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Alias
Alias, Vol. 4: The Secret Origins of Jessica Jones
Jessica's origins, including her source of powers, how she became a superhero, and why she quit are revealed.
168 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
46 people are currently reading
939 people want to read
About the author
Brian Michael Bendis
4,397Ìýbooks2,522ÌýfollowersA 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 358 reviews
June 21, 2021
So, you read the 1st three volumes of Alias with Jessica as this superpowered PI, and then Bendis switches it all up in the final volume and gives you her wacky-but-awesome origin story.
I liked the inclusion of Peter Parker as her schoolgirl crush and the way the highlights of Spider-man's origin story played out unbeknownst to Jessica in the background of her own. Snippets, nothing more, but it was a cool nod to the other goings-on in the Marvel universe. Plus it gave some context to Jessica's age in relation to the other superheroes.
You find out how she gets her powers, you see her excitement and confusion as she learns to control them, and then finally you see Jessica happily inhabiting her Jewel persona.
I really like the 3 different art styles that differentiated between her past as a teenager, her past as Jewel, and the grittier look of her in the present day.
You find out what happened to her during her time with the Purple Man and how it affects her relationships with the men in her life now. And while I think we all knew about Jessica & Luke, I had no idea she and Ant-Man were a thing. Poor Scott, he just gets glossed right over.
The ending was great in that it's not an ending at all sort of way.
But you do get some resolution with the Purple Man stuff and it leads into how Jessica and Luke get together. <--ok, didn't know how that went down AT ALL, so I'm really glad I finally got a chance to read this.
The final arc of her story is by far the best, and well worth taking the time to read.
Highly Recommended.
I liked the inclusion of Peter Parker as her schoolgirl crush and the way the highlights of Spider-man's origin story played out unbeknownst to Jessica in the background of her own. Snippets, nothing more, but it was a cool nod to the other goings-on in the Marvel universe. Plus it gave some context to Jessica's age in relation to the other superheroes.
You find out how she gets her powers, you see her excitement and confusion as she learns to control them, and then finally you see Jessica happily inhabiting her Jewel persona.
I really like the 3 different art styles that differentiated between her past as a teenager, her past as Jewel, and the grittier look of her in the present day.
You find out what happened to her during her time with the Purple Man and how it affects her relationships with the men in her life now. And while I think we all knew about Jessica & Luke, I had no idea she and Ant-Man were a thing. Poor Scott, he just gets glossed right over.
The ending was great in that it's not an ending at all sort of way.
But you do get some resolution with the Purple Man stuff and it leads into how Jessica and Luke get together. <--ok, didn't know how that went down AT ALL, so I'm really glad I finally got a chance to read this.
The final arc of her story is by far the best, and well worth taking the time to read.
Highly Recommended.
February 6, 2017
This one collects the final issues of Marvel’s MAX version of Jessica Jones adventures and while I’m sad it didn’t last longer I also realize that all good things must come to an end. Or in superhero comic books it’s more accurate to say that one good version of the title has to come to an end and then start up again in another version.
Brian Michael Bendis saved the best for last in which he concludes the character arc for Jessica as well as giving us her origin story via flashbacks, and we also learn what was behind her decision to turn away from being a costumed superhero and drove her self-destructive behavior. It’s a remarkably deft piece of storytelling that manages to mix in bits of Marvel history like Jessica going to high school with Peter Parker with the raw and gritty portrayal of a hard-drinking self-loathing private detective. I also loved how the art was done in this with the flashbacks to Jessica’s superhero days done in the bright clean style of a more typical Marvel book back in the day which contrasts with the darker grittier tone of a MAX comic with plenty of profanity and sex.
We get the revelation of Zebediah Killgrave a/k/a The Purple Man as the main cause of Jessica’s pain. One of the most impressive things that Bendis has ever done is to take a B-list minor supervillain and turn him into one of the most dangerous and repulsive Marvel bad guys I’ve ever read without any major retconning. By digging into the full scope of what mind control powers could be used to do by a complete sociopath we get a chilling portrait of pure evil.
Bendis also does a nice bit of metafiction here with Killgrave taunting Jessica with the idea that she’s a character in a comic book. That also works with the other tricks like changing the art styles to put a sly level of self-awareness and commentary about the whole thing.
Overall, Alias was a great title that blended the realistic adult themes of the modern PI genre with Marvel characters and history to give us a fresh perspective on that universe as well as an intriguing character story.
Brian Michael Bendis saved the best for last in which he concludes the character arc for Jessica as well as giving us her origin story via flashbacks, and we also learn what was behind her decision to turn away from being a costumed superhero and drove her self-destructive behavior. It’s a remarkably deft piece of storytelling that manages to mix in bits of Marvel history like Jessica going to high school with Peter Parker with the raw and gritty portrayal of a hard-drinking self-loathing private detective. I also loved how the art was done in this with the flashbacks to Jessica’s superhero days done in the bright clean style of a more typical Marvel book back in the day which contrasts with the darker grittier tone of a MAX comic with plenty of profanity and sex.
We get the revelation of Zebediah Killgrave a/k/a The Purple Man as the main cause of Jessica’s pain. One of the most impressive things that Bendis has ever done is to take a B-list minor supervillain and turn him into one of the most dangerous and repulsive Marvel bad guys I’ve ever read without any major retconning. By digging into the full scope of what mind control powers could be used to do by a complete sociopath we get a chilling portrait of pure evil.
Bendis also does a nice bit of metafiction here with Killgrave taunting Jessica with the idea that she’s a character in a comic book. That also works with the other tricks like changing the art styles to put a sly level of self-awareness and commentary about the whole thing.
Overall, Alias was a great title that blended the realistic adult themes of the modern PI genre with Marvel characters and history to give us a fresh perspective on that universe as well as an intriguing character story.
August 10, 2016
Termino la saga de Jessica Jones con una enorme sonrisa y conociendo por fin más detalles de su vida. Me gusta que el final conecte con la saga que continúa sus historias, y que se hayan incluido un par de one-shots en esta edición.
Recomiendo los cómics de Jessica Jones a todo el mundo. Tienen elementos que pueden atraer a un gran público y no sé, es que estoy fascinado.
Recomiendo los cómics de Jessica Jones a todo el mundo. Tienen elementos que pueden atraer a un gran público y no sé, es que estoy fascinado.
February 9, 2017
Killgrave! The Purple Man! Woo Woo!
Okay, so the story isn't *quite* the same as the tv, all the fundamentals are pretty much spot on.
I *do* rather wish I'd been able to see Jessica try to slap the Scarlet Witch or avoid Thor's hammer, though. :) The artwork turning Jessica (as Jewel) into a bright comic character was absolutely freaky, knowing her as we've been getting to know her. I love the contrast and it works so well here, from bright-eyed innocence into abject despair for 8 months. *shiver* Not to mention The Vision giving her a major time-out that I don't envy.
I'm thinking I'm still very much in love. :) The *near* fourth-wall stuff was particularly effective. :)
Okay, so the story isn't *quite* the same as the tv, all the fundamentals are pretty much spot on.
I *do* rather wish I'd been able to see Jessica try to slap the Scarlet Witch or avoid Thor's hammer, though. :) The artwork turning Jessica (as Jewel) into a bright comic character was absolutely freaky, knowing her as we've been getting to know her. I love the contrast and it works so well here, from bright-eyed innocence into abject despair for 8 months. *shiver* Not to mention The Vision giving her a major time-out that I don't envy.
I'm thinking I'm still very much in love. :) The *near* fourth-wall stuff was particularly effective. :)
March 30, 2018
Behold: the depressing origin of Jessica Jones! Plus: her traumatic past with Killgrave the Purple Man revealed! Yes, it’s a Marvel comic!
I knew it � I knew there was a great Jessica Jones book to be had somewhere! The first one was ok, the second and third were entirely superfluous (Jessica looks for a runaway teen girl in Vol 2; Jessica looks for a drugged-out runaway teen girl in Vol 3), but this fourth one is where it’s at.
Brian Bendis artfully constructs Jessica’s dark origin, from how she got her powers to the fate of her biological family. He weaves in a lot of Silver Age Marvel stuff into the background (a little redundantly I thought � Jessica went to school with Peter Parker and was there when he got bit by the spider; really?) while slowly building up to the mystery of why she’s a mess today. I liked the subtle hints we got on the covers � the redacted words, the ever-present purple, both cleverly hinting at her repressed memories � and Bendis absolutely delivered on her horrible encounter with Killgrave.
In addition to tenderly and sympathetically writing Jessica’s confessional scenes with Luke Cage, Bendis� choice to write Killgrave as a fourth wall-breaking character was really interesting and unexpected. It made for a very different final encounter that you usually see in Marvel books and was imaginative, unpredictable and satisfying. The entire book reads at a driving pace with Bendis on point throughout rather than indulging his tendency to tread water and unnecessarily prolong the narrative.
I’ve never really cared for Michael Gaydos� art, which was the book’s only low point for me. His realistic indie style is not a great fit for the superhero genre and the thick inky lines made for some clunky character expressions. Mark Bagley draws the superhero sequences in his cartoony style, which was a clever choice that definitely worked, though I’m not really a Bagley fan either. That said, the art of Jessica’s high school days in the first couple chapters looked great, helped in large part by the poppy colouring.
This original four-volume Jessica Jones run is very uneven but it ends really strongly with the best book in the series. I recommend reading the first book, ignoring the next two and jumping straight to this one.
I knew it � I knew there was a great Jessica Jones book to be had somewhere! The first one was ok, the second and third were entirely superfluous (Jessica looks for a runaway teen girl in Vol 2; Jessica looks for a drugged-out runaway teen girl in Vol 3), but this fourth one is where it’s at.
Brian Bendis artfully constructs Jessica’s dark origin, from how she got her powers to the fate of her biological family. He weaves in a lot of Silver Age Marvel stuff into the background (a little redundantly I thought � Jessica went to school with Peter Parker and was there when he got bit by the spider; really?) while slowly building up to the mystery of why she’s a mess today. I liked the subtle hints we got on the covers � the redacted words, the ever-present purple, both cleverly hinting at her repressed memories � and Bendis absolutely delivered on her horrible encounter with Killgrave.
In addition to tenderly and sympathetically writing Jessica’s confessional scenes with Luke Cage, Bendis� choice to write Killgrave as a fourth wall-breaking character was really interesting and unexpected. It made for a very different final encounter that you usually see in Marvel books and was imaginative, unpredictable and satisfying. The entire book reads at a driving pace with Bendis on point throughout rather than indulging his tendency to tread water and unnecessarily prolong the narrative.
I’ve never really cared for Michael Gaydos� art, which was the book’s only low point for me. His realistic indie style is not a great fit for the superhero genre and the thick inky lines made for some clunky character expressions. Mark Bagley draws the superhero sequences in his cartoony style, which was a clever choice that definitely worked, though I’m not really a Bagley fan either. That said, the art of Jessica’s high school days in the first couple chapters looked great, helped in large part by the poppy colouring.
This original four-volume Jessica Jones run is very uneven but it ends really strongly with the best book in the series. I recommend reading the first book, ignoring the next two and jumping straight to this one.
April 6, 2016
4.5 stars!
Origin story, FINALLY! Killgrave, finally! Plus cameos from so many other superheroes, what more could you want?
Origin story, FINALLY! Killgrave, finally! Plus cameos from so many other superheroes, what more could you want?
June 1, 2017
4.5 Stars
Well, fuck. I finished the run and I can honestly say this is one of my favorite series ever.
Alias made me laugh, made me sick, mad and angry. I was uncomfortable and sad, but then a great line would have me smiling. For 28 issues I was simply fascinated. I loved this volume, the one where we get to learn so much about Jessica and her struggles and sorrows, but I was thinking about rounding this down to 4 stars . And then the last two pages happened. The last panel and the last line of dialogue brought tears to my eyes. So what can I say? I love Jessica and her grim world. I love what Bendis and Gaydos created here. What a great title. I miss it already.
Full Review to Come!
Well, fuck. I finished the run and I can honestly say this is one of my favorite series ever.
Alias made me laugh, made me sick, mad and angry. I was uncomfortable and sad, but then a great line would have me smiling. For 28 issues I was simply fascinated. I loved this volume, the one where we get to learn so much about Jessica and her struggles and sorrows, but I was thinking about rounding this down to 4 stars . And then the last two pages happened. The last panel and the last line of dialogue brought tears to my eyes. So what can I say? I love Jessica and her grim world. I love what Bendis and Gaydos created here. What a great title. I miss it already.
Full Review to Come!
March 7, 2016
This. The retroactive origin story, right in the middle of Midtown High, this is the genius of Bendis. Cause of *course* Jessica would fit right into this world of fucked-up accidents and experiments - and of *course* she would end up going another way entirely from the guilt-ridden fools of the red-tinged-costume brigade. (Wait, did I just start channeling my inner Doom?)
Through Alias' lens, hearing Ka-Zar tell his origin story in Matt Murdock's office is just hilarious. Like, if you were to hear Dr. Frankenstein show up at your door, asking if you had a few minutes to talk about the Great Lords of Electricity? Like that, only with better, blonder hair.
Then we take a E ticket, jump straight on crazy train. The good stuff. The high life. The head trip. The mind fuck that is the Purple Man. What a fucking looney narcissist sociopathic piece of trash.
This is a really good, tense, fucked up story - what with Killgrave breaking the fourth wall, playing games with our hero, seeing how far down the hole Jessica fell the first time, and knowing how jacked up over her the PM is, makes the whole scene preeeettty creepy, with a side of slasher flick tension just for fun.
(I wouldn't be surprised if Rob Zombie popped out of the scenery)
And man is that finale scene there to drag a tear out of your stoney eye, like they wanted to punch it out but figured it would only come willingly, so we'll make you suffer a little for it. Dat facial expression on him.
It's little wonder this story became the focal point of the first season of Jessica Jones' series. That is some fucked-up way to live a life, Killgrave. And Bendis, you one fucked-up dude to see exactly how a guy like that would live, and give it to us with as little judgment as is possible to have over a piece of shit like PM.
Through Alias' lens, hearing Ka-Zar tell his origin story in Matt Murdock's office is just hilarious. Like, if you were to hear Dr. Frankenstein show up at your door, asking if you had a few minutes to talk about the Great Lords of Electricity? Like that, only with better, blonder hair.
Then we take a E ticket, jump straight on crazy train. The good stuff. The high life. The head trip. The mind fuck that is the Purple Man. What a fucking looney narcissist sociopathic piece of trash.
This is a really good, tense, fucked up story - what with Killgrave breaking the fourth wall, playing games with our hero, seeing how far down the hole Jessica fell the first time, and knowing how jacked up over her the PM is, makes the whole scene preeeettty creepy, with a side of slasher flick tension just for fun.
(I wouldn't be surprised if Rob Zombie popped out of the scenery)
And man is that finale scene there to drag a tear out of your stoney eye, like they wanted to punch it out but figured it would only come willingly, so we'll make you suffer a little for it. Dat facial expression on him.
It's little wonder this story became the focal point of the first season of Jessica Jones' series. That is some fucked-up way to live a life, Killgrave. And Bendis, you one fucked-up dude to see exactly how a guy like that would live, and give it to us with as little judgment as is possible to have over a piece of shit like PM.
March 18, 2025
This was a great series!
February 6, 2017
Esto se ha acabado (o bueno,hasta hace unos meses asà parecÃa) , y tras tres volúmenes, sólo faltaba ver quien fue Jessica, y porque fue que dejo su vida como heróina.
En esta historia nos encontramos con una Jessica que es alcanzada por su pasado, con aquello que la destruyó, y nuevamente vemos como sale su vena heróica cuando acepta un cara a cara con el hombre de sus pesadillas (a.k.a. purple man, a.k.a. Killgrave), con el objetivo de ayudar a otras personas cuya vida fue arruinada.
Conforme avanza la historia realmente quedamos con un personaje que tras ver crecer notamos como se derrumba por un momento, como la angustia y el dolor vuelven a ella, pero igualmente como busca enfrentarse a ello. En esta última contienda ella no esta sola, al más puro estilo del cómic americano vemos un sin fin de personajes unidos contra la amenaza que representa Killgrave, pero sin que por ello se mande a Jessica al fondo, de hecho la responsabilidad final de cerrar esta historia cae en ella, no en quienes la acompañan.
Personalmente creo que la resolución con Killgrave es buena, pero eso nunca fue el foco central de Alias, por ello el hecho de que aun existan cuadros tras está simplemente demuestran que el factor humano, las relaciones, las victorias y los fracasos son lo que realmente mueve a la historia y que el verdadero interes en ella recae en los personajes.
Jessica Jones termina posicionándose como uno de los personajes más interesantes que hay en Marvel, y el cierre de esta historia es realmente magnÃfico.
January 31, 2020
This is what the other volumes of Alias have been building towards. Full disclosure of Jessica's past as a hero. And Bendis absolutely does not disappoint.
Let's face it, the mind-controlling villain plot has been done many, many times. Even the hero as victim of mind control is old hat. Bendis takes the tried and true past the standard by making the Purple Man not just a credible threat, but a deeply frightening character. And he makes the aftermath on Jessica's side wrenchingly believable. It's that execution that takes what's really a standard storyline in comics and makes it special, and unforgettable.
I've really liked this entire series. It's had a lot of hype over the years, and it's all deserved. As a whole, it's a fantastic piece of work, and it's Exhibit A for why Bendis is a top creator in the business.
Let's face it, the mind-controlling villain plot has been done many, many times. Even the hero as victim of mind control is old hat. Bendis takes the tried and true past the standard by making the Purple Man not just a credible threat, but a deeply frightening character. And he makes the aftermath on Jessica's side wrenchingly believable. It's that execution that takes what's really a standard storyline in comics and makes it special, and unforgettable.
I've really liked this entire series. It's had a lot of hype over the years, and it's all deserved. As a whole, it's a fantastic piece of work, and it's Exhibit A for why Bendis is a top creator in the business.
August 7, 2024
At long last things get proper PURPLE and Jessica and Luke get serious. Fantastic series.
February 15, 2017
Well shit, I loved this series.
So this is the origin story. I think sadly I was spoiled by the TV show on Purple man. Getting a reallllll good look into his mind, who he is, broken, and a screwed up piece of shit. This purple man is far more...dark. As in he gives even less of a fucks (if that's possible) about the human life. It truly is remarkable what the TV show did, and it made me not love purple man in here as much (love to hate. Not love him as a good guy, cause he's not, he's a fucking asshole)
So you get a big background feel for Jessica from kid to teen to adult. I thought it was well told for most part. Felt a little rushed at parts but it hit all the emotional parts. The Peter part was the best and made me die laughing. Then we get to the showdown, or meet, with Purple Man. It's both scary, and screwed up, but feels like it gets resolved so quickly. In one issue really. I wish we had a few issues of it.
The ending was really fucking sad for Antman and Jessica. However the very ending actually gives hope. Not I gotta go and read Pulse.
Overall this is dark in it's own way. I think if you love the TV show (like I do) you'll enjoy this volume a lot as well. Another 4/5!
So this is the origin story. I think sadly I was spoiled by the TV show on Purple man. Getting a reallllll good look into his mind, who he is, broken, and a screwed up piece of shit. This purple man is far more...dark. As in he gives even less of a fucks (if that's possible) about the human life. It truly is remarkable what the TV show did, and it made me not love purple man in here as much (love to hate. Not love him as a good guy, cause he's not, he's a fucking asshole)
So you get a big background feel for Jessica from kid to teen to adult. I thought it was well told for most part. Felt a little rushed at parts but it hit all the emotional parts. The Peter part was the best and made me die laughing. Then we get to the showdown, or meet, with Purple Man. It's both scary, and screwed up, but feels like it gets resolved so quickly. In one issue really. I wish we had a few issues of it.
The ending was really fucking sad for Antman and Jessica. However the very ending actually gives hope. Not I gotta go and read Pulse.
Overall this is dark in it's own way. I think if you love the TV show (like I do) you'll enjoy this volume a lot as well. Another 4/5!
July 29, 2016
En este último tomo de la serie Alias tenemos por fin el relato del origen de Jessica Jones, sus primeros pasos como superheroina asà como el motivo por el que se alejó del mundo de los superhéroes para iniciar su carrera como investigadora privada.
Es curioso que el momento que elije Bendis para contar esta historia de origen es justo el final de la serie, normalmente o se cuenta al principio o se deja en el aire. En este caso el misterio que hay alrededor del origen de Jessica Jones es parte importante de la trama y contarlo al final de esta serie de 28 números, junto con la conclusión final permite que esta historia adquiera un caracter circular.
Bendis cierra con este tomo la colección terminando de redondear una historia completa que en realidad no necesita continuación. En este tomo nos encontraremos con un buen número de invitados especiales, pero como siempre la personalidad que Bendis imprime a Jessica permite que ninguno le haga sombra.
Muy buena serie que mantiene un nivel de calidad muy alto durante todo su recorrido y que cierra muy dignamente.
Es curioso que el momento que elije Bendis para contar esta historia de origen es justo el final de la serie, normalmente o se cuenta al principio o se deja en el aire. En este caso el misterio que hay alrededor del origen de Jessica Jones es parte importante de la trama y contarlo al final de esta serie de 28 números, junto con la conclusión final permite que esta historia adquiera un caracter circular.
Bendis cierra con este tomo la colección terminando de redondear una historia completa que en realidad no necesita continuación. En este tomo nos encontraremos con un buen número de invitados especiales, pero como siempre la personalidad que Bendis imprime a Jessica permite que ninguno le haga sombra.
Muy buena serie que mantiene un nivel de calidad muy alto durante todo su recorrido y que cierra muy dignamente.
December 26, 2014
A great finish to this series, where Bendis and artist Gaydos (with help from other artists) pulls out all the stops to help you explain why it is Jessica got out of being a superhero (and in Bendis's conception, out of being an Avenger, which helps explain her appearance in Bendis's relaunch of The New Avengers�). So she went to high school with Peter Parker, and her great nemesis became The Purple Cape (the once foil of Daredevil), a pretty effectively scary guy whose power is to control your mind, which works in a meta-fictional way to help us further understand Jess�)� and the "love triangle" gets resolved� And in terms of the art, we get different art styles for different periods of Jessica's past, which is interesting� So you can see this is chock full of ideas� It's really a great series, with great dialogue, fresh ideas, good art. I really liked it and will read it again.
December 21, 2017
Wow. Just wow.
Reading this was like (in my mind, at least) experiencing how Rogue One led directly into Star Wars: A New Hope. Is that the best example? I don't know, but it's what occurred to me after turning the final page. Everything makes sense now.
We finally get an origin story (equal parts comedy and tragedy) and now understand some the skeletons in JJ's closet. Although her background was not particularly muddy - though not always well explained - in the previous three volumes there is now a sense of clarity. Some of the revelations strike with the impact of Thor's hammer. And the guest appearances and cameos read like a 'who's who' of the 70's / 80's Marvel Universe.
Did anyone else think the JJ / 'Purple Man' situation was some sort of allegory for an abusive relationship or marriage? Just curious.
Thanks, Ms. Jones - it's been a hell of a journey.
Reading this was like (in my mind, at least) experiencing how Rogue One led directly into Star Wars: A New Hope. Is that the best example? I don't know, but it's what occurred to me after turning the final page. Everything makes sense now.
We finally get an origin story (equal parts comedy and tragedy) and now understand some the skeletons in JJ's closet. Although her background was not particularly muddy - though not always well explained - in the previous three volumes there is now a sense of clarity. Some of the revelations strike with the impact of Thor's hammer. And the guest appearances and cameos read like a 'who's who' of the 70's / 80's Marvel Universe.
Did anyone else think the JJ / 'Purple Man' situation was some sort of allegory for an abusive relationship or marriage? Just curious.
Thanks, Ms. Jones - it's been a hell of a journey.
August 15, 2022
Volume four of the Alias series finally offers us the origin story of Jessica Jones, how she got her powers and how she ended up where she is now.
The origin story wasn't anything extraordinary, the dialogues were clunky at times, but what was great was the overall story; a story about self-discovery, soul searching and acceptance. I think that's what the story aims to be at its core. Plus, I loved how different artworks are used to portray the different stages of Jessica's life.
Bendis offers a not-so-typical superhero series, and despite its flaws, it is still an enjoyable and solid ride.
The origin story wasn't anything extraordinary, the dialogues were clunky at times, but what was great was the overall story; a story about self-discovery, soul searching and acceptance. I think that's what the story aims to be at its core. Plus, I loved how different artworks are used to portray the different stages of Jessica's life.
Bendis offers a not-so-typical superhero series, and despite its flaws, it is still an enjoyable and solid ride.
March 8, 2016
Apparently I never marked this one as read more. Sufficiently shitty origins for a superhero, Jessica deals in unconventional ways.
February 14, 2020
Wow! Lots of things happened here. We can finally learn about Jessica's past, so many questions are answered: How did she get her super powers? Why is she no longer a superhero? And why has she chosen to live such a lonely life?
Now I need to read .
Now I need to read .
February 28, 2018
The Purple Man!! Now I see where the source material for the Tv show has come from. Not exactly the same as the tv show but very similar. Loved this story line probably the most during this series.
January 4, 2017
I only realised I had no clue about how exactly Jessica had obtained her powers the moment I opened this last volume. It was a first step down a memory lane that grew into quite an experience. Again, they managed to create an emotional balance that had its peaks without ever being too much of anything. There was time, and space, for the whole spectrum to play out.
That said, I must confess I shuddered when Killgrave was first mentioned. I believe he was disturbingly well portrayed throughout the TV series, having left quite a dent behind, and was certainly not expecting his written version to feel even creepier. It was one of those surprises that I could have lived without, but that I am now embracing.
Speaking of surprises, I felt rather nostalgic running into Jean Grey. Even though my relationship with her character is based only on the X-Men movie series, I always thought there was something incredibly soothing about her. Her presence ended up being quite reassuring.
Back to the expectations discourse, I found the ending to be rather unexpected. It was� different, I guess, a step into a future that will certainly never be the same.
Alas, it’s over. Sigh. I feel as though I should give The Pulse a go, having had such a great time with Alias.
That said, I must confess I shuddered when Killgrave was first mentioned. I believe he was disturbingly well portrayed throughout the TV series, having left quite a dent behind, and was certainly not expecting his written version to feel even creepier. It was one of those surprises that I could have lived without, but that I am now embracing.
Speaking of surprises, I felt rather nostalgic running into Jean Grey. Even though my relationship with her character is based only on the X-Men movie series, I always thought there was something incredibly soothing about her. Her presence ended up being quite reassuring.
Back to the expectations discourse, I found the ending to be rather unexpected. It was� different, I guess, a step into a future that will certainly never be the same.
Alas, it’s over. Sigh. I feel as though I should give The Pulse a go, having had such a great time with Alias.
February 3, 2024
Um final impactante e muito importante para a personagem. Sem duvidas, Alias construiu e desenvolveu muito bem a Jessica Jones. Para quem assistiu apenas a série, ou nem conhece a personagem, todo a fase do Bendis com a personagem, funciona muito bem para que a mesma seja apresentada para os leitores, e ainda conquistar um espaço dentre os personagens favoritos da Marvel.
Nesse último arco, temos Jéssica enfrentando o seu pior vilão, o Killgrave. Quem viu a série da Netflix, sabe o impacto que esse personagem causa na Jéssica, mas mesmo para quem não viu, na HQ é muito bem explicado e deixa o leitor com raiva de saber tudo que ele fez com a Jéssica.
Com o desenvolvimento dessa trama com o Killgrave, entende-se o porque a Jessica é tão depressiva, melancólica e problemas para se relacionar com as demais pessoas. Também é explicado o porque dela deixar a vida de super heroÃna.
É uma trama muito importante para a personagem, que explica suas fragilidades e faz com que a personagem as enfrente-as, virando a página de sua vida, e deixando possibilidades para que um próximo arco seja construÃdo a partir disso.
Eu gostaria muito que o Bendis ou algum outro roteirista tivesse continuado com a personagem, há muito potencial aqui para ser explorado. O núcleo urbano da Marvel é muito subestimado.
Nesse último arco, temos Jéssica enfrentando o seu pior vilão, o Killgrave. Quem viu a série da Netflix, sabe o impacto que esse personagem causa na Jéssica, mas mesmo para quem não viu, na HQ é muito bem explicado e deixa o leitor com raiva de saber tudo que ele fez com a Jéssica.
Com o desenvolvimento dessa trama com o Killgrave, entende-se o porque a Jessica é tão depressiva, melancólica e problemas para se relacionar com as demais pessoas. Também é explicado o porque dela deixar a vida de super heroÃna.
É uma trama muito importante para a personagem, que explica suas fragilidades e faz com que a personagem as enfrente-as, virando a página de sua vida, e deixando possibilidades para que um próximo arco seja construÃdo a partir disso.
Eu gostaria muito que o Bendis ou algum outro roteirista tivesse continuado com a personagem, há muito potencial aqui para ser explorado. O núcleo urbano da Marvel é muito subestimado.
January 16, 2019
Jewel (Story Line Ranking Below)
Well shit. That was quite an ending. Jessica Jones� origin isn’t one that I had been wondering about. Only after reading volume 3 was I getting curious. And combining the beginning with the end is actually a pretty genius idea. Especially when you have Bendis on board with this concept, you know you gonna get quality. Even though I think Alias was to short of a series, I think these last issues definitely wraps it up pretty good. I always get afraid near the ends of series like this. I’m always sceptical about their ability to wrap up main character arcs, out standing plots, and even supporting character arcs. Bendis does a fantastic job with this. I was very very impressed. After reading the ending of Brubaker and Rucka’s Gotham Central, I’ve never been the same.
As a whole the origin story is interesting and familiar enough for me to be satisfied. I didn’t think it was anything mind-blowing but if you want to set your character up as a more realistic and grounded one, maybe traveling outside of the 616 universe and getting banged by an alien isn’t the best idea. The scenes with her as “Jewel� make her seem like the most vulnerable person ever. And I guess that was the point. Even though the change in art suggests otherwise, those scenes are DARK AS HELL. That art change was a little iffy for me. I understand why the art style was more cartoony, but it never the less was a little jarring. The scenes where Jessica finds out about “somebody�, and tries to drown her fear by drinking are just so good. Those scenes really make you as the reader feel like there is no hope. And when shit hits the fan, the book actually got frickin intense. There is a scene where Jones is on the phone trying to call a million people and dude, it got a little freaky. I felt what she was feeling. A seemingly impossible force coming to get you and they could be anywhere.
Scott Lang’s entire character arc was great. He was just as flawed as Jones was. He was sometimes clingy and needy, but also legitimately caring. His inclusion added a sense of relief to Jessica’s crazy ass life. And the very ending of the book, I loved. The very last scene made it feel like I had gone on quite a journey since issue 1 where Jessica and Luke Cage did some.......stuff....... Since I know that Pulse is a thing, the ending of this series got me really excited to read it. The add for Pulse at the end of the book made me feel like when I was watching the Force Awakens trailer back in 2014. Okay not quite that excited but definitely wanna check it out.
Aight. The Purple Man. He was goin good until you actually see him in his jail cell. The Purple Man is the most self aware villain I’ve ever seen. I do not think he is aware of his own existence in a comic book, but rather how his life and the people around him fit into the mood of a comic book. I personally didn’t like this. Mostly because it made him less intimidating. I mean I guess this concept has to be done at some point, but I am just not a big fan of it. I wish his motivations were more sinister. Instead of “I’m literally the bad guy and I know it so I’m gonna mess shit up.� AND NO Heath Ledger’s Joker does not have the same motivation if that’s what you are thinking. As a villain I’d give him a solid 7/10.
This is Michael Gaydos� best art. I know I’ve been tough on him because of the copying and pasting of identical panels, but he managed illustrated some truly fantastic artwork in this book.
Alias is a timeless series. You will be hard pressed to find a more human and compelling character than Ms. Jessica Jones. Bendis and Gaydos managed to make a truly great mature Marvel series that I have already given so much praise to that I’d feel like a broken record reiterating all my points. There wasn’t one volume of this series where I didn’t get my brain busted by the sheer realism and maturity of the character writing in this series. There are definite problematic missteps along the way, (and a little more than I hoped) but what series doesn’t. Just read Alias. Just do it man its worth your time and it may give you a whole new side of super heroes. Letter Grade: (B+)
Alias Series Letter Grade: (A-)
StoryLine Ranking:
1. Come Home
2. #1-5
3. The Secret Origins of Jessica Jones
4. The Underneath
5. #6-9
Well shit. That was quite an ending. Jessica Jones� origin isn’t one that I had been wondering about. Only after reading volume 3 was I getting curious. And combining the beginning with the end is actually a pretty genius idea. Especially when you have Bendis on board with this concept, you know you gonna get quality. Even though I think Alias was to short of a series, I think these last issues definitely wraps it up pretty good. I always get afraid near the ends of series like this. I’m always sceptical about their ability to wrap up main character arcs, out standing plots, and even supporting character arcs. Bendis does a fantastic job with this. I was very very impressed. After reading the ending of Brubaker and Rucka’s Gotham Central, I’ve never been the same.
As a whole the origin story is interesting and familiar enough for me to be satisfied. I didn’t think it was anything mind-blowing but if you want to set your character up as a more realistic and grounded one, maybe traveling outside of the 616 universe and getting banged by an alien isn’t the best idea. The scenes with her as “Jewel� make her seem like the most vulnerable person ever. And I guess that was the point. Even though the change in art suggests otherwise, those scenes are DARK AS HELL. That art change was a little iffy for me. I understand why the art style was more cartoony, but it never the less was a little jarring. The scenes where Jessica finds out about “somebody�, and tries to drown her fear by drinking are just so good. Those scenes really make you as the reader feel like there is no hope. And when shit hits the fan, the book actually got frickin intense. There is a scene where Jones is on the phone trying to call a million people and dude, it got a little freaky. I felt what she was feeling. A seemingly impossible force coming to get you and they could be anywhere.
Scott Lang’s entire character arc was great. He was just as flawed as Jones was. He was sometimes clingy and needy, but also legitimately caring. His inclusion added a sense of relief to Jessica’s crazy ass life. And the very ending of the book, I loved. The very last scene made it feel like I had gone on quite a journey since issue 1 where Jessica and Luke Cage did some.......stuff....... Since I know that Pulse is a thing, the ending of this series got me really excited to read it. The add for Pulse at the end of the book made me feel like when I was watching the Force Awakens trailer back in 2014. Okay not quite that excited but definitely wanna check it out.
Aight. The Purple Man. He was goin good until you actually see him in his jail cell. The Purple Man is the most self aware villain I’ve ever seen. I do not think he is aware of his own existence in a comic book, but rather how his life and the people around him fit into the mood of a comic book. I personally didn’t like this. Mostly because it made him less intimidating. I mean I guess this concept has to be done at some point, but I am just not a big fan of it. I wish his motivations were more sinister. Instead of “I’m literally the bad guy and I know it so I’m gonna mess shit up.� AND NO Heath Ledger’s Joker does not have the same motivation if that’s what you are thinking. As a villain I’d give him a solid 7/10.
This is Michael Gaydos� best art. I know I’ve been tough on him because of the copying and pasting of identical panels, but he managed illustrated some truly fantastic artwork in this book.
Alias is a timeless series. You will be hard pressed to find a more human and compelling character than Ms. Jessica Jones. Bendis and Gaydos managed to make a truly great mature Marvel series that I have already given so much praise to that I’d feel like a broken record reiterating all my points. There wasn’t one volume of this series where I didn’t get my brain busted by the sheer realism and maturity of the character writing in this series. There are definite problematic missteps along the way, (and a little more than I hoped) but what series doesn’t. Just read Alias. Just do it man its worth your time and it may give you a whole new side of super heroes. Letter Grade: (B+)
Alias Series Letter Grade: (A-)
StoryLine Ranking:
1. Come Home
2. #1-5
3. The Secret Origins of Jessica Jones
4. The Underneath
5. #6-9
October 20, 2020
Y aquà llegamos al final de la serie de Alias de Brian Michael Bendis, que no el final de Jessica Jones como personaje, pues su historia no concluye aquÃ, solo acaba de comenzar.
Este volumen sin duda es el mejor de toda la serie, empieza contándonos de forma maravillosa los inicios de Jessica como adolescente, como consiguió sus poderes, como afronto su vida tras su fatal accidente y como finalmente decidió convertirse en superheroÃna. Especial detalle y mimo tiene el comienzo de este arco con ese homenaje a la primera aparición de Peter Parker, también llamado como Spiderman, en el Amazing Fantasy 15. Saber que de fondo siempre estuvo ella allÃ, pendiente de Parker aunque sin que nadie le prestase atención, es una gran manera de aprovechar la continuidad. Además te tener otro homenaje a Daredevil (que alguno entenderá o se le habrá pasado) y al mÃtico ataque de Galactus a la Tierra.
Luego tenemos en el siguiente arco la conclusión del trauma que Jessica Jones tiene con el villano Killgrave, también llamado el Hombre Púrpura. Un villano desequilibrado que es capaz de controlar a las personas gracias a su piel que produce unas feromonas y que está muy mal de la cabeza; un violador psicópata que odia a los superhéroes, y que en su dÃa se tropezó con Joya (nombre de superheroÃna de Jessica) desencadenando unos meses de dolor y miseria para la vida de Jessica.
En estos números descubrimos como Jessica y Luke Cage se afianzan más, la conclusión de la relación con Scott Lang y la trama con el regreso del Hombre Púrpura que escapa en la fuga de la Balsa (yo creÃa entender que esta fuga es la famosa fuga que sucede en los primeros números de Los Nuevos Vengadores también de Bendis. Pero luego pensé que esta serie se escribió antes y además hay hechos muy importantes como la separación de Los Vengadores que no se explican que hayan ocurrido. Luego comprobé que no, no es la misma fuga que la de esa serie, aunque en esa el Hombre Púrpura también intenta escapar.)
El tomo termina con dos números, uno una especie de “¿Qué pasarÃa siâ€�?â€� en la que el propio Bendis aparece y nos narra en primera persona el destino de Jessica si se hubiera unido a los Vengadores cuando se le dio la oportunidad. Y el número final es un numero de aniversario que se escribió en 2014 donde se nos muestra a Jessica volviendo a las andadas por un caso especial y preparándose a volver como detective dando inicio entiendo yo a la serie ya si llamada comúnmente como “Jessica Jonesâ€� que inicio Bendis y continuo Kelly Thompson.
Aun asà si queréis más Jessica Jones además de los números de Alias y esa serie llamada “Jessica Jones� que sepáis que entre esas dos series Jessica se dejó ver en The Pulse y en Los Nuevos Vengadores donde se nos narra la parte de su vida que tuvo un hijo con Luke Cage y se casó con el susodicho.
Este volumen sin duda es el mejor de toda la serie, empieza contándonos de forma maravillosa los inicios de Jessica como adolescente, como consiguió sus poderes, como afronto su vida tras su fatal accidente y como finalmente decidió convertirse en superheroÃna. Especial detalle y mimo tiene el comienzo de este arco con ese homenaje a la primera aparición de Peter Parker, también llamado como Spiderman, en el Amazing Fantasy 15. Saber que de fondo siempre estuvo ella allÃ, pendiente de Parker aunque sin que nadie le prestase atención, es una gran manera de aprovechar la continuidad. Además te tener otro homenaje a Daredevil (que alguno entenderá o se le habrá pasado) y al mÃtico ataque de Galactus a la Tierra.
Luego tenemos en el siguiente arco la conclusión del trauma que Jessica Jones tiene con el villano Killgrave, también llamado el Hombre Púrpura. Un villano desequilibrado que es capaz de controlar a las personas gracias a su piel que produce unas feromonas y que está muy mal de la cabeza; un violador psicópata que odia a los superhéroes, y que en su dÃa se tropezó con Joya (nombre de superheroÃna de Jessica) desencadenando unos meses de dolor y miseria para la vida de Jessica.
En estos números descubrimos como Jessica y Luke Cage se afianzan más, la conclusión de la relación con Scott Lang y la trama con el regreso del Hombre Púrpura que escapa en la fuga de la Balsa (yo creÃa entender que esta fuga es la famosa fuga que sucede en los primeros números de Los Nuevos Vengadores también de Bendis. Pero luego pensé que esta serie se escribió antes y además hay hechos muy importantes como la separación de Los Vengadores que no se explican que hayan ocurrido. Luego comprobé que no, no es la misma fuga que la de esa serie, aunque en esa el Hombre Púrpura también intenta escapar.)
El tomo termina con dos números, uno una especie de “¿Qué pasarÃa siâ€�?â€� en la que el propio Bendis aparece y nos narra en primera persona el destino de Jessica si se hubiera unido a los Vengadores cuando se le dio la oportunidad. Y el número final es un numero de aniversario que se escribió en 2014 donde se nos muestra a Jessica volviendo a las andadas por un caso especial y preparándose a volver como detective dando inicio entiendo yo a la serie ya si llamada comúnmente como “Jessica Jonesâ€� que inicio Bendis y continuo Kelly Thompson.
Aun asà si queréis más Jessica Jones además de los números de Alias y esa serie llamada “Jessica Jones� que sepáis que entre esas dos series Jessica se dejó ver en The Pulse y en Los Nuevos Vengadores donde se nos narra la parte de su vida que tuvo un hijo con Luke Cage y se casó con el susodicho.
July 12, 2016
Much as I want to, I cannot get into this character or comic. I get the impression the Max imprint was edgy for the time but nowadays with all the oddball, interesting, and explicit comics out there, specifically non-DC and Marvel, this falls a little flat for me. So she curses and drinks. Who cares??
Sigh... I really did want to like it more. There was just nothing emotionally investing for me. Luke and Jessica, maybe a little. (And ok, I did skip the middle two volumes but whatever.) Also, they could have done SO much more with Killgrave. Especially after seeing the Netflix show, the comic was pretty underwhelming.
But - go watch the show. It's wonderful.
Sigh... I really did want to like it more. There was just nothing emotionally investing for me. Luke and Jessica, maybe a little. (And ok, I did skip the middle two volumes but whatever.) Also, they could have done SO much more with Killgrave. Especially after seeing the Netflix show, the comic was pretty underwhelming.
But - go watch the show. It's wonderful.
November 21, 2015
An epic conclusion to an incredible series. I love Jessica Jones.
May 29, 2018
it’s been about a day since i finished this series and i still can’t stop thinking about it.
i can’t say i was a fan of jessica jones before reading alias but i certainly am now.
i can’t think of anything to complain about that isn’t silly or pointless. this was a well developed story that connects in every volume.
i would have like to see how scott and jessica could have furthered their relationship (even though i don’t believe they would have worked). they were an interesting pair but luke cage and jessica stole my heart.
i enjoyed how this story revealed how she received her abilities without making it seem like it was an afterthought.
i loved to see her personal / internal struggles. when you think of a superhero, ex or not, you have a stereotypical image of them in your head. you think they’re perfect and could never experience any kind of struggle that isn’t apart of their job. jessica proves you wrong and truly allows you to realize that while she does how powers and was a superhero, she still has her own battles.
i would recommend this to any jessica jones fan or anyone that could be converted to a fan� i know i was.
i can’t say i was a fan of jessica jones before reading alias but i certainly am now.
i can’t think of anything to complain about that isn’t silly or pointless. this was a well developed story that connects in every volume.
i would have like to see how scott and jessica could have furthered their relationship (even though i don’t believe they would have worked). they were an interesting pair but luke cage and jessica stole my heart.
i enjoyed how this story revealed how she received her abilities without making it seem like it was an afterthought.
i loved to see her personal / internal struggles. when you think of a superhero, ex or not, you have a stereotypical image of them in your head. you think they’re perfect and could never experience any kind of struggle that isn’t apart of their job. jessica proves you wrong and truly allows you to realize that while she does how powers and was a superhero, she still has her own battles.
i would recommend this to any jessica jones fan or anyone that could be converted to a fan� i know i was.
May 20, 2019
Volume 4 is the last volume of Jessica Jones: Alias, and what an ending it was!
It was really interesting that Bendis used the last volume to go back and explore Jessica's past in the world of super heroism. It is obviously essential to who she is now in the story, and though I haven't read The Pulse yet, I imagine it will be an interesting gateway between the two. And it was surprising to see so many Marvel characters—notable Marvel characters—in this volume. I don't want to say that I doubted Bendis, but I was relieved that Jessica was still the hero of her own story amongst all of these other, better-known heroes.
I'm also of course endeared to this particular volume because it introduces Kilgrave, and it was the Jessica Jones tv show that features the Kilgrave storyline that first introduced me to Jessica Jones. I'm glad they didn't go full Purple Man in the show, but it was interesting that pretty much everything else about his character was the same—an evil, evil man.
This was a pretty satisfactory ending to this series. Volume 3 is still my favourite, and I truly can't decide how I feel about the ending of volume 4, but I guess I'll just have to follow the story into The Pulse!
It was really interesting that Bendis used the last volume to go back and explore Jessica's past in the world of super heroism. It is obviously essential to who she is now in the story, and though I haven't read The Pulse yet, I imagine it will be an interesting gateway between the two. And it was surprising to see so many Marvel characters—notable Marvel characters—in this volume. I don't want to say that I doubted Bendis, but I was relieved that Jessica was still the hero of her own story amongst all of these other, better-known heroes.
I'm also of course endeared to this particular volume because it introduces Kilgrave, and it was the Jessica Jones tv show that features the Kilgrave storyline that first introduced me to Jessica Jones. I'm glad they didn't go full Purple Man in the show, but it was interesting that pretty much everything else about his character was the same—an evil, evil man.
This was a pretty satisfactory ending to this series. Volume 3 is still my favourite, and I truly can't decide how I feel about the ending of volume 4, but I guess I'll just have to follow the story into The Pulse!
January 3, 2021
I liked this but ultimately I think the Kilgrave stuff is just a bit too heavy for me so not quite good as the previous two volumes for me personally. I wasn't aware that Bendis was responsible for this particular storyline which is kind of making me side-eye him a little bit since iirc he had another series several years ago called Scarlet which was also about a woman who had sexual assault as part of her past. I never read that title and I don't feel like it was necessarily handled poorly here, but having that as a pattern is never really a great look. I don't think I've actually read anything else by him though so maybe I just unfortunately only know about these two examples and his other stuff is different.
November 28, 2017
Really really good book and series, I just wish it wasn't so fast paced.
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