Anyone
who has read Marvel
comics in the last few years should be familiar with Brian Michael
Bendis. One
of Marvel’s preeminent comic writers, and the driving force behind
events such
as last year’s _House of M_, Bendis’ influence is felt throughout the
Marvel
universes. _Alias_ represents one
example of what Bendis does particularly well, taking a flawed
superhero,
showing her human aspects, and allowing the reader to the relate to the
hero on
a level that surpasses the standard, idealistic “watch the hero save
the world”
identification. This time, that former superheroine is Jessica Jones,
who left the
hero lifestyle (and an invitation to join the Avengers) after being
emotionally
scared in a clash with a supervillain. In an attempt to redeem herself,
Jessica
does what any former superhero (or vampire with a soul) would do: open
a
private investigations firm.
_Alias_
follows Jessica as
she struggles to find herself. Separated from most of the superhero
community
(except a few Bendis favorites, such as Carol “Ms. Marvel” Danvers, and a “cape chasing” Luke Cage), Jessica
is still
not quite comfortable as a run of the mill citizen. The journey takes
her
through a number of distinct story arcs: a mystery concerning one of
Marvel’s
most popular heroes, a quest to find a missing small town girl, the
hunt for
another superheroine that has lost her way, and a confrontation with a
dark
figure from Jessica’s past. Jointly, Jessica struggles with her own
inner
turmoil, hitting rock bottom in a number of personal ways. Explaining
how far
she is able to pull herself up would be a disservice to Bendis’
excellent storytelling,
especially since his style seems much more at home in a collection than
it does
in a monthly. Though the final arcs of the Jessica’s story don’t quite
measure
up to the earlier ones, the work, in its entirety, is a compelling
examination
of someone who fell from her pedestal and is now fighting just to find
her
place.
Michael
Gaydos’ art seems
well tailored to both the tone and substance of the story. Though not
as
detailed as the art of a David Finch, its grit and subtle darkness
gives the
reader a feeling that Jessica is a “real” person. Contrasted with the
light,
cartoony, flashbacks of her past, the dark lines and numerous shadows
on the
present day life of Jessica Jones provide a stark example of where she
was then,
compared to where she is now.
The
high cost of this volume,
and its MAX series label (manifested almost solely in the dropping of
F-bombs),
means some comic fans will have to wait until they can afford the price
tag , or
until they are old enough to purchase the material, the _Alias:
Omnibus_
ultimately belongs on every comic fan’s shelf. Even though he’s tried
to do similar
things with characters like Spider-Woman and Ms. Marvel since, Jessica
Jones remains
Brian Michael Bendis’ penultimate character resurrection and a story
that
deserves to be read.
RATING: MUST HAVE
Alias Omnibus (Marvel Comics) (Max Comics) Brian Michael Bendis
(via
Kivus’ Vox - Comics)
1 year ago