Jean Grey (2025)

Jean Grey
(2025, 11x14)

She was either Professor X’s first student or the last of the original five X-Men. I feel like I’ve seen her story told both ways and I don’t know what’s official. Either way, Jean Grey is an OG, first appearing in The X-Men #1 (September 1963) as “Marvel Girl”, the team’s telepath and, later on, telekinetic. Originally, Jean was one of the weaker, less-confident characters (which was explained later as the result of her near-limitless power being repressed until she could learn to control it). Later, Jean became immensely powerful during the Phoenix Saga story when she was imbued with the cosmic Phoenix Force. Sadly, she also became immensely dead at the conclusion of the Dark Phoenix Saga. SPOILER ALERT! Sheesh.

Then again, without Jean Grey, we wouldn’t have the comic book trope that “no one ever really dies” because they brought her back (more than once, I believe) and she’s been a mainstay of the books ever since. And I think the franchise has benefitted from that.

Once again, colors by the talented Sky Hawkins.