‘Jessica Jones: Blind Spot #1’ Review
Written by Kelly Thompson | Art by Mattia De Iulis | Published by Marvel Comics
I’ve always loved Jessica Jones, ever since her first appearance back in 2001. (Nineteen years?! where did that go) Her original series, Alias, was created by Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Gaydos, with fab David Mack covers, and is still well worth a read today. She was created for the mature reader Max imprint and although since she has strayed into mainstream Marvel Avengers books, which tone her down a little too much, I’m pleased to see here she is back to her mature readers only roots. I haven’t kept up with every book she has been in, due to Marvel’s continual issuing of first issues and even putting her back in her costume, but usually things end up righting themselves, and this book looks like the one to do it.
For those not familiar with Jessica Jones, or who may know her from the excellent Netflix show of the same name, Jessica used to be a costumed superhero called Jewel. She could fly, had limited super strength, all the tools you need. Unfortunately, she just wasn’t very good at it. So she gave it up and became a private investigator instead, using her abilities as and when she needed to. Along the way she found her main villain, the Purple Man, and also hitched up with Luke Cage, whom she married and had a daughter with. Life, currently, is good. Well that won’t last, right?
Yep, we were right. Jessica gets 2 pages of happy time with Luke and her daughter Danielle, before popping back to her office to find a dead body on the ground and almost immediately having two police officers pointing guns at her. Can someone spell setup? Down to police interrogation it is, and a nice little sequence showing both the police mistrust of people with abilities, and Jessica’s natural talent for being a P.I, her ability to analyse people in a sort of Sherlock Holmes way. The police are laying into Jessica pretty hard, clearly thinking they have something on her, and that something seems to be that Jessica knew the victim, someone called Dia. Dia was an old client several years back, who came looking for surveillance on her mentally abusive boyfriend, a case Jessica didn’t get far with it seems as Dia went missing. Until now.
Just as Jessica is reaching the limits of her temper, her lawyer arrives to get her released, none other than Matt Murdock himself, the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. Nice little cameo, Hell’s Kitchen is a small little area after all. Jessica goes straight back to the office, and digs out her old files. She remembers that she found Dia’s boyfriend, showed her the evidence she found and that was that. Being several years ago, Jessica was a little less, er, focused back then, and when Dia went missing she never investigated or chased it up. Jessica now is not Jessica then, and she decides to try and help Dia by at least resolving all of this. Then she realises she’s not alone in her office, and next thing you know she’s flat out on the floor.
Being shot in the head will do that.
Wow, what a fantastic first issue this was. The text piece at the end of the issue shows that Bendis handpicked Kelly Thompson to write this, and I can see why. She effortlessly pulls you into this world, into Jessica’s life, and writes a story that has elements of drama, police procedural, and a sprinkling of mainstream Marvel cameos. The dialogue from Jessica is spot on, as is her attitude and actions throughout. The art, by De Iulis, is just gorgeous, and is very cinematic in its style and composition. Panels bleed into other panels, some pages have two panels, others nine, it’s both beautiful to look at visually and smart enough to pace the storyline perfectly. Writing and art in perfect synch with each other.
Everything I hoped for from a new Jessica Jones book. Superb.
