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X-Men Origins

X-Men Origins: Jean Grey #1

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Professor Charles Xavier visits the Grey household at Annandale-on-Hudson to speak to them about their disturbed daughter Jean. Jean recently developed mutant psychic abilities, but through the most traumatic circumstances. She was present when her friend Annie Richardson had been struck by a vehicle and killed. Jean telepathically felt Annie dying inside her brain. Now, she cannot keep the voices out of her head. Xavier explains the nature of Jean's mutant heritage to her parents and offers to help her any way he can. After spending a considerable amount of time with Jean, he decides to erect psychic dampers inside her brain, preventing her from perceiving the surface thoughts of those around her.

Time passes and Xavier visits the Grey home once again. He tells them he is opening up a boarding school for mutants and invites Jean to become one of his students. Jean accepts and becomes one of Xavier's X-Men. She trains with them consistently and earns the admiration of her fellow students. At this time, Jean develops the power of telekinesis.

When a mutant menace threatens Cape Citadel, the X-Men scramble in response. Jean however, does not go with them. Instead, she takes a walk through nearby Salem Center where she is forced to use her telekinesis to rescue people from a traffic accident. Xavier collects her after the Cape Citadel mission and admonishes her for ducking out on the team. However, he is proud to see Jean coming into her own.

30 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

8 people are currently reading
142 people want to read

About the author

Sean McKeever

537 books36 followers
After writing indie comics (such as the ensemble teen-drama The Waiting Place) for six years, Sean got his big break writing an issue of The Incredible Hulk for Marvel Comics in 2001. Since then, Sean has written hundreds of comics for Marvel, DC Comics and other publishers, including notable runs on Sentinel, Inhumans, Mystique, Marvel Adventures Spider-Man, Gravity, Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, Birds of Prey and Teen Titans.

Best known for delivering introspective, character-driven work, Sean also wrote several weeks of the Funky Winkerbean syndicated comic strip, much of which has been reprinted in the celebrated collection, Lisa's story: the other shoe.

In 2005, Sean won the Eisner Award for Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition.

Sean continues to write comic books; he also writes for the videogame and animation industries.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
Profile Image for Anne.
4,759 reviews71.3k followers
April 18, 2015
Welcome to the extended week Shallow X-men Buddy Reads!
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You know, this turned out to be a fabulous story about Jean Grey's origin! Yes, it's pretty short, and doesn't go into great detail, but it really packs a punch.
And the art !
Oh my God, look at the emotion that is conveyed on the pages! I honestly don't care if the artist traced it or not, it was purdy to look at.

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I just finished reading a buttload of these X-Men origin one-shots, and this one is by far the winner to me. It's small but mighty.
Profile Image for Terence.
1,170 reviews391 followers
January 17, 2016
Ever since Jean's friend Annie was killed in a car accident, Jean has been withdrawn an hears voices. Her parents have tried everything and finally one day a man in a wheelchair says he can help.

You know I never really realized when I was younger how questionable Professor X's actions were. He's a really good salesman, as someone who can read minds should be. It's not what he says, but what he doesn't say. Professor X goes and talks to Jean's parents. He tells them that he can help heal her and control her problems at his boarding school.
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Now that's all well and good, but what he doesn't say is that she'll be joining his super mutant team the X-Men.
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He doesn't say that she'll go into warzones and fight combatants. I mean of course that's not on the brochure because how many parents would sign their kids up for a mutant army. Now a boarding school that teaches kids how to control and hide their powers, no problem, but definitely a no to the mutant army thing. Like the slick recruiter he is he never brings it up. Fortunately Professor X means well, but in reality life that wouldn't be good enough when he's choosing to conscript kids to fight. Magneto may be a megalomaniacal madman, but he's an honest megalomaniacal madman. His speech is something like, "Brothers and sisters come with me as homo-superior takes their rightful place as the dominant species. We'll do it by force if necessary." Crazy, but crazy honest too.

X-Men Origins Jean Grey shows why you never gamble with Professor X or sign your kid up for his mutant army boarding school.
Profile Image for ⠀annie. ♡.
234 reviews83 followers
June 2, 2018
imagine me not being in love with jean grey— hA! crazy.

this is perfect for anyone new to jean or someone who wants a quick run down of how she got started.

it was nice to see jean “grow up”. it starts with the accident and how it plagued her. you get to see how debilitating her abilities are/were. later, you see the control she has gained and she her true personality shine through.

the coloring is absolutely beautiful. i’m pretty used to seeing comic art (for obvious reasons, lmao) but this kind of blew my mind.
Profile Image for abi.
1,191 reviews141 followers
May 24, 2022
I LOVE JEAN GREY!! Jean Grey is one of my fave characters cinematically, and I’ve always wanted to know more about her. She’s such an interesting character, and I adore her so much. I love how Marvel makes theses origin stories for characters, because it’s such a good place to start reading or get a rundown for your faves. I absolutely adored the art in here. It was so beautiful, and it looked like it was painted rather than drawn. I also loved this story, even though it was just kind of Jean’s origin.


Not related, but young Jean looked exactly like Sasha Pieterse, and teenage Jean looked exactly like Ashley Benson. Just thought I’d add that in.
Profile Image for Tina.
1,200 reviews
June 11, 2017
I <3 me some Jean Grey. This was shorter than I expected, but it was just so emotional and the artwork was absolutely gorgeous! Jean is so pretty, and as a longtime fan, I was pleased that this origin story did her character justice. I wouldn't have had a problem with it being twice as long as it was. In fact, give me an entire Jean-centric series!

Profile Image for Kyle.
180 reviews5 followers
April 6, 2017
It's good! If you appreciate Jean, you should give it a glimpse and appreciate the art.

I wanted more, but I am not sure if I could have ever been satisfied. Jean Grey is my jam!
Profile Image for margaux.
17 reviews1 follower
May 17, 2021
fun fact jean is actually my gf
Profile Image for Christopher.
Author 2 books7 followers
February 20, 2021
I recently read and reviewed Sean McKeever's comic book Avengers Origins: Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver and really enjoyed it. I enjoyed McKeever's writing style, and after sharing my review to Twitter (an ability which I guess Goodreads will soon be doing away with for some reason), McKeever saw it and acknowledged it, proceeding to recommend this comic book - X-Men Origins: Jean Grey - to me, and I sure am glad that he did because I think that I like this one even more than I like Scarlet Witch & Quicksilver. Sean McKeever knows exactly what he is doing, as there is a bit of clever dialogue when Charles Xavier, addressing Jean Grey's parents, says, "It'll be one thing to teach her to control her talents... but we're dealing with a psyche so damaged, so traumatized, that the act of healing her falls just short of a resurrection." I don't think that the word resurrection is a coincidence, as Grey will, of course, be fated to become the Dark Phoenix, and what are phoenixes known for in mythology? Resurrection. At another point in the story, Jean meets a young woman out on the street who, unaware that Jean is a mutant, says to her, "Mutants... I don't have anything against 'em or anything, but..." The word but says it all, and sure enough, when she realizes that Jean is in fact a mutant, her eyes widen in fear, unable to even say the word. This is absolutely, in my book, intended to be social commentary on people in the real world saying things like, "I'm not racist, but..." or "I'm not homophobic; I just don't want to see it in public." Jean Grey is, as I said, written by Sean McKeever and features art by Mike Mayhew, and not only did I love McKeever's writing, I also absolutely adored Mayhew's art. A unique style, the characters jump out of the page at you, as they somehow render somewhat of a 3D effect, and the pastel colors somehow work perfectly with the story. I will definitely have to continue to keep my eye on McKeever's work because I have really enjoyed what I have read so far, and X-Men Origins: Jean Grey is especially brilliant.
Profile Image for Fipah.
261 reviews82 followers
September 18, 2025
Kratší komiks, ktorý je v Jean Greyová (áno, bohužiaľ s -ová) zbierke. PREKRÁSNA AKVARELOVÁ MAĽBA! Pre komiksy je voľba akvarelu vzácna – milujem ju. Je to moja najobľúbeenjšia maliarska technika, je tak náladová a jemná.

Je to naozaj krátky príbeh ako Prof. X prišiel za Jean, niečo ako v treťom filme The Last Stand, a ako jej pomohol nebáť sa a kontrolovať svoje schopnosti. Ak milujete Jean ako ja, určite odporúčam!
2,083 reviews18 followers
June 14, 2018
This was an interesting telling of Jean Grey's story before joining the X-Men, going as far as one of their early adventures, as well. The art is pretty, with a very realistic style, but I found that the model used for Jean just didn't much look like her, based on other depictions, which was a bit distracting. I know she is meant to be younger, but it looked like a different person. Despite that, this was an enjoyable single issue.
Profile Image for Breann.
7 reviews1 follower
December 14, 2017
I love this!

I read this on my kindle iPhone app and it was quick and short but amazing. I loved the art style and the story line. I wish there were more details just because I’m selfish and wanted more! On to buy more origins!
Profile Image for Ramona Flowers ramonas_horrible_reviews.
174 reviews1 follower
February 28, 2025
It was great, loved the art

Not for me personally. It was too quick and I felt like I need more

Also do not read if you’re used to seeing James McAvoy as Charlie’s Xavier, this Charles scared the fuck out of me
Profile Image for Shadow girlie (Aelin’s version).
136 reviews2 followers
April 10, 2025
Why is nobody calling her Marvel Girl in the movies, lol. This was a similar storyline except instead of her mama dying it was her friend. There’s still the ‘other’ though. The Phoenix. Can’t wait to meet HER.
12 reviews
March 26, 2022
this really did not do anything for me
Profile Image for Maja.
54 reviews
April 30, 2022
Expected way more from a supposedly origin story of Jean Grey.
Profile Image for M.
604 reviews57 followers
December 20, 2024
Gagged by how younger Jean is ginger Sasha Pieterse and older Jean is ginger Ashley benson 😭😭😭😭 welcome back PLL????
Profile Image for William Gowling.
36 reviews
May 23, 2018
Btw this is my way of counting the multiple Jean Grey comics I've read recently. There was no other way I could count them all on Goodreads without just adding like ten thirty pagers onto my reading challenge. Thats not fair. Also some of them don't even have a book on Goodreads.
Profile Image for jorge.
159 reviews1 follower
January 8, 2023
Great Jean Grey origin story one-shot. The art was amazing as it conveyed Jean’s emotions, both tragic and joyful, wonderfully.
Profile Image for Jedhua.
688 reviews56 followers
January 21, 2018
Book Info: This collection contains X-Men Origins: Jean Grey issue #1.


ABSOLUTE RATING: {3+/5 stars}

STANDARDIZED RATING: <3/5 stars>

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First and foremost, it's important that I just say the art was the true highlight of this one-shot. It's beautiful, and is quite fitting – you know, with the mind being such a miraculous and intricate thing. And just like as was the case for the Colossus origin one-shot, it was too short. But in contrast to that, this origin story had some genuine emotion delicately peeking its head out at times.

However, this story's shortcomings are arguably more pronounced than all the other X-Men Origins books I've read; the nature of Jean's powers and struggles are too vast and unique to be so casually contained as it was here, and the art can only do so much to compensate. While reading this, I began to wonder why I've yet to run into any really good comic story focusing on a telepath, and the many burdens and abuses of power that must undoubtedly follow. But I appreciate that this is a challenging feat, and I think this was roughly as good as it could have been considering its length.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews

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