All New X-men #22 Preview - Colors And Not Much More

I try to make every post in this blog as substantive as it is vulgar. I get that people these days have attention spans only as long as Lindsey Lohan’s latest arrest so I have to make them count. But every now and then, I can’t be too groundbreaking. I’m usually more than happy to smoke a couple joints and overlook a few details that probably won’t set anyone’s panties on fire. But with things heating up in All New X-men, namely the sexual tension between X-23 and O5 Cyclops, and the Trial of Jean Grey set to begin, I can’t be as lazy as usual. That’s painful for any stoner, but I like to think I’m more motivated than the stoners that fall asleep on Friday night and wake up Sunday because they played a Grateful Dead album on a loop.

Earlier this week, I did a post on a preview for All New X-men #22, which is the first issue of the Trial of Jean Grey. It thought it was a pretty big fucking deal, even if it was unlettered and in black and white. It left me drooling like a pervert in a panty factory, but it didn’t reveal much. Well it didn’t take long for Marvel to evoke even more drooling. Newsarama released the exact same preview. But this time, it was colored. So I guess readers can stop feeling like they’re back in the 50s and enjoy the exact same shit in all its colorful glory. I’m sorry, but there aren’t any words that could make that less underwhelming.

Newsarama: All New X-men #22 Colored Preview

“The Trial of Jean Grey”

The arrival of the original X-Men in the present sent shockwaves through the Marvel Universe, but we’ve only seen the effects on Earth. When alien races learn that Jean Grey, host of the destructive Phoenix Force, is back on earth, they do something about it. Now it’s up to the rest of the All-New X-Men and the Guardians of the Galaxy to save Jean Grey from twisted intergalactic justice! Don’t miss two of Marvel’s biggest franchises crossing over for the first time!

I really don’t have much else to add other than this is a preview where I don’t have to take LSD to make it more colorful. So I guess my brain is grateful, but that’s really all I can say. I would love it if there was a better clue as to what O5 Cyclops and O5 Jean are yelling at each other about. For all I know, they’re yelling at O5 Angel for putting mayonnaise and ketchup on a bacon burger. I guess we won’t know until we finally get a preview with some fucking letters. Then I’ll finally know if I should be excited or hungry. Nuff said!

All New X-men #22 Unlettered Preview - More Black and White Awesome

Unlettered previews are notorious for leaving way too much to the imagination. And that’s not a good idea for anyone with an imagination as perverse and fucked up as mine. It sounds so noble on paper, letting the readers form their own conclusions. But in practice a reader’s mind is prone to form some pretty fucked up connections to the point where most will say, “Fuck it, a wizard did it.” I try to be a little more creative with my fucked up connections, but I can only do so much with the brain cells I haven’t killed.

With X-men Battle of the Atom over, Marvel has already set the stage for the next big crossover event. The Trial of Jean Grey promises to be a blowjob to those obsessed with continuity flaws. O5 Jean Grey travels to the future. Future events like the murder of 5 billion aliens comes back to bite her. It’s the clearest possible continuity anyone could possibly get without asking that a comic come with a diagram. So far, Marvel hasn’t released much detail except for a black and white preview for Guardians of the Galaxy #11. It didn’t reveal much other than some pissed off aliens plotting to get revenge on a pretty redhead. I’m pretty sure that’s the premise for a handful of pornos. But since it is a crossover and crossovers tend to soak the panties of casual fans, another black and white preview was released for All New X-men #22. I’m sure its premise is consistent with a number of pornos as well, but not quite as much.

CBR: All New X-men #22 Unlettered and Uncolored Preview

The arrival of the original X-Men in the present sent shockwaves through the Marvel Universe, but we’ve only seen the effects on Earth. When alien races learn that Jean Grey, host of the destructive Phoenix Force, is back on earth, they do something about it. Now it’s up to the rest of the All-New X-Men and the Guardians of the Galaxy to save Jean Grey from twisted intergalactic justice! Don’t miss two of Marvel’s biggest franchises crossing over for the first time!

Again, it’s hard to glean much from an unlettered, uncolored preview when it’s hard to tell if anyone is shitting themselves. But this one does offer a few more tantalizing details compared to the previous preview. For one, the ongoing tension between O5 Cyclops and O5 Jean apparently gets worse after the next two issues. And poor O5 Angel looks like he got involved in three-way that turned into a bar fight. I’m sure both his heart and his penis hate his guts now.

It many mean that they didn’t address the revelations in All New X-men #18 in a very mature manner. And who would expect them to? They’re fucking teenagers. Maturity is still an alien concept to them. O5 Cyclops found out that O5 Jean is now looking elsewhere to soak her loins. As a result, he started looking elsewhere and already has been shown to fancy X-23. Yet in trying to push each other away, their hearts and their genitals won’t let them. Again, they’re teenagers. It’s rarely that simple. And it appears that neither of them approve of the romantic choices they’re making. That or they’re yelling at O5 Angel for farting when he eats. It’s hard to tell, but again those are the crazy conclusions a drunken mind like mine formulates.

Beyond chaotic teenage hormones, it seems O5 Beast hasn’t given up his fondness for confounding math problems. Perhaps he’s just as curious as I am as to what the fuck is keeping the O5 from going back to their own time. That’s still an unanswered question and I’ve yet to smoke enough week to make me forget about it. Considering that this whole story is based on making O5 Jean pay for crimes she commits later on in life, it might be a good idea to figure that shit out. If not, freaky alien types are going to come after O5 Jean and it’ll only end up resembling a lot more pornos. Nuff said!

Scanned Thoughts: All New X-men #14

When new comics come out, that's just another excuse for me to get fucked up and write fucked up shit about what I read. Every now and then, I'm able to write something insightful. Most of the time, it comes off as the ravings of a drunken madman. Either way, people seem to enjoy reading that shit so that's what I do on this blog. What follows is a drunken madman's interpretation of All New X-men #14. Read on if you dare!

The first page may make drunks like me start dry heaving because it’ll bring back unpleasant memories of Avengers vs. X-men. The last time Marvel fucked with the Phoenix, the collective assholes of the entire Marvel universe were torn in ways that would make a gay porn star cringe. Well they seem to be at it again, this time having Lady Mastermind mind-fuck O5 Jean into going Dark Phoenix on everyone. And she’s not even wearing her sexy Phoenix costume. That’s like being served a bacon burger you know has been spit in, but without the bacon. It’s doubly infuriating and for raging alcoholics reading this, you might want to nail down any furniture that can be easily thrown.

What happens at first is predictable. Wolverine, who I imagine is equally burned out on the Phoenix, decides to stroke Brett Ratner’s cock again and be that guy who has to kill Jean Grey. O5 Cyclops stops him, but it’s still painful at how unsurprising this is. Especially considering the fact that stabbing the Phoenix is akin to trying to piss on a forest fire. It doesn’t do shit.

But before you get too drunk with rage, Brian Michael Bendis shows an act of mercy that couldn’t have been more appropriate without packing this comic with a coupon for a free blowjob by a Tijuana hooker. It turns out that Lady Mastermind actually wasn’t the one mind-fucking Jean Grey. It was the other way around. O5 Jean was actually the one putting on the Phoenix show. But as she already demonstrated in the previous issue, she’s as experienced a telepath as I am a brain surgeon. So the others picked up on it, which they didn’t enjoy. But she apologized. All was forgiven and they went ahead and started beating the shit out of Mystique’s team and Hydra. I don’t know if this qualifies as a twist, but it’s more satisfying than a lap dance from Jessica Alba so I’ll take it.

But Lady Mastermind isn’t about to be upstaged by a novice, even if it is Jean Grey. She mind-fucks people in the same way a 13-year-old with a stash of Playboys jerks off. So rather than fuck with the O5 X-men by using the Phoenix, she uses the image of Professor Xavier. It’s not quite as terrifying as the Phoenix, but it definitely resonates with the X-men…for about five seconds. The O5 may be a bunch of inexperienced teenagers, but they’re not fucking stupid. They figure out really quickly that this is Lady Mastermind’s work. It still allows Mystique to shoot Wolverine in the gut (which is only half as satisfying as seeing him get shot by Cyclops), but it doesn’t slow the O5 down. They still shrug it off and proceed to kick ass.

At this point Lady Mastermind has done plenty to piss off O5 Jean Grey. And anyone who ever survived high school knows that pissed off teenage girls are a force not to be fucked with. Give said teenage girls telepathic powers and it’s safe to assume that everyone is fucked. Yet that doesn’t stop Lady Mastermind from trying to piss her off more, parading images of Emma Frost and Cyclops smooching in front of O5 Jean Grey. She might as well have smothered herself in the blood of baby seals and jumped into a den of hungry polar bears.

O5 Jean Grey, who only a few issues ago was crying and hugging Kitty Pryde, finally flexes her inner badass and mind-fucks Lady Mastermind in a way that I’m sure made her panties wet. It frees the rest of the team from further mind-fucking so they can focus on more important things, like roughing up Sabretooth or beating up Hydra. It’s as basic as you can get in a Marvel comics, but in a series that has been so heavy on teen drama, it’s immensely satisfying.

But like my ex-girlfriend, they don’t go down easily. The O5, who in a recent issue botched a simple Danger Room scenario, effectively coordinate to take down Mystique and Sabretooth. And they do it in a way that actually makes them look like a competent team. Now maybe Cyclops’s visit to the Jean Grey Institute added motivation for them to shape the fuck up and stop being whiney teenagers. Bendis is usually pretty good at pointing out what either motivates characters or pisses them off. But in this instance it’s somewhat glossed over. It’s still satisfying though. Seeing O5 Jean Grey make Sabretooth whine like a little bitch put a smile on my face and a boner in my pants.

One issue that Bendis didn’t gloss over, however, is that unpleasant little detail of Mystique having used the O5’s image to commit a long list of crimes. And as we saw a few issues ago, the Avengers were about as thrilled with that as Eagles fans were thrilled with their team’s record last year. So when they apparently swoop in and tell the O5 they’re still in deep shit, it’s an awkward moment. But it’s one of those awkward moments that turns out to be another bad dream, like showing up to work without your pants on or finding out you accidentally hit on your best friend’s mother while drunk.

Lady Mastermind tried to get away with one more mind-fuck, using the Avengers to leave the O5 deadpanned at the very least so she could get away. This time Kitty Pryde put a stop to that with her fist. So first she gets humiliated by a teenage Jean Grey. Then she gets decked by Kitty Pryde when she’s trying to escape. I think it’s safe to say that this bitch is right up there with Amanda Bynes in terms of being fucked up and burned out. At least she didn’t tempt anyone to murder her vagina.

And wouldn’t you know it? Right after the O5 X-men were mind-fucked into believing the Avengers were coming, they actually show up. It leads to a gloriously awkward moment between O5 Iceman and Thor. It also leads to a beautifully sincere moment between O5 Cyclops and Havok. While Havok may still be a total douche, it’s nice that he’s trying to get along with at least one incarnation of his brother. And while Captain America is still pissed at the situation Mystique created, he doesn’t give America any worse a name because O5 did manage to subdue Mystique and kick the asses of Hydra. I think that short of taking a piss on Hitler’s corpse, this will earn them some brownie points with Cap and the Avengers.

The only disappointing aspect with this scene is that we never get another scene with O5 Cyclops and Mystique. Back in All New X-men #7, they had some nice moments. Granted, Mystique was just fucking with him, but O5 Cyclops seemed reluctant to want to fight Mystique in the previous issue. There wasn’t even a second of hesitation in this issue. It’s one of those other details that Bendis glossed over, at least for this issue. It could definitely come up in another issue.

In fact, Bendis practically set it up in the very next scene. Once again, SHIELD proves that they can’t build a prison for shit. Maria Hill, who Mystique impersonated a while back, wanted to personally see to it that Mystique was sufficiently fucked over for her shit. Well, she’ll have to get back in line because once again, Mystique escaped. She even managed to steal a SHIELD helicopter. I’ll say it again. SHIELD can’t build a prison for shit. I wouldn’t trust them to watch my dog for the weekend, let alone imprison someone like Mystique. But beyond that, it means that Mystique is free and will probably find new ways of fucking with the O5 X-men, especially Cyclops. I’m still convinced that O5 Cyclops was checking out Mystique’s ass in All New X-men #7. Then again, who doesn’t?

O5 Jean Grey was undeniably badass in this issue, more so than she has been in any issue of All New X-men to date. But the comic ends with a firm reminder that she’s not quite on the same level as her adult self was under Grant Morrison. She’s not ready to tell Emma Frost to piss off, take control of the school, or look damn sexy in skin-tight black pants. She’s still a vulnerable teenage girl and she’ll keep being that way until she can prove she’s worthy of those skin-tight black pants.

All New X-men has been heavy on drama and teen angst. It’s like a CW show without vampires and slutty cheerleaders. Bendis has made it awesome thus far, but this time he threw in some good old fashioned fun. I mean who doesn’t love seeing the Original Five beat the shit out of Hydra, Mystique, Sabretooth, and Silver Samurai? And for once, Jean Grey wasn’t helplessly overwhelmed. That should make the feminazis out there bitch just a little bit less, but not nearly as much as we would all like. All semi-normal folk need to know is this is another awesome issue of All New X-men so says my drunken decrees. Nuff said!

X-men Supreme Issue 68: The Phoenix Saga Part 6 is LIVE!

It's finally here! The biggest moment in the history of the X-men Supreme fanfiction series has arrived! I know I've labeled many moments in X-men Supreme as big events, but this one is by far the biggest for one reason: the Phoenix Saga. In the history of X-men and Marvel comics, few stories have carried with them so much impact and so much emotion. Chris Claremont created something truly special all those years ago and it has been imagine and retold in many forms with the X-men in movies, cartoons, and comics. As such, I wanted to retell it in a way that was special and memorable for the X-men Supreme fanfiction series. There are so many ways I could have gone and there are so many angles to cover for the X-men, Jean Grey, and the Phoenix Force. But I didn't want this saga to drag on for too long. On this day, the Phoenix Saga ends. But the impact is just beginning!

Issue 68: The Phoenix Saga Part 6

This fanfiction series has undergone many changes throughout its history. Characters have changed. Circumstances have changed. The whole X-men line-up has changed. But I can say without reservation that the Phoenix Saga will fundementally change the nature of the X-men Supreme fanfiction series. And I'm not just talking about Cyclops and Jean Grey either. The Phoenix Force will bring in an entirely new element to the X-men Supreme fanfiction series. That element will be explored in many stories to come. But those stories can't be told until X-men Supreme Volume 3: Ashes of Hope is completed. After the Phoenix Saga, there aren't many issues left. But with the end of this monumental event in the annuls of X-men Supreme, a whole new world of stories is set to emerge!

And in the spirit of the completion of the Phoenix Saga, I posted a new commission that I've been sitting on for well over a year because I knew it would be a huge part of the X-men Supreme Phoenix Saga. It depicts the final dramatic moment between Cyclops and Jean Grey at the end of Issue 68. It was a very special moment and the man who actually crafted the front page image on the X-men Supreme official website was the one behind this image. For that, I think Fabio of ComicConArt and as such, I've also posted the image in the X-men Supreme Official Panels section.

I've had an amazing time writing X-men Supreme, but I take a special bit of satisfaction in writing the X-men Supreme Phoenix Saga. After this final issue of the saga, I feel like I've covered all the necessary elements to make an X-men Phoenix Saga awesome. But I know at the end of the day it doesn't matter what I think as much as it matters how my readers think. So please take the time to post a review of the Phoenix Saga or of any previous issues. Or if you want you can contact me directly. I'm always open to feedback and I'll be happy to answer any questions anyone may have. So it's done. The X-men Supreme Phoenix Saga has ended and from the ashes a bold new world of X-men Supreme shall emerge! Until next time, take care and best wishes! Excelsior!

Jack

X-men Supreme Issue #68: The Phoenix Saga Part 6 PREVIEW

The end of the X-men Supreme Phoenix Saga is near! It's already the longest arc of the X-men Supreme fanfiction series to date and there's still one issue left! I've been working very hard to make this final issue to this amazing saga the best it can possibly be. Part of what made the original Phoenix Saga so iconic under the pen of Chris Claremont was the sheer emotion of the ending. It was an ending that would have far reaching implications for the X-men and for Marvel comics as a whole for decades to come. As we saw with the recent events of Avengers vs. X-men, those events still have a major impact on the comics today. I intend to have the X-men Supreme Phoenix Saga leave an equally profound impact on this fanfiction series for many issues to come. The Phoenix Force affects more than Jean Grey or Cyclops or anyone in the X-men. It effects the entire world they live in and you'll see why in the final issue! As such, I've prepared a brief preview for this very important issue.

“This…this doesn’t make sense.”

From the far reaches of deep space, the Phoenix soared through space and time to find herself back to this small planet known as Earth. Guided by the mysterious call, she followed the whims of Jean Grey to this seemingly obscure location. Neither she nor Jean was fighting for dominance anymore. They weren’t unleashing the full range of power that a cosmic entity was capable of wielding. They were more or less sharing in these many conflicting feelings. The hunger was still there, but it was different now. That same hunger was driving her towards actions of a different kind. What those actions were was still not clear, but they sensed the answers were close.

Now standing in the driveway, she carefully took in the structure before her. This seemingly innocuous domicile triggered within her and Jean so many emotions.

“I…I’m home.”

The festering confusion drove Jean and the Phoenix forward. Something very important lay inside this house. She sensed it was the source of this mysterious call. Whatever it was, she needed to confront it if she was to get the answers she wanted.

Moving cautiously, the powerful figure approached the front door. With barely a thought, she used her vast psionic power to blow open the door and rip it to shreds. Once inside, she stopped to take in her surroundings. She now stood in front of a flight of stairs. To her left was the living room. To her right was the dining room. As she looked to her right she had a powerful vision of an event years ago in the life of Jean Grey.

“No Daddy, I don’t want you to drink!”

“Jean, sweetie, Daddy needs that bottle! Now hand it over!”

“No! I don’t like it when you drink! Please stop!”

Before her eyes she saw a vision of a growing young girl standing before her father as he sat with a bottle of hard liquor at the dining room table. He was already drunk and Jean was using her powers to keep the bottle away from him. He kept reaching for it, but the mysterious force in her mind was pulling it away.

“That’s enough, Jean! Don’t make me call the hospital again!”

“Don’t do it, Daddy! You’re drunk! I just want to…”

“STOP IT THIS INSTANT!”

A twinge of anger filled both Jean and the Phoenix as this vision played out. They triggered in her a different kind of sensation that the Phoenix was not used to. With glowing eyes, she turned away and looked towards her left into the living room. Yet this only triggered another vision.

Before her eyes, another scene played out. The man she recognized as Jonathan Grey was sitting in what was then a destroyed living room. There were holes on the walls, broken windows, and a TV that was in a million pieces. He was in tears, holding another bottle of hard liquor. Sitting next to him was a man in a suit offering a hallow comfort.

“Just look at what she did, Dr. Lee! She’s completely out of control!”

“It’s not your fault, John. Her mother’s recent passing has put a great deal of strain on her. These growing telepathic incidents aren’t helping either.”

“I know they’re not! But I just can’t deal with her anymore! My wife is dead! My little Sara is dead! Jean’s all I have left and I can’t control her! What am I supposed to do?!”

“You have options, John. That’s why I’m here. Now I’m not saying that committing her to my ward is a sound solution, but it is something to consider. Jean is a disturbed young girl. She needs treatment.”

The look on John Grey’s face was sad and distant. He seemed to know he was doing the wrong thing. His only response was to sit there and take another heavy gulp of hard liquor. At this point, the vision took another turn. From across the room, she saw the same timid redhead from before looking in on the conversation. She had tears in her eyes as if she knew what this meant for her. Alone and in a deep despair, she ran off to her room.

More powerful sensations consumed her. Jean Grey was bombarded with feelings of sorrow and regret. It was becoming clear now. That little girl was her. These experiences were memories of her life. It was the same life the Phoenix was pulling her away from in her madness. These were not pleasant experiences. These were sad, distressing moments that triggered in her an emptiness that could only be felt by someone still very much tied to her humanity.

To the Phoenix, it was a darker part of mortal experience. It was not the kind of experiences that fueled her hunger. They were experiences that caused her pain. It was a sensation that was completely foreign to her. She could sense the pain of mortal beings as they drew their last breath. She could sense the pain of the cosmos when something was destroyed. But this was a different kind of pain, one that struck her in ways that a cosmic force couldn’t comprehend.

“This…this isn’t right. These sensations…they’re not right.”

“No…they are right,” said Jean distantly, “I remember now. These feelings…they’re a part of me. I must know more.”

“More…yes, the hunger still beckons. But still…so confused.”

“Your hunger will have to wait! I cannot stop. I won’t!”

Even though it was causing her pain, Jean pressed forward. She followed the vision of the little girl as she fled up the stairs. With each step she took, more of these sensations filled her. Once up the stairs, they followed the visions towards a room at the end of the hall. This was the room in which Jean Grey had a powerful connection. Standing before the closed door, the Phoenix hesitated briefly before entering. But the burning need to know drove them forward.

A casual burst of power shattered the door, turning it into a shower of splinters. This revealed to her a room that looked as though no soul had set foot inside for a long time. There was just an unmade bed, a dresser, and a few boxes in the corner. It may have looked empty now, but in the visions she saw a room that was messy and disorganized. When the little girl ran into this room, she lost control. Everything that could be moved was levitated into the air and swirled about. It was chaotic, yet it seemed lost on the girl. She just kept sitting in the corner, hugging her knees as she cried out in anguish.

“Mommy’s dead! Daddy’s throwing me away! Nobody loves me anymore! I’m a monster! A MONSTER!”

“A monster…”

Tears formed in the eyes of the cosmic being. The Phoenix had never felt tears before. This sorrow was a new experience. It was agonizing, tearing at her in ways she did not understand. In her tears, the bird-shaped flame surrounded her as took in these visions of the past and present. In her mind’s eye, she was looking at that scared little girl as she sat crying in the corner. This little girl was in so much pain. It was a pain that the Phoenix and Jean Grey shared. The feeling fed off from one another. The Phoenix made it worse for Jean and Jean made it worse for the Phoenix.

Eventually, the pain was too much. The cosmic being that could snuff out entire stars on a whim fell to her knees and sobbed. There was no use running from the truth. No amount of cosmic power could change it.

“I…I am a monster!” Jean cried out.

The Phoenix Saga marks a very important moment for the X-men Supreme fanfiction series. So much of what I've been trying to do with the X-men has been building towards this moment. After a great many stories and character development, it's finally coming together! The X-men Supreme fanfiction series is about to undergo a profound shift and for that reason it's very important that people take the time to provide feedback. I'm hoping that the X-men Supreme Phoenix Saga will establish this fanfiction series as something that's on the same scale as anything readers will find in Marvel comics, but I can't be sure of that unless people take the time to provide feedback. Please post it in each issue of the X-men Supreme fanfiction series or contact me with your questions or comments. Until next time, take care and best wishes! Excelsior!

Jack

X-men Supreme Issue #67: The Phoenix Saga Part 5 PREVIEW

The X-men Supreme Phoenix Saga has officially escalated to cosmic proportions. The Inner Circle successfully captured the X-men and as we saw at the end of Issue 66: The Phoenix Saga Part 4, they also succeeded in bringing the Phoenix Force to Jean Grey. Now her being has been merged with that of a cosmic entity and whatever the Inner Circle's plans were to control it have failed. It is a critical theme in the history of the Phoenix Saga and it is a theme I have carried over into this fanfiction series. Take a normal human being in an emotionally fragile state like Jean Grey and imbue her with immense power and that power eventually corrupts. It is the same kind of corruption that caused the X-men and the world of X-men Supreme so much damage in the Proteus arc. That story ended in tragedy. Will Jean Grey share the same fate? There are only a few issues left in this very important arc for the X-men Supreme fanfiction series. As usual, I've prepared an extended preview to offer a glimpse at what you can expect in this very important issue.

“Yes! YEESSSSSS! This is what I crave! The breadth of mortal sensations! The rush of mortal experience! The power…the hunger…I desire MORE!”

It was beautiful. Everything was so amazingly beautiful. The sights, the sounds, and the sensations of the cosmos were inundating every sense. It was amazing. These were the experiences of the Phoenix Force and her new vessel, Jean Grey. From the moment she took off from Hellfire Manor, the Phoenix had been soaring through the cosmos at speeds that defied mortal comprehension. Time and space were feeble forces to overcome. She could traverse the vastness of the cosmos as easily as lesser beings would draw breath. With the being known as Jean Grey in her grasp, she could experience the whole range of mortal sensations. It was intoxicating, granting her a cosmic level of fulfillment with which to feed her agonizing hunger.

Soaring through space the Phoenix passed a series of small comets and asteroids. In her deranged state, she casually directed her powers towards them. In an instant, they were utterly destroyed in a dazzling burst of chaos. The feeling of wielding such power within a mortal shell was even more intoxicating. Before her lay an even larger system with even larger bodies to destroy. Her hunger continued to beckon her and she followed it without hesitation.

But through this chaos, the Phoenix continued to fight a battle within. Since the moment she first merged with her new mortal shell, Jean Grey had been fighting her. Even though she was immersed in the rush of such power, this annoying mortal persistence within her lingered.

“No…stop! Too much…it’s all too much!” grunted Jean, her body contorting within the halo of cosmic flames.

“You still insist on fighting me, Jean? Enough of this insolence! You’re denying me what I crave! You’re denying yourself what you crave!”

“I…I don’t know what I crave!” she cried out, “I’m so confused! I can’t remember where I…who I…”

“Who you were in your mortal life is no longer important! All that matters is that you are the new avatar for my power! Just as you yearned for all those years ago!”

“Just as I…no, this isn’t what I wanted!” she cried, clutching her head in confusion.

“But it is! Ages ago when you were a young, helpless mortal you cried out for help! You cried not just with your voice, but with your mind! Like all those who transcend the psychic limits of sentience, your call went out over great distances! And it was I who heeded that call!”

“A call…for what?”

“What else? Power! In their moment of weakness, mortals seek only the power to overcome that which they are doomed to endure! You may have stopped calling out for help, but I never stopped seeking you! You felt it even as I was seeking you out through the vastness of the cosmos! I chose you just as you chose me!”

“But…but why?! Why me?!”

“Because we need each other! Just as I needed the many who came before you! I grant you the power you crave to escape your feeble limits and in return you fulfill my endless hunger! It is the great cycle that binds us! And together, we shall spread our wings and unleash the fires of creation and destruction on this desolate universe!”

These daunting words echoed through Jean Grey’s mind with agonizing ferocity. They seemed to cloud all other thoughts. This power that had consumed her was taking hold. She could barely wrap her already frail mind around it. The Phoenix was in control now and it was taking her on this journey to feed its hunger. It was horrible and wonderful at the same time. These intoxicating sensations that were feeding the Phoenix were also overwhelming her mind. Never before had she felt so much power. It was driving her away from everything it meant to be human.

But in the back of her mind she still remembered that moment at Hellfire Manor. She remembered Charles Xavier reaching out to her with his mind. She remembered Scott Summer trying to get through to her with his love and dedication. These were some of the only vestiges of her humanity as the Phoenix continued to guide her into a new star system. Jean Grey was leaving her humanity and her world behind. That fine line between absolute power and absolute madness was fading fast. She knew through her madness that once she crossed it, there was no going back. Desperately, she clung to these mortal thoughts even as the Phoenix kept raging.

‘Can’t…forget. Have to…remember. I am…Jean Grey. I am…Jean Grey. I am…Jean Grey.’

I'm very excited about the X-men Supreme Phoenix Saga. In the comics, the Phoenix Saga was a major turning point. So much of what Chris Claremont did with that story set the stage for years worth of X-men stories and Marvel comics stories in general. I hope to do the same with the X-men Supreme fanfiction series. When this arc is over, the world of X-men Supreme will be very different. A new world of stories will open up and I hope to explore them in great detail with future volumes.

So far, the feedback for the X-men Supreme Phoenix Saga has been very good. X-men Fan and Stormbreaker were nice enough to provide feedback for the previous issue, but overall feedback was down in the last issue. I hope that changes as I approach the epic conclusion of the X-men Supreme Phoenix Saga. Once again, I implore all those who read each issue of the X-men Supreme fanfiction series to take the time to leave a review. Either plost your feedback in the comments section of each issue or contact me directly. Until next time, take care and best wishes! Excelsior!

Jack

X-men Supreme Issue #66 - The Phoenix Saga Part 4

In the pages of the X-men Supreme fanfiction series, the X-men have worked tirelessly to help Jean Grey avoid a looming fate that has been fast approaching since the events of the Proteus arc and possibly even sooner. But over the course of the X-men Supreme Phoenix Saga, they lost that fight. They trusted a former X-man and Cyclops's former lover, Emma Frost, to help Jean. She ended up betraying them, albeit unwillingly, by delivering them into the clutches of the Inner Circle through one of their associates, Mastermind. Now there is little stopping the approaching Phoenix Force from taking its host. In the greater X-men mythos that Marvel has been telling for nearly half a century, this is one of the most pivotal moments in the history of X-men. Now that moment is fast approaching in the X-men Supreme fanfiction series and I couldn't be more excited to tell this story!

An undertaking like the Phoenix Saga has proven both difficult and thrilling. I know my readers and fellow X-men fans will only render a verdict once it has been completed. For this reason, I don't want to rush my Phoenix Saga. It's taken a long time to build up and it's finally getting to a point where the Phoenix Force is set to arrive. This is a moment that has been greatly scrutinized in the history of the X-men mythos because it is also a moment that has been retconned and reinterpreted in so many ways. One of my goals in writing the Phoenix Saga for X-men Supreme is to make it more coherent and clear. I don't want this fanfiction series to become as convoluted as the comics. That's why this new issue is such an important issue. For all the wonderful readers out there who have been following this fanfiction series (Stormbreaker being among the most generous), this issue is one that will have a supreme importance in the annuls of X-men Supreme.

Issue 66: The Phoenix Saga Part 4

The X-men Supreme fanfiction series is entering a very profound stage of development. What happens over the next few issues will set the tone for X-men Supreme for a long time to come! As such, it's more important than ever that generous readers take the time to provide feedback. You can follow the example of readers like Stormbreaker and leave comments in the comments section of each issue or you can contact me directly and I'll be happy to respond. The X-men Supreme fanfiction series is in the midst of its biggest arc to date. As such, I'm more determined than ever to make it as awesome as it can be. Until next time, take care and best wishes! Excelsior!

Jack

X-men Supreme Issue #64: The Phoenix Saga Part 2 Is LIVE!

The Phoenix Saga is underway and the cosmic fires are heating up in the X-men Supreme fanfiction series! The event that forever changed the face of the X-men comics promises to do the same for this fanfiction series. The first issue showed just how bad Jean Grey's condition had become. It's a condition that began way back in X-men Supreme Volume 2: War Powers. However, the previous issue also revealed that these issues that have troubled Jean run much deeper. She's not in a position to overcome them on her own. It is up to the X-men to help her before it's too late.

But while the X-men are struggling to comprehend what is happening to Jean Grey, other forces are hard at work plotting against the X-men. This includes the likes of Sebastian Shaw, who showed up in a big way in the Partners in Madness arc. Then in Issue 63: The Phoenix Saga Part 1, he brought in Emma Frost to aid his agenda. I know Emma Frost has some very passionate fans so expect her to play a major role in this event! But first, she'll play a major role in the latest issue of the X-men Supreme Phoenix Saga. Enjoy!

Issue 64: The Phoenix Saga Part 2

To make the addition of this latest issue even more awesome, I have another bonus to include! With the previous issue, I included a spectacular commission courtesy of Brian Brinlee. He was generous and talented enough to provide an image of Jean Grey in her Phoenix Form for X-men Supreme. Well in the spirit of adopting Marvel's love of variants, I've posted a variant of his commission along with the new issue. It comes courtesy of a friend named Constance, who I know from comic book message boards. Constance happens to be good with Photoshop and did some tweaking to the commission. You can find it both within the issue and in the X-men Supreme Official Panels section.

And if anyone else is looking to have their work posted on the X-men Supreme website, please know that I'm always willing to accommodate! The more I can add to this fanfiction series, the better the experience. So if you want to do another variant to the Jean Grey Phoenix cover, feel free to do it and contact me if you want me to post it! As always, I deeply appreciate feedback and input for this and all aspects of the X-men Supreme fanfiction series. I already got three generous reviews for the first issue of my Phoenix Saga. The event promises to escalate so please keep the reviews coming! I'm always willing to chat with readers so please contact me or post a review in the review section. Until next time, take care and best wishes! Excelsior!

Jack

X-men Supreme Issue 63: The Phoenix Saga Part 1 is LIVE and New Jean Grey Commission

It's coming! I've been saying that for weeks as the X-men Supreme fanfiction series has neared its biggest event to date. It began back in X-men Supreme Volume 2: War Powers. It's been building all throughout X-men Supreme Volume 3: Ashes of Hope. Now it's no longer coming. It's here! The Phoenix Force is set to arrive in the pages of the X-men Supreme fanfiction series in a tale that will forever change the landscape of X-men Supreme.

The waiting is over. The moment has come. Jean Grey, the X-men, and the entire world I've created are now poised to cross paths with a cosmic entity. But as anyone who has followed Marvel's big Avengers vs. X-men event has seen or anyone who has ever followed a story involving the Phoenix Force knows all too well, the Phoenix is a very complex story. Over the years, it has changed both in nature and in scope. In some ways it has grown and in others it has become convoluted. Like many other classic X-men elements, I plan on making the nature and history of the Phoenix Force unique to the X-men Supreme fanfiction series. You'll notice elements from the comics, the cartoons, the movies, and even some that are entirely new. All I can promise is that it will feel like a true Phoenix story. And it begins today!

Issue 63: The Phoenix Saga Part 1

And since this story is so special to both me personally and X-men fans of every mold, I've made sure to include a special bonus with this issue that I haven't done with any issue beforehand. I've teamed up with my artist and friend, Brian Brinlee, to commission a special pin-up that shows Jean Grey in a distinct, X-men Supreme style Phoenix Force costume. It's something I've been hoping to include since I first planned out my Phoenix Saga. Now that it's here, I think it deserves something extra to convey the level of awesome. You can see the image both in the issue and in the X-men Supreme Official Panels section.

I'm very excited about the prospect for this story. I understand there are some very passionate X-men fans out there as well as some deeply devouted fans of Jean Grey. Rest assure, I intend to do those fans justice. That makes providing feedback all the more important. I know I say that a lot, but I mean it every time. One of the goals I set forth in establishing X-men Supreme was to acknowledge and account for feedback. If I'm doing something that readers think is wrong, I want to address it. I haven't received a whole lot of feedback through this website, but the little I have goes a long ways towards helping me make this fanfiction series better. I want to keep improving and the more feedback I get, the better it can be. So please be sure to post a review in each issue or contact me directly. Marvel may be done with their Phoenix story, but X-men Supreme is just getting warmed up! Until next time, take care and best wishes. Excelsior!

Jack

New Phoenix Teaser for Marvel "It's Coming"

I know it's been a while since I've offered my colorful drunken input to recent Marvel news. In my defense the most exciting news Marvel has had since Fear Itself all relates to shit that won't happen until the summer of 2012. And I'm sorry, but I just can't think that far ahead. I can barely think back to last night when I woke up in some strange old woman's basement with a pair of dentures in my hand and what I hope was just a wig in the other. But since the New York Comic Con back in October, Marvel has been dropping hints like Herman Cain drops sexual harassment charges about what's going to happen in 2012. They even dedicated an entire, overpriced 48-page one-shot called Point One to act as what is essentially and overblown trailer to a Michael Bay movie. Among the many random and underdeveloped stories in that issue was yet another teaser for the Phoenix Force. Under normal circumstances, I would be jumping out of my skin and humping my couch in excitement over this news. But like one too many hits of crack, the high just isn't what it used to be.

Robot6: "It's Coming" Phoenix Teaser on Wednesday, December 7th

For those of you who haven't kept up, Marvel has been touting the Phoenix Force in their comics more than Brittney Spears touts her snatch. It goes all the way back to Phoenix Endsong in 2005, a time when you could still get a home loan for being able to walk and chew gum and when everyone still laughed at the notion of electing a black president. That story officially or unofficially, depending on who you ask, made the Phoenix Force active again. Since then, the Phoenix Force has showed up in countless references from Messiah Complex to Astonishing X-men to several issues of Generation Hope. This thing is officially the herpes of the X-books in that it keeps coming back and in a very annoying way.

Now don't get the wrong idea. I love Phoenix. I love Jean Grey. What I don't love is having both regularly teased as coming back into the fold only to have it turn out to be a complete fucking farce. Marvel has already gone out of it's way to essentially plagerize Jean's imagery in the creation of Hope Summers, the girl who actually flared the Phoenix back at the end of Second Coming. Every public statement they seem to make regarding Jean Grey essentially reinforces the notion that she's dead. Now could that be a tease? I used to think so, but given how much time and resources they put into making Hope Summers a replacement character and watering down Emma Frost to the point where she might as well be Jean Grey after extensive plastic surgery I honestly can't see it happening. I've brought it up in many reviews where Jean is cited. Marvel wants her imagery, but they don't want to bring her back. They want to have their cake and eat it too. That's like wanting to get piss faced drunk without getting a hangover. I'm sorry, but even in the skewwed physics of the comic book universe that just isn't possible.

Now I would love to be wrong this time. I would get down on my knees and lick Marvel's boots clean of dog shit if this time the story actually involved Phoenix and Jean Grey in a coherent way. But I'm not brushing my teeth just yet in anticipation. I'm a cynical, jaded fanboy in this department and I'm maintainin a strict "I'll believe it when I see it" approach. I'm not quite as extreme as those who deny global warming, but at the moment I'm within spitting distance of that crowd with regards to Marvel's handling of the Phoenix Force and Jean Grey. Again, I want to be proven wrong here. Come on, Marvel! You know you wanna! But until that happens, expect me to keep relating the Phoenix with herpes and Jean Grey with fond memories. Nuff said!

X-Force #28 Cover Released - Hints to Hope/Jean/Phoenix or Another Ruse?

There are only two chapters left in the X-men: Second Coming crossover and time is running out for answers. For the past few weeks I've been giving out less-than-stellar reviews to the likes of Uncanny, New Mutants, and Legacy. It's not that the story hasn't been moving forward. It just isn't moving forward with the same momentum of awesome of previous issues. There is plenty of action, but none of that action seems to point to any real answers as to how this is going to change the status quo for mutants or why Hope is the mutant messiah. Well there are only two comics left with which to answer these questions and the previously classified cover of X-Force #28 came out recently. And what it hints at could indicate we're finally close to getting the answers X-fans have been craving for the past three years.

This was a comic that was supposed to come out this week, but due to a personal issue with Mike Choi it was pushed back to July 8th. It seems almost cruel to release a teaser like this even if it does add to the excitement. Hope Summers is finally doing more than just crying, complaining, and fighting. This girl is supposed to revitalize an entire race and her powers have been a complete mystery since Messiah Complex. Not only that, there have been strong if not unavoidable hints that Hope Summers is connected to the Phoenix Force. And I'm not talking about subtle hints either. I'm sure everyone remembers this little teaser.


There was also the X-men Second Coming Prepare issue that was acted as a big trailer to the event. It did plenty of hyping, but the most curious part was the end where it gave a history of the Phoenix Force that included Hope at the end. It's one thing to just put her in a teaser, but to throw her into an actual account of the Phoenix Force's history? That's being way more overt than Marvel usually is. One little hint can be ignored. Years ago there was Cable #5 which showed baby Hope with Phoenix emblems in her eyes. That got the message boards fired up, but it was one of those hints that could be ignored just as it was done with Mutant Zero. Then it happened again in the mini-series A Girl Called Hope. Her words weren't very subtle either. "I would come back from the dead?" Could you get any more overt?


If that weren't enough, there was the cover of the damn book. It had the Phoenix in the backdrop. So that's not just one hint Marvel is dropping. It's not even two. It's getting to the point where you can't even count them all on one hand. At this point for the Phoenix not to show up, it would be a plot hole of galactic proportions.


So with all these hints and X-Force #28 on top of it, what could it mean? It seems almost unavoidable that Hope Summers has a connection to the Phoenix. It makes perfect sense that the mutant messiah would be able to tap this vast power. It has been established in the Phoenix stories by Grant Morrison and Greg Pak that the Phoenix works by burning away things that don't work. The aftermath of M-Day which basically doomed mutants to extinction could very well be something that doesn't work in the eyes of the Phoenix and must be fixed. Hope using the Phoenix would be one of the very few things in the Marvel universe that could undo a massive warping of reality. But that's the problem. It may make too much sense.

As many hints as there have been about Hope's powers, there have also been plenty of counter-hints as well. In the Cable series she did show some telepathy and telekinesis, which is eerily similar to another certain redhead who once wielded cosmic power. Going back even further, she healed Rogue of the strain-88 virus while also evading detection from Cerebro and as an infant no less. Then there was the recent issue of Uncanny X-men, which showed Hope's eyes flashing in a similar way to that of Cyclops. It's fueled speculation that Hope is a mimic of sorts. That would make some sense, but it wouldn't explain the Phoenix connotations nor would it explain how that would somehow revitalize the mutant race. Also, a mimic wouldn't technically be a mutant either and she was said to be the first mutant born after M-day. It's led to a lot of confusion and answers haven't even been hinted at throughout the Second Coming crossover.

There is also the other elephant in the room that is as unavoidable as the Phoenix. Hope has red hair, green eyes, Phoenix flashes in her eyes, and is being raised in the future. Who else shares those qualities that sets them apart from any other Marvel redhead? What other popular Marvel character with a rabid fanbase that constantly pesters Marvel shares those qualities? If Jean Grey didn't come to mind, then you need to fork over your fanboy card immediately.

I've been saying for months. Jean Grey has been "dead" in the comics for for six years now and I say "dead" with quotations because technically she's still active. Phoenix Endsong showed her dead corpse rising from the grave and merging with the Phoenix Force so that it could return to the White Hot Room and find it's missing pieces. That's basically where her story has been lately and it's only recently that it's been re-emerging again. She even made a brief appearance (at least it seems that way) in Uncanny X-men #510 where she showed up to Emma Frost in a vision. There was also the infamous Uncanny X-men #511 cover which turned out to be a total farce.


All this adds to the possibility and the likelihood that Hope is some incarnation of Jean Grey. Marvel could have made Hope look like anything they wanted, but they gave her red hair and green eyes so that she perfectly resembled Jean. Not only that, they had her raised by Cable in the future. Why is that important? Well conversely it was Jean who raised Cable as a child in the future along with Scott. So the parallels are definitely there. Not only that, as she has grown she's only grown more and more like Jean Grey in terms of appearance. She even adopted the same green and gold dress sense of Jean's Phoenix form in Second Coming for crying out loud! It couldn't be more overt if Marvel sent a letter to every fan's house that read "See! She could be Jean Grey!"

This of course begs the question of whether or not this is another ruse. Marvel has pulled them before like they did with Mutant Zero and Uncanny 511. Could they do it again? Well this time it would be a lot harder because there are so many hints they'll have to ignore. Even if they do, there's no getting around the Phoenix clues. Even if Hope becomes a vessel for the Phoenix Force without being Jean Grey, it still by default makes her a complete Jean Grey knock-off. How could it not? A red haired, green eyed woman with the Phoenix Force that isn't Jean Grey? That simply cannot last without being a gimmick.

The sad thing is that Marvel would certainly try something like this. They have shown in the past an uncanny tendency to avoid bringing back Jean at all cost, but there's no denying her star power. Sales of Phoenix Endsong and her origins comic are proof enough of that. So rather than bring her back, they may try to make Hope into a replacement of sorts. She looks and carries herself like Jean Grey in so many ways, but she isn't Jean Grey. For everything that has happened in Second Coming and for all the hints that have been dropped, that would be a huge push. Not only that, there's already a Jean Grey look-alike that's still alive and running around in 616. That's Rachel Summers. She's not currently in the books, but she is alive and making Hope Summers just like her would somewhat defeat the purpose.

It seems the only way to make this story truly salient is if Hope is some kind of incarnation or rebirth of Jean Grey. Perhaps she's that vital piece of humanity that Jean seemed to lose during the Grant Morrison run. It would make perfect sense and it would be a novel and unique way to bring Jean back into the fold without seeming cheesy or contrived. But again, it may make too much sense. Jean Grey is a character that appears in so many Marvel incarnations. She was in Ultimate Alliance 1 and 2 for crying out loud! Yet the medium that gave her life keeps trying to kill her off completely. This is probably the best chance Marvel will ever get to bring Jean back in a good way. If they blow it then it may be years before she appears in the fold again.

If Hope doesn't turn out to have some link to Jean Grey then Second Coming is officially a farce. If the Phoenix is completely ignored, then that would rank it right up there with the Clone Saga and Ultimatum as a total travesty to comic book storytelling. The answers seem close at hand and the aftermath already seems to be taking hold as future solicitations show that Hope Summers does survive Second Coming. Does that mean she used the Phoenix successfully? Does that mean she was revealed to be some aspect of Jean Grey? Only time will tell and that time is running out.

X-Force #28 comes out next week on July 8th and the finale of Second Coming comes out a week later. Stay tuned to this blog for the final revelations as they come in and the commentary/ranting that may follow. I wait with bated if not skeptical breath. Years of comics are culminating in these two issues. It's been a long time coming and hopefully it's worth the wait.