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Alias #1-4
Alias Omnibus
Once upon a time, Jessica Jones was a costumed super-hero, just not a very good one. Her powers were unremarkable compared to the amazing abilities of the costumed icons that populate the Marvel Universe. In a city of Marvels, Jessica Jones never found her niche.
Now a chain-smoking, self-destructive alcoholic with a mean inferiority complex, Jones is the owner and sole employee of Alias Investigations - a small, private-investigative firm specializing in super-human cases. In her inaugural arc, Jessica's life immediately becomes expendable when she uncovers the potentially explosive secret of one hero's true identity. But her wit, charm and intelligence just may help her survive through another day.
Thrust into the midst of a conspiracy that reaches the highest levels, has Jessica burned too many bridges to turn to old friends for help?
Plus: Jessica travels to upstate New York to investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl rumored to be a mutant in a prejudiced small town, goes on a date with the Astonishing Ant-Man, teams up with Jessica Drew, the original Spider-Woman; and confronts the demons of her past.
Collects Alias #1-28, What If? Jessica Jones had Joined the Avengers.
Now a chain-smoking, self-destructive alcoholic with a mean inferiority complex, Jones is the owner and sole employee of Alias Investigations - a small, private-investigative firm specializing in super-human cases. In her inaugural arc, Jessica's life immediately becomes expendable when she uncovers the potentially explosive secret of one hero's true identity. But her wit, charm and intelligence just may help her survive through another day.
Thrust into the midst of a conspiracy that reaches the highest levels, has Jessica burned too many bridges to turn to old friends for help?
Plus: Jessica travels to upstate New York to investigate the disappearance of a teenage girl rumored to be a mutant in a prejudiced small town, goes on a date with the Astonishing Ant-Man, teams up with Jessica Drew, the original Spider-Woman; and confronts the demons of her past.
Collects Alias #1-28, What If? Jessica Jones had Joined the Avengers.
672 pages, Hardcover
First published March 31, 2006
32 people are currently reading
898 people want to read
About the author
Brian Michael Bendis
4,444 books2,555 followersA comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim (including five Eisner Awards) and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics. For over eight years Bendis’s books have consistently sat in the top five best sellers on the nationwide comic and graphic novel sales charts.
Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.
Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.
Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.
Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.
Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event’ projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.
He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.
Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.
Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.
Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.
Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.
Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event’ projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.
He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews
June 10, 2023
Although I own the graphic novel volumes, I'm being a bit lazy reviewing the entire series under the omnibus volume. This series was even better on the re-read - Marvel's first R-Rated adventure penned by the genius that is Brian Michael Bendis, introducing and starring Jennifer Jones, a retired superhero and one-time Avenger(!), turned private investigator with psychological scars from a traumatic past involving how she got her powers, two comas (as in comatose x 2), and a total ass-kicking! An amazing piece of adult fiction completely embedded into Marvel continuity. This work also has a genius interpretation of the nuances of modern city dating! There are just so many great things about this neo-feminist piece of art that the creators somehow managed to embed in the Marvel Universe. Collects the entire 28 issue series. 10 out of 12. Five Star read.
2014 read; 2011 read
2014 read; 2011 read
April 28, 2013
I've read several Marvel Max titles in recent years, and frequently they just read like "What if superheroes could curse and have sex?" Apparently at the very start of the Max line, though, Marvel was hoping for more "adult" comics in the way that many R-rated movies aren't just a bunch of dudes sitting around swearing at each other (except maybe in Van Wilder or something).
Alias was the very first Marvel Max title, and ran concurrently with several of Bendis's regular Marvel titles like Daredevil and Secret Avengers (which occasionally overlap here). The series finds Jessica Jones, a superhero-turned-private-eye, digging through the Marvel Universe to solve crime on a much smaller scale than we normally get with a superhero book. She deals with these crimes on a personal level as only a single person could, using her powers very infrequently. This is a book about a PERSON going through REAL LIFE SHIT, and the fact that Captain America shows up every now and then only adds a bit of wonder to the proceedings. As I read this, I didn't care about Captain America showing up. I cared about Jessica Jones. Bendis has created a very real, very vulnerable character in this series, much different from superheroes at large.
Making these types of stories "realistic" has been a recurring theme in the media in the past few years. Kick-Ass sought to show how it would play out if a real kid tried to become a superhero in the real world. The Christopher Nolan Batman movies sought to put a larger-than-life superhero into a realistic, believable world. Not that these stories didn't work. There's just something different about Alias. It manages to exist in the huge, fantastical world of Marvel without ever feeling cornball or over-the-top. In fact, it frequently pokes fun at typical superhero tropes while thoroughly accepting them as truth. It shows that Bendis has a real love of comics concurrent with his love of doing things differently.
Now, that said, some of the dialogue in this series can get a little tedious. Bendis's way of making people speak more "realistically" often ends up just having people stammer and interrupt each other in ways that can really bog down the pages with piles of speech bubbles. But that's a minor quibble. Each story in this arc feels poignant, both a commentary on the real world and on comics as a medium. And the depressed, sometimes aimless character of Jessica Jones feels like a real person I could know. Only with the ability to punch my head off.
Alias was the very first Marvel Max title, and ran concurrently with several of Bendis's regular Marvel titles like Daredevil and Secret Avengers (which occasionally overlap here). The series finds Jessica Jones, a superhero-turned-private-eye, digging through the Marvel Universe to solve crime on a much smaller scale than we normally get with a superhero book. She deals with these crimes on a personal level as only a single person could, using her powers very infrequently. This is a book about a PERSON going through REAL LIFE SHIT, and the fact that Captain America shows up every now and then only adds a bit of wonder to the proceedings. As I read this, I didn't care about Captain America showing up. I cared about Jessica Jones. Bendis has created a very real, very vulnerable character in this series, much different from superheroes at large.
Making these types of stories "realistic" has been a recurring theme in the media in the past few years. Kick-Ass sought to show how it would play out if a real kid tried to become a superhero in the real world. The Christopher Nolan Batman movies sought to put a larger-than-life superhero into a realistic, believable world. Not that these stories didn't work. There's just something different about Alias. It manages to exist in the huge, fantastical world of Marvel without ever feeling cornball or over-the-top. In fact, it frequently pokes fun at typical superhero tropes while thoroughly accepting them as truth. It shows that Bendis has a real love of comics concurrent with his love of doing things differently.
Now, that said, some of the dialogue in this series can get a little tedious. Bendis's way of making people speak more "realistically" often ends up just having people stammer and interrupt each other in ways that can really bog down the pages with piles of speech bubbles. But that's a minor quibble. Each story in this arc feels poignant, both a commentary on the real world and on comics as a medium. And the depressed, sometimes aimless character of Jessica Jones feels like a real person I could know. Only with the ability to punch my head off.
August 31, 2016
JESSICA JONES! ONE OF MY FAV SUPERHEROES
Well butuh waktu cukup lama buat beresin Alias karena isinya itu lima volume (28 issue), fiuh lumayan juga perjuangannya. Sebenernya yang bikin agak keganggu buat baca itu gambarnya sih, kurang enak dilihat aja. Maaf buat Michael Gaydos (Ilustrator) tapi jujur aku kurang suka tipe gambar kayak gitu. Meskipun gambarnya kurang enak dilihat kalau cerita menurutku lumayan oke.
Volume 1 (Alias)
Inti cerita tentang Jessica Jones yang sudah pensiun dari dunia superhero dan sekarang dia bekerja di ‘perusahaan’ miliknya sendiri Alias Private Investigator. Ceritanya cukup membosankan, cuma bagaimana dia jadi PI dan bagaimana dia beresin masalahnya. Same old, same old. Cuma ada beberapa superhero yang muncul selewat di sini seperti Carol Danvers (Capt Marvel) yang ternyata sahabat JJ dan Capt America. Luke Cage di sini masih diceritain selewat-selewat muncul.
Volume 2 (Come Home)
Masih tentang pekerjaan JJ sebagai PI, dan cukup seru dibanding volume 1 meskipun menurutku masih termasuk datar-datar aja ceritanya. Di volume 2 ini aku kurang suka JJ karena di sini dia nunjukkin sifat palyernya.
Volume 3 (The Underneath)
Cukup kaget pas tahu kalau JJ itu sempet ngedate sama Scott Lang (Ant Man). Masalah di sini jauh lebiih bagus dibanding volume 2, tentang anak angkat J. Jonah Jameson (yang puya Daily Bugle itu lho). Nah si anak angkat ini ternyata punya kekuatan super lalu dia kabur karena Jameson cukup sensi sama orang yang punya kekuatan super. JJ lalu mencoba cari kemana anak ini dan well akhirnya dia dibantu Jessica Drew aka Spider Woman buat nyari anak ini. JJ juga sempet dibantu Malcom Powder (one of my fav characters from Marvel’s Jessica Jones) yang di komik ceritanya masih anak SMA beda sama di serial tvnya.
Volume The Secret Origin of Jessica Jones
Cerita mulai dari JJ yang masih remaja (dulu namanya Jesssica Campbell), dia ternyata satu sekolah dan sempet punya crush sama Peter Parker. Di sini diceritain tentang JJ yang mengalami kecelakaan dan cuma dia yang selamat dari kecelakaan itu. Pas kecelakaan dia sempat kena bahan radioaktif dan itu yang menyebabkan dia punya kekuatan super. Efek dari kecelakaan itu dia koma seama 6 bulan dan setelah sadar dia diangkat oleh keluarga Jones. JJ cukup frustasi sama kehidupannya hingga akhirnya dia sadar kalau dia punya kekuatan super.
Volume 4 (Purple)
Volume dari komik Alias yang menurutku paling bagus, di sini masalahnya lebih kompleks. Isi ceritanya tentang masa lalu JJ dan Zebediah Kilgrave aka Purple Man. Di sini diceritain bagaimana JJ dulu sempet jadi superhero dengan nama ‘Jewel’ dan bagaimana dia dimanipulasi oleh Kilgrave selama delapan bulan hingga akhirnya JJ trauma dan dia ga mau lagi berurusan dengan superhero.
Yang aku suka, JJ untuk pertama kalinya nyeritain masa lalu nya ini ke Luke Cage bukan ke Scott, dan respon Luke ketika dia ngedengerin cerita JJ itu bener-bener sweet dan bikin aku melting, ahh Luke xD
Jadi keinget moment JJ - Luke di Marvel’s Jessica Jones xD
Setelah masalah dengan Kilgrave beres, di akhir cerita JJ ngaku ke Scott kalau dia hamil tapiiiii anak yang dikandung JJ itu bukan anak Scott melainkan Luke hingga akhirnya Scott pergi.
Yessss bye Scott.
JJ lalu ngaku ke Luke tentang kehamilannya itu dan Luke bahagia dan akhirnya ngaku kalau selama ini dia suka sama JJ. Aw, Luke xD
Serius, buat yang udah nonton dan suka Marvel’s Jessica Jones harus baca komik ini. Ceritanya lebih detail meskipun isi keseluruhan cerita ga terlalu beda. Cuma yang jelas di Marvel’s Jessica Jones itu ceritanya lebih ngikutin ke volume 4 karena memang musuh utamanya itu si Kilgrave.
Well butuh waktu cukup lama buat beresin Alias karena isinya itu lima volume (28 issue), fiuh lumayan juga perjuangannya. Sebenernya yang bikin agak keganggu buat baca itu gambarnya sih, kurang enak dilihat aja. Maaf buat Michael Gaydos (Ilustrator) tapi jujur aku kurang suka tipe gambar kayak gitu. Meskipun gambarnya kurang enak dilihat kalau cerita menurutku lumayan oke.
Volume 1 (Alias)
Inti cerita tentang Jessica Jones yang sudah pensiun dari dunia superhero dan sekarang dia bekerja di ‘perusahaan’ miliknya sendiri Alias Private Investigator. Ceritanya cukup membosankan, cuma bagaimana dia jadi PI dan bagaimana dia beresin masalahnya. Same old, same old. Cuma ada beberapa superhero yang muncul selewat di sini seperti Carol Danvers (Capt Marvel) yang ternyata sahabat JJ dan Capt America. Luke Cage di sini masih diceritain selewat-selewat muncul.
Volume 2 (Come Home)
Masih tentang pekerjaan JJ sebagai PI, dan cukup seru dibanding volume 1 meskipun menurutku masih termasuk datar-datar aja ceritanya. Di volume 2 ini aku kurang suka JJ karena di sini dia nunjukkin sifat palyernya.
Volume 3 (The Underneath)
Cukup kaget pas tahu kalau JJ itu sempet ngedate sama Scott Lang (Ant Man). Masalah di sini jauh lebiih bagus dibanding volume 2, tentang anak angkat J. Jonah Jameson (yang puya Daily Bugle itu lho). Nah si anak angkat ini ternyata punya kekuatan super lalu dia kabur karena Jameson cukup sensi sama orang yang punya kekuatan super. JJ lalu mencoba cari kemana anak ini dan well akhirnya dia dibantu Jessica Drew aka Spider Woman buat nyari anak ini. JJ juga sempet dibantu Malcom Powder (one of my fav characters from Marvel’s Jessica Jones) yang di komik ceritanya masih anak SMA beda sama di serial tvnya.
Volume The Secret Origin of Jessica Jones
Cerita mulai dari JJ yang masih remaja (dulu namanya Jesssica Campbell), dia ternyata satu sekolah dan sempet punya crush sama Peter Parker. Di sini diceritain tentang JJ yang mengalami kecelakaan dan cuma dia yang selamat dari kecelakaan itu. Pas kecelakaan dia sempat kena bahan radioaktif dan itu yang menyebabkan dia punya kekuatan super. Efek dari kecelakaan itu dia koma seama 6 bulan dan setelah sadar dia diangkat oleh keluarga Jones. JJ cukup frustasi sama kehidupannya hingga akhirnya dia sadar kalau dia punya kekuatan super.
Volume 4 (Purple)
Volume dari komik Alias yang menurutku paling bagus, di sini masalahnya lebih kompleks. Isi ceritanya tentang masa lalu JJ dan Zebediah Kilgrave aka Purple Man. Di sini diceritain bagaimana JJ dulu sempet jadi superhero dengan nama ‘Jewel’ dan bagaimana dia dimanipulasi oleh Kilgrave selama delapan bulan hingga akhirnya JJ trauma dan dia ga mau lagi berurusan dengan superhero.
Yang aku suka, JJ untuk pertama kalinya nyeritain masa lalu nya ini ke Luke Cage bukan ke Scott, dan respon Luke ketika dia ngedengerin cerita JJ itu bener-bener sweet dan bikin aku melting, ahh Luke xD
Jadi keinget moment JJ - Luke di Marvel’s Jessica Jones xD
Setelah masalah dengan Kilgrave beres, di akhir cerita JJ ngaku ke Scott kalau dia hamil tapiiiii anak yang dikandung JJ itu bukan anak Scott melainkan Luke hingga akhirnya Scott pergi.
Yessss bye Scott.
JJ lalu ngaku ke Luke tentang kehamilannya itu dan Luke bahagia dan akhirnya ngaku kalau selama ini dia suka sama JJ. Aw, Luke xD
Serius, buat yang udah nonton dan suka Marvel’s Jessica Jones harus baca komik ini. Ceritanya lebih detail meskipun isi keseluruhan cerita ga terlalu beda. Cuma yang jelas di Marvel’s Jessica Jones itu ceritanya lebih ngikutin ke volume 4 karena memang musuh utamanya itu si Kilgrave.
August 16, 2014
Alias is the story of a super-hero turned private investigator named Jessica Jones, who has to make a living in a world of super powers, even though she's in denial about having them herself.
The omnibus is a very good read, getting better in the later half than the first. It always stays very focused on Jessica. The story-lines are pretty much your basic PI procedural stuff, but Jessica Jones is written so well by Bendis that they're more interesting than usual.
Given that this was one of Bendis first books at Marvel, it's not surprising that it's the one that most resembles his indie crime work (confession here: I've yet to read his Daredevil. Awful of me, I know). There's a lot of moving the story forward through the dialogue, which is something that he still does quite often, but the way it's laid out on the page is very reminiscent to Jinx and Torso. They'll quite often be a page with only a couple of panels, with a long line of word balloons going down it. It can be a little of putting, because when you turn to the page it looks like a lot to read, but he is pretty good at writing dialogue so it flows well.
Since it's under the MAX imprint, it's full of bad language, sex and adult themes. These can sometimes seem forced into a book, since a writer will use them just because they can, but Alias gets pretty dark at times, especially in the final arc with The Purple Man, so a fuck is needed every now and then.
What I also really liked was the art. From the David Mack covers, to the use of Mark Bagley for her flashbacks as a superhero. The Bagley art makes them seem more like 'the glory days’, and it's a good contrast between the regular art style of Michael Gaydos.
You can also read my review of volume 1 here!
The omnibus is a very good read, getting better in the later half than the first. It always stays very focused on Jessica. The story-lines are pretty much your basic PI procedural stuff, but Jessica Jones is written so well by Bendis that they're more interesting than usual.
Given that this was one of Bendis first books at Marvel, it's not surprising that it's the one that most resembles his indie crime work (confession here: I've yet to read his Daredevil. Awful of me, I know). There's a lot of moving the story forward through the dialogue, which is something that he still does quite often, but the way it's laid out on the page is very reminiscent to Jinx and Torso. They'll quite often be a page with only a couple of panels, with a long line of word balloons going down it. It can be a little of putting, because when you turn to the page it looks like a lot to read, but he is pretty good at writing dialogue so it flows well.
Since it's under the MAX imprint, it's full of bad language, sex and adult themes. These can sometimes seem forced into a book, since a writer will use them just because they can, but Alias gets pretty dark at times, especially in the final arc with The Purple Man, so a fuck is needed every now and then.
What I also really liked was the art. From the David Mack covers, to the use of Mark Bagley for her flashbacks as a superhero. The Bagley art makes them seem more like 'the glory days’, and it's a good contrast between the regular art style of Michael Gaydos.
You can also read my review of volume 1 here!
January 4, 2023
Bendis ci regala una storia dalle tinte noir scritta in maniera magistrale, con una protagonista ben scritta e caratterizzata, il tutto inserito in una New York popolata da Spider-Man, I Vendicatori e gli altri protagonisti Marvel offrendoci un quadro molto più ampio e interessante. Aspetto che ho apprezzato è il voler inserire questi personaggi all’interno della narrazione in una realtà hard boiled creando un qualcosa di unico.
I disegni di Michael Gaydos sono un altro punto a favore. I colori dai toni spenti insieme ad un tratto grezzo e poco lineare creano un mix perfetto per ciò che questo fumetto racconta.
I disegni di Michael Gaydos sono un altro punto a favore. I colori dai toni spenti insieme ad un tratto grezzo e poco lineare creano un mix perfetto per ciò che questo fumetto racconta.
July 6, 2014
Collecting the entire series, this book has 5 story arcs and a stand-alone story (issue 10), as well as a What If? story (I did not review this particular story, because What If? stories are inconsequential, and hypothetical by nature):
(1) the 5-part one in which we meet Jessica Jones, yet another Bendis creation, involving some sort of conspiracy regarding a US presidential candidate and a secret tape revealing the secret identity of Captain America (5 stars); and
(2) a four-parter featuring a guy who's passing himself off as Rick Jones and a doctor in the closet who likes to meet other men (first on the internet, then in "real-life" to have sex with...) (4 stars)
(issue 10) J Jonah Jameson hires Jessica to uncover Spider-Man's secret identity, but instead our protagonist uses this time to help out the community (while charging Jameson $ 200. a day). He finds out and he's pissed, but there's nothing he can do about it.
(3) this time around Jessica Jones investigates the disappearance of a small town teenager. This was a solid arc, with the "investigative" nature of the series in full swing. The interactions between the different characters are pitch-perfect and Michael Gaydos' art is (again) ideal for the mood of the story. Because it's set in Small Town America (and also because Michael Gaydos was involved in both projects), this arc reminded me a lot of Daredevil: Redemption - which I also highly recommend.
Where the book departs in formula (for arcs 4 & 5) from the earlier arcs is that Bendis integrates his other Marvel work into the stories ( Daredevil's outing in the tabloids and the MGH drug, which features prominently in Bendis' Daredevil run, and the Raft prison break which led to the formation of the New Avengers) and helps make this book feel like a true part of the shared Marvel Universe.
(4) Jessica investigates the disappearance of a teenage super-hero who has fallen prey to an up-and-coming drug dealer, who keeps her doped-up and is extracting some tissue samples from her (to make MGH). This arc also features one of Bendis' favourite characters, Jessica Drew, the original Spider-Woman.
(5) The final arc of this "mature" series is just as strong as the previous ones. It shows us how Jessica got her powers, how she was in a coma (twice!) and how she was under the Purple Man's spell for eight months. Bendis took this ostensibly lame super-villain and made him into something really terrifying.
Bendis writes his usual "real" dialogue (this time with the freedom the MAX imprint gives him - which is another way of saying that it includes "coarse" language (read: the F word) & sex. Michael Gaydos provides the interior art and David Mack does the covers. This was an interesting book, in that it gives us another, different look at the goings-on of the Marvel Universe. What he accomplished over the course of this series (literally inventing this character and then having her evolve & grow, and also making us care [a lot] about her) is remarkable.
The series got re-launched for an all-ages audience under The Pulse, Vol. 1: Thin Air. No more F-Bombs! (... or sex, for that matter)
(1) the 5-part one in which we meet Jessica Jones, yet another Bendis creation, involving some sort of conspiracy regarding a US presidential candidate and a secret tape revealing the secret identity of Captain America (5 stars); and
(2) a four-parter featuring a guy who's passing himself off as Rick Jones and a doctor in the closet who likes to meet other men (first on the internet, then in "real-life" to have sex with...) (4 stars)
(issue 10) J Jonah Jameson hires Jessica to uncover Spider-Man's secret identity, but instead our protagonist uses this time to help out the community (while charging Jameson $ 200. a day). He finds out and he's pissed, but there's nothing he can do about it.
(3) this time around Jessica Jones investigates the disappearance of a small town teenager. This was a solid arc, with the "investigative" nature of the series in full swing. The interactions between the different characters are pitch-perfect and Michael Gaydos' art is (again) ideal for the mood of the story. Because it's set in Small Town America (and also because Michael Gaydos was involved in both projects), this arc reminded me a lot of Daredevil: Redemption - which I also highly recommend.
Where the book departs in formula (for arcs 4 & 5) from the earlier arcs is that Bendis integrates his other Marvel work into the stories ( Daredevil's outing in the tabloids and the MGH drug, which features prominently in Bendis' Daredevil run, and the Raft prison break which led to the formation of the New Avengers) and helps make this book feel like a true part of the shared Marvel Universe.
(4) Jessica investigates the disappearance of a teenage super-hero who has fallen prey to an up-and-coming drug dealer, who keeps her doped-up and is extracting some tissue samples from her (to make MGH). This arc also features one of Bendis' favourite characters, Jessica Drew, the original Spider-Woman.
(5) The final arc of this "mature" series is just as strong as the previous ones. It shows us how Jessica got her powers, how she was in a coma (twice!) and how she was under the Purple Man's spell for eight months. Bendis took this ostensibly lame super-villain and made him into something really terrifying.
Bendis writes his usual "real" dialogue (this time with the freedom the MAX imprint gives him - which is another way of saying that it includes "coarse" language (read: the F word) & sex. Michael Gaydos provides the interior art and David Mack does the covers. This was an interesting book, in that it gives us another, different look at the goings-on of the Marvel Universe. What he accomplished over the course of this series (literally inventing this character and then having her evolve & grow, and also making us care [a lot] about her) is remarkable.
The series got re-launched for an all-ages audience under The Pulse, Vol. 1: Thin Air. No more F-Bombs! (... or sex, for that matter)
February 4, 2015
Jessica Jones is everything that I want in a hero. She's low powered enough to make every fight interesting, she's smart enough to be a good detective, and she's complex enough that her life is just as interesting as any of her cases. As a private detective, she is compared more than once to Sam Spade, and her chain smoking head tilt while a client explains the case is just one of the similarities.
Set solidly within the Marvel continuity, this book is rife with other heroes, but they are all very well chosen for the style. Matt Murdock is her attorney. She dates Ant Man and Power Man. Carol Danvers is a friend. While she has a typical superhero meet cute with Spider Woman - a fight - the case they team up on is anything but standard.
One common criticism of this book - and, to be fair, the reason I picked up a single issue a while back and then waited until now to read the rest - is that Jessica seems to have a lot of sex that she doesn't actually enjoy. This is reasonable enough, and the adult warning on the imprint is absolutely there for a reason. However, I have a fairly low tolerance for consent issues and the like and I found those relationships to be a very understandable coping mechanism given her particular trauma.
This whole book is essentially Jessica coping with that trauma and everything from the art to the throw away punch lines hits the perfect mark. Having a more cartoony artist - Mark Bagley of Ultimate Spiderman fame - draw the flashback sequences while Gayados with his beautiful, just a little bit indy style, drew the main book doesn't just differentiate time periods. It sets the tone for Jessica's mental state and literally shows how much her character has changed.
As far as editions go, I like the special features in this one. I particularly like that the whole of Rebecca's sketchbook - beautifully drawn by David Mack and, apparently, his girlfriend - is made available along with the usual authors notes, interviews, and accolades.
Whatever edition you go with, though, this book is an absolute must read. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Set solidly within the Marvel continuity, this book is rife with other heroes, but they are all very well chosen for the style. Matt Murdock is her attorney. She dates Ant Man and Power Man. Carol Danvers is a friend. While she has a typical superhero meet cute with Spider Woman - a fight - the case they team up on is anything but standard.
One common criticism of this book - and, to be fair, the reason I picked up a single issue a while back and then waited until now to read the rest - is that Jessica seems to have a lot of sex that she doesn't actually enjoy. This is reasonable enough, and the adult warning on the imprint is absolutely there for a reason. However, I have a fairly low tolerance for consent issues and the like and I found those relationships to be a very understandable coping mechanism given her particular trauma.
This whole book is essentially Jessica coping with that trauma and everything from the art to the throw away punch lines hits the perfect mark. Having a more cartoony artist - Mark Bagley of Ultimate Spiderman fame - draw the flashback sequences while Gayados with his beautiful, just a little bit indy style, drew the main book doesn't just differentiate time periods. It sets the tone for Jessica's mental state and literally shows how much her character has changed.
As far as editions go, I like the special features in this one. I particularly like that the whole of Rebecca's sketchbook - beautifully drawn by David Mack and, apparently, his girlfriend - is made available along with the usual authors notes, interviews, and accolades.
Whatever edition you go with, though, this book is an absolute must read. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
November 23, 2015
Pretty darn good. The whole thing is interesting (especially when we start learning more about Jess's backstory), and there are several scenes that deserve a standing ovation. A very well-written series complemented by art that trusts the reader to understand without drawing too much attention to itself.
My main complaint is not being satisfied with how Carol Danvers is written. Sometimes she's like her Civil War self and other times she's Jess's gossip buddy. I don't get her.
Well-written as it is, this is another one of those books that isn't quite what I'm looking for in a comic. It's serious most of the time and gets darker after the halfway mark. The cases Jess works on start out normal and become crazy, an even though I'm not too into mystery stuff, I liked seeing the outcomes. One of the most noteworthy scenes is a girl giving her perspective on being raised in a strictly conservative community and I was cheering as I read it. It's amazing.
Should you read this? You can live without it, but you'll be better for reading it. If you like private investigator stuff, even better for you. Jessica Jones isn't the most likable character, but she grows on you. I'm not in love with her, but she feels like the kind of person you'd meet in the real world. A person with a lot of baggage. But that's part of her appeal.
My main complaint is not being satisfied with how Carol Danvers is written. Sometimes she's like her Civil War self and other times she's Jess's gossip buddy. I don't get her.
Well-written as it is, this is another one of those books that isn't quite what I'm looking for in a comic. It's serious most of the time and gets darker after the halfway mark. The cases Jess works on start out normal and become crazy, an even though I'm not too into mystery stuff, I liked seeing the outcomes. One of the most noteworthy scenes is a girl giving her perspective on being raised in a strictly conservative community and I was cheering as I read it. It's amazing.
Should you read this? You can live without it, but you'll be better for reading it. If you like private investigator stuff, even better for you. Jessica Jones isn't the most likable character, but she grows on you. I'm not in love with her, but she feels like the kind of person you'd meet in the real world. A person with a lot of baggage. But that's part of her appeal.
March 17, 2021
Wow. This was a quick re-read. I went almost 4 yeears I believe since reading this the first time and pretty much remembered nothing. But the story drove me in nice and easy, the typical Bendis dialog tagged me along and never got me hesitant no matter how many word-bubbles was on a single panel-spread. It all just works and flows so nicely. This is TV in Comic book form.
July 12, 2016
¿Cual es tu superhéroe favorito?
En mi caso, esa pregunta siempre tiene de respuesta diferentes nombres dependiendo de mi estado de humor ¿La razón? Porque es díficil elegir entre tantos. Altos, bajos, invisibles, de acero, rápidos, fuertes, graciosos y serios. Existe una enorme variedad para elegir cual encaja con nosotros, con cual podemos sentirnos identificados. Pero en realidad, la razón por la que nunca digo uno en específico es porque no había ni uno cuya personalidad e historia me llamara la atención... hasta que supe de la existencia de Jessica Jones.
Estaba cansada de la misma estúpida imagen sexista. Yo quería un personaje inteligente, fuerte pero al mismo tiempo vulnerable. No solo a la chica sexy que da puñetazos en el aire mientras que su cabello no es afectado por la gravedad y se mantiene perfecto en cada momento. Quería saber piensan, que sienten, su parte más humana. Estamos acostumbrados a ver siempre su lado justiciero pero nunca nos enteramos de su intimidad. ¿Tendrán sexo?¿Le temen a algo?¿Acaso tienen traumas?¿No les afecta toda esa mierda de cosas que suelen ver en los peores momentos?¿Es posible ser tan perfecto todo el tiempo?
Jessica Jones es mi favorita desde ahora. Tal vez la estoy sobrevalorando demasiado pero ¿y que? de verdad hace mucho que ningún superheroe me apasionaba tanto como ella. Ella me respondió mis anteriores interrogantes. Leer más fondo sobre su vida me hizo quererla aún más, con todos sus traumas y debilidades.
No soy una fan de los superhéroes y generalmente me atraen más los villanos pero Jessica y todos lo que se encuentran a su alrededor me mostraron que tal vez estaba juzgando erroneamente todo este universo.
Probablemente en unos meses mi opinión se vuelva más objetiva y prometo una reseña objetiva cuando llegue ese momento pero por ahora solo puedo decir que este comic me gustó demasiado y después de leer este fabuloso comic, espero que Netflix siga tratando bien a Jessica en sus siguientes temporadas, porque de verdad se lo merece. Ella necesitaba salir de la esquina de los infravalorados de Marvel.
June 19, 2020
O mês geek foi uma oportunidade de finalizar diversas séries que já tavam para ser finalizadas há um tempo. Fiquei muito feliz em finalmente pegar o terceiro e último volume de "Alias", não só por ser uma baita série em quadrinhos, como também por ter sido o melhor dos três volumes. Terminei de ler com brilho nos olhos.
Para os próximas reviews, falarei justamente destas séries que tive a chance de completar nessa quarentena. Claro que não vai estar tão fresco na minha cabeça, uma vez que li os volumes iniciais em intervalos de tempo muitos diferentes. Ainda assim, sou capaz de resgastar as memórias e, junto ao final lido recentemente, chegar a meu veredito.
Com "Alias", isso é ainda mais fácil uma vez que o quadrinho, até seu último volume, é construido a partir de casos investigativos dentro do universo Marvel. Sendo bem diferente da excelente série que originou, "Jessica Jones", "Alias" mostra a ex super heroina/investigadora particular trabalhando em casos polêmicos envolvendo super herois como o Capitão America (coisa que não foi possivel devido a divisão Marvel TV/Cinema). Foi o primeiro lançamento do selo Marvel Max, que abriu portas para histórias "para maiores" no universo dos herois, e faz bom uso disso, mostrando uma perspectiva mais "suja" desse mundo de heroi idealizados.
A série é incrivelmente bem produzida pela dupla Bendis e Gaydos, com dialogos humanos e arte bem realista, que constribui para a atmosfera investigativa e real que o quadrinho propôs. O último volume, que centra na origem de Jessica Jones e o que a levou deixar o heroismo de lado, consegue ser o ápice da série e um desfecho perfeito. Desde o seu conceito até a forma como executa esse clima investigativo, mais pé no chão, dentro do universo da Marvel, "Alias" é 10/10.
Para os próximas reviews, falarei justamente destas séries que tive a chance de completar nessa quarentena. Claro que não vai estar tão fresco na minha cabeça, uma vez que li os volumes iniciais em intervalos de tempo muitos diferentes. Ainda assim, sou capaz de resgastar as memórias e, junto ao final lido recentemente, chegar a meu veredito.
Com "Alias", isso é ainda mais fácil uma vez que o quadrinho, até seu último volume, é construido a partir de casos investigativos dentro do universo Marvel. Sendo bem diferente da excelente série que originou, "Jessica Jones", "Alias" mostra a ex super heroina/investigadora particular trabalhando em casos polêmicos envolvendo super herois como o Capitão America (coisa que não foi possivel devido a divisão Marvel TV/Cinema). Foi o primeiro lançamento do selo Marvel Max, que abriu portas para histórias "para maiores" no universo dos herois, e faz bom uso disso, mostrando uma perspectiva mais "suja" desse mundo de heroi idealizados.
A série é incrivelmente bem produzida pela dupla Bendis e Gaydos, com dialogos humanos e arte bem realista, que constribui para a atmosfera investigativa e real que o quadrinho propôs. O último volume, que centra na origem de Jessica Jones e o que a levou deixar o heroismo de lado, consegue ser o ápice da série e um desfecho perfeito. Desde o seu conceito até a forma como executa esse clima investigativo, mais pé no chão, dentro do universo da Marvel, "Alias" é 10/10.
February 16, 2025
Jessica Jones you will always have the most special place in my heart
March 23, 2016
4.5 stars
Review originally posted at RabidReads.com.
I’ve not read a large amount of comic books or graphic novels. The ones that I have read were based on novels that I had already read (Mercy Thompson, Anita Blake, Women of the Otherworld, etc.). I have been a huge fan of comic book TV shows and movies for as long as I can remember. I remember when Batman came out starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson as the Joker. I loved it. I also watched a ton of the cartoons, Spiderman, Batman, Superman, X-men, He-man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and more. Today, I love the Marvel movies and TV shows. I recently watched the Netflix original Jessica Jones and decided that I wanted to learn more about her. She was a character that I knew nothing about before the show. So, I grabbed Alias, an enormous, textbook sized book.
So, if you’re not familiar with Jessica Jones, (first, why not??, second, you should go and check out her show now on Netflix), Jessica is a former superhero and a PI. She is quite the anti-hero. She’s a bit of a drunk. She has a habit of sleeping around. She helps her clients, but she has this “I don’t really care” attitude. But then when your career is chasing down cheating spouses only to have the one who hired you get upset when you actually have the proof, (I guess they were hoping you wouldn’t find anything at all), I would be cranky too.
This omnibus actually has a five different story arcs, all of which I enjoyed immensely. In this, Marvel has made Jessica into a real person, someone you can relate to. Because, let’s face it, none of us can relate to Thor, Captain America or Black Widow, as much as we would like to. Jessica is a person who has so real problem in her life. She has bad run-ins with the cops. Cops, who don’t like the Avengers and other superheros wearing capes and masks. She has her own run-in with a superhero who is more powerful than her (see the Jessica Jones TV show for this plot, which is only a small part of this omnibus). I will say that I’m really glad that Marvel Studios didn’t make David Tennant wear purple makeup, as he is known as The Purple Man in this book and is purple.
I did love that we got to see characters from several other parts of the Marvel universe. Captain America, Madame Web, J. Jonah Jameson, Dr. Jean Gray, Ant Man, Attorney Matt Murdock and Luke Cage all have large parts in this book. There is also a character called Carol Danvers, who I didn’t know at all from any of my previous experience with Marvel. You also see some other characters show up, but they don’t have large parts, Thor, Spiderman, Dr. Octopus, Hulk, the Lizard, among others. I will say that it is Jessica Jones who really does steal the show. I can’t recommend this book enough.
I will caution you. This is a Marvel Max comic. I didn’t know what that meant at first. It is Marvel’s version of the “R” rated comics. If you’ve watched the show, this will not surprise you in the slightest. I don’t think any of the reader of this review (people who have followed my reviews in the past) will have issues with anything in this book, but I did want to call out, just in case. This isn’t a comic for kids. There is a lot of sex, a lot of drinking a lot of the “F” bomb.
Click on the image to see a larger version.
Review originally posted at RabidReads.com.
I’ve not read a large amount of comic books or graphic novels. The ones that I have read were based on novels that I had already read (Mercy Thompson, Anita Blake, Women of the Otherworld, etc.). I have been a huge fan of comic book TV shows and movies for as long as I can remember. I remember when Batman came out starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson as the Joker. I loved it. I also watched a ton of the cartoons, Spiderman, Batman, Superman, X-men, He-man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and more. Today, I love the Marvel movies and TV shows. I recently watched the Netflix original Jessica Jones and decided that I wanted to learn more about her. She was a character that I knew nothing about before the show. So, I grabbed Alias, an enormous, textbook sized book.
So, if you’re not familiar with Jessica Jones, (first, why not??, second, you should go and check out her show now on Netflix), Jessica is a former superhero and a PI. She is quite the anti-hero. She’s a bit of a drunk. She has a habit of sleeping around. She helps her clients, but she has this “I don’t really care” attitude. But then when your career is chasing down cheating spouses only to have the one who hired you get upset when you actually have the proof, (I guess they were hoping you wouldn’t find anything at all), I would be cranky too.
This omnibus actually has a five different story arcs, all of which I enjoyed immensely. In this, Marvel has made Jessica into a real person, someone you can relate to. Because, let’s face it, none of us can relate to Thor, Captain America or Black Widow, as much as we would like to. Jessica is a person who has so real problem in her life. She has bad run-ins with the cops. Cops, who don’t like the Avengers and other superheros wearing capes and masks. She has her own run-in with a superhero who is more powerful than her (see the Jessica Jones TV show for this plot, which is only a small part of this omnibus). I will say that I’m really glad that Marvel Studios didn’t make David Tennant wear purple makeup, as he is known as The Purple Man in this book and is purple.
I did love that we got to see characters from several other parts of the Marvel universe. Captain America, Madame Web, J. Jonah Jameson, Dr. Jean Gray, Ant Man, Attorney Matt Murdock and Luke Cage all have large parts in this book. There is also a character called Carol Danvers, who I didn’t know at all from any of my previous experience with Marvel. You also see some other characters show up, but they don’t have large parts, Thor, Spiderman, Dr. Octopus, Hulk, the Lizard, among others. I will say that it is Jessica Jones who really does steal the show. I can’t recommend this book enough.
I will caution you. This is a Marvel Max comic. I didn’t know what that meant at first. It is Marvel’s version of the “R” rated comics. If you’ve watched the show, this will not surprise you in the slightest. I don’t think any of the reader of this review (people who have followed my reviews in the past) will have issues with anything in this book, but I did want to call out, just in case. This isn’t a comic for kids. There is a lot of sex, a lot of drinking a lot of the “F” bomb.
Click on the image to see a larger version.
March 6, 2019
If you love the Jessica Jones TV show and are looking for something to tide you over before its final season (out…sometime this year), look no further than Alias.
Jessica’s solo series and the show’s source material for the first season, Alias covers Jessica’s origin story, her soul sucking but successful PI job, relationships with Daredevil and Cage (along with many others, like Carol Danvers and Peter Parker, not in the show because MCU reasons), and most of all, her past and confrontation with Killgrave, or “The Purple Man,” who is literally purple (but if you’ve seen the show, good luck not hearing David Tennant’s voice as you read).
Alias was also one of Marvel’s “Max” explicit comics, which meant drugs, sex and swearing were all fair game, and pretty much necessary for the alcoholic, self-destructive Jones. But Bendis writes her well so she seems like a real person – which surprised me from his treatment of women in other books – and while sometimes the swearing feels gratuitous and inorganic, the sex (usually just an excuse for the male gaze when a female lead is involved) is not. Though it would have been nice if Jessica was getting down and enjoying it.
But damn, does Bendis love dialogue. He looOooOOoves the sound of his own dialogue and eventually it’s just tedious filler, especially when one page memoir excerpts are thrown in. Y’know the adage ‘less is more?’ Bendis never learned it. There’s no doubt the show improves the slow dialogue and pacing (though he does have writing credits there too), and while much of Alias focuses on Jessica’s relationships with men, the show’s greater emphasis on Jessica and her sister Trish were largely thanks to Melissa Rosenberg, show creator and writer. (Funny how women writing about women leads to more stories about sisterhood.) (Also, Jessica enjoys sex in the show too. Progress!)
Along with the Bendis slog – which was just interesting enough to keep going – Michael Gaydos’ art was not my cup of tea. I'm very glad Jessica wasn’t overly sexualized, but too often the art just looked sloppy and JJ had a Mr Potato nose and a clay, lumpy face. The supporting characters (especially Steve Rogers and Scott Lang) also had lazy eyes or mushy faces – if we were supposed to be seeing the world through Jessica’s drunkenness that never got across. His already static characters along with the tidal wave of Bendis’ dialogue usually resulted in a ton of small panels, or a wall of text, which looked exhausting as was reading it. Also, Gaydos loves to do this thing where he gradually zooms in on a person’s face in each panel and that was claustrophobic as hell. Guest artist’s Mark Bagley’s Jewel sequences were also cringingly boobsy and cartoonish.
For Alias' 28 issues there wasn’t one I enjoyed looking at.
Jessica Jones is a great character in that she’s multifaceted with an emotional past and very human flaws, and her story of abuse is important and powerful. If you looooved the Jessica Jones show and MUST HAVE MORE, this is perfect. If you liked season one but wouldn’t watch it again, or if you still have the show in your Netflix queue, don’t bother with Alias – because this might be the source material, but the TV show does it better.
Jessica’s solo series and the show’s source material for the first season, Alias covers Jessica’s origin story, her soul sucking but successful PI job, relationships with Daredevil and Cage (along with many others, like Carol Danvers and Peter Parker, not in the show because MCU reasons), and most of all, her past and confrontation with Killgrave, or “The Purple Man,” who is literally purple (but if you’ve seen the show, good luck not hearing David Tennant’s voice as you read).
Alias was also one of Marvel’s “Max” explicit comics, which meant drugs, sex and swearing were all fair game, and pretty much necessary for the alcoholic, self-destructive Jones. But Bendis writes her well so she seems like a real person – which surprised me from his treatment of women in other books – and while sometimes the swearing feels gratuitous and inorganic, the sex (usually just an excuse for the male gaze when a female lead is involved) is not. Though it would have been nice if Jessica was getting down and enjoying it.
But damn, does Bendis love dialogue. He looOooOOoves the sound of his own dialogue and eventually it’s just tedious filler, especially when one page memoir excerpts are thrown in. Y’know the adage ‘less is more?’ Bendis never learned it. There’s no doubt the show improves the slow dialogue and pacing (though he does have writing credits there too), and while much of Alias focuses on Jessica’s relationships with men, the show’s greater emphasis on Jessica and her sister Trish were largely thanks to Melissa Rosenberg, show creator and writer. (Funny how women writing about women leads to more stories about sisterhood.) (Also, Jessica enjoys sex in the show too. Progress!)
Along with the Bendis slog – which was just interesting enough to keep going – Michael Gaydos’ art was not my cup of tea. I'm very glad Jessica wasn’t overly sexualized, but too often the art just looked sloppy and JJ had a Mr Potato nose and a clay, lumpy face. The supporting characters (especially Steve Rogers and Scott Lang) also had lazy eyes or mushy faces – if we were supposed to be seeing the world through Jessica’s drunkenness that never got across. His already static characters along with the tidal wave of Bendis’ dialogue usually resulted in a ton of small panels, or a wall of text, which looked exhausting as was reading it. Also, Gaydos loves to do this thing where he gradually zooms in on a person’s face in each panel and that was claustrophobic as hell. Guest artist’s Mark Bagley’s Jewel sequences were also cringingly boobsy and cartoonish.
For Alias' 28 issues there wasn’t one I enjoyed looking at.
Jessica Jones is a great character in that she’s multifaceted with an emotional past and very human flaws, and her story of abuse is important and powerful. If you looooved the Jessica Jones show and MUST HAVE MORE, this is perfect. If you liked season one but wouldn’t watch it again, or if you still have the show in your Netflix queue, don’t bother with Alias – because this might be the source material, but the TV show does it better.
February 8, 2016
Absolutely loved Jessica Jones in this one. She is your average humanized super-hero, the kind that you feel close to, sarcastic, witty, and yet warm, she drinks, curses and enjoys her sexual activities as any other Jane Doe, but still manages to pull out her heroic self when the need knocks on the door.
Everything about this comic book omnibus feels so realistic, from the first page to the very last one, gritty drawings, real-life dialogues and grey-tone colouring. Quite a different feeling in general.
It is a mixture or crime-noir and Jessica's very own autobiography which was incredibly intriguing to me.
She is one of rare superheroes who isn't all high and mighty about her superpowers; she doesn't like having them and having to use them-most of the times she is grappling with the reality of it and having self-doubts; as if they were some kind of mistake bestowed upon her, a third boob or a third arm. But in the end she always does the right thing. Because no matter how physically strong Jessica is, she is still emotional, vulnerable human being.
Everything about this comic book omnibus feels so realistic, from the first page to the very last one, gritty drawings, real-life dialogues and grey-tone colouring. Quite a different feeling in general.
It is a mixture or crime-noir and Jessica's very own autobiography which was incredibly intriguing to me.
She is one of rare superheroes who isn't all high and mighty about her superpowers; she doesn't like having them and having to use them-most of the times she is grappling with the reality of it and having self-doubts; as if they were some kind of mistake bestowed upon her, a third boob or a third arm. But in the end she always does the right thing. Because no matter how physically strong Jessica is, she is still emotional, vulnerable human being.
March 30, 2016
Jessica Jones is officially my third favorite Jessica after Rabbit and Biel. This has a great idea, ex-super hero turned PI, and does a great job elevating the typical PI genre.
Character driven. Every issue is leading up to #28. Nothing episodic or stale. Fun for the crime fans and Marvel junkies.
The art turned me off initially and prevented me from trying Alias for a few months. With the show coming out and many purple glowing reviews I finally took the plunge. The art ended up fitting the noir setting. Once I started reading I wasn't bothered once. During flashbacks a traditional, cleaner style is used and it makes the muddy style that much more effective in depicting the mood of the story and characters. Two smoking F-bombs up.
Character driven. Every issue is leading up to #28. Nothing episodic or stale. Fun for the crime fans and Marvel junkies.
The art turned me off initially and prevented me from trying Alias for a few months. With the show coming out and many purple glowing reviews I finally took the plunge. The art ended up fitting the noir setting. Once I started reading I wasn't bothered once. During flashbacks a traditional, cleaner style is used and it makes the muddy style that much more effective in depicting the mood of the story and characters. Two smoking F-bombs up.
February 10, 2019
Bendis v najlepšej forme. Alias je skvelý príklad toho, ako sa má písať street-level hrdina. Jessica je konfrontovaná s na prvý pohľad jednoduchými zápletkami, ale tie sú popretkávané superhrdinským elementom. Veľmi oceňujem dialógy. Bendisovi sa podarilo vygradovať aj posedenie pri káve pomocou vcelku staticky zobrazeného dialógu. Top je pre mňa v tomto smere pasáž vo vypočúvacej miestnosti. Kvalitatívne začne séria gradovať v druhej polovici a Purple Man je súčasťou krásneho finále. S blížiacim sa záverom som si jednotlivé zošity priam šetril, kedže mi bolo ľúto, že sa blíži koniec. Vrelo odporúčam, Alias je úžasná záležitosť.
December 9, 2015
Such an incredible series. It starts out very strong, and with every issue becomes even better. One of the best Marvel titles I've read, and the best book by Bendis I've read for sure (maybe Powers? Need to read that one). And the art won me over in the end. Wasn't a fan of it in the beginning but it really grew on me.
July 10, 2024
With "Alias" Brian Michael Bendis does a good job adding a character to the classic Marvel canon in a way that makes it feel like she was present the whole time.
As the series opens, Jessica Jones isn't doing great. She's a private investigator, doing scuzzy jobs that don't quite cover the rent, drinking too much, dropping f-bombs like punctuation and generally demoralized with the arc of her life. She used to be a superhero, we discover, a low-level cape operating on the periphery of the Avengers. But she chose to give it up and is now wallowing in a messy, Bridget-Jones style rut.
Jessica is hired for a new job that turns out to be more than what she bargained for. In the fallout, we discover that, on top of her flaws, she is also tough and determined, with a strong moral core. The series explores how exactly she came to embody these contradictions: a hero whose greatest weakness is her own insecurity.
We spend several volumes exploring a "case of the week" as well the details of Jessica's day-to-day life. She investigates a missing girl and does bodyguard work for Matt Murdock (her pro-bono attorney); she also starts dating Ant Man and resurrects a prickly friendship with Carol Danvers.
The blend of street-level intrigue and observational-sitcom stylings plays to Bendis' strengths as a writer. Sure, "Alias" is talky, as many of his comics are, but his heroine feels genuinely adrift, and the ample dialogue feels like an extended effort to figure herself out.
Gradually, Bendis reveals more of Jessica's backstory, and what's initially presented as quarter-life crisis is revealed to actually be a cave of trauma. He does a good job plumbing its depths without feeling manipulative or sentimental. The revelations of what has happened to Jessica, and how she responds, are powerful stuff.
"Alias" isn't perfect. It has sections that are too deliberately quirky or on-the-nose. Some of the early-aughts references and language feel dated now. (No thank you on the "r-word.") But the characterization feels authentic, and Michael Gaydos' art helps to create an authentic, engrossing world.
As the series opens, Jessica Jones isn't doing great. She's a private investigator, doing scuzzy jobs that don't quite cover the rent, drinking too much, dropping f-bombs like punctuation and generally demoralized with the arc of her life. She used to be a superhero, we discover, a low-level cape operating on the periphery of the Avengers. But she chose to give it up and is now wallowing in a messy, Bridget-Jones style rut.
Jessica is hired for a new job that turns out to be more than what she bargained for. In the fallout, we discover that, on top of her flaws, she is also tough and determined, with a strong moral core. The series explores how exactly she came to embody these contradictions: a hero whose greatest weakness is her own insecurity.
We spend several volumes exploring a "case of the week" as well the details of Jessica's day-to-day life. She investigates a missing girl and does bodyguard work for Matt Murdock (her pro-bono attorney); she also starts dating Ant Man and resurrects a prickly friendship with Carol Danvers.
The blend of street-level intrigue and observational-sitcom stylings plays to Bendis' strengths as a writer. Sure, "Alias" is talky, as many of his comics are, but his heroine feels genuinely adrift, and the ample dialogue feels like an extended effort to figure herself out.
Gradually, Bendis reveals more of Jessica's backstory, and what's initially presented as quarter-life crisis is revealed to actually be a cave of trauma. He does a good job plumbing its depths without feeling manipulative or sentimental. The revelations of what has happened to Jessica, and how she responds, are powerful stuff.
"Alias" isn't perfect. It has sections that are too deliberately quirky or on-the-nose. Some of the early-aughts references and language feel dated now. (No thank you on the "r-word.") But the characterization feels authentic, and Michael Gaydos' art helps to create an authentic, engrossing world.
June 21, 2021
Jessica Jones is as flawed as they come. And that’s a good thing here.
Bendis throws us right in there middle of the story and we learn about Jessica’s current and former life. While before she was a low-level costumed super-hero, she’s now a chain-smoking, self-destructive alcoholic working as a private investigator in her own business, Alias Investigations.
As the story progresses, Jessica sees herself mixed up right in the middle of a high-profile conspiracy, investigates the disappearance of a girl rumored to be a mutant, teams up with Jessica Drew to find a missing girl, and revisits her past with the Purple Man. While all of this happens, we also see her interact with other Marvel heroes, mainly with Luke Cage, Carol Danvers, Matt Murdock, Peter Parker, and Scott Lange.
Just like the story, the art is stellar - it has a feel of realism to it. I don’t think its as ‘pretty’ as similar art in say, Brubaker’s Cap run, but it’s very complementary to there story. 4 issues stand out to me: issue #10 is outstanding and sees Jonah J. Jameson hire Jessica to uncover Spider-Man’s real identity; issue #15, which overlaps with Bendis’s Daredevil #36 and shows a meeting that happens from two perspectives; and issues #22-23, which show us her origin story and retroactively places her at the start of the Marvel money-making machine.
This is by far the best Bendis work I’ve read (I have yet to read his Daredevil, though). There are a few moments of ‘realness’ in the story that felt a bit gratuitous, but for the most part, most moments feel natural. Also, the last arc has a few moments of breaking the 4th wall that felt unnecessary.
Still, this is by far my favorite read of 2021. I very much enjoyed Alias and wholeheartedly recommend it to fans of more mature stories. It’s definitely better than the show (which I actually liked).
Overall, 10/10 for story and 9/10 for the art.
Bendis throws us right in there middle of the story and we learn about Jessica’s current and former life. While before she was a low-level costumed super-hero, she’s now a chain-smoking, self-destructive alcoholic working as a private investigator in her own business, Alias Investigations.
As the story progresses, Jessica sees herself mixed up right in the middle of a high-profile conspiracy, investigates the disappearance of a girl rumored to be a mutant, teams up with Jessica Drew to find a missing girl, and revisits her past with the Purple Man. While all of this happens, we also see her interact with other Marvel heroes, mainly with Luke Cage, Carol Danvers, Matt Murdock, Peter Parker, and Scott Lange.
Just like the story, the art is stellar - it has a feel of realism to it. I don’t think its as ‘pretty’ as similar art in say, Brubaker’s Cap run, but it’s very complementary to there story. 4 issues stand out to me: issue #10 is outstanding and sees Jonah J. Jameson hire Jessica to uncover Spider-Man’s real identity; issue #15, which overlaps with Bendis’s Daredevil #36 and shows a meeting that happens from two perspectives; and issues #22-23, which show us her origin story and retroactively places her at the start of the Marvel money-making machine.
This is by far the best Bendis work I’ve read (I have yet to read his Daredevil, though). There are a few moments of ‘realness’ in the story that felt a bit gratuitous, but for the most part, most moments feel natural. Also, the last arc has a few moments of breaking the 4th wall that felt unnecessary.
Still, this is by far my favorite read of 2021. I very much enjoyed Alias and wholeheartedly recommend it to fans of more mature stories. It’s definitely better than the show (which I actually liked).
Overall, 10/10 for story and 9/10 for the art.
May 26, 2022
Alias by Brian Michael Bendis & Michael Gaydos.
This was a omnibus i wanted to read for so damn long it hurts, but seriously. When i started collecting some of my earlier omnis where Daredevil and Ultimate Spider-Man from Bendis, characters Bendis understood in a way that no one else had, with every book i read from him i wanted to read Alias, some called it his best, and i am a sucker for a good noir comic especially set in the MCU, later came Secret Invasion and The New Avengers, and i wanted to read Alias some more even, i missed a reprint, and another one, it made me mad as hell🥲 then they announced another reprint and i preordered a book for the first time, then it got laid back like almost any book around the time and i nearly lost my shit, long story short, i read it, and i loved it. Its from the Max imprint so for a older adult audience, i think it has the first fuck in the very first page, nice one Bendis! The story is like a classic noir book with Jessica Jones solving cases and now and then using her powers, most of the street level heroes make an apearance, Luke Cage, Daredevil, Spidey, but also Ant-Man who she starts dating in this book, and Captain America which she has a case about, Bendis always excells with dialogue, and this book is no different, very dialogue heavy but a blast to read. Its really funny at times but also very serious and moody, Jessica Jones is not your typical happy hero but a very flawed one, and that makes her much more interesting the lots of characters, some of the later issues with Purpleman, are among the very best issues i read and nothing short of fantastic. This book is amazing and i am very glad to finally have it under the belt.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.
This was a omnibus i wanted to read for so damn long it hurts, but seriously. When i started collecting some of my earlier omnis where Daredevil and Ultimate Spider-Man from Bendis, characters Bendis understood in a way that no one else had, with every book i read from him i wanted to read Alias, some called it his best, and i am a sucker for a good noir comic especially set in the MCU, later came Secret Invasion and The New Avengers, and i wanted to read Alias some more even, i missed a reprint, and another one, it made me mad as hell🥲 then they announced another reprint and i preordered a book for the first time, then it got laid back like almost any book around the time and i nearly lost my shit, long story short, i read it, and i loved it. Its from the Max imprint so for a older adult audience, i think it has the first fuck in the very first page, nice one Bendis! The story is like a classic noir book with Jessica Jones solving cases and now and then using her powers, most of the street level heroes make an apearance, Luke Cage, Daredevil, Spidey, but also Ant-Man who she starts dating in this book, and Captain America which she has a case about, Bendis always excells with dialogue, and this book is no different, very dialogue heavy but a blast to read. Its really funny at times but also very serious and moody, Jessica Jones is not your typical happy hero but a very flawed one, and that makes her much more interesting the lots of characters, some of the later issues with Purpleman, are among the very best issues i read and nothing short of fantastic. This book is amazing and i am very glad to finally have it under the belt.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.
January 6, 2022
GAH . yeah. holy shit
ik killgrave is creepy and awful and the main villain in the tv show and he’s wonderfully horrifying there but tbh the arc i liked most in this was the mattie franklin one? jessica acting as a superhero, not because she’s being paid or because she is obligated to but because she empathizes so strongly with this girl. v compelling v dark.
the art style wasn’t rly it for me (too shadowy dark grotesque) but the writing made up for it. & matt murdock supremacy always
ik killgrave is creepy and awful and the main villain in the tv show and he’s wonderfully horrifying there but tbh the arc i liked most in this was the mattie franklin one? jessica acting as a superhero, not because she’s being paid or because she is obligated to but because she empathizes so strongly with this girl. v compelling v dark.
the art style wasn’t rly it for me (too shadowy dark grotesque) but the writing made up for it. & matt murdock supremacy always
July 25, 2017
Liked some aspects (Jessica's DGAF attitude, the noir-y artwork, some Defenders teammate interactions, and the Purple Man), others felt out of place (how arcs were set up, the flashback artwork, etc.), but overall a worthwhile read if you're looking to bone up on some possible pre-Defenders moments (namely the Matt and Jessica meeting).
November 14, 2021
(Zero spoiler review) 4.5/5
The first time I saw this book, on a FB marketplace sale (which I missed out on) I just had a feeling that it would be right up my alley. Now a year or so later and I finally got it in my hot little hands, and just had to read it straight away. And now that I've read it, I can safely say I was right (as if there was any doubt). I really enjoyed this. This was my first taste of Brian Michael Bendis. I've heard many things said about the man, and being that this was one of his first runs. It's certainly possible that this was the man firing on all cylinders, and the notable fade in effort or ability that is now a distinct reality was little more than a distant dream (or nightmare). That being said, I enjoyed the man's style. Enjoyable, mostly realistic dialogue, interesting, intriguing characters and a grounded and gritty view of the Marvel universe. What's not to like. Could have gone on for a dozen or so more issues if you ask me, but then again, we got mostly killer and little filler, so no need to tempt fate.
Whilst there was a slightly obvious amount of man hatred traversing the pages at times (the men are made far more dislikeable then the women), and Michael Gaydos' art, which was mostly stellar and suited the noirish vibe, very much fell down when it came to drawing women's faces, particularly front on. His blockier style gave his women a very RuPaul's feel to them (Jone's oi particular). There is a panel at one point with a dozen or so random women lined up alongside each other, and I defy anyone to pic more than a handful of them that don't look more lantern jawed than a chiselled Bruce Wayne. Though Mark Bagley's beautiful flashbacks redresses this balance and then some.
A few quibbles aside, this really did meet the expectations I had for it, even if I actually had little idea of what was actually going to occur. Its just such a shame that more mature titles likes this aren't more forthcoming from Marvel. Although let's be honest, there is no chance Marvel allow anything like this to be printed these days. And even if they did, it would be absolute garbage. It really is a shame the amazing stories that currently aren't being written. 4.5/5
OmniBen.
The first time I saw this book, on a FB marketplace sale (which I missed out on) I just had a feeling that it would be right up my alley. Now a year or so later and I finally got it in my hot little hands, and just had to read it straight away. And now that I've read it, I can safely say I was right (as if there was any doubt). I really enjoyed this. This was my first taste of Brian Michael Bendis. I've heard many things said about the man, and being that this was one of his first runs. It's certainly possible that this was the man firing on all cylinders, and the notable fade in effort or ability that is now a distinct reality was little more than a distant dream (or nightmare). That being said, I enjoyed the man's style. Enjoyable, mostly realistic dialogue, interesting, intriguing characters and a grounded and gritty view of the Marvel universe. What's not to like. Could have gone on for a dozen or so more issues if you ask me, but then again, we got mostly killer and little filler, so no need to tempt fate.
Whilst there was a slightly obvious amount of man hatred traversing the pages at times (the men are made far more dislikeable then the women), and Michael Gaydos' art, which was mostly stellar and suited the noirish vibe, very much fell down when it came to drawing women's faces, particularly front on. His blockier style gave his women a very RuPaul's feel to them (Jone's oi particular). There is a panel at one point with a dozen or so random women lined up alongside each other, and I defy anyone to pic more than a handful of them that don't look more lantern jawed than a chiselled Bruce Wayne. Though Mark Bagley's beautiful flashbacks redresses this balance and then some.
A few quibbles aside, this really did meet the expectations I had for it, even if I actually had little idea of what was actually going to occur. Its just such a shame that more mature titles likes this aren't more forthcoming from Marvel. Although let's be honest, there is no chance Marvel allow anything like this to be printed these days. And even if they did, it would be absolute garbage. It really is a shame the amazing stories that currently aren't being written. 4.5/5
OmniBen.
May 3, 2015
Warning: As Marvel's first "Max" (mature) comic, this book contains nudity, sex, drug, and so many F-bombs that you might think that you're watching a Chris Rock routine.
I really enjoyed this series, which very much has the gritty feeling of the Daredevil run that Bendis was writing concurrently, and showcases Bendis's ability to write superheroes in a way that captures their flawed humanity and doesn't make costumed crusaders seem completely ridiculous (although I often want brightly-colored silly superhero comics). I think that Bendis writes Jessica Jones well, which I wouldn't necessarily have expected as a male writing a comic book hero female. In many ways, she's "one of the guys" or "like a dude," but believably so. Also, Bendis writes Jessica Jones's insecurities in a way that parallels her insecurities as a human and woman with those of a "failed" superhero.
One of the things that makes this series so accessible and relatable is that, despite the fact that I don't have superpowers, I could see myself in Jessica Jones, since she is very much a regular person, rather than an unquestionably "good" person like Steve Rogers/Captain America. One of the major themes is that Jessica Jones is smarter, more intuitive, and just an all-around "better" person that she gives herself credit for, and she's built a good life, despite her harshness on herself.
I think that Bendis does a good job of maintaining continuity without merely making Jessica Jones "another" plot device rape victim (and the Purple Man doesn't ever physically rape Jessica Jones). The last story arc involving the Purple Man gets at a more general idea of dealing with trauma and abuse.
It does feel like, especially in the last third of this omnibus, Bendis was told to recap Jessica Jones's origin story for the reader in order to lead into a more mainstream money-making series (which may or may not be true, since I haven't read The Pulse).
I really enjoyed this series, which very much has the gritty feeling of the Daredevil run that Bendis was writing concurrently, and showcases Bendis's ability to write superheroes in a way that captures their flawed humanity and doesn't make costumed crusaders seem completely ridiculous (although I often want brightly-colored silly superhero comics). I think that Bendis writes Jessica Jones well, which I wouldn't necessarily have expected as a male writing a comic book hero female. In many ways, she's "one of the guys" or "like a dude," but believably so. Also, Bendis writes Jessica Jones's insecurities in a way that parallels her insecurities as a human and woman with those of a "failed" superhero.
One of the things that makes this series so accessible and relatable is that, despite the fact that I don't have superpowers, I could see myself in Jessica Jones, since she is very much a regular person, rather than an unquestionably "good" person like Steve Rogers/Captain America. One of the major themes is that Jessica Jones is smarter, more intuitive, and just an all-around "better" person that she gives herself credit for, and she's built a good life, despite her harshness on herself.
I think that Bendis does a good job of maintaining continuity without merely making Jessica Jones "another" plot device rape victim (and the Purple Man doesn't ever physically rape Jessica Jones). The last story arc involving the Purple Man gets at a more general idea of dealing with trauma and abuse.
It does feel like, especially in the last third of this omnibus, Bendis was told to recap Jessica Jones's origin story for the reader in order to lead into a more mainstream money-making series (which may or may not be true, since I haven't read The Pulse).
October 25, 2015
I read this in anticipation of the upcoming Netflix series next month and it's pretty solid overall. The breakdown is essentially three big cases and then her backstory in the tail volumes. Since it was the first of the MAX line, Bendis has certain liberties and throws in a bunch of f-bombs and some content that would not make it to mainstream comics. However, since Jessica Jones is such a gritty character, it usually doesn't feel R-rated for the sake of being adult.
It was also refreshing to read a series where I liked the main character even more than the supporting ones. I prefer Kelly Sue DeConnick's Carol Danvers, but I loved the issue where Jessica Drew teamed up with Jessica Jones. Luke Cage was great although I wish we had gotten more of them sprinkled throughout so that his admission at the end didn't feel like it was as left field. (Or, you know, I just wanted more of them because they are HILARIOUS?) Jessica Jones was a great character because she was captivating and messed up due to the Purple Man mind control stuff in the past, but there was that sense of undeniable heroism in her that forced her to help people who needed it. It was a more realistic, grounded notion of a hero and feels like it's going to be perfect for Netflix Marvel continuity if we're going off of Daredevil.
My one quip is that the last volume, which is what everything lead up to, felt like a bit of a let down. The backstory within it about the eight months she spent under Purple Man's control was well done, but the confrontations both left something to be desired. The meta about comic book meta in a comic book bit was a weird choice and I think overall I expected something...MORE. It was all too easy, both emotionally on the characters and narratively as the plot.
It was also refreshing to read a series where I liked the main character even more than the supporting ones. I prefer Kelly Sue DeConnick's Carol Danvers, but I loved the issue where Jessica Drew teamed up with Jessica Jones. Luke Cage was great although I wish we had gotten more of them sprinkled throughout so that his admission at the end didn't feel like it was as left field. (Or, you know, I just wanted more of them because they are HILARIOUS?) Jessica Jones was a great character because she was captivating and messed up due to the Purple Man mind control stuff in the past, but there was that sense of undeniable heroism in her that forced her to help people who needed it. It was a more realistic, grounded notion of a hero and feels like it's going to be perfect for Netflix Marvel continuity if we're going off of Daredevil.
My one quip is that the last volume, which is what everything lead up to, felt like a bit of a let down. The backstory within it about the eight months she spent under Purple Man's control was well done, but the confrontations both left something to be desired. The meta about comic book meta in a comic book bit was a weird choice and I think overall I expected something...MORE. It was all too easy, both emotionally on the characters and narratively as the plot.
November 18, 2015
What's great about Alias and what makes it feel so different from most Marvel titles is the way it is centred on a single person's story. Jessica Jones has powers, yes, but she resents it so much that she almost never uses them, resulting in her feeling like a pretty normal and real person. The focus is on Jessica's story as someone dealing with real life problems (money, trauma, self-loathing, love) and working small cases as a private investigator, rather than on saving the world. When superheros like Captain America show up it is only as far as they affect Jessica's life, and they often drift in and out of the story without much fanfare.
Released under the Marvel MAX imprint, Alias is a more mature title than the majority of Marvel titles, but never feels gratuitous or exploitative. The sex, violence, and frequent profanity are emblematic of a complex, damaged heroine just trying to pick up the pieces. And the book is better for not shying away from Jessica's imperfections.
The Omnibus is back-loaded. There's some interesting stuff early on, particularly Jessica's relationship with Luke Cage. But it is really the last section that focuses on her past and confrontation with Kilgrave "The Purple Man" (one of the most heinous and terrifying Marvel villains) that really shines.
I can't wait for the Netflix show.
Released under the Marvel MAX imprint, Alias is a more mature title than the majority of Marvel titles, but never feels gratuitous or exploitative. The sex, violence, and frequent profanity are emblematic of a complex, damaged heroine just trying to pick up the pieces. And the book is better for not shying away from Jessica's imperfections.
The Omnibus is back-loaded. There's some interesting stuff early on, particularly Jessica's relationship with Luke Cage. But it is really the last section that focuses on her past and confrontation with Kilgrave "The Purple Man" (one of the most heinous and terrifying Marvel villains) that really shines.
I can't wait for the Netflix show.
April 29, 2015
Dark and thoughtful and includes one of the best What If? stories I've read in a long time. It seems like the MAX imprint sometimes has terrible writing because the author gets carried away with the fact they can show boobs and curse. There is plenty of cursing and there is some sex but it fits seamlessly into the story rather than being an end to itself. Now I understand why they are going to make a TV show starring Jessica Jones. This really is written that well.
I am curious how or if they will have the cameos in the TV show with movie Avenger actors since we see their characters in the books.
I am curious how or if they will have the cameos in the TV show with movie Avenger actors since we see their characters in the books.
July 6, 2018
Excellent.
The character is very well-done and her spiraling into an anger, casual sex and alcohol is perfectly portrayed and justified. (I do love that the show up the ante and put her in a harder spot with Killgrave. Very well thought.)
One can understand why she behaves the way she does despite the fact that one doesn't approve/like such behavior. The reader still feels empathy and compassion for her, even if saying "what a b!tch" is completely justified.
(OYG! Killgrave "knows" he's in a comic. :v )
The character is very well-done and her spiraling into an anger, casual sex and alcohol is perfectly portrayed and justified. (I do love that the show up the ante and put her in a harder spot with Killgrave. Very well thought.)
One can understand why she behaves the way she does despite the fact that one doesn't approve/like such behavior. The reader still feels empathy and compassion for her, even if saying "what a b!tch" is completely justified.
(OYG! Killgrave "knows" he's in a comic. :v )
November 8, 2015
Honestly, I only discovered this book because of the new Jessica Jones series that is coming out this month but I'm glad I pursued the avenue. It was a great read and good breakaway from the cliche hero persona that is popularized. It even inspired a story I'm writing. It was funny when it needed to be, deep, dark, and just overall interesting. It's explicit but I was prepared for that with very old fashioned views, that I was not prepared for but either way, cool.
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