Defenders: Beyond #3

The cover of Defenders: Beyond #3 makes a striking statement, centering a bold, close-up figure in a dark starburst costume — pink-haired, sharp-eyed, and wearing a speech bubble that declares "I am Phoenix." — as vivid rainbow energy radiates from her lower half, tying the cosmic grandeur of the Phoenix to something almost pop-art playful. Javier Rodríguez's design work here is genuinely arresting, stripping the composition down to a near-minimalist portrait that somehow feels enormous. Al Ewing's series continues to push Marvel's cosmic corners into fascinating territory, and this 2022 issue signals that the Phoenix Force is very much part of the conversation.