Phoenix #8: Won’t you pick the pieces up, because it feels just like I’m walking on broken glass

After last month’s battle with Thanos, a fractured Jean is floating through the multiverse, or maybe time, trying to find her pieces and weave them back together again. Meanwhile Adani and Perrikus are attempting to defeat the Brood that Adani created with his portion of the Phoenix force he wields, as well as the Phoenix blade that once belonged to Korvus. Plus we have Nova and Rocket who are stuck watching the Phoenix cocoon that’s floating in space, as the piece of Jean that’s searching for her missing parts to complete herself is busy elsewhere. That’s an awful lot, so let’s get on with the show.

A chance to dance so cosmically

Stephanie Phillips and Alessandro Miracolo have been busy establishing Jean’s new place in the Marvel Universe cosmic hierarchy, while having her shoot from one cosmic disaster to the other. Bringing in fan favorites, like her father-in-law, Corsair’s, cosmic cop Nova, Rocket Raccoon, as well as Captain Marvel, Gorr the God Butcher, the Dark Order, and the overused Thanos, while reestablishing the long lost cosmic Dark God, Perrikus, and his new disciple, Adani. The team hit the ground running from the first issue, and hasn’t slowed down since. While the team has been firing on all cylinders, they still leave time to develop the characters. Whether it’s Jean and Cyclops sharing some tender moments, sharing their love across the universe, or the tension of dealing with her conniving father-in-law, to Adani’s growth from the first issue, Phillips is showing how strong her ability to fully flesh out and develop these characters.

Touch me in the morning, then just walk away

Alessandro Miracolo’s art has been getting better with each new issue. After the huge controversy of swiping some panels from superstar artist Olivier Coipel, he’s shown that he does have the chops to draw this cosmic powerhouse, and the universal adventures. The art on this issue gives us a bombastic tour de force, as Jean is frantically searching for her missing parts, while Perrikus and Adani are trying to learn to control a portion of the infinite power that is the Phoenix that resides in the young lad. One page that resonates the hardest for me is the scene where the current Jean faces off with a distorted memory of the Dark Phoenix who is looking to kill her fellow X-Men after the team took on the Imperial Guard on Earth’s moon. It’s a dance of celestial proportions, that evokes passion and emotions, things that encompass everything the Phoenix embodies. Then at the very end, when Perrikus makes his move, grabbing hold of Adani, and using his power to return the rest of the Dark Gods who were once in exile, it’s just a really enjoyable story to experience.

Let darkness reign around you

Phillips and Miracolo’s cosmic symphony that’s covered almost every inch of Marvel’s universe has been a wild roller coaster of emotions and action. Trying to establish who Jean is, and give her a role that isn’t just powerhouse psi, who’s constantly struggling to keep her dark side from emerging, and becoming a threat to the universe is a refreshing change of pace for the character. Mixing that with Jean establishing ties with characters who aren’t X-Men, or those who are constantly in orbit around the mutant franchise has been really refreshing. The team seems to have a good deal of affection for the characters, and it shows with every panel. I really hope the team knocks it out of the park, giving us another milestone in Jean’s 60 year history.