What do you think?
Rate this book
The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix (Collected Editions) #1
Adventures of Cyclops & Phoenix (1994) 1-4
*** Contains Issue #'s 1-4 *** Complete 4 issue mini series! The X-Men Scott Summers (Cyclops) and Jean Grey (Phoenix) have an adventurous honeymoon. The reader gets an exciting adventure. Apokalypse, new and extra dimensions, extra terrestials, parents and children.
Comic
First published January 1, 1995
2 people are currently reading
88 people want to read
About the author
Scott Lobdell
1,620 books230 followersScott Lobdell (born 1960) is an American comic book writer.
He is mostly known for his work throughout the 1990s on Marvel Comics' X-Men-related titles specifically Uncanny X-Men, the main title itself, and the spin-off series that he conceived with artist Chris Bachalo, Generation X. Generation X focused on a number of young mutant students who attempted to become superheroes in their own right at a separate school with the guidance of veteran X-related characters Banshee and Emma Frost. He also had writing stints on Marvel's Fantastic Four, Alpha Flight, and The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix mini-series with artist Gene Ha. He wrote the script to Stan Lee's Mosaic and an upcoming film from POW Entertainment featuring Ringo Starr. He also participated in the Marvel Comics and Image Comics (from Jim Lee's WildStorm) crossover mini-series WildC.A.T.s/X-Men.
He is mostly known for his work throughout the 1990s on Marvel Comics' X-Men-related titles specifically Uncanny X-Men, the main title itself, and the spin-off series that he conceived with artist Chris Bachalo, Generation X. Generation X focused on a number of young mutant students who attempted to become superheroes in their own right at a separate school with the guidance of veteran X-related characters Banshee and Emma Frost. He also had writing stints on Marvel's Fantastic Four, Alpha Flight, and The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix mini-series with artist Gene Ha. He wrote the script to Stan Lee's Mosaic and an upcoming film from POW Entertainment featuring Ringo Starr. He also participated in the Marvel Comics and Image Comics (from Jim Lee's WildStorm) crossover mini-series WildC.A.T.s/X-Men.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 13, 2018
Given that a lot of Lobdell's X-Men work was not very good, he actually does a solid job of straightening out Rob Liefeld's Cable / Stryfe quagmire from X-Force. Cyclops and Phoenix get sucked into the far future by Rachel Summers to raise Nathan Summers (Cable). He was sent into the future to save him from the techno-organic virus he was infected with as a baby by Apocalypse. Yes, X-Men continuity is very confusing. Anyway, Lobdell actually writes a straight forward story with a lot of character moments. The one thing I still don't understand is why they never tall Nathan they are his real parents in clone bodies. Gene Ha's art is fantastic. He has a unique style I really dig.
May 12, 2023
In the follow-up to Cyclops’ and Jean Grey’s wedding, they had their own limited series about the “honeymoon.” But it wasn’t so much a honeymoon, as it was they woke up in different cloned bodies thousands of years in the future in a dystopian world ruled by Apocalypse.
There, they find little baby Cable and spend years raising him. It’s sweet in a way, Cyclops finally getting to be a dad despite his awful parenting from years back. Being that this is the superhero genre, the only way he could do that was to time travel so most of it happened outside of the normal timeline. That’s still pretty nice.
Gene Ha, early in his career, illustrated in his signature detailed style, and somehow was able to make Scott Summers look recognizable without the signature visor. But the storytelling and world-building were poorly done, frankly. It was just a weird sci-fi world that didn’t feel very fleshed out. Ha would later become a much more accomplished artist when working with Alan Moore on Top Ten, still he had to start somewhere.
There are many other alternate X-Men worlds where dystopia is done better, from Days of Future Past to Age of Apocalypse. Scott Lodbell writes with just enough heart, with the parenting theme at the core of the story even if the fighting for survival parts don’t always work.
An interesting, albeit strange chapter in the 90s era. At least Cable is fleshed out and these characters get to explore their relationships with each other. Definitely not recommended for novice readers.
There, they find little baby Cable and spend years raising him. It’s sweet in a way, Cyclops finally getting to be a dad despite his awful parenting from years back. Being that this is the superhero genre, the only way he could do that was to time travel so most of it happened outside of the normal timeline. That’s still pretty nice.
Gene Ha, early in his career, illustrated in his signature detailed style, and somehow was able to make Scott Summers look recognizable without the signature visor. But the storytelling and world-building were poorly done, frankly. It was just a weird sci-fi world that didn’t feel very fleshed out. Ha would later become a much more accomplished artist when working with Alan Moore on Top Ten, still he had to start somewhere.
There are many other alternate X-Men worlds where dystopia is done better, from Days of Future Past to Age of Apocalypse. Scott Lodbell writes with just enough heart, with the parenting theme at the core of the story even if the fighting for survival parts don’t always work.
An interesting, albeit strange chapter in the 90s era. At least Cable is fleshed out and these characters get to explore their relationships with each other. Definitely not recommended for novice readers.
November 15, 2017
The Adventures of Cyclops & Phoenix. In the mid '90s, the Summers family tree was a mess. There was Cable, the son who had been sent into the future to save him, and Rachel, the daughter who came back from the future to save the present. And neither of them was technically the offspring of 616 Jean and Scott. Then there was Stryfe, the insane clone.
1993's X-Cutioner's Song had helped to put some of the puzzle pieces together, primarily the Stryfe and Cable mysteries that had become greatly confused in Rob Liefeld's X-Force. However, The Adventures of Cyclops & Phoenix was the story that put all of these disparate, yet connected elements into a single narrative, and also connected that up to the Age of Apocalypse.
It's rather deftly done, and has some very nice moments between the various members of the Summers clan. It also offers a great backstory for Cable and a neat leak at a dystopic future. By today's standards, the plot is pretty turgid, but this book is so full of great character moments that it gets by anyway. Overall, one of Lobdell's best X-works ... and I say that not being a Lobdell fan [7/10].
1993's X-Cutioner's Song had helped to put some of the puzzle pieces together, primarily the Stryfe and Cable mysteries that had become greatly confused in Rob Liefeld's X-Force. However, The Adventures of Cyclops & Phoenix was the story that put all of these disparate, yet connected elements into a single narrative, and also connected that up to the Age of Apocalypse.
It's rather deftly done, and has some very nice moments between the various members of the Summers clan. It also offers a great backstory for Cable and a neat leak at a dystopic future. By today's standards, the plot is pretty turgid, but this book is so full of great character moments that it gets by anyway. Overall, one of Lobdell's best X-works ... and I say that not being a Lobdell fan [7/10].
April 15, 2019
What a delightfully weird story!
This is something else. Literally... something different.
I could not have predicted this story. It was a complete surprise.
Scott Lobdell flips the entire X-Men formula on it’s head. Scott and Jean are out of their time and thrust 2000 years into the future. This ties Rachel, Cable, Stryfe, Scott and Jean all into one story. It serves as the lynchpin that connects all of the narratives that have effected this odd family since Claremont left the title.
It puts X-ecutioner’s Song in context as well.
This book really is a gift, and it’s a great thing to read prior to Age of Apocalypse.
Additionally, why have I never heard of Gene Ha? Because his artwork was UNBELIEVABLE. Every page was mindbending. Every panel a work of art. I wish I could have every panel framed. It was superb.
This is something else. Literally... something different.
I could not have predicted this story. It was a complete surprise.
Scott Lobdell flips the entire X-Men formula on it’s head. Scott and Jean are out of their time and thrust 2000 years into the future. This ties Rachel, Cable, Stryfe, Scott and Jean all into one story. It serves as the lynchpin that connects all of the narratives that have effected this odd family since Claremont left the title.
It puts X-ecutioner’s Song in context as well.
This book really is a gift, and it’s a great thing to read prior to Age of Apocalypse.
Additionally, why have I never heard of Gene Ha? Because his artwork was UNBELIEVABLE. Every page was mindbending. Every panel a work of art. I wish I could have every panel framed. It was superb.
June 26, 2015
This is nice time-travel tale featuring Scott and Jean being pulled into the future to raise Nathan, who will of course eventually become Cable. It's a nice stand-alone story that doesn't require knowledge of too much back story to appreciate. I especially liked Gene Ha's art, which reminded me of Carmine Infantino and seemed to be nicely influenced by Hal Foster.
November 25, 2016
The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix trade paperback collects the 1994 miniseries that attempted to sort out one of the most bizarre family trees in comics, even by X-Men standards.
In this series, newlyweds Scott Summers and Jean Grey, otherwise known as X-Men Cyclops and um, Jean Grey (the name Marvel Girl must be passé) are snatched from their island honeymoon and sent 2,000 years into the future by their elderly daughter Rachel (who arrived there from yet another future timeline) to watch over Scott's infant son Nathan, who had been sent to that very future in order to survive the techno-organic virus that was killing him in "our" time. Rachel, like her mom, is the sometime host of the powerful Phoenix force, and Nathan would grow up to become the mutant warrior known as Cable. Nathan has a cloned duplicate called Stryfe, who is being raised as the heir to Apocalypse. Oh yes, Nathan's mother was Madeline Pryor, a now deceased (sort of) clone of Jean Grey.
I told you it was complicated!
This series attempts to weave these very different threads into a somewhat cohesive pattern. Scott and Jean end up spending more than a decade in the future, which gives them the opportunity to actually raise young Nathan, who is unaware of exactly who his guardians really are. The "Dayspring Family" eventually joins the underground resistance movement and makes what appears to be a final confrontation with Apocalypse. I say "appears" because Apocalypse is killed about as often as Jean Grey, and with similar long term success.
Scott Lobdell does an admirable job with an obviously difficult group of characters, origins, and events. While the series is not as fun and exciting as other X-Men adventures, it is a necessary story to tell, if for no other reason than to clean up the storylines abandoned by so many other writers.
Gene Ha's artwork is absolutely incredible. Ha is one of the most underrated artists working today, with an attention to detail that has to be seen to be believed. His art totally sets the tone of the series, and makes the otherworldly setting and characters seem that much more believable.
Overall, the Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix is a key part of X-Men history. It may not be as fascinating as X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga or the Age of Apocalypse, but it is an important part of the lives of several key X-Men characters.
In this series, newlyweds Scott Summers and Jean Grey, otherwise known as X-Men Cyclops and um, Jean Grey (the name Marvel Girl must be passé) are snatched from their island honeymoon and sent 2,000 years into the future by their elderly daughter Rachel (who arrived there from yet another future timeline) to watch over Scott's infant son Nathan, who had been sent to that very future in order to survive the techno-organic virus that was killing him in "our" time. Rachel, like her mom, is the sometime host of the powerful Phoenix force, and Nathan would grow up to become the mutant warrior known as Cable. Nathan has a cloned duplicate called Stryfe, who is being raised as the heir to Apocalypse. Oh yes, Nathan's mother was Madeline Pryor, a now deceased (sort of) clone of Jean Grey.
I told you it was complicated!
This series attempts to weave these very different threads into a somewhat cohesive pattern. Scott and Jean end up spending more than a decade in the future, which gives them the opportunity to actually raise young Nathan, who is unaware of exactly who his guardians really are. The "Dayspring Family" eventually joins the underground resistance movement and makes what appears to be a final confrontation with Apocalypse. I say "appears" because Apocalypse is killed about as often as Jean Grey, and with similar long term success.
Scott Lobdell does an admirable job with an obviously difficult group of characters, origins, and events. While the series is not as fun and exciting as other X-Men adventures, it is a necessary story to tell, if for no other reason than to clean up the storylines abandoned by so many other writers.
Gene Ha's artwork is absolutely incredible. Ha is one of the most underrated artists working today, with an attention to detail that has to be seen to be believed. His art totally sets the tone of the series, and makes the otherworldly setting and characters seem that much more believable.
Overall, the Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix is a key part of X-Men history. It may not be as fascinating as X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga or the Age of Apocalypse, but it is an important part of the lives of several key X-Men characters.
May 4, 2009
And I had been liking Lobdell's work up to this point...
Bringing characters from the future to the present is one thing. Trying to tell stories about that future is apparently something completely different. What is more, I don't know that the two main characters (as listed in the title) really are as affected by this story as they should be, once the story is over.
The story also further muddles the concept of time travel within the Marvel Universe. Plus, the events don't jive with what you know these characters know either earlier in life or later in life, depending on who you are speaking of. Cable specifically seems to have blocked some things out. And Apocalypse is a fool. Oh and did they ditch the whole Externals thing?
The only time they have shown what happens in the future and I've enjoyed it is Days of Future Past. When Rachel recalls some of the tragedies she's lived through it has been beneficial as well. But the stories that actually take place there... I could do without. (Hopefully the present X-Factor breaks that trend.)
Bringing characters from the future to the present is one thing. Trying to tell stories about that future is apparently something completely different. What is more, I don't know that the two main characters (as listed in the title) really are as affected by this story as they should be, once the story is over.
The story also further muddles the concept of time travel within the Marvel Universe. Plus, the events don't jive with what you know these characters know either earlier in life or later in life, depending on who you are speaking of. Cable specifically seems to have blocked some things out. And Apocalypse is a fool. Oh and did they ditch the whole Externals thing?
The only time they have shown what happens in the future and I've enjoyed it is Days of Future Past. When Rachel recalls some of the tragedies she's lived through it has been beneficial as well. But the stories that actually take place there... I could do without. (Hopefully the present X-Factor breaks that trend.)
November 21, 2013
An interesting look at what I believe to be Cable's background story. The artwork wasn't bad, but I wasn't too crazy about it either; the story in itself was very insightful and emotional. Yes, I shed a few tears towards the end, sue me! This story also kinda serves a prelude to the X-Cutioner's Song story arc. I loved it! :D
March 23, 2015
"You know, there's something to be said for lowered expectations. Sometimes they allow you to be surprised by a piece of entertainment."
Read the whole review on TheBookCloset
Read the whole review on TheBookCloset
May 25, 2020
Convoluted at times, but incredibly moving and emotional at others. A surprisingly beautiful time traveling story of Scott and Jean's history (or future?) with their son who would one day become Cable.
May 27, 2012
Hace quince años me habría fascinado poder leer este tomo. Hace unos meses lo conseguí por monedas y me sacó una sonrisa con solo ponerlo en la enorme lista de espera. Ahora que finalmente me lo leí completo, me fuerzo a promediarlo para abajo por lo increíblemente aburrido, pomposo y redundante que es el guion de Lobdell, sobre todo por culpa de los omnipresentes textos de apoyo que se encargan de repetir lo que ya se sabía una y otra vez. El dibujo de Ha es otro tema. Aunque el coloreado lo tira para abajo, todo lo que es diseño de personajes, lugares y tururulos tecnorgánicos están de lo mejor. Pensaba leerme El Hijo de Askani a continuación, pero tarde tanto en terminarme este que seguro lo posponga hasta nuevo aviso.
Y antes de cerrar la reseña, vamos con el dato freak: Teniendo en cuenta que para criar a su hijo en el futuro, Jean y Cíclope fueron transportados psiónicamente por el tiempo y el espacio unos dos mil años, y una vez en el futuro vivieron una década allá, ¿no repercutió en sus personas el hecho de, al volver a su tiempo, ser 10 años mayores que cuando se fueron? ¿Jamás se le ocurrió a ningún autor explotar esta cuestión? ¿Quedó fuera del canon automáticamente? Como sea, este tomo es una buena muestra de por qué barrieron bajo la alfombra la mayoría de las historias noventeras.
Y antes de cerrar la reseña, vamos con el dato freak: Teniendo en cuenta que para criar a su hijo en el futuro, Jean y Cíclope fueron transportados psiónicamente por el tiempo y el espacio unos dos mil años, y una vez en el futuro vivieron una década allá, ¿no repercutió en sus personas el hecho de, al volver a su tiempo, ser 10 años mayores que cuando se fueron? ¿Jamás se le ocurrió a ningún autor explotar esta cuestión? ¿Quedó fuera del canon automáticamente? Como sea, este tomo es una buena muestra de por qué barrieron bajo la alfombra la mayoría de las historias noventeras.
January 10, 2009
I read the novel version of this mini-series when I was little. I have no idea where the book came from, but in was in my house and I found it one day. This is one of my favorite books ever! I wish I could get the comic book version of this series to read it again.
May 13, 2021
This is awesome IF you're familiar with the years of building towards it. If not, I'm not sure how it would come off, but it has a bit of a Moebius vibe to it that I think even those not privy to all of the backstory might get a kick out of.
December 28, 2018
The artwork is gorgeous and this series hit on so many strong family moments for a family that doesn't always get to have those.
March 2, 2018
Finalmente ho avuto il piacere di leggere questo piccolo tassello nella grande storia degli X-men, ma soprattutto nella storia della famiglia Summers! Leggere le avventure di Scott e Jean è stato veramente bello, in quanto Scott uno dei miei eroi preferiti sin da bambino. Ho trovato commovente il finale, coinvolgente la storia e l'azione presenti nel fumetto, i personaggi nuovi che ho conosciuto, tutto bellissimo e scritto molto bene. La cosa che più di tutte mi ha fatto appassionare alla lettura è stato scoprire in tutto e per tutto le origini di Nathan Summers, colui che diverrà poi Cable, figlio di Scott e Madelyne (clone di Jean) cresciuto nel futuro per via di un virus tecno-organico. Oltre tutto questo è stato bello poter leggere, finalmente dopo anni in cui ne sentivo parlare, le vicende del clan Askani.
L'unica cosa che mi ha fermato dal mettere 5 stelline piene a questo titolo sono stati i disegni che mi sono piaciuti ma non a livelli grandiosi diciamo, forse perchè sono abituato ad uno stile di disegno più attuale, ad esempio quello di Oliver Coipel o Stuart Immonen, mentre questa è una storia degli anni 90 dove lo stile di disegno era molto diverso. Nonostante ciò ne consiglio caldamente la lettura.
L'unica cosa che mi ha fermato dal mettere 5 stelline piene a questo titolo sono stati i disegni che mi sono piaciuti ma non a livelli grandiosi diciamo, forse perchè sono abituato ad uno stile di disegno più attuale, ad esempio quello di Oliver Coipel o Stuart Immonen, mentre questa è una storia degli anni 90 dove lo stile di disegno era molto diverso. Nonostante ciò ne consiglio caldamente la lettura.
June 24, 2023
1/10:
It takes a lot for me to actually fully check out of something while reading it, but this four issue run dragged so much that I couldn’t focus. These four issues have the same amount of text that 10 modern issues do, and it doesn’t make anything better. This entire story is so incredibly convoluted and confusing, with the time travel aspects making the journey of Cyclops and Phoenix so strange. I genuinely hated this entire story, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who values their time.
It takes a lot for me to actually fully check out of something while reading it, but this four issue run dragged so much that I couldn’t focus. These four issues have the same amount of text that 10 modern issues do, and it doesn’t make anything better. This entire story is so incredibly convoluted and confusing, with the time travel aspects making the journey of Cyclops and Phoenix so strange. I genuinely hated this entire story, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who values their time.
February 5, 2023
Aventura con tintes melodramáticos al estilo de Lobdell en los títulos mutantes, que al menos en este caso logra entretener. Bastante ayuda el dibujo de Gen Ha que - sin ser perfecto - refresca la estética asociada a los X con un trazo que bebe bastante de la escuela europea. Disfrutable, aun sin tener demasiado interés por el universo de X-Men.
February 19, 2025
The 90’s were a hot mess for the X-Men and this book is a case in point. Scott Lobdell does a passable job untangling the bizarre twisted cluster that is Cable, Stryfe, and the Summers-Grey family backstory (or is it a future story). I don’t know. But it tries too hard to be a grand epic with not enough substance to sustain it. A book like this makes you really miss Chris Claremont.
October 13, 2019
Le premesse sono molto buone, lo svolgimento decisamente meno. Dimenticabile in mezz'ora ciò che succede.
Questo nonostante i disegni di Ha.
1 stella e mezza.
Questo nonostante i disegni di Ha.
1 stella e mezza.
May 15, 2021
Edición española publicada en la Colección One-Shot, en su número 6. Me parece que no se reedita desde entonces.
February 28, 2023
3,5 estrelas
April 14, 2011
I have fond childhood memories of this book. I was a huge fan of the X-Men in the Age of Apocalypse sagas that were popular in the mid 90's. I drank them all up. This book was one of my favorites, along with Madureira's gorgeously penned Astonishing X-Men.
It turns out some things are best not revisited... The art is beautiful, and very suited to the era the writer is trying to conjure. But other than it feels too two-dimensional. Poof they appear in alternate bodies then hurdle a gap in the narrative ten years long to their eventual return to the present. The story is not really fleshed out in a way that makes the reader interested, and what results is a cut and paste slapdash.
Don't get me wrong. I see where Lobdell was going with this, but sometimes you hit and miss. Still a great addition to the canon.
It turns out some things are best not revisited... The art is beautiful, and very suited to the era the writer is trying to conjure. But other than it feels too two-dimensional. Poof they appear in alternate bodies then hurdle a gap in the narrative ten years long to their eventual return to the present. The story is not really fleshed out in a way that makes the reader interested, and what results is a cut and paste slapdash.
Don't get me wrong. I see where Lobdell was going with this, but sometimes you hit and miss. Still a great addition to the canon.
December 5, 2009
The art is that big, blocky early 90's style that I really don't care for, and the plot & dialogue are pretty cheesy, but...
It also has wacky apocalyptic futures (literally Apocalyptic, in this case) and Summers family bonding, two things I like a lot. I can just flip through this comic and look at pictures of people hugging.
I would totally read a semi-fluffy, domestic story set in this timeline. ;)
It also has wacky apocalyptic futures (literally Apocalyptic, in this case) and Summers family bonding, two things I like a lot. I can just flip through this comic and look at pictures of people hugging.
I would totally read a semi-fluffy, domestic story set in this timeline. ;)
May 2, 2010
At the time of reading this in the 90s, I thought this was ridiculous. Cyclops and Phoenix being thrust years in the future to raise baby Cable as he grew up. In essence, this now makes more sense in the grand scheme of things in the Marvel Universe. I still find it humorous how Cable and his ole man still do not "get" each other half the time, and there is no longer any type of blame for Cyke not being there.
Want to read
November 1, 2015Edición española. Colección One-Shot #6.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews