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Emma Frost #1
Emma Frost, Vol. 1: Higher Learning
Learn the secret of how the Astonishing X-Men's diamond-skinned mind-reader Emma Frost became the formidable woman she is today.
Witness the first time her mutant powers manifested, her difficulties at home and in school, and her early first love that explains how she blossomed from an innocent teenager into the wealthy and ruthless White Queen, who has fought alongside and against the X-Men!
Collects Emma Frost #1-6
Witness the first time her mutant powers manifested, her difficulties at home and in school, and her early first love that explains how she blossomed from an innocent teenager into the wealthy and ruthless White Queen, who has fought alongside and against the X-Men!
Collects Emma Frost #1-6
144 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2004
7 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
About the author
Karl Bollers
192 books22 followersBad Idea Managing Editor, former Valiant Ent. Sr Editor, Eisner Award-nominated writer, former Marvel Comics writer, former Sonic the Hedgehog comic book writer.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
May 29, 2017
2.5 stars
HOLY PORNO COVERS, BATMAN!
Sure the volume's cover looks like they swiped it off of a Sweet Valley High book, but I read this title digitally...issue by issue.
Which means, I got the privilege of looking at each of the covers.
I know (especially as a woman) I should be totally offended when confronted with this:
Can I take a quick poll here?
Just the ladies, please.
Let's see a show of hands for this question, ok?
How many of you have ever found yourself alone in a gazebo with a rose?
For those of you who raised your hands, I have another question, m'kay?
How many of you felt the need to cock your heels at a weird angle, slump your shoulders so your boobies touched, and then spread your legs like you needed to air out your crotch?
Huh.
Will you look at all those hands in the air?!
Evidently, this pose is really popular with chicks who hang out in gardens!
And here I thought she looked ridiculous.
My bad.
And this:
Look, I know you guys probably think Emma just came from a Sexy Card Game, but that's not what this picture is actually depicting.
See how she's holding a lighter, and sitting with her legs spread apart?
Of course you do. Perverts.
The Flaming Card is just a diversionary tactic.
She just lit a massive fart.
Booyah!
Or this:
I know a lot of you pesky feminists out there probably feel that this is an overly sexualized cover, thrown in for no reason other than to give socially inept nerds a bit of cartoon porn to help them start the day off right.
You couldn't be more wrong.
This pose says: I'm Fierce!
I mean, just look at her!
She's got her hip cocked to the side in the classic Battle Stance.
And she's running her hand through her hair...just like all Badass Superheroes do before they mix it up with villains.
If that's not enough to convince you, then you only need to take a peek at her Boob Armor.
'Nuff said.
I swear to God, I couldn't stop laughing long enough to work myself into any kind of a righteous anger. I mean....
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Where's her lollipop?
That's all these pictures are missing, I think.
Possibly pigtails?
Yeah, a lollipop and pigtails.
Perfection!
*bow chicka wow wow*
Oddly enough, the inside of the comic isn't at all what these covers seem to depict. The story reads like some CW show about teenagers.
The poor little rich girl struggling to fit in, the Mean Popular Girl who hates Emma for no apparent reason, the evil father who will stop at nothing to dominate his children's lives, the amoral older sister who is willing to do whatever it takes to win, the absentee mother who buries her head in the sand, the druggie/goth/attention-starved younger sister, the older brother who is caring and kind...but has a really original SECRET , and last (but not least) there's the Hot Teacher Who Likes Emma Too Much For His Own Good.
Very dramatic stuff. Seriously.
Did you guys notice that Emma is a brunette in this?
And that's not the only thing different from the cover art. Apparently, she hasn't yet developed the power to read minds, turn to diamond, OR contort her body into awkward poses yet.
I'm gonna be honest here, I was a little shocked at how tame the actual writing was. I sort of thought I was going to open it up and see a 16 year old Frost learning how to flick her bean or something. But it was just this story about a kid with emerging mutant powers and a horrible family life.
Even the whole student/teacher angle was mild...and ultimately harmless.
*shrugs*
I really don't know what to say about this.
It wasn't great, but it wasn't awful?
HOLY PORNO COVERS, BATMAN!
Sure the volume's cover looks like they swiped it off of a Sweet Valley High book, but I read this title digitally...issue by issue.
Which means, I got the privilege of looking at each of the covers.
I know (especially as a woman) I should be totally offended when confronted with this:
Can I take a quick poll here?
Just the ladies, please.
Let's see a show of hands for this question, ok?
How many of you have ever found yourself alone in a gazebo with a rose?
For those of you who raised your hands, I have another question, m'kay?
How many of you felt the need to cock your heels at a weird angle, slump your shoulders so your boobies touched, and then spread your legs like you needed to air out your crotch?
Huh.
Will you look at all those hands in the air?!
Evidently, this pose is really popular with chicks who hang out in gardens!
And here I thought she looked ridiculous.
My bad.
And this:
Look, I know you guys probably think Emma just came from a Sexy Card Game, but that's not what this picture is actually depicting.
See how she's holding a lighter, and sitting with her legs spread apart?
The Flaming Card is just a diversionary tactic.
She just lit a massive fart.
Booyah!
Or this:
I know a lot of you pesky feminists out there probably feel that this is an overly sexualized cover, thrown in for no reason other than to give socially inept nerds a bit of cartoon porn to help them start the day off right.
You couldn't be more wrong.
This pose says: I'm Fierce!
I mean, just look at her!
She's got her hip cocked to the side in the classic Battle Stance.
And she's running her hand through her hair...just like all Badass Superheroes do before they mix it up with villains.
If that's not enough to convince you, then you only need to take a peek at her Boob Armor.
'Nuff said.
I swear to God, I couldn't stop laughing long enough to work myself into any kind of a righteous anger. I mean....
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Where's her lollipop?
That's all these pictures are missing, I think.
Possibly pigtails?
Yeah, a lollipop and pigtails.
Perfection!
*bow chicka wow wow*
Oddly enough, the inside of the comic isn't at all what these covers seem to depict. The story reads like some CW show about teenagers.
The poor little rich girl struggling to fit in, the Mean Popular Girl who hates Emma for no apparent reason, the evil father who will stop at nothing to dominate his children's lives, the amoral older sister who is willing to do whatever it takes to win, the absentee mother who buries her head in the sand, the druggie/goth/attention-starved younger sister, the older brother who is caring and kind...but has a really original SECRET , and last (but not least) there's the Hot Teacher Who Likes Emma Too Much For His Own Good.
Very dramatic stuff. Seriously.
Did you guys notice that Emma is a brunette in this?
And that's not the only thing different from the cover art. Apparently, she hasn't yet developed the power to read minds, turn to diamond, OR contort her body into awkward poses yet.
I'm gonna be honest here, I was a little shocked at how tame the actual writing was. I sort of thought I was going to open it up and see a 16 year old Frost learning how to flick her bean or something. But it was just this story about a kid with emerging mutant powers and a horrible family life.
Even the whole student/teacher angle was mild...and ultimately harmless.
*shrugs*
I really don't know what to say about this.
It wasn't great, but it wasn't awful?
August 22, 2022
This is like one of my favorite reads of the year!
Its so good. Detailing the origins of Emma and her messed up childhood sorts of with how she gains power and then her family drama with her dad and especially with her siblings Christian, Cordelia and.. Adrienne ad the dynamics and all are so fun like her close bondness with Christian and what happens to him then and wow its sympathetic and thats the best part. Her falling in love with her teacher and the building of the antagonizing relationship she develops with her sister and father especially and that ending is just.. wow!
Its a hard hitting story and really makes you love Emma and it also shows what led to her becoming the way she is and its awesome and looking forward to reading the next 2 volumes now, also I love the art, its very 2000ish and thats why I love it!
Its so good. Detailing the origins of Emma and her messed up childhood sorts of with how she gains power and then her family drama with her dad and especially with her siblings Christian, Cordelia and.. Adrienne ad the dynamics and all are so fun like her close bondness with Christian and what happens to him then and wow its sympathetic and thats the best part. Her falling in love with her teacher and the building of the antagonizing relationship she develops with her sister and father especially and that ending is just.. wow!
Its a hard hitting story and really makes you love Emma and it also shows what led to her becoming the way she is and its awesome and looking forward to reading the next 2 volumes now, also I love the art, its very 2000ish and thats why I love it!
April 21, 2023
This is great in a trashy way.
January 14, 2024
3.5/5.0
February 3, 2016
Strangely addicting.
November 8, 2021
The reason I choose to read this book was I glanced at the first few pages and it seemed an interesting situation. I didn't know until later that she was a Marvel character.
The family does an excellent job of being dysfunctional. Emma is treated like dirt by her father, even when she gets all B and B plus grades. Her sisters and brother are rather nasty to say the least. On top of this she suffers from periodic severe headaches and nose bleeds, passing out on more than one occasion.
It turns out she's a telepath at the very least and manages to get a high grade on a test by sensing the correct answers from the other students. This backfires.
Her father shows what he can do to anyone who opposes him, family or not. He takes being cold-hearted to a high degree with his total disregard for what Emma, her sisters or her brother want or need. He can destroy an entire family financially with no difficulty.
While all this is going on there are demonstrations going on against mutants (like the X-men, etc.) so there are several questions to be answered. Will she ever escape her father's control? What is going on with her medically? How far is she willing to go if it turns out she is a mutant herself? Will her brother survive and what is going on with her sisters?
The story is very complex and very good. (It also shows the power of 'nurture' over 'nature.')
The family does an excellent job of being dysfunctional. Emma is treated like dirt by her father, even when she gets all B and B plus grades. Her sisters and brother are rather nasty to say the least. On top of this she suffers from periodic severe headaches and nose bleeds, passing out on more than one occasion.
It turns out she's a telepath at the very least and manages to get a high grade on a test by sensing the correct answers from the other students. This backfires.
Her father shows what he can do to anyone who opposes him, family or not. He takes being cold-hearted to a high degree with his total disregard for what Emma, her sisters or her brother want or need. He can destroy an entire family financially with no difficulty.
While all this is going on there are demonstrations going on against mutants (like the X-men, etc.) so there are several questions to be answered. Will she ever escape her father's control? What is going on with her medically? How far is she willing to go if it turns out she is a mutant herself? Will her brother survive and what is going on with her sisters?
The story is very complex and very good. (It also shows the power of 'nurture' over 'nature.')
September 3, 2021
Not bad.
The worst thing: the covers, not on the trade but on the issues. Highly sexualised adult Emma on covers that focus on her high school years. Pathetic pandering to a certain portion of comic readers and nothing to do with the content.
Mostly this is Emma coming into her powers while trying to navigate high school as an outsider. Being the bullied focus of the popular girls. Having a crush on her teacher. And deal with a seriously dysfunctional family and a bastard of a father.
I could have done without the 'teacher as a thought perv' storyline. It was unnecessary since simple kindness would have worked in exactly the same way and made the outcome even more unfair. But since I was already dubious about his intentions (don't let your students call you by your first name, especially when it's only certain ones) I wasn't as outraged as I should have been.
This was actually more interesting as backstory for Christan from my perspective.
The worst thing: the covers, not on the trade but on the issues. Highly sexualised adult Emma on covers that focus on her high school years. Pathetic pandering to a certain portion of comic readers and nothing to do with the content.
Mostly this is Emma coming into her powers while trying to navigate high school as an outsider. Being the bullied focus of the popular girls. Having a crush on her teacher. And deal with a seriously dysfunctional family and a bastard of a father.
I could have done without the 'teacher as a thought perv' storyline. It was unnecessary since simple kindness would have worked in exactly the same way and made the outcome even more unfair. But since I was already dubious about his intentions (don't let your students call you by your first name, especially when it's only certain ones) I wasn't as outraged as I should have been.
This was actually more interesting as backstory for Christan from my perspective.
July 15, 2017
Continuing the terribly x-citing (at points x-cruciating) x-read of 2017
Honestly, I am pretty surprised by this one. I wouldn’t say that Emma Frost is one of my favorite characters from the x-men universe. I mean, I like her – particularly during her Generation X days – and I think that she is an interesting character. But if you asked me who I would like to see an origin series about, the White Queen would probably be pretty far down on the list.
But honestly, I’m kind of hooked after this first volume. Sure, there are a lot of clichés crammed into one small book but the characters are believable for the most part and it is an intriguing look at young Emma’s life. I feel that Emma herself is well-written and relatable. I am definitely interested in where this series goes.
Honestly, I am pretty surprised by this one. I wouldn’t say that Emma Frost is one of my favorite characters from the x-men universe. I mean, I like her – particularly during her Generation X days – and I think that she is an interesting character. But if you asked me who I would like to see an origin series about, the White Queen would probably be pretty far down on the list.
But honestly, I’m kind of hooked after this first volume. Sure, there are a lot of clichés crammed into one small book but the characters are believable for the most part and it is an intriguing look at young Emma’s life. I feel that Emma herself is well-written and relatable. I am definitely interested in where this series goes.
July 1, 2018
chile the covers. let me get it out of the way the art was whack and the covers even whacker. I mean how do you make a series to try and understand emma's past and motivations and like make porn covers,,,,,.
this was a solid backstory as long as they go, if we squint hard it makes sense w the generation x stuff.
and the question of the year if emma is a brunette how in hell are the cuckoos platinum blondes? keep tuned for more
this was a solid backstory as long as they go, if we squint hard it makes sense w the generation x stuff.
and the question of the year if emma is a brunette how in hell are the cuckoos platinum blondes? keep tuned for more
April 2, 2019
Vengo sin mucho bagaje con el personaje y en una tarde aburrida estuve mirando cosas y me puse a leer esto. Y no esta mal. Está curioso. Está bien llevado el modo de como el personaje aprende a usar sus poderes y el trauma con su familia.
March 7, 2020
I’ve generally liked Emma in what I’ve read her in, but getting to know her past was awesome. This series adds a whole fantastic layer to her character, and I couldn’t stop reading. The covers are pretty objectively terrible, but the content inside isn’t anything like what’s on the outside.
December 25, 2017
By far the most interesting X-men Character, loved re-visiting this awesome series!
December 27, 2020
Me in 2005: "Done in a manga size to attract a female teen audience…I think Marvel actually got it right. Lots of drama and good art."
July 30, 2024
This is simultaneously the best and worst thing I’ve ever read. Soap opera level drama. I was invested the entire time and sat my sister down to rant about it afterwards.
February 11, 2025
3.5 stars
April 28, 2025
i honestly don't know how to feel about this book, it was weird, and the covers are a bit strange...
but it gives Emma a backstory
but it gives Emma a backstory
March 14, 2015
The Emma Frost that I remember from my days of comic collecting was an intriguing, alluring, and quite complex individual. So, I was excited to get my hands on her origin; 3 graphic novels collecting material originally printed in a comic book limited series
I found the first book, collecting issues 1 through 6, to be quite disappointing. We meet a high school aged Emma and her family. Emma is discovering that she has some kind of unusual abilities, and she's discovering that the members of her family have assorted quirks and issues and secrets. Unfortunately, nothing felt SPECIAL about it … I realize that an origin needs to set some background, but the characters feel like cardboard cut-outs; nothing that happens in the first 6 issues really feels surprising. I expected more – and am glad I did not actually purchase 6 separate comic books to read the story to this point.
My hope is that the second and third volumes offer more. (SPOILER ALERT: They do.)
P.S. For the record … a couple of positives: (1) The artist did manage to effectively capture an awkward high school girl lacking self-confidence who the reader knows is destined to be come an alluring self-confident beauty as she gets older. (2) This collection of pre-published comics is not simply a reprint of the first/next X books in the series – there is a theme to the comics reprinted here, and a clear conclusion to the story when we hit the end of the last comic in the collection.
RATING: 2.5 stars, rounded down to 2 stars where necessary.
I found the first book, collecting issues 1 through 6, to be quite disappointing. We meet a high school aged Emma and her family. Emma is discovering that she has some kind of unusual abilities, and she's discovering that the members of her family have assorted quirks and issues and secrets. Unfortunately, nothing felt SPECIAL about it … I realize that an origin needs to set some background, but the characters feel like cardboard cut-outs; nothing that happens in the first 6 issues really feels surprising. I expected more – and am glad I did not actually purchase 6 separate comic books to read the story to this point.
My hope is that the second and third volumes offer more. (SPOILER ALERT: They do.)
P.S. For the record … a couple of positives: (1) The artist did manage to effectively capture an awkward high school girl lacking self-confidence who the reader knows is destined to be come an alluring self-confident beauty as she gets older. (2) This collection of pre-published comics is not simply a reprint of the first/next X books in the series – there is a theme to the comics reprinted here, and a clear conclusion to the story when we hit the end of the last comic in the collection.
RATING: 2.5 stars, rounded down to 2 stars where necessary.
December 9, 2009
Trashy but entertaining pulp with little artistic value or uniqueness, but like any good pulp, it was fun to read. Good backstory on Emma, I guess, but it portrays her differently than I remember - specifically, I thought her father had her commited to a mental institution before she left home? Dunno. Regardless - Emma Frost is bomb, I liked seeing a little bit of her origin, and a good addition to the Marvel universe. Not great, but good.
And for the record, I had no idea this follows the Astonishing timeline - the books don't say that anywhere, so I dunno. I think these were standalones under the name Emma Frost, but I can't say for sure. Just wondering where that came from in the entries for these books.
And for the record, I had no idea this follows the Astonishing timeline - the books don't say that anywhere, so I dunno. I think these were standalones under the name Emma Frost, but I can't say for sure. Just wondering where that came from in the entries for these books.
July 28, 2014
Was slightly disturbed that the covers for these six issues are adult Emma Frost in full-on porno-blowjob sex-position tiny-costume mode, but when you crack open the story it's young-teenaged Emma in prim and proper catholic high-school years.
(I can't recall if they're specific about her age, but, she's definitely under the age of consent. So it was... sort of an unfortunate juxtaposition of images. But hey, T&A sells comics.)
Anyway, was... reasonably okay I suppose. Has promise, is probably the phrase to use.
They flirted with going full-on kink with schoolgirl Emma almost having a fling with creepy teacher. But given how badly they would surely have mishandled it, I'm relieved it didn't go there.
(I can't recall if they're specific about her age, but, she's definitely under the age of consent. So it was... sort of an unfortunate juxtaposition of images. But hey, T&A sells comics.)
Anyway, was... reasonably okay I suppose. Has promise, is probably the phrase to use.
They flirted with going full-on kink with schoolgirl Emma almost having a fling with creepy teacher. But given how badly they would surely have mishandled it, I'm relieved it didn't go there.
January 25, 2016
This is my second read through of this limited series that tells Emma Frost's back story. I think this story is interesting because the person she is on the outside is like the golden-haired prep school girl who torments her and her golden-haired model perfect but shallow sister Adrienne. On the inside, she's kind of mushy. She's the one person with a conscience surrounded by people who don't have one. She adopts that "white" persona as camouflage to survive. Her real hair is a little mousier. Maybe blonde. Maybe brown. Dirty blonde? It gives Kitty's snide comments in other X-books about her being a "bottle blonde" a little more irony. Emma Frost is one of my favorite supes.
March 10, 2024
2019 review:
As someone who doesn't always like Emma Frost, I was surprised by how much I liked this. I enjoyed getting to see how Emma Frost dealt with first getting her powers, the art style is cool, and I was interested in her relationships with her family and schoolmates. If you're someone who usually likes X-Men stories I'd definitely recommend this.
2024 review:
I forgot how grotesquely dark the end stories with Emma's family get but damn, I love seeing Emma enter the beginning of her transformation to the powerful, confident hero/villain/chaotic mix of both that she becomes later on.
As someone who doesn't always like Emma Frost, I was surprised by how much I liked this. I enjoyed getting to see how Emma Frost dealt with first getting her powers, the art style is cool, and I was interested in her relationships with her family and schoolmates. If you're someone who usually likes X-Men stories I'd definitely recommend this.
2024 review:
I forgot how grotesquely dark the end stories with Emma's family get but damn, I love seeing Emma enter the beginning of her transformation to the powerful, confident hero/villain/chaotic mix of both that she becomes later on.
February 10, 2016
A decent story about Emma Frost's backstory, set when she's in high school and coping with her mutation and terrible family. The covers are very over the top (even for Emma Frost), and are nothing like the rest of the art.
July 9, 2007
Talk about dysfunctional families. Can't a mutant ever get a break?
June 25, 2012
Excellent story! Got me into reading comic books.
November 17, 2012
Shitty McShit. Terrible, over-sexualized art (she's a teenager for chrissakes), boring, childish, cliche storyline. Emma deserves better.
June 20, 2014
I liked it, but the art was sooo sexualized.
April 16, 2020
I love this - more Marvel with teen girl protags, please! You can really see the places where Emma's character was forged.
May 13, 2018
Started with the second one out of the series which I loved. This one felt different and also had different artwork but it was still pretty good.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews