Cyclops is no longer in control of his mind, Phoenix is downing drinks, and a mysterious threat is snatching up victims and sending them to a cold death in X-Men: From the Ashes #3. Out today, the Infinity Comic wraps up a three-part story that has touched on the relationship of Scott and Jean. In a story that has touched upon their relationship, can the two rise up and defeat the unnamed threat?
Before Phoenix shoves off to space in her solo series, the two are taking a vacation, but things have gone from bad to worse. Picking up where the last chapter left off, writer Alex Paknadel and artist Diogenes Neves open this chapter with Phoenix trying to stop an avalanche. Scott is amongst other people who have been dragged up a mountain, and they’re all innocent. They’re also freezing to death.
Two elements work well in this chapter. The first is how impressively powerful Phoenix is, with little doubt she can stop the threat. That threat is a clever twist on what you might think of as a ghost, and she’s so powerful that she gives it a choice. Later, we get an inside look at what will eventually become of Scott and Jean, and once again, Phoenix is so all-powerful real truths are shared. The love of Scott and Jean is very real, but they’re also realistic about things. It’s a bit sad but also a reminder Phoenix is on a whole other level.
There’s romance in this book.
Credit: Marvel
Another element that works is the exploration of relationships. In a flashback, we learn about the threat in the issue and see a not-so-healthy relationship. The themes of trust and maybe even jealousy are explored. This relates to Jean and Scott at one point. Some of these human failings are resolved when you truly love someone completely. Paknadel takes the notion of an immortal Phoenix, and takes a look at what that means for romantic relationships like with Cyclops.
The idea of making memories with your loved ones is also conveyed. This has a particularly interesting aspect given Phoenix’s immortality.
As for the art, Neves draws a killer Phoenix. The flames look great, along with the fire effects within colors by Arthur Hesli. Jean can go from a caring lover to a scary god-like entity in a flash, which helps convey her whole deal visually. The use of longer panels in Infinity Comics isn’t used quite as much as I’d like, but there are a few stretched-out moments.
Based on this and the last two issues, it’s clear at this point we’re in good hands with Paknadel and Neves for future “From the Ashes” Marvel Unlimited Comics. These stories dig into character, which is where the best X-Men comics live, and on top of that, they take an adult and complex approach to said characters. Here’s to looking forward to a Charles Xavier story next–don’t miss today’s X-Men Monday to find out more about that!
You must be logged in to post a comment Login