As the world waits for the next season of Netflix’s “Daredevil,” it’s time for Jessica Jones’ turn at the wheel.
A hit with both comic fans and newcomers alike, “Daredevil” told the origin story of Matt Murdock, a lawyer by day and super-powered vigilante by night. With heightened abilities and fighting skills, he worked to take down crime on both ends of the law in his stomping grounds of Hell’s Kitchen. It was praised nearly all around for not only being true to the original comic, but also for ignoring the shades of the Ben Affleck adaptation.
“Daredevil” is the first of the four series collaboration between Netflix and Marvel, with the second being “Jessica Jones.” Here, we’re introduced to the heavy drinking heroine-turned-detective who operates in the same concrete jungle as Murdock’s alter-ego. The 13-episode season, due out Nov. 20, sees Jones (Krysten Ritter) deal not only with the mental trials and tribulations after her brief stint as a superhero, but the man who caused them — Zebediah Killgrave (David Tennant).
But to the more casual comic fan, Jones probably isn’t much of a permanent fixture in their mind — an understandable situation. Daredevil, even before his episodic appearances, is an instantly recognizable name (bad iterations notwithstanding). Jones, despite residing in the same streets of the Marvel universe, doesn’t have the same gravitas. Unfortunate, considering how interesting and developed her character is.
While there are bound to be a few liberties taken in her story on the Netflix show, it still wouldn’t hurt to at least meet the comic version of Jones — if to better understand her iteration in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Jones made her first appearance with the last name of Campbell in Marvel’s MAX comics, in the series “Alias.” Introduced in book one of that series, she officially had her own arc in books 22-23. As a teenager going to Midtown High School, she fancied Peter Parker, but never got the chance to tell him — probably due to the spider-bite situation.
As her family returned from a trip to Disney World, their car collided with a military vehicle carrying radioactive chemicals. Campbell was the sole survivor of the accident, which not only left her in a coma for months, but also exposed her to the radiation. She was placed in a foster home after she woke up, and took her new family’s name as her own: Jones.
While running away from home one evening, Jones began manifesting powers of flight and super-strength. This newfound ability to fly nearly did some damage, as her lack of control caused her to spill into the Hudson Bay. Luckily, Thor managed to provide rescue, saving her from crashing into the waters.
Later, Jones took on the alias Jewel and began to fight crime after being inspired by Spider-Man and his fight with Cain Marko, aka Sandman. She worked as Jewel for four years, and it was going well — albeit in a more small-time fashion. She wasn’t as well-known as Spidey or the Avengers, but she was getting the job done.
That was all before an unfortunate run-in with Zebediah Killgrave, also known as The Purple Man. A former Communist spy, Killgrave used his powers of pheromone-based mind control to grasp Jones mind. He forced her into torturous situations of physical and mental capacity, from there on using her as his beacon of revenge against those who defeated him. She attacked cops and other heroes while under his control and remained tied to him for eight months.
Killgrave eventually overstepped his bounds with his control over Jones, forcing her to attack Avengers Mansion in an effort to kill Daredevil. Finding the Scarlet Witch instead (on account of the red outfit), the two fought a battle that pulled Jones out of captive control.
With no chance or way to explain herself, Jones was severely attacked by both the Vision and Iron Man as she tried to escape. Ms. Marvel kept the two at bay, rescuing Jones, but the attacks would place her in another coma.
After waking up in a S.H.I.E.L.D. medical facility, she gained a few mental defenses against psychic attacks from none other the X-Men's Jean Grey. S.H.I.E.L.D. offered her a gig as a superhero liaison between them and the Avengers, but she turned it down to start her own private eye firm, Alias Investigations.
This, of course, leads us to "Jessica Jones." Her story goes deeper, but I'm a little scared to spoil anything early to those interested in catching the show. But I'm excited to see what will come from her introduction to the MCU, and what will eventually come from her inclusion into Daredevil's already established universe.
Related Links:
Everything we learned about Marvel 'From Pulp to Pop'
Ranking the films of Marvel's Cinematic Universe
Reach the reporter at damionjrohman@gmail.com or follow @legendpenguin on Twitter.
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