Alias is a comic book series created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Gaydos. It was published by Marvel Comics under Marvel's MAX imprint for a total of 28 issues from 2001 to 2004.
The protagonist of Alias is Jessica Jones, a former costumed superhero named Jewel who left that avocation to become a private investigator. The running thread is Jessica's character development, as the layers of her past and personality are revealed to the reader while, simultaneously, she tries to come to terms with them herself.
Characters from the series moved to Brian Michael Bendis' subsequent series The Pulse.
Publication history
Alias was written by Bendis and illustrated for most of its run by Michael Gaydos, with covers by David Mack.
Alias was one of the titles that launched Marvel's "R-Rated" MAX imprint, and was reported to have been one of the reasons the imprint was created. Marvel Publishing President Bill Jemas read a draft of the script for the first issue of Alias (which, characteristically, starts with the word "fuck") and exclaimed "Why couldn't we publish this?"
Being under the MAX imprint imposed certain other limitations on what the creators could do in the series. They were not allowed, for example, to use many of Marvel's most famous characters, such as Spider-Man (with the exception of one cameo). Bendis gave this as one reason in afterword to Alias #28 for ending the series and moving the characters to The Pulse.
Story arcs
Alias (#1-9)
Asked to look for a missing woman, Jessica finds herself caught in a conspiracy involving Captain America and the president of the United States. Later, her friend Carol Danvers hooks her up with Scott Lang, a.k.a. Ant-Man. Subsequently she is hired to find the recently missing Rick Jones.
Other characters appearing in the arc include Daredevil (as Jessica's attorney Matt Murdock), Captain America, and second-tier villain Man Mountain Marko.
Come Home (#11-15)
Jessica Jones is assigned to look for a missing girl rumoured to be a mutant in a small, prejudiced town.
The Underneath (#10, 16-21)
J. Jonah Jameson asks Jessica to uncover Spider-Man's identity. Later, Mattie Franklin, the latest Spider-Woman, goes missing and Jessica is asked to find her. When she does, she discovers a criminal underworld that sells the drug known as the Mutant Growth Hormone. Along the way, Jones meets an unexpected ally in Jessica Drew, the original Spider-Woman, who is also investigating Franklin's disappearance.
The Secret Origins of Jessica Jones (#22-28)
Jessica's origins, including her source of powers, how she became a superhero, and why she quit are revealed.
Collected editions
The series was collected into a number of trade paperbacks:
- Alias:
- Volume 1 (collects Alias #1-9, ISBN 0-7851-1141-7)
- Volume 2: Come Home (collects Alias #11-15, ISBN 0-7851-1123-9)
- Volume 3: The Underneath (collects Alias #10, 16-21, ISBN 0-7851-1165-4)
- Volume 4: The Secret Origins of Jessica Jones (collects Alias #22-28, ISBN 0-7851-1167-0)
- Alias Omnibus (collects Alias #1-28 and What If? Jessica Jones had Joined the Avengers, ISBN 0-7851-2121-8)
- Alias Ultimate Collection:
- Volume 1 (collects Alias #1-15, ISBN 0-7851-3732-7)
- Volume 2 (collects Alias #16-28, ISBN 978-0-7851-4490-8)
Awards
The series won the Comics Buyer's Guide Award for "Favorite Comic Series" in 2003, and the Harvey Award for "Best New Series" in 2002.
The series was also nominated for two Eisner Awards in 2004: "Best Continuing Series" and "Best Serialized Story" (for "The Secret Origin of Jessica Jones" & "Purple" in Alias #22-28).
Notes
References
External links
- Looking Back at Bendis' Alias, Newsarama
- Looking Back at Bendis' Alias Pt.2, Newsarama
- Michael Gaydos Interview, PopImage, September 2001
