Writer: Brian Michael Bendis / Artist: Michael Gaydos / Marvel Comics
We’re coming along. After a lackluster issue in Jessica Jones #4 we find Jessica in a precinct where, coincidentally, the man she was looking for refuses to speak with anyone but her. The issue takes place in an interrogation room, save for a few miscellaneous scenes with Luke Cage that have yet to take form, and so Jessica Jones #5 replays the type of long-form conversation we saw with Allison and Jessica in a building basement: dark, emotional, and heavy in dialogue.
And like Jessica Jones #3, it answers some questions; not many, but enough to keep readers involved and able to invest more into the plot rather than making errant guesses on what might be going on. The emotional tone is that of an existential crisis — one that led a man to murder and, true to the genre, spreads like contagion to the person forced to hear their confession. In this case it’s Jessica who’s the listener — the type of person who doesn’t need much of a push to spiral into misanthropy — and so the question left for the reader is how much her emotional spiral is actually affecting her loyalty to her mission with Carol Danvers versus her own selfishness. It’s not a very real conflict to me yet as I’m less than convinced of the actual threat to Jessica’s willingness to do the right thing after all she’s been through, but the potential is there. The mere fact readers have something like this to ponder makes this issue an improvement from the last. And, of course, a scene of humor here and there help keep Jessica Jones entertaining.
Overall, Jessica Jones #5 refocuses the series back to Jessica’s internal struggles and emotional growth, which is where it belongs. We can hope to see real stakes at play soon, which, at best, might include an aspect of betrayal towards Carol Danvers that would shock us a bit for doubting the depth and genuineness of Jessica’s struggle. We’re back to wanting to find out.
Reading Jessica Jones? Find BNP’s other reviews of the series here.
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