Phoenix Resurrection #2
Writer: Matthew Rosenberg
Penciler: Carlos Pacheco
Inker: Rafael Fonteriz
Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Letterer: Travis Lanham
Publisher: Marvel Comics
A Review by Greg Brothers
As Phoenix Resurrection #1 ended the various teams of Mutants realized that the Phoenix Force had made it’s return to earth. Meanwhile Jean Grey is a waitress at a local diner who seems to be unaware of her past. She knows something does not seem right, but she is not sure of what it is that is causing her weird dreams.
Phoenix Resurrection #2 has Jean Grey working through another sleepless night and running late for work. Meanwhile Kitty and the X-Men are dealing with the fact that all the psychics are either hurt of missing. Although it had negative consequences the X-Men are able to pull several coordinates of interest out and send teams to investigate.
Rosenberg continues build a mysterious and engaging story in Phoenix Resurrection #2. Rosenberg’s grasp of each of the characters is once again on display throughout the dialogue. Everyone from Jubilee’s sarcasm to Iceman’s biting wit and bad jokes hit their mark. It is truly a joy to see a classic villain appear with statements that will send you right back to the 1960’s. Thankfully Rosenberg avoided making Phoenix Resurrection #2 avoided feeling like groundhogs’day. Although we do have the X-Men break into groups to find clues and fight evil, the results are very much different this time. Meanwhile on the Jean Grey, waitress side of the story the mystery grows in a very unique way. Familiar faces appear but in non-familiar ways. Meaning that there is more to the life that Jean Grey is living that she is not aware of yet. It is on this side of the story that Rosenberg drops a ton of Easter Eggs, that longtime X-Men readers should enjoy.
Although we have a different artist in Phoenix Resurrection #2 it is still along the same style overall. Some of Pachceo’s line work is a bit sharper than last issue. It is minor, but it especially stands out in some of the panels with group shots. Rachel Rosenberg’s colors continue to help the pencil and inking jump from the panels. Bright and engaging but shadows that add depth and highlight emotions these colors are a thing of beauty.
Verdict:
Buy! Phoenix Resurrection #2 continues to tell a story that seems to have depth that we have only touched the surface on. There are a ton of moving parts here and Rosenberg juggles and manages them perfectly. By the end on the issue it feels like the story has moved forward, why the mystery of how the things are happening deepens. If you are a fan of the X-Men, then you owe it to yourself to pick up this series.
