X-Factor prelim designs #3 by Bob Layton
INTERESTING TRIVIA: Jean Grey wasn’t originally announced as the 5th member of X-Factor. Alison Blaire aka Dazzler was the first choice until editorial decided at the very last minute to resurrect Jean Grey and retcon her death in the Dark Phoenix Saga (something Mr. Chris Claremont was not very happy about)! Dazzler, as we all know, went on to serve with the Outback team instead over in Uncanny X-Men.
I bet Claremont was pissed off. I remember hearing this story in Wizard or somewhere — I love Ali, but I am glad they brought Jean back.
I am and I’m not, equally. I’m a big Dazzler fan but I’m also a massively huge fan of the Original Five team. Dazzler had some great established relationships with both Warren and Hank at the time, so I think she would have blended in nicely.
For me, though, the question really comes down to whether or not Jean should have been brought back from the Phoenix Saga at all. Claremont had fully intended this to be the end of Jean Grey’s story and her to not have ever been brought back. I think the story would have benefited from her not returning because it would have kept the integrity of the story AND it would have saved all of the convoluted character history (ie is Jean Phoenix or not, can she access the powers or not, and so many writers screwing this up).
But on the other hand, there were a lot of great stories told in X-Factor as was (definitely within my top 3 favourite runs of all time) and I’m not sure it would have been the same without her! So…I think I’m on the fence about it still, as the pros and cons balance for ME.
What do you all think?
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