Jessica Jones

Jessica Jones
Jessica Jones on the cover of The Pulse #14. Art by Mike Mayhew. Pictured clockwise from top left: Jones as Jewel; with husband Luke Cage; with daughter Danielle; as Knightress.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Alias #1 (November 2001)
Created by	Brian Michael Bendis Michael Gaydos
In-story information
Full name	Jessica Campbell Jones Cage
Team affiliations	New Avengers The Pulse Magazine Alias Private Investigations Daily Bugle
Partnerships	Luke Cage Carol Danvers
Notable aliases	Jewel, Knightress, Power Woman
Abilities	Superhuman strength and endurance Flight Psionic protection

Jessica Campbell Jones Cage^[1] is a fictional superheroine appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Gaydos, the character first appeared in Alias #1 (November 2001), a Max imprint. Within the context of Marvel's shared universe, Jones is a former superhero who becomes the owner and sole employee of Alias Private Investigations. Bendis originally envisioned the series centred around Jessica Drew, and had only decided to create Jones once he noticed that the main character had a distinct voice and background that differentiated from Drew.

Jones has since starred in two ongoing series, Alias and The Pulse. Alias ran for 28 issues before ending in 2004, while The Pulse ran for 14 issues from April 2004 to May 2006. She became a member of the New Avengers alongside her husband Luke Cage during Marvel's 2010 Heroic Age campaign. At various points in her history, Jones has used various aliases, including Jewel, Knightress, and Power Woman. The character has been adapted into various forms of media outside of comic books, and in 2015 she made her live-action debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the Netflix television series Marvel's Jessica Jones, portrayed by Krysten Ritter.

Creation

Jessica Jones debuted in the Marvel MAX imprint series Alias in November 2001. The character and series were created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Michael Gaydos. Alias ran for 28 issues from 2001 to 2004, with most covers drawn by David W. Mack. After the end of the series, Jones and other characters from the series moved to Bendis's subsequent series, The Pulse. In a 2005 interview,^[2] Bendis claimed:

"Originally, Alias was going to star Jessica Drew, but it became something else entirely. Which is good, because had we used Jessica, it would have been off continuity and bad storytelling." Previously, Bendis commented "I was at one time toying with doing Jessica Drew [in Alias] because she has the best hair of any superhero in comics, but this book is entirely different than what that idea was to be."^[3]

By the time Bendis was actively developing the title, Jones was his central character, one with a distinct background and voice from Drew.^[4]

Jessica Jones appeared as a regular character throughout the 2010–2013 New Avengers series, from issue #1 (August 2010) through its final issue #34 (January 2013). In a Marvel Comics podcast, Bendis expressed his desire to incorporate Jones into the parallel universe Ultimate Marvel imprint.^[5] In Ultimate Spider-Man #106, she appears as a senior at Peter Parker's school.

Fictional character biography

Origin

Midtown High student Jessica Campbell went to school with Peter Parker, and was present when he was bitten by the irradiated spider which gave him his radioactive powers.^[6] Jessica's father received tickets for Disney World from his boss Tony Stark. On the way home, their car collided with a military convoy carrying radioactive chemicals. Her family was killed, and she spent several months in a coma. Upon waking, she was placed in an orphanage and adopted by the Jones family.^[6] Jessica later discovered that her radiation exposure granted her super strength, limited invulnerability, and flight (which she never fully mastered during her superhero career). Jessica's adoptive parents re-enrolled her at Midtown High, where she was ostracized by her classmates, especially Flash Thompson. Peter Parker (who had since become Spider-Man) sensed in Jessica a kindred spirit—someone who had also lost her family due to a tragic circumstance. Jessica mistook his kind attention and lashed out at him, believing he was merely pitying her.^[7] She later witnessed a fight between Spider-Man and the villain Sandman in her own class. This inspired her to use her abilities in a positive light.^[8]

Early years

As Jewel, Jones had a fairly uneventful superhero career until she intervened in a disturbance at a restaurant involving Zebediah Killgrave, the Purple Man. Killgrave used his power of mind control to place Jones under his command, psychologically torturing her and forcing her to aid his criminal schemes.^[9] After Killgrave sends her to kill Daredevil at the Avengers Mansion, Jones is rescued due to the intervention of Carol Danvers, the only Avenger who actually knew her.^[10] Jones underwent psychic therapy with Jean Grey of the X-Men, who placed a special mental command in Jones's subconscious that would protect her from further mind control.^[11] During this time, Jones developed a temporary romantic relationship with S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Clay Quartermain.^[10] Due to the violating nature of her experience with Killgrave, and the fact that she was barely noticed missing for eight months, prompted a demoralized and depressed Jones to give up her costumed superhero life.^[12] Jones briefly adopts a darker identity as the Knightress and intercepts a crime meeting between the Owl and a mafioso, through which she meets up with fellow superhero Luke Cage. After defeating the Owl, Luke Cage went to her home later that night and the two had a long talk, the first step toward a lasting friendship.^[13] Jones, no longer a superhero, opened a private detective agency. Longtime friend Carol Danvers set Jones up with Scott Lang (the second Ant-Man), and the two dated for several months. She also had an off-and-on affair with Luke Cage.^[14] Killgrave, still obsessed with Jones, escaped from high-security incarceration, but with the mental defences Grey had given her, Jones knocked him out and he was recaptured.^[11] Later, Cage and Jones admitted their feelings for each other and after becoming pregnant with their child, Jones began a committed relationship with Cage.^[15]

The Pulse and Young Avengers

Jones took a leave from the detective business and joined the staff of the Daily Bugle as a superhero correspondent and consultant, becoming a main character of the comic book The Pulse, and a contributor to the same-name fictional newspaper supplement within. A pregnant Jones was attacked by the Green Goblin after the Bugle reported that he was secretly industrialist Norman Osborn. In response, Cage retaliated and Osborn was irrevocably exposed as the Goblin upon his defeat and incarceration. Jones quit her job with the Bugle after publisher J. Jonah Jameson used the paper to smear the New Avengers. Jones and Cage are living together when she gives birth to their child, whom they name Danielle after Luke's best friend, Danny Rand.^[13] Cage and Jones marry in New Avengers Annual #1.^[16] Jones appears as a supporting character in Young Avengers until the series ended. She returned in Avengers: The Children's Crusade #6 in which she, Beast and Hawkeye attempted to defuse the situation between the Avengers and X-Men who were fighting over who was to punish the Scarlet Witch. She helped fight Doctor Doom and was present when Stature and the Vision were killed. She was seen hugging Hulkling in the final panel when the team was declared full-fledged Avengers by Captain America who unveiled a statue of the Vision and Stature.

Civil War, Secret Invasion and Dark Reign

In Marvel's 2006–2007 crossover storyline "Civil War", Jones and Cage reject Iron Man and Ms. Marvel offer to join the Superhuman Registration Act. As part of the New Avengers, Jones moved into Doctor Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum, but after an attack involving the demonic villain the Hood, Jones, shaken by the experience and desperate to protect her child, left the New Avengers and registered for the Superhuman Registration Act, ending her relationship with Luke Cage for the time being.^[17] Jones was among the heroes who emerged from the crashed Skrull ship wearing her Jewel costume, although it would later be revealed this Jones was a Skrull.^[18][19] The real Jessica Jones appeared in Secret Invasion #7, where she joined in the heroes' fight against the Skrulls and was able to be reunited with her husband. After the Skrull surrender, the Skrull impersonating Jarvis disappeared with their daughter, leaving Jessica desperate.^[20]

Jessica was unaware that Luke asked Norman Osborn for help in their search for Danielle.^[21] Osborn helped Luke recover Danielle, and Luke gave the baby back to Jessica.^[22] Spider-Man recently re-revealed himself as Peter Parker to the New Avengers, leaving Jones shocked to see that her former classmate is Spider-Man. She then told Peter of her former crush on him only to find out that he did not recognize her all this time, let alone remember her name, only remembering her as "Coma Girl", upsetting her.^[23] She later assisted the Avengers in rescuing Clint after being captured by Norman Osborn.^[24] Jessica revealed that she was inspired to become a superheroine after witnessing an early battle between Spider-Man and the Sandman. Peter then tried to convince Jones to return to the life of a superhero, suggesting that she could provide a better example for her daughter by going into action as a hero rather than simply telling her daughter about her old career.^[25][26]

Recent years

During the storylines of Marvel's 2010 "Heroic Age" branding campaign, Jessica, returning to her costumed identity of Jewel, became a member of the New Avengers when the title relaunched in June 2010.^[27] She and Luke began searching for a nanny, interviewing characters featured from other comics set in the Marvel Universe. Ultimately, Squirrel Girl was chosen as Danielle's nanny.^[28] In New Avengers #8, Jessica took the name Power Woman to both honor her husband, Power Man (Luke Cage), and to be a role model for their daughter.^[29] However following several incidents revolving around Thule Society attacking Avengers Mansion,^[30] and Norman Osborn's threat,^[31] Jessica quit the team and went into hiding, realizing that it was too dangerous for Danielle to remain in Avengers Mansion due to the numerous potential threats.^[32]

Jessica later appeared as an ally to the Mighty Avengers team formed by Luke Cage. Jessica and Danielle lived in the apartment of the Gem Theater, which was serving as the Mighty Avenger's base of operations. She and Luke would later be confronted by the Superior Spider-Man and his Spider Robots, who offered her a place on a different type of Avengers team that was to be run by him. Jessica swiftly found a baby sitter for her child and refused before delivering a powerful punch to Spider-Man's face for threatening her child. The group was later backed up by She-Hulk and she and Jessica decided to go out for coffee. Jessica and Luke would later switch apartments with an old friend of Luke's named David Griffiths. While moving in, Jessica spoke to the Blue Marvel about what it's like to raise a child of superheroes and expressed both her support and annoyance at her husband's choice to start another team of Avengers.

Powers and abilities

After coming into contact with experimental chemicals and spending some time in a coma, Jessica emerged with superhuman abilities. She possesses superhuman strength, as well as flight, and is known to block mind control because of her strength. She shows the capacity to lift a two-ton police car with little apparent effort. Her strength allowed her to lift up a giant-sized Goliath by the nostrils and toss him a short distance, break Atlas's nose, and render her fellow superheroine Jessica Drew unconscious with a single punch to the face. She later withstood being punched by a human on Mutant Growth Hormone and suffered only mild bruising and a bloody nose, and was able to recover in moments after being shocked by Jessica Drew's venom blasts. Despite this resistance to harm, Jessica suffered severe injuries, including a damaged spine and neck, a detached retina, and a broken nose after being attacked by both the Vision and Iron Man.^[10]

Jessica is also able to fly, and while she was able to fly quite well during her early years as a heroine, she has admitted that her flying ability degenerated while she was no longer an active hero. She has since displayed improved flying ability after joining the New Avengers.

After her ordeal at the hands of the Purple Man, Jessica was given a degree of psionic protection by Jean Grey of the X-Men. This psionic protection was sufficient to protect Jessica against a second attack by the Purple Man, though she had to "trigger" this resistance on her own.^[11]

In addition to her superhuman powers, Jessica is a skilled detective and investigative journalist.^[33]

Other versions

Ultimate Jessica Jones. Art by David Lafuente.

Multiple versions of Jessica Jones have appeared in Marvel's multiverse. In the 2005 "House of M" storyline, Jessica was apparently dating Scott Lang.^[34] In What If,^[35] Jones accepted Captain America's offer to work for S.H.I.E.L.D.. Perceiving that something was amiss with Wanda Maximoff (the Scarlet Witch), she alerted the other Avengers, ensuring that the catastrophic events depicted in "Avengers Disassembled" and "House of M" would never occur. Jessica married Captain America. In Ultimate Spider-Man,^[36] Jones appeared as a senior student in the school Peter Parker attended. She was the executive producer of the school's television network. She later became jealous of Mary Jane Watson's superior film skills. She attempted to deduce Spider-Man's secret identity for the school newspaper and may have been suspicious about Peter Parker. Later on after the events of Ultimatum, she claimed to have abandoned her attempts to figure out who Spider-Man was and instead wanted to focus on his heroics.^[36]

In other media

Television

Krysten Ritter as Jessica Jones in the Netflix original series, Marvel's Jessica Jones.

On November 20, 2015, a live-action, eponymous series was released on Netflix, with the title character portrayed by Krysten Ritter as an adult^[37][38] and by Elizabeth Cappuccino as a teenager. During her earlier life, Jessica Jones was the survivor of a car accident that killed her parents and family. After coming out of a coma, Jessica was legally adopted by talent agent Dorothy Walker, therefore becoming the adopted sister of Trish Walker. In her later life, Jones attempts to track down a man named Killgrave, a figure from her past. Her Jewel costume from the comics appears briefly in Season 1, Episode 5 (Title: "AKA: The Sandwich Saved Me") of the series, although she refuses to wear it and rejects Jewel as an alias (saying it sounds more like a stripper's name).^[39] Ritter is set to reprise her role in The Defenders, a crossover miniseries.^[40]

Film

In November 2013, Disney CEO Bob Iger stated that if Marvel's Netflix TV shows such as Jessica Jones become popular, "It's quite possible that they could become feature films".^[41]

Video games

Jessica Jones appears in a series of Marvel mobile and video games, such as Marvel: War of Heroes,^[42] Marvel Contest of Champions,^[43] and Marvel: Future Fight.^[43] A teenage version of Jones appears in Marvel Avengers Academy, where she is voiced by Michelle Phan.^[44] Jones also appears in Marvel Heroes, where she is voiced by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn.^[45] Jones is also a playable character in Lego Marvel's Avengers, voiced by Tara Strong.

References

1. New Avengers vol. 1, #50 (April 2009). Marvel Comics.
2. Weiland, Jonah (August 5, 2005). "Spider-Love: Bendis on 'Spider-Woman: Origin' and New Ongoing Series". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2011-02-06.
3. Powers #11, letters pages
4. Cronin, Brian (July 27, 2006). "Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #61". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2011-02-06.
5. "Marvel Comics podcast". Retrieved 2011-02-06.
6. Bendis, Brian Michael (w). Alias #22. Marvel Comics
7. Bendis, Brian Michael (w). Alias #23. Marvel Comics
8. Amazing Spider-Man #600 (2009). Marvel Comics
9. Bendis, Brian Michael (w). Alias #25. Marvel Comics
10. Bendis, Brian Michael (w). Alias #26. Marvel Comics
11. Bendis, Brian Michael (w). Alias #28. Marvel Comics
12. Bendis, Brian Michael (w). Alias #25–26
13. Pulse #14. Marvel Comics
14. Bendis, Brian Michael (w). Alias. Marvel Comics
15. Bendis, Brian Michael (w). Alias #28. Marvel Comics
16. New Avengers Annual #1. Marvel Comics
17. New Avengers Annual #2 (2008). Marvel Comics
18. Secret Invasion #2 (May 2008). Marvel Comics
19. Secret Invasion #5 (August 2008)
20. Secret Invasion #8 (December 2008). Marvel Comics
21. New Avengers #48. Marvel Comics
22. New Avengers #49. Marvel Comics
23. New Avengers #51. Marvel Comics
24. New Avengers Annual #3. Marvel Comics
25. Amazing Spider-Man #601 (October 2009). Marvel Comics
26. The battle between Spider-Man and the Sandman occurred during the villain's first published appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #4 (September 1963). Marvel Comics
27. "Jessica Jones is a New Avenger". Comic Book Resources. March 4, 2010.
28. New Avengers #7. Marvel Comics
29. New Avengers #8. Marvel Comics
30. New Avengers vol. 2 #15-16
31. New Avengers #24
32. New Avengers #24. Marvel Comics
33. Bendis, Brian Michael (w). Alias #1–28. Marvel Comics
34. House of M #6. Marvel Comics
35. What If Jessica Jones Had Joined the Avengers? Vol. 3, #1, February, 2005
36. Ultimate Spider-Man #106, Marvel Comics
37. Strom, Marc (December 5, 2014). "Krysten Ritter to Star in Marvel's A.K.A. Jessica Jones". Marvel.com. Archived from the original on December 5, 2014. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
38. Jayson, Jay (June 8, 2015). "Confirmed! Marvel Drops AKA From Jessica Jones Title". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on June 9, 2015. Retrieved June 8, 2015.
39. Hairston, Tahirah (November 30, 2015). "Jessica Jones doesn’t wear a superhero costume. Here’s why that’s so powerful.". Fusion. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
40. Truitt, Brian (November 20, 2015). "'Jessica Jones' star Mike Colter a powerhouse as Luke Cage". USA Today. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
41. Graser, Marc (November 7, 2013). "Why Disney Chose to Put Marvel's New TV Shows on Netflix". Variety. Archived from the original on February 20, 2014. Retrieved February 20, 2014.
42. "'LEGO Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron' Mixes Action, Humor & Fan-Favorite Scenes". Comic Book Resources.
43. "Marvel Adds Netflix Heroes To Rosters Of Popular Mobile Games". Comic Book Resources.
44. "Jessica Jones". Retrieved 2016-02-26.
45. "Behind The Voice Actors - Voice Of Jessica Jones". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 2016-04-05.

External links

• Jessica Jones at Marvel.com
• Bendis Interview at Comic Book Resources (August 2005)
• Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed: Which Jessica for Alias?