What If #27: Phoenix didn't die

[lordultimus]

Comments

[violetclm.livejournal.com]

I always had a really hard time reading this one when I was young, because, well, the meat of the book is about Jean killing my heroes one by one. That's the whole draw. It was never easy to read. :(

Appreciate your leaving out Kitty's death, though.

[tcampbell1000]

It's a problem with these alt-universe stories in general. Writers relish the added emotional punch of piling on death scenes they could never get away with otherwise, but after you see a few of those arbitrary superhero slaughters, you've more or less seen them all. The best What-Ifs (and Elseworlds) look elsewhere for interest or are very restrained in their bloodshed.

[violetclm.livejournal.com]

I think it's that this one is not remotely arbitrary. Every single death is intensely personal for all parties involved.

[stolisomancer]

That's a solid observation. It's not the typical bit where they get mowed down in a panel each by a relatively impersonal force; it's Dark Phoenix being rather specifically cruel to each one in turn.