One in the same, two of a kind
- Incubus: Neither Of Us Can See
Hi guys,
I have been thinking about doing a new type of review for quite some time and I have come up with this concept which I hope you will like.
In the Two Of A Kind-series of reviews I plan to review two pieces (statues and/or busts) which are somehow connected to each other.
For example it can be that the two pieces are two different statues of one and the same character. That being said it could also be that the two characters are family or teammates,
lovers, friends or, quite contrary, archenemies.
I have always liked the idea of reviewing a statue or bust in comparison with other pieces since I believe the statues and busts in our collections speak so much more to our
imagination when displayed together with other pieces.
In this series of reviews the relationship between the two statues or busts may sometimes be very obvious and sometimes it may be a bit puzzling; hopefully it will be part of the fun
trying to find out why these two pieces were combined in these latter cases.
Just like in the
BUSTed!-series of reviews I will compare the two statues or busts with each other when evaluating them aginst the fixed set of criteria used for the reviews on this forum.
Another similarity will be that I will focus mainly on the pictures; after all a picture often can say more than a thousand words, would not you agree?
Alright then, I think we are ready to go!
In this first episode of the Two Of A Kind-series I will focus one of the most powerful mutants the Marvel Universe has ever known.
A woman so powerful that she once literally shaked this Universe on its foundations.
The woman I am referring to is beautiful, intelligent and one of the founding members of the X-Men.
That is however not what most people will think of first when thinking of her.
I take it that they will think of the unlimited, raw power she once possessed and the enormous potential locked up in her DNA....
Jean Grey is in every possible way a true omega level mutant and I could not think of any better choice to start off these series of reviews.
The full size statues of Jean Grey by Sideshow and Bowen Designs are both incredible tributes to this remarkable woman and I hope you will like this review.
I am very curious to find out if your thoughts and feelings about both statues match mine or not and would like to invite you to let me know what you think of these statues.
Are they the definitive representation of Jean Grey for you or do you feel they are lacking in some regards?
Please feel free to share your opinion with fans and collectors from all around the world.
But even in case you just would like to have a look at the pictures you are of course more than welcome!
Either way I hope you will enjoy the review and the pictures... have fun!
Background Information
In the Marvel Universe, a mutant is a being (usually otherwise human) who possesses a genetic trait called an X-gene that allows the mutant to naturally develop superhuman powers and abilities.
Human mutants are considered to be of the subspecies Homo sapiens superior or simply Homo superior, an evolutionary progeny of Homo sapiens, and are considered the next stage in human evolution, though whether this is true or not is a subject of much debate in-universe.
Unlike Marvel's mutates, which are characters who develop their powers only after exposure to outside stimuli or energies (such as the Hulk, Spider-Man or The Fantastic Four), mutants are those whose mutations are pre-natal, and whose powers typically manifest at puberty.
Jean Elaine Grey was born the second daughter of John and Elaine Grey; she has an older sister, Sara Grey-Bailey.
John Grey was a history professor at Bard College in upstate New York.
Jean had a happy childhood and she grew up in a stable, caring and loving family.
Jean is a founding member of the X-Men, and has been known under the aliases Marvel Girl, Phoenix, and Dark Phoenix. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in
The X-Men #1 (September 1963).
Jean Grey is a member of a subspecies of humans known as mutants, who are born with superhuman abilities. She was born with telepathic and telekinetic powers. Her powers first manifested at the age of ten when she saw her childhood friend being hit by a car and experienced the emotions of her dying friend.
She is a caring, nurturing figure, but she also has to deal with being an Omega-level mutant and the physical manifestation of the cosmic Phoenix Force. Jean Grey experienced a transformation into the Phoenix in the X-Men storyline "
The Dark Phoenix Saga".
She has faced death numerous times in the history of the series. Her first death was under her guise as Marvel Girl, when she died and was "reborn" in the X-Men storyline "
The Dark Phoenix Saga" as Phoenix.
This transformation led to her second death, though not her last.
She is an important figure in the lives of other Marvel Universe characters, mostly the X-Men, including her husband Cyclops, her mentor and father figure Charles Xavier, and Wolverine, who holds an unrequited love for her, her best friend and sister-like figure Storm, and her genetic children Rachel Summers, X-Man, Cable, and Stryfe.
Jean Grey is powerful beyond belief and she is able to break all the laws that physics throws at her without a sweat.
Already powerful in her own right, her bonding to the Phoenix Force completely threw the rulebook out the window when it came to restraint.
Notable Omega-Level Feats:
* Manipulation of matter at the subatomic level
* Manipulation of electromagnetic and cosmic energy.
* Creation of wormholes and stargates for universal, instantaneous travel.
* Defeated a herald of Galactus
* Creation of flames in ten vacuum of space or underwater.
* Reincarnation.
* Manipulation of Life-Energy to kill and resurrect the dead.
* Enhancement of other mutant's powers.
An Omega-level mutant is one with the most powerful genetic potential of their mutant abilities.
The term was first seen in the 1986 issue Uncanny X-Men #208, but was completely unexplained beyond the obvious implication of it referring to an exceptional level of power.
The term was not seen again until the 2001 limited series X-Men Forever.
Some abilities depicted by mutants described as Omega-level include immortality, extreme manipulation of matter and energy, high psionic ability, strong telekinesis, and the potential to exist beyond the boundaries of the known physical universe.
When transformed into Phoenix, Jean's powers escalate to a near limitless level, allowing her to rearrange or disintegrate matter at a subatomic level, fly unaided through space, survive in any environment (even the core of a star), and manipulate electromagnetic and cosmic energies for various effects and atmospheric disturbances.
She can create stargates that can transport her anywhere in the universe instantaneously.
At this level, she is powerful enough to easily defeat a herald of Galactus.
Jean, while acting as a Phoenix Force avatar, can create 'cosmic' fire, even in seemingly impossible situations such as the vacuum of space or underwater.
Typically it manifests as a raptor or part of a raptor such as claws or wings. Jean has perfect control over this fire, only consuming what she wills.
This fire does not require oxygen to burn, and burns so intensely that matter is consumed without by-products such as ash.
It is unclear whether the fire is an extension of her telekinesis and telepathy or a more general property of the Phoenix Force. The cosmic fire is a literal punctuation to the Phoenix's purpose to "burn away what doesn't work", as well as being described as "burning through lies and deception".
As the Phoenix, Jean is able to resurrect after death. In some depictions, these resurrections are immediately after she is killed, while other depictions indicate that resurrection must occur at a "correct" time, sometimes taking a century.
The Phoenix Force allows Jean to revive, absorb, rechannel, and preserve the life-force of any kind of life-form, meaning that she can take life energy from one person and give it to others, heal herself with the same life energy, or even resurrect the dead, since the Phoenix is the sum of all life and death.
The relationship between Jean Grey and the Phoenix (and the nature of the powers she has) is portrayed in a variety of ways throughout the character's history.
In the initial plotline of the Phoenix being a manifestation of Jean's true potential, these powers are considered her own, as part of Claremont and Byrne's desire to create "the first cosmic superheroine".
Jean is one of the few to hold the title of "White Phoenix of the Crown" among the many past, present, and future hosts of the Phoenix
Rainer
