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Summary: synopsis
Review: The aftermath of Jean bonding with the Phoenix entity to help save the galaxy. Scott and Jean's relationship is falling to pieces as the Phoenix experiences emotions. The ultimate fate of Jean will be decided as she's found guilty for killing billions of lives. Friendship and love between the Xmen and Jean are put to test as never before.
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Summary: The ULTIMATE X-Men Saga
Review: The blaze that set the X-Men's universe on fire. Friend, ally, and first X-Man Jean Grey has had a mysterious boost of power. But things come to a head when her powers start turning aggressive...and deadly!Now, it's up to the X-Men to help their friend stop this destructive force within her before she causes anymore damage. The artistry and storyline is classic X-Men. If you're a regular reader of this ongoing series, then this is a blast from the past that you won't want to miss. This is Chris Claremont at his best!
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Summary: Still the best ever
Review: The Dark Phoenix Saga by Chris Claremont and John Byrne was simply the best comic book story I have ever read. While this trade paperback contains most of it, the story really ran for about 25 issues *before* the issues in the TPB. It started as a subplot when the mutant X-Man, Jean Grey, was possessed by the Phoenix entity, a being of great power that slowly transformed her into one of the most powerful superbeings in the universe. The story contained in this book is the climactic end to the story. As Phoenix, Grey becomes more and more powerful to the point where she can no longer fully control the urges that her godlike abilities give her. A shadowy organization called the Hellfire Club seeks to control her and manipulate her power to their ends. Meanwhile, her fellow X-Men, including her love Scott Summers (a.k.a., Cyclops), seek to infiltrate the Hellfire Club. Ultimately they end up defending Phoenix after she has unleashed her powers in ways they never dreamed imaginable. The Dark Phoenix Saga is a story of power, love, subterfuge and tragedy. Each of the X-Men has their moment to shine in this story. Of particular note is the sequence wherein Wolverine singlehandedly rescues the entire team, one of the best single-issue stories ever, in my opinion. Claremont and Byrne were at the peak of their abilities in this story. Neither has shone as brightly before or since. While stories like The Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen are often said to be the best comic story ever created, my vote goes to the Dark Phoenix Saga.
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Summary: One of the most important comic stories of all time
Review: The Dark Phoenix saga has too much backstory to really mention in a review. Both the history of the character of Jean Grey and the writer/artists conflicts with the then editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics isn't found anywhere in this book (and believe me, it adds a lot to the tale) but the co-plotters Chris Claremont and John Byrne (assisted by Terry Austin on inks and a huge acknowledgement to the overlooked Tom Orzechowski and his lettering) have written such an engaging tale that you can jump in anywhere and enjoy the story. The best thing is that they were not consciously setting out to write a "saga" and therefore, they weren't pressured to create something that would sell in the trade paperbacks twenty years on. It's just far and away a story with a punch: a gut wrenching finale and some of the most beautiful artwork of the era. This latest edition of the trade spruces up the artwork (no more dot matrix colors) and includes (for the first time) the much needed cover gallery, which was absent from previous printings. The art and story have hold up so well that almost a quarter of a century later it still stands as one of the best comic stories of all time.
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Summary: It's well worth it.
Review: The Dark Phoenix storyline that ran in the X-Men comic books is collected in a single volume. I really like this book. Chris Claremont really takes his time telling the story without dragging the reader in an effort just to tell a long story. A lot of people have a lot of good things to say about this book, I don't know what else I can add. It's that good.
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Summary: Classic Story: You MUST read this to be considered a fan.
Review: The quintessential X-men story. Written almost twenty years ago, the storyline shows the reason why the X-men are so popular: despite having all their powers, they are subject to the same temptations and succumb to the same sins as us mere mortals. Amidst all the action you have to have in a comic book, there is the evolving love affair between Scott and Jean, and Wolverine's side role in it. There's the addition of Kitty Pryde, and her journey as she discovers and develops her talents. There's the first appearance of Sebastian Shaw, Emma Frost, and all the other characters who evolve into important places of the X-men mythology. Of course, there's the fate of Jean Grey, and the final admonition that "absolute power corrupts absolutely" (which has, by the way, since been used ad infinitum by any other comic book writer who wanted to sound cool). A very well-told, well-illustrated, and rich comic book. A good introduction to the X-men, if you've never met them before. If you have, and are more familiar with their current incarnations, this book gives you somewhat of an idea where they came from.
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Summary: Another must-buy X-Men collection
Review: This book collects the integral Dark Phoenix saga told in the pages of Uncanny X-Men. Definately a good buy for classic comic enthusiasts, and also includes an introduction by Stan Lee.
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Summary: No exaggeration: the best X-Men story ever
Review: This book reprints the "Dark Phoenix" saga from X-Men 129-137 (circa 1980). This is the story that moved the X-Men from a very good comic book to something truly remarkable. The story was so significant that the original ending had to be changed (the original was later published separately). The Claremont/Byrne combination is phenomenal. The book features a new introduction by Stan Lee. A must read for any X-Men fan.
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Summary: An extremely important X-Men story
Review: This book reprints Uncanny X-Men 141 and 142 (from 1981), which featured the first appearance of the X-Men from the future -- an alternate future, in which certain key events happened differently. One of those future X-Men has gone into the past to try to prevent her future from becoming a reality. Features the first appearance of Rachel Summers, and sets the groundwork for the sequel "Days of Future Present" several years later. It is remarkable that such a short story (only 44 pages of text) could become so significant. The Chris Claremont and John Byrne combination is, as always, a winner. Highly recommended.
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Summary: A wonderful trip into the past...
Review: This graphic novel reprints one of the classic X-Men stories of old -- the Dark Phoenix saga. For those who might not be up on their comic history, the Dark Phoenix Saga told the story of how Jean Grey -- one of the original X-Men -- found herself cruelly manipulated by the evil mutant Mastermind until she finally lost control of her own powers and became a threat to the very future of the universe. In the end, it falls to the X-Men (led by Jean's lover, Cyclops) to either bring her back to sanity or destroy her. This was perhaps the pinnacle of the Chris Claremont/John Byrne creative team and certainly very few subsequent X-Men stories have come close to touching the quality of the Dark Phoenix Saga. Chris Claremont's secret as a comic book writer was that he never wrote down to his audience. While some others might have simply said, "Hey, it's only a comic book," and cashed in their paycheck, Chris Claremont approached his X-Men stories with a sincerity and integrity that elavated the best of his work out of the super hero genre. As always the characterization of the individual X-Men is strong with Wolverine truly coming into his own. Even the usually somewhat dull Cyclops is given one of his few chances to shine in this story and Claremont manages to present a multifaceted view of this sometimes overly upright figure. The dialogue, especially Cyclops' final monolouge on the moon, is also far more powerful (and at times genuinely witty) than what is generally expected from a "comic book." Over the course of this story, Claremont and Byrne introduced several characters that would later become key ingrediants to the X-Men's success -- the Hellfire Club, Dazzler, Kitty Pryde, and all of them show their future promise from their very first appearances. I was a kid when these issues first came out and I can remember what an impact they had on me at the time. Not to be overdramatic but back in 1980, the fate of Jean Grey affected me much the same way the fate of Jay Gatsby affects me now. Now, some might scoff at that or say that its easier to please children but that's not true. Even more so than adults, children and young teens can spot when someone's just going through the motions. Every year, hundreds of new comic books are released. Most cease publication after less than six issues. X-Men survived. It takes a lot to make an impact on you when you're young and that was what made Claremont and Byrne's X-Men so popular. Unlike future writers and artists, they never took their audience for granted. With the Dark Phoenix Sage, they crafted one of the great legends of my youth. When I recently reread it, I do so for the sake of nostalgia but I was overjoyed to discover that even though I'd gotten older and subsequent events in the X-Men had cheapened a lot of what those earlier issues were about, the story hadn't suffered. As both a piece of childhood nostalgia and as a story held up on its own considerable terms, the Dark Phoenix Saga is a powerful piece of work and it is a must-have for all comic book fans -- past, present, and future.
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