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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
X-MEN: PHOENIX THE UNTOLD STORY!
FEATURING THE ORIGINAL ENDING TO THE DARK PHOENIX SAGA BY JOHN BYRNE AND CHRIS CLAREMONT!
OUT OF PRINT. HARD TO FIND COLLECTOR'S ITEM. Published by MARVEL COMICS in 1984.
"Featuring the original, uncensored, never before published conclusion to the saga of the PHOENIX!"
Now is your opportunity to read the original ending for yourself and judge for yourself which was the better resolution to the storyline.
Also contains an essay by ex-X-Men editor Jim Salicrup, and an in depth conversation between JIM SHOOTER, JOHN BYRNE, CHRIS CLAREMONT, JIM SALICRUP, LOUISE JONES (editor), and TERRY AUSTIN (inker) about the situation and what the plans were for the X-Men afterwards had Jean Grey lived.
See the Splash Page of the follow-up issue as well, featuring Jean and Scott celebrating their new life together. Also a great Wrap-Around cover by JOHN BYRNE.
Full color artwork printed on high quality paper!
Jean Grey was originally not supposed to die! The ending of the story was a matter of intense controversy with the editorial staff. Claremont and Byrne originally wanted Jean to be depowered by Lilandra's alliance to prevent any recurrence of Dark Phoenix's havoc, so that they could bring Jean (and her evil Dark Phoenix alter ego) back for future stories. Their editor, Louise Simonson, agreed to this ending. But problems surfaced when then Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter objected, weeks before Uncanny X-Men #137 was published. After learning of the plot point, he expressed to Claremont and Byrne his feelings that such a light punishment was wholly disproportionate to the magnitude of her crime, which was essentially genocide. Shooter ordered the original ending scrapped and a new ending produced, which would have Jean pay the supreme penalty for her crimes.
Ultimately, it was decided by Byrne and Claremont to have Jean commit suicide after her Dark Phoenix persona resurfaces at the climax of the fight against the Imperial Guard. The original ending ultimately saw print in 1983 in a special edition reprint of Uncanny X-Men #137 called Phoenix: The Untold Story. Besides reprinting Byrne and Claremont's original version of Uncanny X-Men #137, it featured a transcript of a roundtable discussion between Claremont, Byrne, and Shooter discussing the story behind the original ending and why it was changed. The interview is also important for an exchange which shows how early Byrne had hatched plans to resurrect Jean.
A Very Important KEY ISSUE!
Excellent condition.
This item was not sold in any mass market retail outlet and was only sold in comic book specialty shops.