Status
Available
Call number
Collections
Publication
Marvel Comics (1990), Paperback, 192 pages
Description
Comic and Graphic Books. Young Adult Fiction. HTML: Collects Uncanny X-Men (1963) #129-137. Gathered together by Professor Charles Xavier to protect a world that fears and hates them, the X-Men had fought many battles, been on adventures that spanned galaxies, grappled enemies of limitless might, but none of this could prepare them for the most shocking struggle they would ever face. One of their own members, Jean Grey, has gained power beyond all comprehension, and that power has corrupted her absolutely! Now they must decide if the life of the woman they cherish is worth the existence of the entire universe!.
User reviews
LibraryThing member tapestry100
I'm going to admit to a small love affair with this story. It may be completely dated, but to me it remains one of the most defining X-Men stories. Ever.
Back in the day, the Chris Claremont and John Byrne run on X-Men was one of the most exciting eras in the comic's history. Quite a bit of what we
There were so many other great moments in this storyline: the introduction of Emma Frost, the Hellfire Club, Kitty Pryde, Dazzler. All of this was paving the road for some great stories through the rest of the 80s. Like I said before, it it definitely dated. The need to re-introduce a characters name and their power and/or weakness, ever single issue, becomes even more tiring when you're reading a collected edition like this, but even so, I still love to pull this off the shelf every couple of years to give it a reread. This new 30th Anniversary Edition is gorgeous, and the coloring is nice and crisp.
Now, for the only complaint about the collection: charging $75 for this edition is ridiculous. The two Inferno collections cost $75 each, and they each collect roughly 600 pages of story each, where The Dark Phoenix Saga is only 350 pages. To me, this is something of a ripoff. This new edition does collect a short story from Classic X-Men and Bizarre Adventures, the Phoenix: The Untold Story one-shot (which is the original version of the story where Jean Grey lives) and a What If? story about what would have happened if Jean Grey lived, but still, $75 is a steep price for this collection. It is so nicely presented that I can almost forgive them the price, but just barely; obviously, it didn't stop me from buying the edition.
I would highly recommend this edition to any X-Men fans, but for somebody who is just looking for a quick read and is not as interested in all the extras with this edition, spend the lesser money and get the trade paperback edition. This edition is really only for the hard-core fans.
Back in the day, the Chris Claremont and John Byrne run on X-Men was one of the most exciting eras in the comic's history. Quite a bit of what we
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see happening in the X-Men stories of today are direct results of what these two men did with the characters back then, and nothing seemed to be bigger during that time than the Dark Phoenix Saga. Jean Grey had been reborn as Phoenix after saving her teammates at the apparent cost of her own life. It quickly became clear that her powers had grown tremendously, and seemed to continue growing exponentially. Eventually, through the manipulations of Mastermind, the true overwhelming potential of her power became evident and Dark Phoenix was born, a being with powers of a cosmic proportion. To sate her hunger, she consumed a star, causing it to go supernova and destroying an inhabited world. Upon arriving back to Earth, the X-Men attacked Jean and tried to diffuse her power. When they were unable to accomplish this, Professor X took matters in his own hands and challenged Dark Phoenix on the psychic level, and won, supposedly locking Dark Phoenix back away in Jean's mind. However at that moment, in order to pay for her transgressions, Lilandra kidnapped the X-Men and sentenced Phoenix to death. Professor X challenged his X-Men against Lilandra's Imperial Guard for the life of Jean Grey, and both teams were sent to the Blue Area of the moon to battle. During the course of the battle, Jean began to feel Dark Phoenix taking control, and instead of allowing that to happen and to have more blood on her hands, she decides to take her own life, thus ending the battle.There were so many other great moments in this storyline: the introduction of Emma Frost, the Hellfire Club, Kitty Pryde, Dazzler. All of this was paving the road for some great stories through the rest of the 80s. Like I said before, it it definitely dated. The need to re-introduce a characters name and their power and/or weakness, ever single issue, becomes even more tiring when you're reading a collected edition like this, but even so, I still love to pull this off the shelf every couple of years to give it a reread. This new 30th Anniversary Edition is gorgeous, and the coloring is nice and crisp.
Now, for the only complaint about the collection: charging $75 for this edition is ridiculous. The two Inferno collections cost $75 each, and they each collect roughly 600 pages of story each, where The Dark Phoenix Saga is only 350 pages. To me, this is something of a ripoff. This new edition does collect a short story from Classic X-Men and Bizarre Adventures, the Phoenix: The Untold Story one-shot (which is the original version of the story where Jean Grey lives) and a What If? story about what would have happened if Jean Grey lived, but still, $75 is a steep price for this collection. It is so nicely presented that I can almost forgive them the price, but just barely; obviously, it didn't stop me from buying the edition.
I would highly recommend this edition to any X-Men fans, but for somebody who is just looking for a quick read and is not as interested in all the extras with this edition, spend the lesser money and get the trade paperback edition. This edition is really only for the hard-core fans.
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LibraryThing member mattsya
Orginally published in serial form in 1976-1977, some of the period details in this comic will seem strange and out of place. But this story of the death of one the X-Men's major characters is a classic of the X-Men saga. Episodic and fantastic, Claremont and Byrne pack boundless imagination and
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heart into this story. Show Less
LibraryThing member lithicbee
This may have been the first graphic novel I ever purchased, back in 1986 or 1987, at a used book store that my dad had taken me to while we were waiting for my mom to get out of work one day. What a book; it blew my 9- or 10-year-old mind. It had everything I wanted to read about: a diverse team
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of super-powered mutants, alien warriors, a secret Victorian-style gentleman's club, a redhead in leather... Okay, I was very advanced for a 9-10 year old. Before this graphic novel, I read a lot of Archie comics, some Eerie and Creepy comics (reprints? I don't know but there were a lot of them at the drug store down the street from my grandparents' house), and DC comics such as Superman, Green Lantern, etc. After this I was Marvel all the way. This tragic story holds up amazingly well, even with the knowledge that it has been replayed and retconned to tears over the years. Show Less
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
Many years ago I picked up one of the issues in the middle of this sequence and was completely lost and interested. This was an interesting read of what happened when Jean Grey fought her alter ego Phoenix and the consequences.
This isn't all of the tale and some of the rest of it sets up some very
This isn't all of the tale and some of the rest of it sets up some very
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interesting future issues for the characters. Show Less
LibraryThing member krystyne1973
This story is part of a collection in a series of comic books. This particular story is about Jean Grey, who already had some powers, but after dying and being reborn, has become the evil and incredibly powerful Dark Phoenix. She is endangering everyone and the X-men have to fight their friend that
I have always been a comic book fan, but did not get turned on to X-Men until my son was born. I am completely obsessed with X-Men and this story. The Dark Phoenix saga is the best by far.
In the classroom, I would have this out for students in HS to read. This would be great for the low interest reader. I would have the students get into groups of villains versus heroes and write out a script, then either act it out in class or video tape themselves at home.
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had risked her life to save them before turning evil. The book is action packed with great graphics on every page. I have always been a comic book fan, but did not get turned on to X-Men until my son was born. I am completely obsessed with X-Men and this story. The Dark Phoenix saga is the best by far.
In the classroom, I would have this out for students in HS to read. This would be great for the low interest reader. I would have the students get into groups of villains versus heroes and write out a script, then either act it out in class or video tape themselves at home.
Show Less
LibraryThing member wethewatched
So. Epic.
I've always loved comics but am a latecomer to X-Men. Sure I've seen the movies and shuffled through a few issues here and there, but this is the first big story I've read. What a great place to start! Smart writing and iconic artwork. If you have any interest in X-Men, you can't do much
I've always loved comics but am a latecomer to X-Men. Sure I've seen the movies and shuffled through a few issues here and there, but this is the first big story I've read. What a great place to start! Smart writing and iconic artwork. If you have any interest in X-Men, you can't do much
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better. Show Less
LibraryThing member hopeevey
It's a very different story than what we see in the X-men movies, in large part because you simply couldn't tell this exact story in a mainstream movie. It is, however, a good story, even if a couple parts seemed contradictory.
I've heard it suggested the the author has issues with women. Yeah, I
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can see that :) Show Less
LibraryThing member SebastianMihail
I know that it’s a classic and maybe I must be respectuous, but I won’t. This sucks.
Language
Original publication date
1979
Physical description
192 p.; 9.9 inches
ISBN
0939766965 / 9780939766963
Local notes
X-Men
DDC/MDS
| 741.5 X-Men |