While perhaps not a universally beloved concept, something is interesting about creating a legacy character, seeing how the powers and ideals change based on who is wearing the mantle of hero. There are, of course, some cliches when writing a hero filling in the shoes of a famous predecessor, the feeling of not being strong enough or worthy of the title left to them. But ultimately, there are ways of making these kinds of stories interesting, changing the meaning of the character or giving them a new purpose or role in the world. This can especially be true of characters somewhere in the moral grey area or being of otherworldly power. Do it well, and you have the possibility of expanding the meaning and power of what a character represents. Unfortunately, while there is some serious potential in “Phoenix Song: Echo” #1, elements of the story feel tired and detract from the overall issue.
Written by Rebecca RoanhorseCover by Cory Smith
and Alejandro Sanchez
Illustrated by Luca Maresca
Colored by Carlos Lopez
Lettered by VC’s Ariana MaherSTRAIGHT OUT OF HER TRANSFORMATION IN AVENGERS, ECHO GETS AN EXHILARATING SOLO SERIES FROM BESTSELLER REBECCA ROANHORSE! Against all odds, one of the most powerful entities in the Marvel Universe chose Maya Lopez, a deaf street fighter, as its new avatar. And the burning question on everyone’s minds is: WHY?! But Echo is the last person to answer. Still learning her new cosmic abilities — and struggling with the Phoenix’s overwhelming personality — Echo strikes out to return to her roots. But the reservation has even fewer answers. And where power goes, evil follows. Someone wants Echo to fail — and unleash a power only the greatest heroes in history have been able to control. Avengers artist Luca Maresca joins superstar writer Rebecca Roanhorse for a story that will light the universe on fire!
There is just something about the first issue of “Phoenix Song: Echo” #1 that feels cliche. Perhaps it’s the narrative of people scared of an unknown and often dangerous cosmic force or the fact that Maya Lopez doesn’t find herself worthy of being chosen to be the vessel of such a powerful and destructive power. Maybe it’s the fact that Echo comes from a long line of powerful ancestors that the Phoenix found worthy, even though Echo lost the fight of who deserved the power. In any case, there was something about the central conflict of the issue that felt a little too familiar to be remarkable. This is especially true of Echo’s confrontation with Forge, a character who serves mainly as an exposition dump for what is “already known” about the Phoenix Force. In fact, throughout the issue, there is so much emphasis on the danger of the Phoenix, the inability of the previous host’s ability to control something so primal and powerful that you can’t help but assume where the story is going. It feels like Rebecca Roanhorse is setting up a story to change what we know about both Phoenix and Echo.
While the story isn’t necessarily doing anything revolutionary, “Phoenix Song: Echo,” #1 Roanhorse does a phenomenal job endearing the audience to Maya Lopez. Roanhorse’s characterization of Lopez is excellent, really capturing her inner conflict to be a hero while simultaneously struggling with her new level of destructive power. While the latter can feel cliche depending on the context, there are impactful moments in the issue. This is especially true in the early part of the issue when Echo has to confront how the Pheonix Force’s unchecked power looks to those around her. When Echo sees the fear in a child’s eye, she breaks out of her trance, the control that the Phoenix has over her, and quickly tries to justify her behavior. It also helps that Luca Maresca’s art helps to showcase just how frightening Echo looks at the height of her power. As the Phoenix, Lopez is equal parts spectacular and horrifying, wreathed in a beautiful and destructive fire. But when she drops the control and realizes what she’s been done, there is true vulnerability as she is surrounded by the same destructive force she controlled mere moments earlier.
Continued belowBut for the excellent and powerful scenes, there are also a fair number of cliche moments. Echo’s confrontations with Elektra and Forge lay down the significant challenges that Lopez will face as the new host to the cosmic entity. There’s just something about the dialogue that feels too obvious, declarations that Echo is a murderer or incapable of handling such a force and should give it up. In these moments, too, Echo is broadly written, instead of the nuance, she achieves in other parts of “Phoenix Song: Echo” #1. As a result, it’s a book that has a little bit of whiplash from scene to scene. There are some compelling quiet moments as she struggles with her place in the cosmic plan of the Phoenix force and how she can continue to be in the fray and help people when she can’t even control her strength. But when the book falls to grandstanding and moments of intense confrontation, it falls a bit flat.
That is not to say that there are some compelling moments in the book. Luca Maresca and Carlos Lopez do a remarkable job of making the power of the Phoenix look both beautiful and dangerous. Lopez’s use of color throughout “Phoenix Song: Echo” #1 is worth mentioning, emphasizing oranges and reds and how they contrast with the dark blues of night or the blighted grey of Easter Island. Throughout the issue, one of the best things is how Lopez’s eyes ignite as she remembers the moments of destruction in her past. It’s a simple shorthand to show her struggling with how the power of the Phoenix has controlled her. Finally, VC’s Ariana Maher does some impressive work with the book’s lettering, slipping between the intense, fiery letters of the Phoenix and Maya’s regular speech. What makes this work is that there is a line where you can see a certain level of synthesis between the two, where the two speak with a similar voice, but moments that Maya wants to comfort others, she drops the effect and, similarly, moments when the Phoenix takes control. It is not necessarily subtle, but it is incredibly impactful.
It’s not a bad first issue, necessarily, just one that doesn’t exactly inspire some return visits. Perhaps Roanhorse is leaning into cliche early to break out of those molds as Maya meets members of her family line, learning about her family’s nuanced and messy history and why it was deemed worthy of the Phoenix force. On the other hand, maybe there are parallels between the two, and we’re about to get a Phoenix who works with her host rather than through her host. In either case, ‘Phoenix Song: Echo” #1 leans a little too hard into these conventions without presenting a clear alternative. There are some impactful moments, just not necessarily lasting ones.
Final Verdict: 6.5 “Phoenix Song: Echo” #1 has some effective moments of characterization for Maya Lopez and some effective art but ultimately doesn’t do much to stand out.
