Generations: Phoenix & Jean Grey #1 Review

Generations: Phoenix & Jean Grey #1
Writer: Cullen Bunn
Pencils: R.B. Silva
Inker: Adriano Di Benedetto
Colorist: Rain Beredo
Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham
Publisher: Marvel Comics

A review by Gregory Brothers

With the Legacy initiative starting over the next few months, Marvel has decided to bridge the gap with several one-shots under the umbrella title: Generations. Each of these one-shots are set to feature the current Marvel Universe version of a character teaming up with their original version! Last week we had Cho and Banner; this week Cullen Bunn brings the time-displaced Jean Grey face-to-face with the version of herself she fears the most: The Phoenix.

Generations: Phoenix & Jean Grey #1 starts with the young Jean Grey suddenly dropped on a beach with no idea where she is or how she got there. After doing a quick scan of the area, she is able to ascertain that she is in the past, with the Phoenix-possessed Jean Grey just around the corner enjoying some much-needed R & R. Over in the Jean Grey series, the younger Grey is worried as she tries to prepare for the eventual showdown with the Phoenix force. This compels her to try and approach the exact force she is trying to avoid.

The character development is done extremely well throughout Generations: Phoenix & Jean Grey #1. In Phoenix, you have a character that has been around since the 1960’s, and Bunn is able to reveal a side of her that was long thought to be gone. The younger Grey soon finds out that the persona of the Phoenix is there to hide the fear and uncertainty that she holds inside herself. Revealing that small, little personality quirk automatically creates a connection between the two characters that not only helps them relate to each other, but also helps the reader see how similar these two different versions of Jean Grey really are. Bunn keeps their conversation from getting stale by constantly moving locations. At almost breakneck speed we jump from the beach, to dinner and drinks, to fighting a literal eater of worlds — all while the younger Grey is looking for answers.

The art throughout is bright and colorful. Of course, the red hair pops on both versions of Jean, but even though they are the same person, they both have a distinctive look and feel. The confident stance and style of Phoenix is the polar opposite of the younger Jean Grey, who is still feeling her way out in this new normal. The flare ups of the Phoenix Force are done in a way that shows how unpredictable and powerful it can be. One of my favorite panels in the book has to be when the younger Jean Grey is able to pool all her power and knock down the seemingly indestructible Galactus. Not only was it stunning visually, but it also establishes how powerful she really is.

Verdict
Buy it! Generations: Phoenix & Jean Grey #1 moves the story of young Jean Grey along nicely, while revealing just how similar she is to her Phoenix-possessed self. The interactions and fights help to re-establish Jean Grey as one of the strongest mutants within the current Marvel Universe, even if she is not quite aware of her own power. Bunn does an excellent job of making the story accessible to anyone, so pick it up even if you are not a regular reader of the current Jean Grey series!