‘The Variants #1’ Review (Marvel Comics)
Written by Gail Simone | Art by Phil Noto | Published by Marvel Comics
This is one of those books that knew it would be taking our money from the very start. Firstly, its multiverse stuff. That’s gold at the moment. Secondly, it’s got everyone’s favourite bad girl Jessica Jones as the star. I suspect we’ll be seeing her show up on Disney Plus in the not-too-distant future, so Marvel have a lot invested in her, and this book is a decent start. Lastly, what a great creative team. Gail Simone, who has never met a female character she can’t write the hell out of (or male, for that matter. Her Catman is a personal favourite), and Phil Noto, who uses such beautifully clean lines in his art. This is a triple home run in theory, but is it in practice?
So, the main premise here is going to be seeing Jessica Jones through a prism of multiple universes. Infinite Earths means infinite Jessica’s, all slightly different from the others. Simone explains this through the far more entertaining medium of Jessica trying different colours and shades of lipstick, as she preps for her wedding. Something though is up with Jessica, and she collapses outside the shop from some sort of migraine. Luckily for her, a certain hornhead is patrolling the city rooftops, and Daredevil swings by to take her to safety. Simone writes effortless banter between the two, as well as great little easter eggs on character history. She’s also, in case you’ve not noticed, been gently teasing the reader. She knows what we came for, just not in a hurry to show us just yet. That’s ok, we can wait.
After an amusing coffee shop interlude with a Hammerhead mob boss wannabee, Jessica goes to court, to try and help Matt defend someone accused of murdering her family. The complication is, she did kill them, but under the influence of someone Jessica knows really well. Zebediah Killgrave, The Purple Man. Maria Snyder was Killgrave’s victim before Jessica, and she has a warning for Jessica. Although Maria hadn’t seen Killgrave in a long time, he had planted a time bomb in her head, one that made her kill her family. Jessica may be in more danger than she realizes, especially as the anniversary of her escape from Killgrave is coming up fast. Jessica is, although she’d be reluctant to admit it, scared.
All very well and good, but in a book called The Variants, there’s been a very notable absence of other Jessica’s. Fear not, I hear Simone cry, as the teasing continues until the last 3 pages, when we get Jessica beating up Jessica, then both Jessica’s getting bashed around the head by Captain America…who also happens to be Jessica. Well, that escalated quickly. Simone writes in such an organized, considered way, it all feels so effortless. She captures Jessica’s inner voice perfectly, and also captures the psychological feel here, much more important than the superhero ‘feel’.
That may yet change of course, but this issue was a perfectly paced slice of a more personal look at a hero. The art, by Phil Noto, was as perfect as I knew it would be. Although his work can seem slightly stiff, especially the poses some characters find themselves in, for me it just adds to the charm. I love the detail, the apparent simplicity, the flowing layouts. This is superstar artist time.
A great first issue. Rather like London buses, we wait awhile for a good story featuring Jessica Jones, then three Jessica’s all turn up at once. Simone is having as much fun writing this it seems as we are reading it. Enthusiasm always shines through.
Gail’s that is, not Jessica’s.
She’s just a grumpy cow of course.
