Bendis Month(and a half): Alias.

(CLICK TO READ REVIEW ON MY BLOG)

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See those dots? That's me, taping the keyboard, unsure what to say.

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I... expected more. I really did. If there is one thing you can be sure of, it's that Bendis has a huge arsenal of stories to tell. Some great, some not so great. What seems to be his trademark flaw is his use of retcon. Some would argue that it is his greatest strength, that he doesn't get TOO tied up of continuity. Others say that he is armed with a chainsaw, cutting continuity to pieces.

Retcon is necessary in order to keep the comic-book industry going. That's just how it is, we like it or not. But it's also a tool that should not be abused and overused. And I feel that the creation of Jessica Jones is.

Was it really necessary to create a new character who we all now has to pretend was always there? Couldn't Bendis have dug up a old character who actually had been in comic-book limbo for some time now? And if not... does she really have to be one gigantic woman in refrigerator?

How many female superheroes has a past that includes being raped? Jade, Hawkeye, Black Cat, the Huntress, Ms Marvel, Black Canary... How come so many writers has this need to ad sexual assault to a character's history JUST because she is female? Rape is not a gimmick. It's a very serious issue, not something that makes us roll our eyes. Because that's what happens; the shock fades away and we just think: "Ugh! Another heroin who has been raped?! REALLY?!" And we are not suppose to do that! We are not suppose to be used to and/or become bored by rape!

There could be several reasons to why Jones was depressed. SEVERAL!!! But NOOOO! She was a evil man's victim. Because that's what we expect. That's what we are used to.

I'm sorry, I really am... But it p%sses me off!

Putting aside my anger over gender stereotypes... The comic was kinda... okay. Actually a little boring. Seriously, most of issue six is about Jones talking with Ms Marvel about their sex-life. And I'm not too keen on the art either. And the constant swearing is pretty tiring.

All in all, I would advice you to skip this one.

That's all for now. I'm Waezi2, and thanks for wasting time with me.

Nice review.

I think retcons are fine as long as they don't compromise the integrity of stories that came before (which Bendis didn't have to worry about as much with USM, which may be part of the reason he was so successful with it). Having writers digging through old issues for old characters just to ensure that everything is connected to everything and give the weak illusion that it was all planned from the beginning is an example of valuing continuity over creative freedom, not to mention making the universe feel smaller (though this is more true in contexts like the MCU, where the constant references make things feel downright claustrophobic at times).

The bigger concern is quality. If Jessica Jones really just boils down to a fridged woman, I don't have any interest in this, but to me, a true fridged woman is there just to give motivation/angst to another character by dying or being victimized, and would likely not be the subject of the work, so I'm a little skeptical.

I don't buy your argument against the normal inclusion of rape in comic books because I think it rests on a double standard. Sexual violence as somehow worst than all the other horrible stuff that happens to characters in comics, including the untimely, violent deaths of parents or other close family/friends, which figure in far more origin stories than rape does.

I disagree. I really enjoyed Alias. There was to much swearing though.

@darthmummy: I will give it points for the detailed and original way she was "raped". I guess I was unfair when I wrote the review, but I really think that writers should stop "raping" female characters. As well as adding "parents are dead" past.

@waezi2: Jessica was never raped by purple man in the comics she was just forced to watch him have sex with (or rape) other women and beg him to let her join, and he would say no.

@immolation: I'm aware of that.

I read this story for the first time ten years ago and enjoyed it. I don't understand your problem with rape. (Not in this story, there have been plent y of other stories where rape was used badly but this is not one)Complaining about rape in this is like complaining about rape on CSI. Realistically if a woman gets beating by a man she will most likely also get raped. It is sad but true. It is actually unrealistic that so many female heroes in comics have been beaten and not raped, but not all comics are meant to be realistic. This one is though. A woman being a man's victim is not what is "expected" like you put it, unfortunately for a lot of us it s relatable. Most people know at least one woman who has been made a victim by a man. All together I thought this story told a very sad realistic tale that was very good.

Wait are you saying that Jessica is a woman in a fridge for herself? D:<

@darthmummy: Pretty much