Phoenix #3: Blackened Order Flambé

In this corner we have Phoenix! She is FIRE! And LIFE INCARNATE!! One of the primordial forces in the universe, who burns away that which does not work! And in this corner we have the Mad Titan’s own imperial guard, the Black Order! Will our heroine be able to handle the Order by herself? Will the Black Order go up against one of the oldest, and incredibly powerful forces of the universe?

Stephanie Phillips and Alessandro Miracolo’s Phoenix series has taken full flight, and they’re pitting Jean up against some of the biggest forces in the universe. Whether it’s absorbing a sun that’s about to explode, or Thanos’ guard. Pitting Jean Grey and Corsair against not only the Black Order, but also an entire planet where Odin banished his would-be assassins turned zombies, forcing them to relive the petty tortures for all of eternity made for an interesting read, but the most interesting part thus far has been the subplot involving Adanni and Perrikus.

With this issue we see Adanni confront the Quarry, a psychic entity made from the rocks of this unnamed planet, where he comes face to face with his worst fears, but comes out on top. The amount of effort Phillips is using to develop this character, while ignoring Perrikus is sorta frustrating. I understand that this character is going to mean something big in the future, but ignoring a virtually blank slate cosmic god seems like a very fixable missed opportunity. Not just for Perrikus, but also the rest of his pantheon of gods, as well as the planet they come from. Hopefully we’ll get more of them as time goes on, but my attention can only last for so long.

The biggest mistake occurred during the fight scene between Jean and the Black Order. This is a group that went toe to toe with the Avengers, who were bragging about one of their biggest rosters to date, and were handled quite easily by Jean here. I understand she’s finally at peace with her role as the Phoenix, but her handling of the Order here, it just felt weak and unimpressive. This is something I’ve noticed on several titles, and it’s beginning to grow tiresome. I understand there are only so many pages to tell these stories in, but it feels like the conflicts between the hero and her adversaries are more of a second thought.

Alessandro Miracolo’s art here is quite nice in some places, and might be his strongest work to date on this title. I’m not going to discuss the controversy over him swiping art from other artists, because it’s talked about everywhere. His work here is lush, and the action is fast paced. The characters look full, and recognizable, and the dreamy sequence with Adani and the Quarry is a fun sidestep, but Jean’s appearance during her fight scenes is hardly recognizable. Miracolo’s depiction makes Jean appear as if she’s Galactus’s former herald, Nova, rather than the Phoenix. Hopefully we’ll get something that’s both recognizable and consistent in the future.