Warning! This post contains SPOILERS Dark Web: X-Men #2
In the latest tie-in to Marvel's Dark Web, the X-Men's Batman's classic slapping meme. Taking place at Christmastime in New York, Spider-Man's evil clone Chasm has ed forces with Limbo's Goblin Queen Madelyne Pryor, herself a clone of Jean Grey. Promising to help each other get what they want, Pryor now has Cyclops, Havok, Magik, and Jean locked away in Limbo while Chasm goes after Spider-Man. However, Jean is still quite the powerful telepath in this new chapter.
In Dark Web: X-Men #2 from Gerry Duggan, Rod Reis, and Phil Noto, Madelyne has procured a Cerebro backup drive of Jean Grey's memories, hoping to unlock it to regain the memories and feelings Jean had with Nathan Summers' Cable (Pryor's son). However, to access the memories Madelyne needs Jean to unlock the drive. Placing Grey and Magik in a fantasy scenario where Pryor presents herself as a friend, she makes them think they're younger before their powers manifested so they wouldn't pose a threat. However, Jean receives some help from Scott Summers who telepathically reminds her who she really is. Breaking the Goblin Queen's hold, Jean isn't very happy with her evil clone and her response is hilariously perfect.
Jean Grey Is Ready To Put Her Evil Clone In Her Place
Despite being the X-Men's most powerful member and one of the greatest telepaths the Marvel Universe has, Jean's decision to slap Madelyne across the face is pure gold. While telekinesis and telepathy are epic powers, Jean setting those abilities aside to physically smack Pryor with all kinds of disrespect is just so great. Likewise, it epically improves upon the classic Batman slapping Robin meme.
Clearly, Jean is ready to throw down in the issues to come. As such, it wouldn't be surprising if Madelyne Pryor is taken aback by the former Phoenix striking her. After all, it's not every day that a villain as powerful as the Goblin Queen gets smacked. While their future showdown will likely feature all kinds of telepathic abilities and supernatural defenses, it's quite impressive that Jean kicks things off with a good old-fashioned slap across the face.
While the rest of the X-Men still need to be freed and Spider-Man is facing off with his own evil clone, it stands to reason that nothing major will happen in Marvel's Dark Web at least until after Jean Grey and Madelyne go head-to-head after she slapped her silly just like Batman. While Madelyne is quite formidable in her own right, it's more than likely that she can't hold a candle to her original genetic template. Dark Web: X-Men #2 is on sale now from Marvel Comics.
