Alias Part 1

[cyberghostface]

I was asked when I did my Bendis' Daredevil posts if I could do a series on Alias. I had it on my to-do list but I put it off. For those who don't know, this title introduced the world to Jessica Jones, a superhero-turned-private investigator working in the seedy underbelly of the Marvel Universe. After the title was cancelled, she migrated into the more mainstream area of comicdom and has since been appearing in various Avengers title and etceteras, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss this era of her career.

Finally, this was part of Marvel's MAX imprint (their answer to Vertigo). For what it's worth, while the title earns its "Mature Readers" label, it's not as nearly as bad as most "mature" comics and is pretty tame compared to the stuff that you see on premium television. I'd say at its worst we're probably talking Sopranos-level content.

That being said, let me put out a disclaimer: There's a LOT of swearing here, and one sex scene that while nothing is actually shown its pretty obvious who's doing what to who and where they're doing it. So if that stuff bothers you, now you know.

#1...

The issue opens with Jessica Jones telling one of her latest clients that his wife is a mutant. He doesn't take it too well, and the situation escalates with him attacking her. He ends up being thrown through her door.














Later, Jessica meets a new client, a woman who claims to be a government employee. She claims her sister is in trouble and wants Jessica to find her. With a little detective work, Jessica manages to track where she is.






(BTW, this occurred before Captain America publicly outed himself)


#2...

Jessica is understandably paranoid, realizing that she holds a very important tape that she could be killed over. Her first thought is that she should destroy it.




She wonders if she's being paranoid, and decides to pay another visit to the woman, only to discover that she's dead.









She drops by the Avengers Mansion looking to speak to Captain America but the Avengers are away on a mission.

Later, some detectives meet with her.








#3...

The interrogation opens with some standard questions about Jessica's life as a superhero.





Jessica admits to lying about not knowing about the murder because she was freaked out. She thinks she's being set up and got paranoid. The detective thinks she's full of it, and the situation escalates.





Matt Murdock explains to her that he's a friend of Luke Cage, and that Luke sent him to help her. He asks her flat-out if she killed the woman, and she tells him she didn't, which satisfies him.

Jessica pays a visit to Carol Danvers, who was friends with Jessica during her superhero days. She's sick and in a bit of a mood, but Jessica asks her for help. Carol tells her she can't break protocol.









#4...





Since I deleted her earlier scene: this was the woman who initially hired Jessica.

The woman faints, and Jessica takes her phone. She was trying to call "Lawson, Daviano and Silver", a law firm. Jessica tracks down Lawson and accuses him of hiring her through a third party.

He says he doesn't know anything, and threatens to call the police on her. Jessica calls his bluff, saying that he has stuff he doesn't want them to know, and leaves. Jessica plans on tailing him later when she gets a phone call from Matt Murdock.







#5...

The man is none other than Man Mountain Marko, but he proves to be no match for Jessica, who makes quick work of her assailant. She proceeds to beat him up until he gives her a name. He eventually gives in and she's lead to a man named Mr. Zoumas. He tells her to sell the tape, and that he expected that she would to clear her name.



He explains that the president has debts from people like him and his associates, people who helped him get where he is, and that they have not been paid for their services. The tape will implicate Captain America in an affair and a murder, thus causing a chain reaction that will end with his candidate being elected.
 

Jessica receives a message from SHIELD agent Clay Quartermain right then, who admits that they've bugged her ever since the murder. They've recorded the entire conversation.




Later, Keaton announces that he is dropping his bid for the presidency.




Turns out they met before, but Steve forgot who she was on account of him meeting so many people.

Comments

[rainspirit]

Alias really was special for its time.

I love the way the superhero civilian dialogue just worked. As in, maybe hearing Steve talk like this elsewhere would be too awkward, but in the context of the "world" Alias was set in, it was pitch perfect.

I may have to go reread it.