collects the final issues #22 - #28 of the series.
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Michael Gaydos, with Rick Mays, Mark Bagley and Art Thibert
Colourist: Matt Hollingsworth with Dean White
Publisher: Marvel MAX
Plot:
Up until now, readers have been kept in the dark about exactly how Jessica Jones became the hard-bitten, neurotic ex-superhero that managed Alias investigations. Now, in this final volume collecting Brian Michael Bendis' excellent series, we finally discover the secret origins of Jessica Jones...
Comments:
Seeing as Alias is one of the few comics I follow in trades, rather than as a monthly title, it has been a while since the last installment of Jessica Jones - and I went into this book relatively unspoilt about how the series ended. The first couple of issues take place as flashbacks which deal with Jessica's schooldays, giving Bendis and Gaydos the perfect opportunity to revisit the Marvel Universe of old. The opening pages are a loving, almost picture-perfect homage to Spider-Man's first appearance in Amazing Fantasy #15 which retro-insert Jessica into continuity as a lovestruck adolescent geek-girl. Jessica seems an almost perfect mirror for a young Peter Parker and, being in a Marvel MAX title, is a little more free to explore the more adult dimensions of her situation - in sexual terms as well as the acceptable levels of language (an exchange between the mild-mannered Peter and the swearing Jessica is hilarious, if only because it underlines the freedom that is opened up by Marvels adult imprint). Further nods are also given to characters in the nascent Marvel Universe, with Daredevil's "Radioactive Materials truck" being glimpsed in the road and some amusing background detail only glimpsed on a second reading tying Jessica further into the world of these classic superheroes. When Jessica's origin finally does occur, it's perfectly in keeping with the vague scientific fears of the 60s comics heyday, and goes a long way to definitively root her into the fabric of Marvel superheroes.
The second tale deals with Jessica's disturbing experiences as a young super-heroine at the hands of the Purple Man, his batty "mind-control" concept reinvented brilliantly by Bendis in the most seedy, unpleasant way possible. The story switches from lightweight Silver-Age shenanigans to a stomach-turning, disturbing ordeal for our hero so fast that we are in no doubt that this is the same book we've been reading since issue #1: a Marvel Universe turned on its head, where cause and effect means something and characters don't just happily reboot at the end of the issue. This goes a long way to create the appeal of Alias: a down-to-earth, real-feeling comic books which can still put high-concept comic conceits to good use whilst still building and developing characters we really care about. What's more, there's a genuine sense of jeopardy posed by the Purple Man's appearance - a rarity in most superhero comics we read, where the hero is guaranteed an easy win.
After a third volume of Alias which disappointed me slightly, Bendis is back on top of his game here, limiting his lust for second-tier guest appearances to the strictly relevant and bringing all the dropped hints throughout Alias to a head. We see Jessica Jones put through the wringer in this volume, whilst still finding time to explore some unusual and surprising ideas on the side: the Purple Man's remarkable apparent self-awareness as a comic book character makes for many an interesting moment, as we struggle to understand the various levels of what he is saying all at once, speaking as he does less to Jessica than directly to the readers themselves.
Artwork is used on many levels to great effect here, with Gaydos handling the initial flashbacks with aplomb, capturing a real sense of Stan Lee's superhero world from the 60s. Given the job of capturing some key action sequences - Jessica's tragic accident; her first experience of flying - he delivers a real emotional punch as well as a fluid sense of storytelling. Gaydos later gives way to Mark Bagley's more traditional superhero stylings, which debut with a fantastic pastiche of more innocent superhero comics before descending into a dark place that gives hope for the remainder of his run on current Bendis series "The Pulse". Additional guest artists give us a taste of a young Jessica's manga-influenced psyche before reverting to the present day darkness of Gaydos unbeatable and definitive portrayal of Jessica Jones for a climax which follows the darker threads initiated here through to their conclusion before delivering a beautiful moment which says goodbye to the series and prepares Jessica and Luke for their future in countless other Bendis titles.
Final Word:
A fitting goodbye to one of my favourite series of recent years, and a great collection for the adult comic fan who still enjoys a thoughtful take on superheroes and the Marvel Universe. If you haven't read the previous volumes then the emotional punch will not be felt as strongly as those who have followed the series since its inception - but with all four volumes easy to find in stores, now's as good a time as any to catch up with them. A great place to leave a happier Jessica who has really grown as a character - unless you can bear her watered-down appearances in The Pulse and Daredevil.
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