During Chris Claremont's initial tenure as writer of Uncanny X-Men, from issues #94 to #279 (in addition to numerous spinoffs, limited series, annuals, and specials), the series progressed from the bottom of the sales charts to clear industry leader. Claremont's famous for his novelistic approach to writing the title, weaving numerous character arcs and plot threads into a narrative that never neatly concludes on any single issue. Two other elements are also hallmarks of Claremont's work: his roster of powerful female characters, and his development of Wolverine, introduced as a violent hothead but evolving under Claremont's watch as the team's conscience.
Wolverine was included in the X-Men lineup by his co-creator, editor/writer Len Wein, after appearing in only one previous storyline as an Incredible Hulk villain. Claremont's affection for powerful heroines and his nuanced take on Wolverine collided when he toyed around with the idea of having Jean Grey, reborn in his run as the avatar for a cosmic entity known as the Phoenix, becoming drawn to the rebellious Wolverine.
Wolverine's Earliest Flirtations
Wolverine was eclipsed by his teammates in his earliest appearances as an X-Man, and fan reaction at the time had him as the least popular member. While Wolverine rarely receives the spotlight in these early stories, his most memorable moments usually involve Jean. In a sequence that likely wouldn't pass muster with a Standards and Practices department today, Wolverine slices Jean's dress inappropriately while rescuing her from the villainous Project: Wideawake in Uncanny X-Men #98.
Later, following Jean's initial encounter with the Phoenix entity, Wolverine makes an awkward attempt to visit her in the hospital in Uncanny #101. Wolverine's crude attempts at courting Jean created tension with her longtime love Cyclops, which did little to endear him to existing fans of the title.
The team's lineup had been selected by Wein before Claremont stepped in at the last minute to replace him as X-Men writer, and given readers' cool response to Wolverine, Claremont was reportedly ready to drop him from the lineup by the end of artist Dave Cockrum's stint on the title.
Even if he wasn't a fan-favorite, the Claremont/Cockrum run was significant for establishing Wolverine's unmasked face, his real name as Logan, and his struggles against an animalistic rage. Cockrum's successor John Byrne asserts he fought for Wolverine's presence on the team. As a Canadian, Byrne says he didn't wish to see one of the few Canadian comics characters fall into limbo. Additionally, Byrne has stated a fondness for adopting a specific cast member of a book when he joins the creative team, viewing the underdeveloped Wolverine as an intriguing project.
New Loves, Following Jean Grey's Death
Stories during the Claremont/Byrne era of Uncanny X-Men hint at Wolverine's shadowy past as a secret agent, dramatize his struggles to keep his violent rages in check, and establish his affection for Jean as a tragic unrequited love. Today's famous meme of Wolverine from X-Men: The Animated Series staring longingly at a photo of Jean has its genesis during the Chris Claremont/John Byrne Iron Fist run (during an X-Men guest appearance), a precursor to their work on X-Men.
Perhaps the most famous storyline from the Claremont/Byrne era is "The Dark Phoenix Saga," an arc that emphasizes Cyclops and Jean's love, ending in tragedy as Jean seemingly dies in an act of heroic self-sacrifice. Though Wolverine is portrayed as devastated by the events (even admitting to himself in the final chapter that he was once in love with Jean), the creators had already conceived a steady love interest for Wolverine in the form of Mariko Yashida, a genteel Japanese national.
The relationship between Wolverine and Mariko is one of the core romantic pairings of the Claremont era, serving as the spine for his landmark Wolverine miniseries with artist Frank Miller. At this point in the continuity, no plans existed to revive Jean (Claremont was adamantly opposed to the idea), leaving both Wolverine and Cyclops free to carry on with new loves. Cyclops would marry Madelyne Pryor, a character later retconned into being a clone of Jean, in 1984's Uncanny X-Men #175.
1986 would see the release of X-Factor, however, a series conceived without Claremont's knowledge that had Jean Grey's resurrection at the center of its premise. Claremont resented the decision and, to this day, feels X-Factor #1 diminishes Cyclops as a character, as he leaves his wife and newborn son behind in Alaska to reunite with Jean. (To be fair to original X-Factor writer Bob Layton, however, the story doesn't indicate Cyclops is romantically pursuing Jean, and his guilt over this "abandonment" is a recurring theme in early X-Factor issues.)
A Retcon Establishes the Now-Famous Love Triangle
Also launching in 1986 would be Classic X-Men, a reprint series devoted to Claremont's earliest X-Men stories that also included new material from the writer. The first issue of Classic has a curious distinction -- it's actually the first comic to indicate that Jean shares any romantic feelings for Wolverine.
Before this issue, no stories even hinted that Jean shared Wolverine's feelings. During a sequence from Claremont and artist John Bolton set during Wolverine's first day on the team, Classic X-Men #1 has a private conversation between Jean and Professor Xavier to establish Jean's attraction. In fact, she's so drawn to Wolverine, she's convinced she has to leave the X-Men!
This was a controversial move in some circles, and Claremont's former collaborator Byrne isn't shy about voicing his disapproval. As Byrne has stated on his forum:
"...it made sense that (Wolverine) would be smitten and she not. Jean is, after all, a phenomenally hot babe. Problem was, Wolverine became the avatar of the fanboys, and it became necessary that that 'loser' Cyclops get punted aside in favor of the 'way kewl' Wolverine. And then the whole point of the 'triangle' gets lost."
From this point forward, the mythos of a messy Cyclops/Jean/Wolverine love triangle begins. A backup story in Classic X-Men #27 from writer Ann Nocenti and artist John Bolton has Jean and Wolverine forced into a sweaty embrace, thanks to a monster composed of toxic chemicals.
Months later, a chapter of the "Inferno" crossover from Claremont and artist Marc Silvestri opens with Wolverine grabbing an unsuspecting Jean for a kiss. Wolverine's acting under the dark influence of Manhattan's demonic invasion, and while Jean's unaffected by the demons, her thoughts hint that perhaps she enjoyed it. "That kiss...blast him, that kiss!"
Another X-crossover meant another opportunity for the duo to lock lips. 1990's X-Factor #61 from the "X-Tinction Agenda" event (written by Louise Simonson and penciled by Jon Bogdanove) features another embrace between Wolverine and Jean. Prisoners of the madman Cameron Hodge, she gives the mortally wounded Wolverine a kiss during what she thinks could be his final moments.
Within the next year Claremont would leave the franchise, and Cyclops and Jean would marry in 1994's X-Men #30 (in addition to the popular animated series), but the enthusiasm from some fans for a Wolverine/Jean pairing never abated. While plotting the main X-titles in 1999, writer/artist Alan Davis experienced pressure from Marvel's editorial to produce a cover that featured another kiss. As Davis told TwoMorrows Publishing's Rough Stuff in its debut issue:
"(T)here was one 'request' that baffled me--a cover image with Wolverine and Jean Grey kissing. My question was always why, what is the story behind it? The answer was always the same, it's what the fans want and it's gonna be big -- and it will boost sales! I sent my sketch (an image of Rogue and Jean Grey making out) as an alternative that would certainly boost sales."
And even though Marvel experienced major editorial changeovers in the months after Davis' departure from the X-titles, it's interesting to see writer Joe Casey and penciler Ian Churchill's much-hyped debut Uncanny X-Men issue in June 2001 feature…a kiss between Wolverine and Jean!
Soon after, over in the pages of New X-Men #117, writer Grant Morrison and penciler Ethan Van Sciver would also have Jean and Wolverine kiss when she discusses her marital issues with Cyclops. In this instance, it's Wolverine who pushes Jean away.
Claremont would revisit these characters with X-Men: The End, a 2004-2006 trilogy of miniseries that offered his hypothetical take on the X-Men's last days. In this alternate future, Cyclops and Jean's marriage has ended, and Claremont presents an intriguing explanation for why. In the finale issue, Madelyne Pryor reveals that she's the part of Jean Grey who once loved Scott wholeheartedly. Without that portion of her soul, Jean and Cyclops' marriage was doomed.
Although this is an alternate reality series, it speaks to a vision Claremont maintains for the characters. Jean's affection for Cyclops resides within Madelyne Pryor, which is why their relationship in the pages of X-Factor never quite seemed right.
Chris Claremont Confirms His Stance on the X-Men Love Triangle
By 2009, Chris Claremont's latest return to the X-fold was announced. X-Men Forever was promoted as a continuation of the storylines he intended for the X-Men back in the 1990s. Freed from the yoke of other writers' continuity, Claremont chose to open the debut issue of X-Men Forever with…yet another Wolverine and Jean kiss!
The other shock in X-Men Forever #1 occurs on the final pages, when Wolverine is murdered. For the rest of the series' run, Jean mourns the loss of the man she feels was her true love, while also carrying guilt over ending her relationship with Cyclops. Curiously, while Claremont is viewed by many as the definitive X-writer, he doesn't seem to hold Cyclops and Jean's long-running relationship in high esteem. Claremont addressed the topic when interviewed on the YouTube channel Near Mint Condition:
"Logan and Jean are for me the primal forces of the universe. One is faith, the other is reality. It takes the two of them to bring creation to life. Jean can love (Cyclops) with all her heart, Logan can love Mariko with all his heart, but in a 125 years...Scott and Mariko will be dead. Jean and Logan go on forever. Forever is a really big word. So there are two levels of love, I guess. There is mortal love and immortal love. And that's the level on which Logan and Jean operate. To me."
The comments indicate Claremont believes Jean truly is the cosmically powerful Phoenix, which is its own can of continuity worms, but also provide a credible defense for the controversial pairing. It would seem unlikely that the official Marvel canon will allow Jean and Wolverine as a permanent couple, but at least one prominent creator has given his blessing.