The jewel in the crown of Chris Claremont and John Byrnes seminal X-Men run, The Dark Phoenix Saga has stood the test of time as one of comic books most important events. There were no tie-ins, no holofoil covers and no gimmicks; just a startlingly good story about a woman given God-like powers and choosing to die instead of let them consume her. Claremont brought the entire solar system to the brink of annihilation and yet offset such cosmically significant events against the background of an even more astonishing force, that of a couple in love with one another. An emotional story, for both the readers and the characters involved, Dark Phoenix stands as a high water mark of comic book storytelling. It is a great example of how to do a powerful, emotionally engaging event, without merchandising the crap out of it and putting everyone off of buying it in the process.