Alias: Bendis &$%#ing rules.

[AaronJ]

OK, so I started to pick up a little Marvel (I'm almost totally a DC guy). And I read some recent stories like "House of M" and "Avengers Disassembled" to get a little bit of the back-story.

And reading those, and then reading the few issues of New Avengers I've read, I came to the conclusion that I like Bendis' writing. So, I was looking up some stuff about Jessica Jones on Wikipedia, since I don't really know many of the Marvel characters, and I come across somce crazy-ass story that took place in some book called Alias.

I do a little research, talk to chat buddies, etc. I finally ordered the first three volumes, and they arrived today.

HOLY CRAP! I'm only through the interrogation scene in the first volume, but this is just awesome! There's such a distinctive feel to this book. The dialogue is just fantastic, Jessica is a great character already, with all sorts of problems, but obviously a hell of a lot of resolve too, and quite the potty mouth, to boot. :)

It's a pretty gangbusters start, and very noir.

Luke's first couple of appearances are excellent. I immediately latched onto the character in New Avengers, and I can see that Bendis really has a feel for him.

I'm curious if others have read this, and what your impressions were?

Oh, and a question for the Marvel zombies among you: What is the relationship between the MAX titles and the 616? Is it the same continuity? Different universe? Doesn't matter?

Thanks.

[NickThompson]

I love it, great series.



As for MAX, it kindof depends. Alias, Wisdom and The Hood are for sure. Others are a bit more of a grey area. Personally I think it is, but there are some series that might get ignored continity-wise.

[Lester C.]

There was a follow up mini series to Alias called The Pulse written by Bendis and drawn by several big name artist. People either loved or hated the book so check out the reviews before you pick it up.

Jessica also has a minor supporting role in other books like New Avengers, Daredevil and Young Avengers but nothing major. I haven't read comics in over a year but I think the character's best days are behind her but you get something rare in comics with Jessica. A character arc that has a beginning, middle and end.

[AaronJ]

Cool, thanks for the comments.

And I am convinced that her role in New Avengers is not so minor as we are lead to believe. :) But well will see next month.

[Lester C.]

Cool, thanks for the comments.

And I am convinced that her role in New Avengers is not so minor as we are lead to believe. :) But well will see next month.

Major Alias and The Pulse spoilers.

Yes, Jessica status has more or less been simply the wife of Luke Cage and the mother of his baby. It's how she got to that point, from where she was when Alias started, that makes the book so damn good.

[Charles RB]

Oh, and a question for the Marvel zombies among you: What is the relationship between the MAX titles and the 616? Is it the same continuity? Different universe?

I'd assume most are unless they make it very clear from the outset they're not.

Punisher MAX is a tricky one here, as it seems completely seperate from 616 but then uses elements like Micro and Nick Fury w/ SHIELD. (Didn't the character Yorkie from Kitchen Irish make an original appearance in Ennis' Marvel Knights run?)

[Lester C.]

I'd assume most are unless they make it very clear from the outset they're not.

Punisher MAX is a tricky one here, as it seems completely seperate from 616 but then uses elements like Micro and Nick Fury w/ SHIELD. (Didn't the character Yorkie from Kitchen Irish make an original appearance in Ennis' Marvel Knights run?)

Garth Ennis Marvel Knights is apart of the Marvel U excluding a couple small points such as Frank's age. The Max version of the books takes place out of Marvel continuity entirely. The Nick Fury and Shield we saw was not the 616 version but the Max version we saw in Ennis' Nick Fury mini that was published a few years ago.

[ChthonicSpirit]

There'a a lot of Bendis stuff that I don't like, but I agree: Alias was awesome.

[JeffreyWKramer]

ALIAS is one great book, no doubt about it. It's easily among the 10 best things Marvel has done in the past decade.

[Shades0077]

Total agreement on the rocking of Alias. One of my favorite parts of the series was the absolutely amazing covers.

Also, if you're digging Bendis' work like Alias, I've enjoyed some of his pre-Marvel stuff that is kind of in the same vein. Jinx is about a female bounty hunter and Goldfish is a sort of sequel or maybe prequel to it, I forget which. But both have that fantastic Bendis dialogue. And fun bonus, Bendis also did the artwork, so it's cool to see him doing that as well.

[Jack Zodiac]

Alias was one of the first Bendis projects I'd read. That and Powers. I loved that stuff, and his Ultimate Spider-Man started out strong, and it's been... pretty steady throughout its hundred-plus issues. Really, I thing Bendis is a good writer, I just haven't enjoyed a lot of his projects lately.

He's completely ruined the Avengers for me. Everything from "Disassembled" to New Avengers. I stuck out his finalé just because, even if it was contrived as hell and totally predictable. And I gave his relaunch a chance, because the Avengers are a group I grew up reading and loving; and I believe Kurt Busiek put it best, that the Avengers define the Marvel Universe. Whatever state the Avengers are in reflect the universe overall, and ever since Bendis got a hold of the team, they've been broken.

I still read USM and Powers, and I thought The Pulse was an interesting read, though definitely not as great as Alias was. His Daredevil started out really strong but wore thin quick and was completely dwarfed by Brubaker's run. The rest of his work for Marvel, I just cannot like.

[Night Swordsman]

Alias rocked. Was a great read,and i almost had a stroke when he brought jessica jones and jessica drew together. The scene with Ms. Jones listening to Ms. Drew's awnsering machine made me laugh.

SOOO much good things in that book. They DID a Omnibus version of Alias,but one printing only. Siigh.

[stealthwise]

ALIAS was godlike, and one of the few books I had on my pull list from 2001-2004, before I got back into comics more fully (since then, I've pared the list back down to about half a dozen books or so).

The PULSE... eh. It's really not that good at all, and for all that is holy, just avoid the second trade, as it stinks on ice, and ties into a mediocre crossover that's all but forgotten by now (Secret War).

[NickThompson]

Also, if you're digging Bendis' work like Alias, I've enjoyed some of his pre-Marvel stuff that is kind of in the same vein. Jinx is about a female bounty hunter and Goldfish is a sort of sequel or maybe prequel to it, I forget which. But both have that fantastic Bendis dialogue. And fun bonus, Bendis also did the artwork, so it's cool to see him doing that as well.
Goldfish was done first IIRC, don't know wether Jinx is seq or preq though :)

[geordiesteve]

This and Sam and Twitch are my favourite things written by Bendis. I think Alias is fantastic and I'm very glad to have every issue from when it came out. Some comics I would sell if I had to cut down my collection for space or needed the money, but it would be tough to part me with this.

Jessica Jones is perhaps one of the most interesting 3D characters in a long time and she is a NEW character. Not enough of those going around.

[scratchie]

I love Bendis's run on Daredevil. Here's a character who I never really cared about -- even during Frank Miller's run, he seemed like a knock-off of Batman -- but once I started reading the Bendis/Maleev run, I ripped through those trades (8 or 9 volumes) in a few weeks.

I love his Ultimate Spider-Man, too. Once you get past the whole "Old guy trying to write teenagers' dialogue" thing, it's funny, exciting and addictive. It's the only monthly Marvel title I buy any more, since Civil War finished defecating all over the Marvel Universe proper.

I just recently blind-bought a noirish graphic novel of his called Goldfish, which looks good.

[saintsaucey]

Alias is phenominal, i bought the omnibus not having read the series and loved it. well worth the 70 dollar price tage bitch cakes

you'll get that comment later on trust me

[Chris Hansbrough]

I love Bendis's run on Daredevil. Here's a character who I never really cared about -- even during Frank Miller's run, he seemed like a knock-off of Batman -- but once I started reading the Bendis/Maleev run, I ripped through those trades (8 or 9 volumes) in a few weeks.

I love his Ultimate Spider-Man, too. Once you get past the whole "Old guy trying to write teenagers' dialogue" thing, it's funny, exciting and addictive. It's the only monthly Marvel title I buy any more, since Civil War finished defecating all over the Marvel Universe proper.

I just recently blind-bought a noirish graphic novel of his called Goldfish, which looks good.
bth jinx and goldfish are fantastic books. actually any of those old books he put out were pretty good Torso which he did with Andreyko is another fantastic work. really the guys got damn fine talet on the street level.