X-MEN: PHOENIX ENDSONG #1 ADVANCE REVIEW

[Andrea Speed]

Reviewer: Andrea Speed andy@comixtreme.com
Quick Rating: Gorgeous - and, amazingly, not a bad read

The Phoenix returns - oh yeah, like you’re all that shocked!

<a href="http://www.comixtreme.com/gallery/data/media/14/phoenix1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixtreme.com/gallery/data/thumbnails/14/phoenix1.jpg" align="left" border="0"> </a>Writer: Greg Pak
Pencils Greg Land
Inks: Matt Ryan
Colors: Justin Ponsor
Letters: Clem Robins
Editor: Mike Marts
Cover Art: Land, Ryan, & Ponsor
Publisher: Marvel


Review: I didn’t have high hopes for this one at all; in fact, I dreaded it. Magneto’s return was so ham-handed and awful (and pretty much continues to be, although the “return” of Xorn, a character who didn’t exist, but then did, and is actually the twin brother of the one that didn’t exist but did and is now dead, takes the cake for worst and most illogical return … and existence, actually … )

The truth is, this wasn’t as bad as it could have been. Will it go down as a saga for the ages? No, but at least Pak is trying to create some kind of coherent narrative here. In fact, there’s a scene between Jean and Logan where he tells her "But I’m getting tired of killing you" that made me realize how much I miss Logan as a character. Yes, Wolverine is ubiquitous, but any genuine depth or personality for the character isn’t. Even in his own series now he’s just a brainwashed zombie thug. The only title where he seems to have some genuine personality, where’s he’s not just the tough guy who elides like crazy, is Astonishing X-Men, but there he’s pretty much the tough guy comic relief (the Spike role, if you will). Pak does a wonderful job in encapsulating the history between Logan and Jean in that scene. Earlier, he even breaks down the relationship between Jean and Scott, and Scott and Emma, in lightning quick strokes. I’m not sure he’s nailed Emma as a character, but she doesn’t have much to say in this issue, so that’s forgiven.

And I hope the reason the Phoenix thinks she’s returned to Earth isn’t as weak as it seems. That’s been done to death. Hopefully there’s a bit more to it than that.

Greg Land is the artist. Greg Land. Do you actually think I can elaborate on that? All the women look like they’ve come from the Victoria’s Secret runway (although generally with more clothes on), and the men are equally hunky, save for poor Beast, who looks like a long lost descendant of the Cowardly Lion. It’s as photo realistic as Adi Granov’s work, but with a prettier sheen to it. It’s so gorgeous, it may actually be too gorgeous, if that makes sense. Ponsor does a beautiful job on the coloring. The art will knock your socks off.

I expected to hate this, and am still surprised I didn’t. It’s possible I will as this goes on - and believe me, I hate the idea of constantly bringing back dead characters - but this isn’t too bad. And Greg Land, people! A low blow on Marvel’s part - this issue could be worth it just for the art alone.





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Buy this issue online now from X-World and Save! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=1642&cat=X%2DMEN%3A+PHOENIX+ENDSONG)

[Ammar Al Subahi]

One of the best covers I've seen this year

[Lord_Magneto]

Greg Land is on my top 3 best artists list, so i'm looking foward to at least the art.

[ChaosPhoenix]

Sounds very interesting!

I am very excited for this mini series. Jean has never had a solo mini before. :cool:

So Jean does appear in this first issue right?

:)

[roguestorm]

is there a reason why gregs work looks so polished and painted then other artists? or is he just that good at drawing them?

[Blake Petit]

I think he's just that good.

I don't see myself getting this book, but if I hear enough good stuff about this, I may get the inevitable TPB.

Phoenix is back? Much as I hate the death/return craze, it doesn't bother me quite as much with her. She IS the Phoenix, after all. Rising from the dead kinda goes with the name.

[blue13]

Originally posted by roguestorm
is there a reason why gregs work looks so polished and painted then other artists? or is he just that good at drawing them?

a huge criticism of land is that he traces or uses lots of photo references.

[Blake Petit]

What's wrong with using a photo reference? Alex Ross does the same thing, I don't hear people complaining about that.

[Lord_Magneto]

Originally posted by blue13
a huge criticism of land is that he traces or uses lots of photo references. which is kind of silly accusing him of that, IMO. art is not a memory test, it's not about how good you remember. De Vinchi also used references, why is no-one blaming him for anything? Also, i know for sure that Greg Horn uses models, and i'm almost sure that Bryan Hitch and Adi Gornov use photo references as well. doesn't make them any less good IMO.

[blue13]

Originally posted by Lord_Magneto
which is kind of silly accusing him of that, IMO. art is not a memory test, it's not about how good you remember. De Vinchi also used references, why is no-one blaming him for anything? Also, i know for sure that Greg Horn uses models, and i'm almost sure that Bryan Hitch and Adi Gornov use photo references as well. doesn't make them any less good IMO.

Originally posted by Blake Petit
What's wrong with using a photo reference? Alex Ross does the same thing, I don't hear people complaining about that.

there's nothing wrong with using photo references.

but with land, it's so blatant that it's become a criticism for him.

to the point where people can spot what references he's using.

sojourn covers, etc. were VERY similar to SI swimsuit covers.

and there's tracing issues as well.

it's still gorgeous, don't get me wrong...but there's a reason his work is so "polished". another word for polished, and not as flattering, is static.

it's not as dynamic as some other artists, hitch for example.

[Andrea Speed]

I suppose it comes down to a matter of taste, ultimately. Was it static? No, not to me. There were moments, but most comics have them.

So Jean does appear in this first issue right?

Read my review again - I say Logan and Jean have a nice conversation. So I'd say yes, she appears.:D

[ChaosPhoenix]

Originally posted by Andrea Speed
I suppose it comes down to a matter of taste, ultimately. Was it static? No, not to me. There were moments, but most comics have them.



Read my review again - I say Logan and Jean have a nice conversation. So I'd say yes, she appears.:D

Thanks for the clarification. :cool:

Yeah I had read that in your review but I just wanted to be sure.

Some fans had theorized due to some of the past interviews and solicitations that only the "Phoenix" would appear but Jean might not.

Though I'm still worried that Jean's appearances may be due to flashbacks or as a White Hot ghost. lol I hope Jean appears alive and in the flesh due to being resurrected.

[Andrea Speed]

I can't go into detail - spoilers - but ... I'd say that's flesh. No ghost here.

[Lord_Magneto]

My guess is she's not coming back after this series will end, something will happen, but she isn't coming back for good.

youv'e heard it here first

[Mark Blicharz]

If they can bring Magneto back, she can stay.

[Bad_Monkey]

Originally posted by blue13
there's nothing wrong with using photo references.

but with land, it's so blatant that it's become a criticism for him.

to the point where people can spot what references he's using.

Once again, so does Alex Ross. There's an entire chapter in Mythology about how he got the designs for the Kingdom Come characters, the various actors and icons that they were adapted from.

Likewise, so does Bryan Hitch. I dare you to tell me that Ult Nick Fury doesn't look just like a bald Samuel L. Jackson.

[Blake Petit]

Originally posted by Bad_Monkey
Likewise, so does Bryan Hitch. I dare you to tell me that Ult Nick Fury doesn't look just like a bald Samuel L. Jackson.

Heck, that was my favorite thing ABOUT Ult. Nick Fury! :D

[chapped]

Originally posted by Bad_Monkey
Once again, so does Alex Ross. There's an entire chapter in Mythology about how he got the designs for the Kingdom Come characters, the various actors and icons that they were adapted from.

The difference for me is that at least Alex Ross (as far as I can remember, but I may be wrong as his art doesn't really do much for me and I don't tend to read his interviews much anymore) takes his own photo references with his own models in poses that he intends to use for his art.

Alot of the Greg Land art during the tail end of his Soujorn run looked like a swimsuit model holding a bow and arrow. It's embarrassing and is the reason that I started to get browned off of his art and stopped being a Land completist.

[Walt Kneeland]

Originally posted by Blake Petit
Heck, that was my favorite thing ABOUT Ult. Nick Fury! :D

I seem to recall an issue in vol. 1 of The Ultimates where some of them are sitting around, discussing who would play them in the movies. Fury explicitly states that Samuel Jackson would play him. ;)

(and ever since that, once I actually paid attention, I realized: I'd certainly enjoy such a movie) :D

(of course, I just watched--and enjoyed--SWAT, and am in the midst of working my way through "Unbreakable"...)

~Walt

[Lord_Magneto]

Land also draws trolls and monsters and whatnot in amazing quality, does he also take that from sweem suit competitions?

[Andrea Speed]

I bet he does, LM. I hear Middle Earth has some really intersting swimsuit competitions...:D

[Terry Verticchio]

I don't know, big hairy feet on women just isn't a turn-on for me. :p

[Mark Blicharz]

Just think of a lot of Liv Tyler type elves, much better.

[Andrea Speed]

Okay, now you guys are going off topic - I was thinking Orcs in speedos. :LOL:

[Archangel 2029]

I'm really lookin forward to this, can't wait til Wedensday. The Art work by Land looks amazing. Although it was mentioned in this review that Logan and Jean are conversing, that could easily be the Phoenix force taking on Jean's appearance. It will be interesting to see how the Phoenix is handled after Grant Morrison's take on it.

[tgregory123]

wow, i just finnished reading this and I can not believe I like it. Wierd. If Claremont wrote this I guarantee you it would suck.

[Terry Verticchio]

It wasn't that bad (a terrible thing to say really considering how much money I spent on the book) and the art was top notch.

Phoenix is a plot that has been unfortunately over-used but in the right hands it can be very good. This first issue bodes well.

[Dino Pollard]

I'm not sure if I'll even pick up the trade for this. A Jean resurrection story just doesn't sound that interesting to me.

[Walt Kneeland]

Not sure if any of this rambling'd be considered a spoiler or not, but just as CMA....Like someone else recently suggested, I could see Jean not even "surviving" this mini. Given the title, perhaps this story will actually detail the ending OF the phoenix altogether, at least in this form.

Jean gets brought back "too soon" or even a bit against her will....perhaps the 'Dark Phoenix' rears its head...the X-Men fight it, get some emotional turmoil with the whole Scott/Jean/Emma bit...perhaps a little bit of character development in there....and at the end of the series, we may be left with the status quo...Jean dead, Scott with Emma...but some change for what they all go through in the course of these 5 issues?

As a tale of love lost, and facing what's happened (more than the readers seeing a future that is negated by allowing the present to stand, or whatever it was that happened in "Here Comes Tomorrow").....it'd be a chance to see Jean again, to have "her" face what's happened, as well as for Wolverine and Cyclops to face her, and even to perhaps see some interation between her and Emma now, with the Scott/Emma relationship being overt.

And in the end, perhaps be left with Rachel (?) having whatever Phoenix powers she has (I haven't been following that series)...and a "conclusion" to the Phoenix itself.

Or something. Just some guesswork, and rambling, and whatnot...

Picked this first issue up in large part to this review....and the more I've thought on it, the more I do think I'm probably hooked for the duration of the mini.

Time will tell.

~Walt

[Andrea Speed]

I really don't know if this mini is going to add up to anything at all, but it really wasn't a bad start, and I liked the Phoenix's literal resurrection of Jean - pretty creepy.

A Jean resurrection story just doesn't sound that interesting to me.

Well, you know, it's off to an interesting start. If you want, I- and the rest of us - will keep you apprised on if it stays that way.:D

[SamuraiDaddy]

I'm intrigued by this story. I thought it'd be all Land, but Pak is giving us a pretty good set up. He's got me interested at least.