Claremont
Christopher S. Claremont (; born November 25, 1950) is a British-born American comic book writer and novelist, known for his 17-year stint on ''Uncanny X-Men'' from 1975 to 1991, far longer than that of any other writer,Claremont, Chris. ''Marvel ...
. The story (which is not part of DC or Marvel canon) has the cosmic villain
Darkseid
Darkseid () is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby to serve as the primary antagonist of his "Fourth World (comics), Fourth World" metaseries, and was firs ...
resurrect Jean Grey in her Dark Phoenix persona as part of his quest to discover the secret of the
Anti-Life Equation
The Anti-Life Equation is a fictional concept appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. In Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting, the Anti-Life Equation is a formula for total control over the minds of sentient beings that is sought by ...
. In the end, Dark Phoenix is betrayed by Darkseid and sacrifices her life yet again to stop Darkseid.
Also in 1983, shortly after beginning a freelance writing career, Kurt Busiek attended a comics convention in
Ithaca, New York
Ithaca is a city in the Finger Lakes region of New York, United States. Situated on the southern shore of Cayuga Lake, Ithaca is the seat of Tompkins County and the largest community in the Ithaca metropolitan statistical area. It is named a ...
, staying at the home of Marvel writer
Roger Stern
Roger Stern (born September 17, 1950) is an American comic book author and novelist.
Biography
Early career
In the early 1970s, Stern and Bob Layton published the fanzine ''CPL'' (''Contemporary Pictorial Literature''), one of the first platfor ...
. In conversation, both writers' longtime interest in the X-Men came up, and Stern expressed regret that there was no way to bring Jean back, not while satisfying Shooter's edict. Busiek told Stern his idea, not expecting it to amount to more than idle conversation. Later, Stern told the idea to
John Byrne, then writer/artist of ''Fantastic Four''.
In 1985, Jim Shooter greenlit a new series that would reunite the original X-Men into a new team called ''
X-Factor
''The X Factor'' is a television music competition franchise created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment. It originated in the United Kingdom, where it was devised as a replacement for ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003) ...
'', to be written by longtime freelancer
Bob Layton
Bob Layton (born 1953) is an American comic book artist, writer, and editor. He is best known for his work on Marvel Comics titles such as '' Iron Man'' and ''Hercules'', and for co-founding Valiant Comics with Jim Shooter.
Early life
Bob Layton ...
. Hearing of this, Byrne called Layton and suggested Busiek's idea as a means of raising Jean Grey from the dead while satisfying Shooter's demands for total absolution for Jean.
A three-part crossover was planned to launch ''X-Factor'', involving the
Avengers
Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to:
Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe
* Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes
**Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of ...
, the Fantastic Four, and the debut issue of ''X-Factor'', thus involving ''Avengers'' writer Stern, ''Fantastic Four'' writer/artist Byrne and ''X-Factor'' writer Layton. Busiek, by that time, was working at Marvel as a freelance assistant editor on ''
Marvel Age Magazine''. He was paid and credited for the idea, and edited a series of interviews for ''Marvel Age'' promoting the new series. Everything in the interviews pertaining to Jean's resurrection was marked out with black tape to create an air of mystery about the revelations that the crossover would involve, and Busiek thus found himself taping over all mention of his idea.
While the retroactive depiction of Jean Grey and Phoenix as separate entities remains canon, later stories have established a middle ground regarding the unique relationship between the two. Claremont would establish an extradimensional mutual home for the two, the White Hot Room, in which both entities reside between resurrections.
[''Classic X-Men'', vol. 1 #8] At the conclusion of the Inferno event, Jean absorbs all the memories of Phoenix's experiences from its first appearance as Jean through the end of the Dark Phoenix Saga.
[''X-Factor'', vol. 1 #38] Writer Grant Morrison would ultimately establish that only by merging with Jean at her most powerful as the "One True Phoenix" could the Phoenix realize its full potential in physical form as the White Phoenix of the Crown.
[''New X-Men'', vol. 1 #154]
Sequel
''Uncanny X-Men'' #168 (April 1983) began a subplot which culminated with the apparent reincarnation of Dark Phoenix in ''Uncanny X-Men'' #174–175 (October–November 1983). These issues were later collected in trade paperback form under the title ''From the Ashes''.
The story revolves around Cyclops and the newly introduced
Madelyne Pryor
Madelyne Jennifer Pryor is a Character (arts), fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Paul Smith (comics), Paul Smith, the character first appeared in ''Uncann ...
, a commercial airline pilot who is not only physically identical to Jean Grey, but survived a traumatic airliner crash at exactly the same moment that Jean died. Pryor's transformation into Dark Phoenix is revealed to be an illusion by
Mastermind
Mastermind, Master Mind or The Mastermind may refer to:
Fictional characters
* Mastermind (Jason Wyngarde), a fictional supervillain in Marvel Comics, a title also held by his daughters:
** Martinique Jason, the first daughter and successor of th ...
, seeking revenge for what Jean Grey did to him during the Dark Phoenix Saga. In issue #175, Cyclops and Madelyne repeat the dialogue he exchanged with Jean Grey after Professor X locked away her Dark Phoenix powers, marking the parallel with the dissolving of Mastermind's Dark Phoenix illusion.
Collected editions
The story (issues #129–137) was first collected as a
trade paperback in 1984. The first edition featured a cover painting by
Bill Sienkiewicz
Boleslav William Felix Robert Sienkiewicz ( ; born May 3, 1958) is an American artist known for his work in comic books—particularly for Marvel Comics' ''New Mutants'', '' Moon Knight,'' and '' Elektra: Assassin''. Sienkiewicz's work in the 198 ...
.
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Phoenix Saga, the storyline was reprinted in an oversized trim hardcover. The ''X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga'' hardcover (352 pages, July 2010, Marvel, ) collects ''
The X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in 1970 due to lo ...
'' #129–138, ''Classic X-Men'' #43, ''Bizarre Adventures'' #27, ''Phoenix: The Untold Story'' (one-shot), and ''What If?'' #27.
The story (''The X-Men'' #129–137) has been collected into a number of trade paperbacks:
* ''X-Men Legends, Volume 2: Dark Phoenix Saga'' (192 pages, August 1990, Marvel, )
* ''X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga'' (200 pages, April 2006, Marvel, )
The story is also included in ''Essential X-Men, Volume 2'' (584 pages, October 1997,
Panini Comics
Panini Comics is an Italian comic book publisher. A division of Panini Group, which also produces collectable stickers, it is headquartered in Modena, Italy. The company publishes comic books in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, France, Germany, Hunga ...
, ), part of Marvel's ''
Essential'' series of
black-and-white
Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a range of shades of grey.
Media
The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology improved, altered to color. ...
trade paperbacks. The volume collects ''The X-Men'' #120–144 and ''The X-Men Annual'' #3–4.
The story is included in the hardcover ''
Marvel Masterworks
''Marvel Masterworks'' is an American collection of hardcover and trade paperback comic book reprints published by Marvel Comics, with the main goal of republishing classic ''Marvel Comics'' storylines in a hardcover, premium edition, often with ...
: Uncanny X-Men, Volume 4'' (''The X-Men'' #122–131, ''Annual'' #3) and ''Volume 5'' (''The X-Men'' #132–140, ''Annual'' #4)
The opening of the story is in the final pages of ''Uncanny X-Men Omnibus, Volume 1'', which includes ''Giant-Size Uncanny X-Men'' #1, ''The X-Men Annual'' #3, and ''The X-Men'' #94–131; it concludes in ''Uncanny X-Men Omnibus Volume 2'', which continues through issue #153 and also includes ''Annual'' #4–5, ''Avengers Annual'' #10, ''Marvel Fanfare'' #1–4, ''Marvel Treasury Edition'' #26–27, ''Marvel Team-Up'' #100, ''Bizarre Adventures'' #27, and ''Phoenix: The Untold Story''.
The saga was printed in hardback form for issue 2 of
The Official Marvel Graphic Novel Collection
''The Official Marvel Graphic Novel Collection'' (also referred to as ''The Ultimate Graphic Novels Collection'') is a fortnightly partwork magazine published by Hachette Partworks. The series is a collection of special edition hardback graphic ...
, a graphic novel series based in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, in January 2012.
Another omnibus edition, ''X-Men: Dark Phoenix Saga Omnibus'', was published in August 2018, and included ''Uncanny X-Men'' #97–105, 107–108, 125–138, ''Bizarre Adventures'' #27, ''Phoenix: The Untold Story'', ''What If?'' #27, and material from ''Classic X-Men'' #6, 8, 13, 18, 24, 43 (688 pages, )
In other media
Television
* The Dark Phoenix Saga, along with the Phoenix Saga, was adapted in ''
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
''. During the five-part ''Phoenix Saga'', the
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
had to help the
Shi'ar
The Shi'ar ( ) are a fictional species of aliens appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Shi'ar Empire (or Imperium), is a vast collection of alien species, cultures, and worlds situated close to the Skrull and Kree Emp ...
fight
Lilandra
Lilandra Neramani () is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. She is the Empress, or Majestrix, of the Shi'ar Empire and shares a lifelong bond with the le ...
's deranged brother,
D'Ken
The Shi'ar ( ) are a fictional species of aliens appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Shi'ar Empire (or Imperium), is a vast collection of alien species, cultures, and worlds situated close to the Skrull and Kree Emp ...
.
Jean Grey
Jean Elaine Grey is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix and Dark Phoenix. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack K ...
's psionic powers of telekinesis, empathy and telepathy all manifest to tremendously incalculable power-levels during the four-part ''Dark Phoenix'' saga, turning her against her comrades. The X-Men, with the help of the Shi'ar, finally succeed in the
Dark Phoenix
"The Dark Phoenix Saga" is an extended X-Men comic-book storyline published by Marvel Comics, focusing on Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force. It was written by Chris Claremont with art by John Byrne.
The Dark Phoenix Saga commonly refers to the s ...
learning the error of her ways and leaving Jean's body to parts unknown.
* The Dark Phoenix Saga was foreshadowed in ''
X-Men: Evolution''. In "Power Surge", Jean loses control of her powers, making her dangerous around others. At the end of the episode,
Rogue absorbed some of Jean's mind, defeating her. At the end of the series,
Professor Xavier
Professor X (Charles Francis Xavier) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as the founder and sometimes leader of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writ ...
saw Jean transforming into the
Dark Phoenix
"The Dark Phoenix Saga" is an extended X-Men comic-book storyline published by Marvel Comics, focusing on Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force. It was written by Chris Claremont with art by John Byrne.
The Dark Phoenix Saga commonly refers to the s ...
when he was under
Apocalypse
Apocalypse () is a literary genre in which a supernatural being reveals cosmic mysteries or the future to a human intermediary. The means of mediation include dreams, visions and heavenly journeys, and they typically feature symbolic imager ...
's control. The ''Dark Phoenix'' saga was going to be adapted in four episodes of Season Five. However, the saga did not appear after the series was cancelled in 2003.
* In ''
Wolverine and the X-Men'', the ''Dark Phoenix'' saga was adapted at the three-part season finale "Foresight". In the three-part episode "Foresight", the
Hellfire Club
Hellfire Club was a name for several exclusive clubs for high-society rakes established in Britain and Ireland in the 18th century. The name most commonly refers to Francis Dashwood's Order of the Friars of St. Francis of Wycombe. Such clubs, ...
kidnaps Jean after the X-Men saved her from the
Marauders. Wolverine finds out
Emma Frost
Emma Grace Frost is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, most commonly in association with the X-Men. The character first appeared in ''The Uncanny X-Men'' #129 (Jan. 1980), and was ...
was in league with the Hellfire Club and locks her in a containment unit.
Cyclops
In Greek mythology and later Roman mythology, the Cyclopes ( ; el, Κύκλωπες, ''Kýklōpes'', "Circle-eyes" or "Round-eyes"; singular Cyclops ; , ''Kýklōps'') are giant one-eyed creatures. Three groups of Cyclopes can be distinguish ...
releases Frost, enraging Wolverine. While the X-Men go to
Genosha
Genosha ( or ) is a fictional country appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is an island nation that exists in Marvel's main shared universe, known as "Earth 616" in the Marvel Universe and a prominent place in the X-M ...
to fight the
Sentinel
Sentinel may refer to:
Places Mountains
* Mount Sentinel, a mountain next to the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana
* Sentinel Buttress, a volcanic crag on James Ross Island, Antarctica
* Sentinel Dome, a naturally occurring grani ...
s, Frost tells Jean about the
Phoenix Force. Later, Frost tells Cyclops of Jean's whereabouts when the X-Jet was crashed by the Sentinels. The two go to Jean's location, where the Hellfire Club betrays Frost and imprisons them.
Selene
In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Selene (; grc-gre, Σελήνη , meaning "Moon"''A Greek–English Lexicon's.v. σελήνη) is the goddess and the personification of the Moon. Also known as Mene, she is traditionally the daughter o ...
reveals to Cyclops that Frost was the one who triggered Jean's dormant Phoenix abilities when the
Xavier Institute
The X-Mansion or Xavier Institute is the common name for a mansion and research institute appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The mansion is depicted as the Estate (land), private estate of Professor X, Charles Francis ...
was destroyed. After the Hellfire Club is defeated at the hands of Jean, she and Scott leave Frost. After saving the X-Men from the
Mutant Response Division, Wolverine finds Frost at the Club's hideout. Reluctantly, he releases her, and the two go to find Scott and Jean. After
Magneto
A magneto is an electrical generator that uses permanent magnets to produce periodic pulses of alternating current. Unlike a dynamo, a magneto does not contain a commutator to produce direct current. It is categorized as a form of alternator, ...
and the Sentinels are defeated, Jean unleashes the Phoenix Force. Frost absorbs the Phoenix Force into her body, seemingly killing her in the process.
Film
* The Dark Phoenix Saga is alluded to in ''
X2: X-Men United''; as Jean's powers expand, a flash can occasionally be seen in her eyes. After Jean supposedly dies while protecting her teammates from drowning, an image of a phoenix can be seen on the surface of Alkali Lake.
* The plot of ''
X-Men: The Last Stand'' contains elements of the Dark Phoenix Saga. In this film, the Phoenix is a
dual personality of Jean, which Professor X had telepathically repressed during her childhood, fearing its destructive potential. It is awakened after Jean cocoons herself in telekinetic energy to survive the collapse of Alkali Lake. The Phoenix behaves irresponsibly, has no control over her decision-making, exposes her sexual desires for Wolverine, sides with Magneto and even murders Professor X and Cyclops. The Phoenix is destroyed when Jean is euthanized by Wolverine.
* The Dark Phoenix Saga is alluded to in ''
X-Men: Apocalypse''; in the final battle against Apocalypse, Professor X encourages Jean to use the
full extent of her abilities to defeat Apocalypse. As Jean unleashes her powers, she is engulfed in an aura of flames in the shape of a phoenix.
* Prior to the release of ''X-Men: Apocalypse'',
Simon Kinberg
Simon David Kinberg (born August 2, 1973) is a British-born American filmmaker. He is best known for his work on the 20th Century Fox ''X-Men'' film franchise, and has also written such films as '' Mr. & Mrs. Smith'' and '' Sherlock Holmes''. He ...
talked about redoing the Dark Phoenix Saga story line in a future ''X-Men'' film. The 2019 X-Men film is titled ''
X-Men: Dark Phoenix'' and was released on June 7, 2019.
Novels
* ''X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga'' received a prose novelization in mid-2019 written by
Stuart Moore
Stuart Moore is an American writer and editor of comic books and novels.
Career
Stuart Moore's writing includes ''Civil War'', the first in a line of prose novels from Marvel Comics, and two stories for Amazon's Kindle Worlds program: ''X-O M ...
to coincide with the release of the ''Dark Phoenix'' film.
Parodies, imitations, and homages
*''
Redfox
The red fox is a small dog-like animal.
Red Fox or Redfox may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Redfox'' (comics), a late 1980s British comicbook series
* ''Red Fox'', a 1979 crime novel by Gerald Seymour
**'' ''Red Fox'' (film)'', a 1991 Bri ...
'' #5-10 (September 1986 - July 1987) are officially titled "The Demon Queen Saga", and the plot is essentially the Dark Phoenix Saga translated to a sword-and-sorcery setting.
["Red Letters", Redfox #7 (January 1987).]
*''Army Surplus Komikz'' #5 (1986) had
Cutey Bunny
Cutey Bunny is a cartoon animal superheroine created by Joshua Quagmire for a humorous line of American underground comic books that first appeared through ''Army Surplus Komikz'', which ran sporadically for five issues from 1982 to 1985. She ...
transformed into Dark Cutey due to her magic amulet interacting with Wunner Bunny's magic lasso and other forces. Once transformed she tempts her former friends with the merchandising potential of being "dark" and finally engages in a pie fight with some incompetent super-heroes from WWII.
*''
Southern Knights
Southern Knights was a comic book created by the husband-and-wife team of Henry and Audrey Vogel.''The Crusaders'' #1 splash page. It chronicled the adventures of a superhero team based in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. Initially known ...
'' #30 (December 1988) opens with a four-page parody of the Dark Phoenix Saga, with the character Connie Ronnin wreaking havoc as "Dark Connie".
*''Power Pachyderms'' (one-shot, May 1989) had 4 anthropomorphic elephants (born to circus elephants irradiated by a gamma bomb detonation). They are takes on Cyclops (Trunklops), Wolverine (Rumbo), and Colossus (Mammoth), whereas Electralux parodied
Electra. In a battle with
Clarinetto and his
New Musicians, she is buried in radioactive make-up and becomes Rogue Elephant whose song can destroy anything. Her teammates succeed in blowing the make-up off her to return her to herself.
*The sixth season of ''
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' is an American supernatural fiction, supernatural drama television series created by writer and director Joss Whedon. It is based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer (film), 1992 film of the same name, also written by W ...
'' (2002) features the character of
Willow Rosenberg
Willow Rosenberg is a fictional character created for the fantasy television series '' Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (1997–2003). She was developed by Joss Whedon and portrayed throughout the TV series by Alyson Hannigan.
Willow plays an integr ...
transforming into "Dark Willow" in a story heavily inspired by the Dark Phoenix Saga, with the character of
Andrew Wells
Andrew Wells is a fictional character in the television series '' Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' and '' Angel'', played by Tom Lenk. The character also appears in '' Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight'', the canonical continuation of the serie ...
explicitly comparing Willow to Phoenix.
[''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'', Season 2, Episode 21: "Two to Go"]
*One panel featuring the destruction of the D'Bari system is replicated in the
DC/
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, Inc. ( ) was an American animation studio and production company which was active from 1957 to 2001. It was founded on July 7, 1957, by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera following the decision of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to c ...
crossover ''Superman/Top Cat Special'' (October 2018). This is employed as an ironic twist, since it coincides with the relocation of an alien - the last survivor of his species - to D'Bari by
Superman
Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book ''Action Comics'' #1 (cover-dated June 1938 and publi ...
to give him a new, peaceful home.
References
External links
*
*
MarvelDatabase:Dark Phoenix
*
MarvelDatabase:Character Gallery Dark Phoenix
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dark Phoenix Saga
Comics by Chris Claremont
Comics by John Byrne (comics)
Marvel Comics adapted into films