Jessica Jones: Alias #1-5 is written by Sam Humphries and published by Marvel Comics. Artwork is by Geraldo Borges, colours by Arthur Hesli, and letters are by VC’s Cory Petit. Main cover art (left) is by David Mack.
Jessica Jones: Alias #1-5 is available from now in comic book stores and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your physical copy from Forbidden Planet or digitally from Amazon Comixology UK.
Synopsis
A series of grisly murders in Hell’s Kitchen pulls Jessica Jones into a mystery more sinister than she could’ve ever imagined. As the wife of Mayor Luke Cage, she’ll have to tread carefully as she forms a dangerous alliance with Typhoid Mary to track down the killer. But as she delves deeper into Hell’s Kitchen’s dark underbelly, the evidence she finds presents more questions than answers…
Review
A little more than twenty-five years ago, Brian Michael Bendis toyed with a new series about Jessica Drew (Spider-Woman) as a private investigator, taking her back to her roots. Somewhere along the way, that idea morphed because the character on the page wasn’t Jessica Drew… she had her own style and voice. Thus, Jessica Jones emerged. Bendis kept the name Jessica because two people can share the same name.
Bendis has a knack for creating iconic Marvel characters, from Maria Hill to Miles Morales. He has several feathers in his cap, and one of the finest is Jessica Jones, who celebrated twenty-five years this summer in the five-part mini-series, Jessica Jones: Alias.
Some of you might remember November 2001, when Jessica Jones debuted in Alias #1 through MARVEL’s MAX imprint. Since then, this hard-boiled rogue in a leather jacket has powered through multiple solo series. She had a child with Luke Cage, joined the New Avengers, and starred in a live-action Netflix series, now streaming on Disney+.
It’s hard to separate creations from their creators. Others have written Jones over the years, but Bendis has largely shepherded his creation. So when Marvel announced the twentieth anniversary without Bendis or Michael Gaydos, the original artist, there was a momentary, “oh.”
However, Sam Humphries and Geraldo Borges more than rise to the challenge, giving Jessica Jones fans a cracking anniversary special. Humphries delivers everything you want from a Jessica Jones story. She head-butts the law, Matt Murdock defends her, and her relationship with husband and NYC Mayor Luke Cage remains contentious. Of course, an unexpected team-up with Typhoid Mary rounds everything out. Yet despite the familiar beats, nothing feels derivative or tired. Every issue crackles with spark and grit. This mini-series is something like the ’80s mystery horror Angel’s Heart. It delivers every thrill you expect from a hard-boiled mystery with a horror twist.
One of the story’s most brilliantly fun aspects is the odd-couple relationship between Jessica Jones and Typhoid Mary. Jones is basically saddled with chaos in human form, and it keeps you on the edge of your seat. Their dialogue pops, too. And Mary has more than one surprise up her sleeve.
Borges’s art and Arthur Hesli’s inks are superb. They wonderfully honour Gaydos’s style, while also bringing their flair and edge to each panel. You’ll want to re-read every issue twice, once for the story and once just to follow the art. It is also a joy to see David Mack return as the cover artist for the mini-series. His covers for the original 28-issue run of Alias are iconic, and what he brings here is inspired.
When you reach that final page of the series, you just want more Jessica Jones. Thankfully, this isn’t the last we’ll see of her this year. Jessica Jones returns in Chip Zdarsky and Marco Checchetto’s Avengers #1 in November, joining Luke Cage, Daredevil, Captain Marvel, Spider-Man, and Wolverine.
As exciting as that sounds, the private eye in a world of superheroes remains far from played out. I’d love to see Jones headline a new ongoing series, whether Humphries writes it or someone else with the right chops.
Verdict
This dark, twisted, hard-boiled Red Band mini-series hits all the right notes as Jessica Jones: Alias celebrates twenty-five years of Marvel’s most disillusioned protagonist. Packed with great character dynamics, a pulsing mystery, and shocking revelations, this is a must-have for Jessica Jones fans. Without doubt, this is one of Marvel’s strongest mini-series of 2026.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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