AXE: X-Men #1 throws Jean Grey into the fire - literally

AXE: X-Men #1
(Image credit: Marvel Comics)

In the ongoing war between the X-Men, the Avengers, and the Eternals, no one is safe from judgment - not even Jean Grey. Newsarama can reveal a preview from AXE: X-Men #1, written by event architect Kieron Gillen, drawn by Francesco Mobili, colored by Frank Martin, and lettered by Clayton Cowles, seen below.

AXE: X-Men #1 cover (Image credit: Marvel Comics)

Marvel teases AXE: X-Men #1 as "the second story-critical" one-shot, following September 28's AXE: Avengers#1, in the AXE: Judgment Day event which has been in progress since July. Now that the Progenitor has made its call about whether Earth deserves to survive, it's determined to destroy the planet - but a select group of heroes is trying to trigger its self-destruct mechanism from the inside.

In the preview below, Jean literally walks into the fire to help her teammates complete the mission, to her own detriment. According to the solicit text from Marvel, she spends the issue trying to "justify her existence" as worlds are burning. Perhaps holding open a mini sun is her way of redeeming herself after her own judgment, which calls back to the time Jean destroyed an entire galaxy as the Dark Phoenix.

She also gets hit with a brutal psychic attack, which suggests someone or something knows where she is and what she's doing. Because of the attack, Jean struggles to maintain her power output, forcing her teammates to move significantly faster to get through the sun in one piece. And the cliffhanger makes it seem as if not everyone will make it to the other side, Jean included.

AXE: Judgment Day - X-Men #1 will be available October 5.

In the meantime, check out this list of the best X-Men stories.

TOPICS
Samantha Puc
Editor, Newsarama

Samantha Puc (she/they) is an editor at Newsarama and an avid comics fan. Their writing has been featured on Refinery29, Bitch Media, them., The Beat, The Mary Sue, and elsewhere. She is currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative nonfiction at The New School.

Read more
Phoenix #12
Jean Grey's "miraculous return" will solve an X-Men mystery that's been lingering for over 30 years
Kamala Khan holds Jean Grey's body in an homage to the cover of Uncanny X-Men #136
45 years after the original Dark Phoenix Saga, Ms. Marvel Kamala Khan will travel back in time to save X-Men history
A shovel sitting by the open grave of Gwen Stacy
Marvel promises "Nothing is sacred" as it teases the resurrection of the original Gwen Stacy, and also a "long-lost loved one" for Jean Grey
Uncanny X-Men #11
Professor Xavier goes into cardiac arrest as X-Manhunt kicks off in Uncanny X-Men #11
Ms. Marvel alongside the mutants of Age of Apocalypse
30 years after the original Age of Apocalypse, Ms. Marvel Kamala Khan will travel to the alt-reality to save X-Men history
Juggernaut stomps.
Juggernaut meets his maker as the X-Men arrive to fight Cyttorak in Amazing Spider-Man #67
Latest in Marvel Comics
New Champions #4
Meet Gold Tiger, the young Wakandan hero whose origin will be revealed in New Champions #4
Marvel Rivals: Ignite #1
Marvel Rivals goes manga in a new comic from Peach Momoko and three other Japanese artists that reveals several new in-game costumes
Fantastic Four #30
Thanks to Doctor Doom, Ben Grimm is no longer the Thing and his kids don't even recognize him in Fantastic Four #30
Silver Surfer sitting on his board
Marvel June 2025 solicitations: 10 must-have comics to pre-order this month
Spider-Man swings into action alongside the Fantastic Four and Ms. Marvel.
Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four team up in a new story from Jay and Silent Bob creator Kevin Smith
Ghost Rider facing down Galactus
Ghost Rider takes on Galactus in the Marvel Universe's most one-sided fist fight this summer
Latest in News
Animal Well screenshot, captured on PC
After his excellent debut Metroidvania took 7 years, Animal Well's solo dev says his next game shouldn't "take nearly as long"
Screenshots from Tekken: The Board Game teaser trailer
I hope your affairs are in order, because Bandai Namco just dropped Tekken: The Board Game
Tekken 8
Tekken lead Katsuhiro Harada says he's spent decades "mentally preparing" for AI to overtake humans, but it's not happening: "If AI had really advanced, we wouldn't be pouring 10, 20, 30 billion Yen into making games"
inZOI Character Studio trailer screenshot showing a young woman with ginger-y hair and a light baseball cap smiling to the side
The Sims competitor inZOI dethrones Hollow Knight: Silksong to become most wishlisted game on Steam
Minecraft Vibrant Visuals
16 years after Minecraft first released it's getting a modern visual upgrade with a retro lighting trick that Mojang hasn't seen "in any other game"
She-Hulk on Disney Plus
Tatiana Maslany canceled a Comic Con appearance due to "filming commitments", and it could mean She-Hulk is in the next Avengers movie