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alexperc_92's review against another edition
3.0
After watching the show I was able to borrow the comics. The art seems off in some cases...
briannadasilva's review against another edition
3.0
This is one of those rare situations where I think the adaptation was an improvement off the original.
I LOVE the Jessica Jones TV show; it's one of my favorite things Marvel has ever produced. Probably my favorite, period.
But this comic it was based off of... not so much.
I can see how it was probably a big deal for its time, though, which is why I didn't mark it down too much. I mean, it came out in 2001! So, I can forgive some of the cringe-worthy, this-was-clearly-written-by-a-man moments like when a woman blames her bad attitude on her period (OHMYGODSERIOUSLY) or Jessica herself refers to a skimpy superhero costume as a "slut look".
So, it's really not very progressive or feminist for modern-day standards. But it was still, probably, a step forward in its time. Jessica is mostly an interesting character to read about and root for. She's strong (physically and otherwise), she's self-reliant, she swears liberally and speaks plainly, she isn't concerned with beauty... these are all traits that we still don't see very often with female characters.
Buuuuut, the tone isn't nearly as dark and deep and gritty as the absolutely amazing TV show. The backstory of Jessica being a "former costumed superhero" was cheesy, imo. And I was NOT a fan of her relationship with Luke Cage here, which was actually an affair, as Luke is still married.
Anyway, it's a bit of a letdown if you're a fan of the TV show, but it was still entertaining enough. I'm unsure if I'll continue reading the series, as I'm pretty curious to see what it's like when Kilgrave eventually gets introduced.
I LOVE the Jessica Jones TV show; it's one of my favorite things Marvel has ever produced. Probably my favorite, period.
But this comic it was based off of... not so much.
I can see how it was probably a big deal for its time, though, which is why I didn't mark it down too much. I mean, it came out in 2001! So, I can forgive some of the cringe-worthy, this-was-clearly-written-by-a-man moments like when a woman blames her bad attitude on her period (OHMYGODSERIOUSLY) or Jessica herself refers to a skimpy superhero costume as a "slut look".
So, it's really not very progressive or feminist for modern-day standards. But it was still, probably, a step forward in its time. Jessica is mostly an interesting character to read about and root for. She's strong (physically and otherwise), she's self-reliant, she swears liberally and speaks plainly, she isn't concerned with beauty... these are all traits that we still don't see very often with female characters.
Buuuuut, the tone isn't nearly as dark and deep and gritty as the absolutely amazing TV show. The backstory of Jessica being a "former costumed superhero" was cheesy, imo. And I was NOT a fan of her relationship with Luke Cage here, which was actually an affair, as Luke is still married.
Anyway, it's a bit of a letdown if you're a fan of the TV show, but it was still entertaining enough. I'm unsure if I'll continue reading the series, as I'm pretty curious to see what it's like when Kilgrave eventually gets introduced.
jcarter's review
5.0
I thought this would be the source material for the Jessica Jones show on Netflix. It's not. There's no Killraven or Hellcat or Nuke. There is a brief appearance by Luke Cage. And brief appearances by some other Marvel celebrities. But mostly it's Jessica being a private eye and living away from superhero-dom. This volume contains two full stories. I liked the first better than the second, but I can't say why without spoilers. If you enjoyed the TV show, you'll really like this.
caitlinneil7's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
tamnhauser's review against another edition
4.0
Well, damn. And there was me wondering just how good this would be. I thought I'd be reading this without the same surprise if I hadn't gone and watched the Netflix series, and yet... It offers so much more! A nice helping of the comic book stylings and storytelling, all mixed in with the gritty reality present in the adaptation. The best of both worlds. Captures everything important from both aspects both in and out (and after) the guise of a superhero.
I NEED to read more. Plain and simple.
I NEED to read more. Plain and simple.
roxanamalinachirila's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the TV series more than this first volume. It felt like the series aimed for deeper, harsher, stronger and more small-hero-focused story rather than attempting to integrate with other bits of the Marvel universe at all costs.
But that's enough about the TV series.
Jessica Jones is a former costumed superhero (name: Jewel). However, she discovered that the superhero gig wasn't really her thing, so she switched to private investigations, which she can handle easily due to her (relatively minor) superpowers, which she admits she doesn't really know the limits to.
A few superheroes make an appearance - most notably, Captain America - but they don't make much of an impression. I felt like they were just there, vaguely cool, but not very detailed. If there's something I appreciate about regular manga as opposed to regular comics, it's the desire to focus more on small gestures which describe characters, as opposed to simply throwing them in action. Don't get me wrong, I've seen comics doing this as well, but more rarely. And in Alias, Jessica J. seems to have the same blank expression whenever she listens to a case, no matter how many panels we see with her. As you can imagine, if the main character is this blank, secondary characters are even less well-defined in my mind.
The P.I.-ing is interesting enough and it has some pretty good moments. I mean, politics and insane plots? They're good. Jessica's tendency to be fooled? Eeeehhh, I'm not sure it's what I'd want from a main character.
All in all, I had some fun reading this and I enjoyed it, but it's not the sort of story to grab me by the shirt and drag me away into an amazing new adventure.
But that's enough about the TV series.
Jessica Jones is a former costumed superhero (name: Jewel). However, she discovered that the superhero gig wasn't really her thing, so she switched to private investigations, which she can handle easily due to her (relatively minor) superpowers, which she admits she doesn't really know the limits to.
A few superheroes make an appearance - most notably, Captain America - but they don't make much of an impression. I felt like they were just there, vaguely cool, but not very detailed. If there's something I appreciate about regular manga as opposed to regular comics, it's the desire to focus more on small gestures which describe characters, as opposed to simply throwing them in action. Don't get me wrong, I've seen comics doing this as well, but more rarely. And in Alias, Jessica J. seems to have the same blank expression whenever she listens to a case, no matter how many panels we see with her. As you can imagine, if the main character is this blank, secondary characters are even less well-defined in my mind.
The P.I.-ing is interesting enough and it has some pretty good moments. I mean, politics and insane plots? They're good. Jessica's tendency to be fooled? Eeeehhh, I'm not sure it's what I'd want from a main character.
All in all, I had some fun reading this and I enjoyed it, but it's not the sort of story to grab me by the shirt and drag me away into an amazing new adventure.
rilester's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
chelseacapstick's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0