| "The Dark Phoenix Saga" | |
|---|---|
 Cover of Uncanny X-Men vol. 135, July 1980, art by John Byrne | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| Publication date | January – October 1980 |
| Genre | |
| Title(s) | The Uncanny X-Men #129–138 |
| Main character(s) | X-Men Hellfire Club Lilandra Shi'ar Imperial Guard Phoenix Force |
| Creative team | |
| Writer(s) | Chris Claremont John Byrne |
| Penciller(s) | John Byrne |
| Inker(s) | Terry Austin |
| Letterer(s) | Tom Orzechowski |
| Colorist(s) | Glynis Wein |
| Dark Phoenix Saga | ISBN 0-7851-2213-3 |
"The Dark Phoenix Saga" is an extended X-Men comic-book storyline published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist John Byrne, the storyline first appeared in X-Men #129 (January 1980).[1] It focuses on the superhero Jean Grey and the cosmic entity Phoenix Force. The storyline commonly refers to the story in Uncanny X-Men #129–138 (January – October 1980) of Jean Grey's corruption by the power of the Phoenix and the Hellfire Club, the destruction she causes, and ultimately her death. Sometimes included is Jean Grey's assumption of the Phoenix power and the repair of the M'Kraan Crystal in Uncanny X-Men #101–108 (October 1976 – December 1977).
"The Dark Phoenix Saga" is one of the most well-known and heavily referenced stories in mainstream American superhero comics, and is widely considered to be a classic storyline by critics. Many of its characters who debuted in this story arc, such as Kitty Pryde, Dazzler, and Emma Frost, would later go on to become some of the most popular comic book characters of all time. [2][3][4]
Since its introduction in comics, the storyline has been featured in various other Marvel-licensed products. It was adapted for X-Men: The Animated Series (1992). It was later alluded to in the live-action film X2 (2003). The live-action film X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) contains some elements from the saga. The animated series Wolverine and the X-Men (2009) adapted "The Dark Phoenix Saga" at the end of its first season, though it changed many elements of the story. Had there been a fifth season of the animated series X-Men: Evolution (2000), its own version of the four-part Dark Phoenix would have been adapted. The live-action X-Men film Dark Phoenix (2019) is an adaptation of the Hellfire arc of the story.
- ^ Polo, Susana (2018-09-27). "The Dark Phoenix's origin and powers stem from a legendary comic". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
- ^ Deeley, Michael (June 16, 2001). "Silver Soapbox: Dark Phoenix: The Director's Cut". Comics Bulletin. Retrieved 2009-04-12.
- ^ Pulfer, Richard (April 8, 2020). "How X-Men Comics Kept Retconning The Dark Phoenix Force". Screen Rant. Retrieved 2023-08-06.
- ^ Magnett, Chase (June 5, 2019). "10 Comics to Read Before Dark Phoenix Besides the Dark Phoenix Saga". ComicBook.com. Retrieved 2023-08-06.