Jean Grey #2 makes subtext text as Wolverine goes Phoenix

We all remember when Jean piloted the shuttle and came back different — but what if she didn’t? The Phoenix force finds a new host (or two) in the latest installment of Jean’s undead journey through the living history of her past. Jean Grey #2 is written by Louise Simonson, drawn by Bernard Chang, colored by Marcelo Maiolo and lettered by Ariana Maher.

Anna Peppard: First of all, I want to get one thing clear. Despite a recent declaration by our dauntless editor-in-chief, daring Dan Grote — Adam and I are not the Scott and Jean of ComicsXF. This matters because a) Neither of us wants to be Scott and b) I don’t have a crush on Scott or Logan. But you know who I do have a crush on? Jean Grey. Specifically when she’s written by Louise Simonson. Which she is here. And it is, once again, beautiful. 

Are you feeling the love this week, Adam?

Adam Reck: What can I say? When you’re a power couple, people just want to assign you portmanteaus and make assumptions about what characters you’d be. And of course neither of us wants to be Scott, (spoiler alert) especially not in this issue! Weezie is back for issue #2, and she’s got a flamethrower that shoots knives. Everything this week is fire, spikes and a very awkward throuple as Jean revisits the events of Uncanny X-Men #101-102! Let’s get into it! 

What if Jean let the Healing Factor Guy do it? 

Anna: In our review of Jean Grey #1, I talked a bunch about how effective — and personally meaningful — it was to see the X-Men’s storied but often sexist history retold through the perspective of one of its richest (if often richly problematic) feminist characters. That remains true here, but maybe more so, since we’re revisiting the pivotal moment where Jean Grey finally transcends her Silver Age roots to become a full-fledged feminist character, otherwise known as that story where she first becomes Phoenix. 

And gosh how I love how Simonson (re)tells it. This is one of those stories that’s been done (and redone) many times, including in haunting, spectacular fashion by Chris Claremont and John Bolton in Classic X-Men #8 (1987). But while I adore the Classic X-Men version — and nothing but nothing can beat Bolton’s art on that story — I found this version almost equally affecting, in part because of the central conceit of this series. The Classic X-Men retelling is a retelling for us but not for Jean, who’s experiencing the moment in real time. Here, though, we have an experienced, adult Jean reflecting on the incident with the aid of an experienced (legendary!) writer who lived through it, too.

Adam: There’s something bordering on funny about how Jean approaches this scene. She’s thinking about her need to sacrifice herself in this moment, and also thinking . . . Hey, wasn’t that kind of stupid when we have an unkillable superhero on the jet who I can mind control? This works so well because Jean is looking back on this from our present. Jean, and the audience, know that Wolverine seems to be able to come back from as little as a drop of blood, so what the heck does a little radiation and flesh-melting heat matter? She’s using common sense to play the scene out in what should be the most logical way.

So there goes Logan in the pilot seat, with Jean in his pilot seat, all while Scott is trying to publicly profess his love for her because he thinks they’re all going to die. This is a LOT of fun. 

Anna: The drama in that shuttle is off the charts! Shields are useless! It’s out of control! There are so many beats I loved from this opening sequence, so many little insights into Jean’s character and how she views her relationships with Scott and Logan. But I particularly enjoyed the two pages where she’s getting into Logan’s head or, more accurately, being pulled into Logan’s head by the desperate intensity of his emotions (one of many neat little moments where gender tropes get flipped and subsequently freshened). If you’re in it for the Jean/Logan-ness of it all, you won’t be disappointed; this is as good an explanation as any for the deep empathy Jean develops for Logan. But I’m in it for the metatextual element of this being a woman thinking about a woman thinking about Wolverine. 

If you’re a girl who reads superhero comics, you’ve probably been told a time or two (or three or ten) that you’re reading them wrong. That you, “just don’t get it.” That they’re not for you, have never been, and shouldn’t be. None of that’s ever been true, but also — Simonson gets Jean, who gets Logan. And this graphic visualization and narrative extrapolation of why a woman might love or empathize with Logan validates some of why some real women might — and historically have — become fans of this character. Powerful men have tried to put both Jean and Logan in similar but different gendered boxes. And for both of them, the Phoenix ends up manifesting the consequences of those ill-fated attempts to repress these irrepressible mutants. 

Adam: I do have questions about this sequence. It looks like Logan has memories of his childhood and both World Wars, and I’m preeeetty sure he doesn’t have a clue about either? If it were that easy to pop into Wolverine’s head and read his Origin story, he wouldn’t have had to go through much of the Hama 90s. But I do like the idea that the radiation is what’s cracking Logan’s psyche enough for her to read Barry Windsor Smith’s Weapon X. That’s some comics shenanigans right there. You’re absolutely right that Weezie really gets why Jean would love Logan. The fact that the self-discovery is happening while Scott is professing his love makes it even better. This issue is all about their love triangle, and has it on lock. 

And here we get to the heart of this issue’s What If? It’s not just what would happen if Logan piloted the space shuttle. It’s what would happen if the Phoenix zoned in on Wolverine instead of Jean. The answer seems to be, it turns him into a skybound pin cushion. 

Anna: Lest this issue’s lighter moments get lost in all our grand philosophizing, it’s worth noting — Scott’s deadpan “what just happened?” after watching Logan manifest all-over hot claws, become a firebird, and disappear in a bolt of flame was really freakin’ funny. 

Weapon PhoeniX

Anna: Do you want to talk about That Xavier Panel or should I?

Adam: Lot of talk in the CXF Slack about how Bernard Chang depicts Xavier with an expression that looks mid-kiss here. I believe the term “Yassified” was thrown around. This led to an additional conversation about Bernard Chang’s illustration history with self-described “pick-up artist” writer Neil Strauss, and boy was that a rabbit hole I was not prepared to go down (read on for more!). Needless to say, the Professor is looking a little more pouty than usual as he decides the group should abandon Logan for Cassidy Keep. 

Anna: I remain extremely here for Jean recognizing Professor X is a jerk years before Kitty Pryde did. I’m also choosing to read Jean being all like, “so we’re just going to go hang out at Sean’s castle now, doesn’t that strike anyone as odd?” as another little metatextual joke. You’re right, Jean — that time leprechauns taught us Wolverine’s real name and taught Nightcrawler he could disappear in shadows was odd. Wonderfully odd, but still!

Adam: I agree, this issue could have used one or two leprechauns just to keep us on our toes. 

Anna: Anyway — plot wise, Jean skips Cassidy Keep and goes searching for Logan, and because he’s a passionate, if rigorously self-controlled, boyfriend, Scott goes with her. I liked the bit where Scott just casually says he knows Jean loves Logan, especially because Jean’s reply, in which she alludes to the complexity of love as a concept, speaks to how you can love different people in different ways for different reasons at different times. I’m bored by the Scott/Jean/Logan love triangle at the best of times, but this isn’t played as a love triangle. It’s played like what it is now, and should have always been: a web of complex bonds forged, in part, through the queer magic of superpowers. 

Adam: It feels like Weezie isn’t interested in the love triangle, either. She’s interested in the throuple. She recognizes the current, finally accepted status quo of an open door policy on the moon. So it makes perfect sense that Scott is tagging along to find their boyfriend. 

Anna: Also, I might regret admitting this, but as someone who’s never really appreciated the erotic appeal of Scott Summers, I was definitely… let’s say intrigued… by Jean’s interior monologue about her attraction to the man they call Slim. “I’ve loved Scott since we were kids,” says Jean, “wondering at the fire I sensed behind his rigorous self-control. It took all my own self-restraint not to look into his mind, to reach out and touch the flames.” I get it now — she’s attracted to the untouchability of this dude whose superhero costume has always been some version of a full-coverage gimp suit. That actually makes a lot of sense. (Not for me but for someone!) 

Adam: Scott’s aloof nature is part of his charm. Though her observation is a tad ironic given the psychic rapport they’ll eventually share for the rest of their lives. 

What did you think of Scott and Jean’s spiffy spy outfits, complete with color-coordinated X-shaped rope-vests? 

Anna: You know I know there’s nothing more romantic than a black catsuit-clad spy caper. So yeah — I was here for it.

Adam: I had a feeling you’d dig that. I like when we jump back into past timelines and we see they owned different costumes that we never saw. Why didn’t you wear that before? Looks good! But the reason for the spy-gear is pretty simple. Phoenix Wolverine has one thing on his mind: REVENGE! He’s flown to the Weapon X facility to destroy whatever their new science projects are. Scott and Jean are conflicted. Should they save the bad guys or try to stop their porcupine pal? 

Where’s your Phoenix Five Speedo, Scott? 

Anna: We conclude at the Weapon X facility, where we’re treated to some truly terrific scenes of Phoenix Wolverine (Phoenixerine? Wolverphoenix?) passionately extracting his revenge (and many vital organs). This sequence just plain ripped. Logan sprouting his all-over hot claws to a chorus of SNIKTs? What’s not to love. There was also some great use of shape and color, juxtaposing the red and orange energy tendrils of Logan’s Phoenix powers with the more rigid shapes of Jean’s magenta telekinesis. It’s easy to get lost in a superhero comics battle royale, but there was a good sense of located-ness here, which contributed to the brutally visceral nature of the retributive violence.

Adam: Every line of Logan’s dialogue in this scene is over the top and yet totally works. A baddie asks him “W-what are you?” and he says “RETRIBUTION.” That’s pretty badass. He also comes to a pretty grim conclusion: “We All Must Die.” Yikes! Time for a brewski, Jimmy. Let’s put away your Marrow impression and hit the bar for a cold one. Wolverine does calm down, but only long enough to ask his friends to kill him before it’s too late. And guess what . . . it’s too late. The Phoenix is clingy and looking for desperation, and wouldn’t you know it — it’s DARK CYCLOPS TIME! Or regular Phoenix Cyclops time. I was a teensy bit upset he didn’t jump into his ridiculous Phoenix Five costume for a page or two. 

Anna: HARD SAME. Speaking of phallic symbolism…

So there’s a lot going on in this final (climactic) showdown between Jean, Scott, Logan (and the Phoenix). I mentioned this issue’s many little gender flips, and Scott killing Wolverphoenix (or attempting to) with an optic blast is one of them. You could read Scott’s eagerness to sacrifice Logan as a manifestation of heteronormative jealousy. You could also read Scott finally feeling free to fully release his rigorously controlled passion on a willing target who’s literally, sweatily begging for it in decidedly queerer ways, and I thoroughly encourage you to do so. The sexualized nature of the Phoenix Force is, after all, underscored by Scott’s brief lucidity after the Phoenix penetrates his shields, where he appears hovering above Jean, hands yearningly splayed, lips pouting, speaking of wants and needs, or trying to, since his ability to verbally communicate is quickly consumed by those same wants and needs. 

Then Jean and Scott kiss, and Logan insists on being involved. Mid-embrace, he penetrates Scott (with his claws), making Slim shoot fire and damp Kirby Krackle out of his chest and eyes and gaping, moaning mouth. Then the Phoenix licks back up Logan’s flesh, fills him with fire, and explodes, and Jean yells “no!” because she doesn’t get off on her boyfriends flaming out. 

(Adam mentioned this before, but if you think I’m reading too much into this imagery, you clearly haven’t read Jenna Jameson’s memoir How to Make Love Like a Porn Star, ghostwritten by Neil Strauss, featuring comics interludes penciled by Strauss’ frequent collaborator: Bernard Chang. Or Strauss and Chang’s similarly titled, albeit fully fictional precursor graphic novel, How to Make Money Like a Porn Star. None of this needs to have anything to do with anything else, I’m just saying: Chang’s no stranger to cheekily sexualized imagery.)

Adam: I was gonna say “you made it weird, Anna,” but it’s all there on the page! These hot, sweaty men and their lust for the same woman and the destruction of the universe all at the same time! The really important takeaway that underlines Weezie’s understanding of not just the characters but the era, is that Cyclops is too much of a wimp to kill Logan at this point in his life, Logan is more than capable of putting knives through Scott’s head, and Jean’s not in a position to kill either of them. Were this later in the timeline, we might have seen very different outcomes to this scenario, but given where we’re at with the X-Men’s past, this feels accurate and correct.

Though I do have to wonder how Logan knew his claws would only go through Scott and not into Jean’s face? Maybe it was just dumb luck. Gotta love Wolverine’s sad Charlie Brown final words “Never did stand a chance with you anyway.” As polyamorous dates go, this one didn’t go so great, huh? 

Anna: Hey, if anyone made it weird, it was Papa Chris when he described Phoenix consuming a sun as a cosmic orgasm. An event that occurs two issues before a certain Louise Jones joins the book as an editor. Weezie knows what’s up.

Finally, to douse her deprivation, Jean turns toward Maddie Pryor, in all her Goblin Queen glory. So concludes our latest journey through Weezie’s latest journey through Jean’s latest journey through her past. Same time next month, Adam?

Adam: It’s a date! 

X-Traneous Thoughts

• Scott’s moment without the visor is a loving call-back to his moment with Jean in Uncanny X-Men #132 during the Dark Phoenix Saga. 
• Wolverine would not actually remember his long-blocked memories until the end of Brian Michael Bendis’ House of M in 2006! 
• They’re not the same, but Chang’s spy look for Scott did remind me of Alex Ross’ unused Cyclops design that had an all-black leotard and visor with a giant X outline on it. If you haven’t seen it, check it out here.   
• “An argument ensued. Of course it did” describes so many (every?) great X-Men story.
• I wouldn’t be living up to my title as Kurt Wagner’s (Unofficial) PR Manager if I didn’t mention the tragic fact Kurt’s caught mid-grimace in almost every panel, which is made doubly tragic by the fact these scenes are inspired by pages penciled by Mr. Wagner’s biggest fan, Dave Cockrum.
• I love how the cover, where Jean is being sensually embraced by Scott while his visor is licked by flames, picks up on Jean’s internal monologue about wanting to touch (and presumably be touched by) Scott’s fire. 
• Jean’s next What If? is a story Louise Simonson co-wrote! Maybe you’ve heard of Inferno? 

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