Hello everyone I'm new to the site. I just had a quick question regarding the original Phoenix. I'll be honest I haven't read the original comics in quite sometime so my knowledge is a tad rusty. I do remember though in the original the Phoenix was not a separate entity but was Jean's full potential realized. I was just curious at what point this was changed? Since pretty much everything else I remember from the cartoons etc the Phoenix is shown as the cosmic entity we all know it as today.

Welcome to Comic Vine! 
 
It was changed when they resurrected Jean for X-Factor #1 (I can't remember the specific Fantastic Four issue right now, but I'm sure you can find it in Jean's Comics By Cover section).  In order to bring her back to life, they established that the Phoenix was a separate entity who had placed Jean in a cocoon when the shuttle crashed back on Earth. 

This was much much later retconned again to say that Jean really was the Phoenix, but I don't know where that was.

 http://www.comicvine.com/the-avengers-what-lurks-below/37-26388/    
http://www.comicvine.com/fantastic-four-like-a-phoenix/37-26396/ 
 
It was a 2 part story...

Actually, I hate to retort XK, but it was never retconned to say that the Jean that committed suicide on the moon and the Jean in the cocoon were one in the same. It was just stated that the Phoenix Force IS Jean, but Jean is not the Phoenix Force.

"Actually, I hate to retort XK, but it was never retconned to say that the Jean that committed suicide on the moon and the Jean in the cocoon were one in the same. It was just stated that the Phoenix Force IS Jean, but Jean is not the Phoenix Force. "