Alias Omnibus Review
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