Written by Sean McKeever
Art by Mike Mayhew & Nate Piekos
Cover Art by Mike Mayhew
SUMMARY:
Published by Marvel Comics for October 2008, this untitled one-shot explores Jean’s first childhood encounter with Professor Xavier, as she eventually makes a transition from patient to student. Helping Jean recover from the devastating guilt over a friend’s accidental death, Xavier senses her true need is to be a ‘perfectly normal teenager.’
As seen in Danger Room simulations with her fellow original X-Men, Jean’s self-doubt occasionally immobilizes her. After the team departs for an unknown crisis, the X-Men realize that Jean is playing hooky. Quietly taking downtime in a nearby town, an ambulance crash forces the inexperienced Jean to resolve this emergency alone.
REVIEW:
Supported by exquisite Alex Ross-style visuals (including a terrific cover image) by artist Mike Mayhew, this classy one-shot is a poignant examination of Jean Grey’s childhood. Writer Sean McKeever does excellent work portraying Jean’s worried parents, as well as progressing the student-mentor bond between Jean and Xavier. Of note, McKeever smartly makes this story more about Jean’s recovering psyche instead of solo heroics.
The only thing that McKeever doesn’t satisfactorily explain is how Jean could abscond without the X-Men not immediately noticing. In other words, it’s a minor plot contrivance, but the way McKeever later concludes this issue definitely makes up for it. For Phoenix fans, X-Men Origins: Jean Grey is a stellar read.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
A full page is dedicated in homage to the late Michael Turner. There’s is a full-page cover reveal for the next X-Men Origins one-shot — The Beast.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 9 Stars
Note: Another McKeever one-shot worth finding is Firestar # 1.
