TITLE: Purple Part 5

Summary

Continuing from last issue, Jessica Jones walks in to her bedroom to find her lover, Scott Lang (aka Ant-Man), dead and covered in ants. It appears that the Purple Man has slit Scott's throat, but not all is as it seems. Purple Man is actually using his mind control powers to trick Jessica into seeing Scott's corpse. Actually, Scott is sitting on the bed, forced to fantasize about the Purple Man with the same mind control powers. Purple Man continues to screw with Jessica's mind, and forces her to follow him outside and watch him wreak further havoc.

Purple Man incites random rioting on the streets, which draws the attention of the Avengers. As they confront him, he compels Jessica to kill Captain America. Instead, Jessica beats the crap out of Purple Man, much to his surprise. It turns out that years ago, Jean Grey of the X-Men had placed a post-hypnotic suggestion that allowed Jessica to break free of Purple Man's influence.

After the dust settled, Scott arrives at the site where Purple Man was hauled away. He talks with Jessica and learns that she is pregnant. He somehow knows that it is not his child, and walks away.

Later, Jessica visits Luke Cage at his apartment. He takes the opportunity to tell her face to face that he is developing feelings for her. This takes Jessica a bit by surprise, but she drops her own bombshell by telling Luke that she's pregnant with his child. Jessica isn't sure how Luke would react, but is relieved when he smiles at the news. Together, they move forward to the next stage of their lives.

Opinion

Overall, I liked this issue, much as I liked the entire run of Alias. Brian Michael Bendis delivered a series that read unlike anything Marvel had ever printed. As one of the first titles under Marvel's Max imprint, Alias was gritty and uncensored. The stories had little to do with heroes in spandex, but focus more with the seedier aspects of the Marvel universe. The series up to this point has been excellent, including the earlier chapters of the Purple storyline. However, the Purple Man resolution felt rushed.

Knowing Purple Man's forte is mind control, I should have guessed that the Ant-Man was not really dead. The swerve had a Dallas Bobby Ewing feel to it, but Bendis should not be faulted too harshly. This is the sort of mind game Purple Man is fond of playing. (I certainly could have done without seeing Scott doing God knows what to himself under the sheets while being forced to fantasize about the Purple Man!)

I was disappointed to see Scott and Jessica break up. Personally, I liked Jessica with Scott. Their relationship may have lacked a certain passion, but it felt real. Jessica and Scott were two lonely people that found solace in each others' arms. But Scott is the quintessential nice guy, who makes for good boyfriends and husbands, once a woman has sown her wild oats. In Jessica's case, her wild oats turned out to be Luke Cage.

Conclusion

The conclusion to the Purple storyline comes earlier than Brian Michael Bendis originally intended. This issue should have been part 5 of 6, but was prematurely ended to coincide with the cancellation of Alias. "Cancellation" is not really the best word to use, since Jessica's story will continue in the pages of "The Pulse."

According to Bendis, "The Pulse" will be a crime series in the same vein as the TV series, CSI. Jessica will be one character in an ensemble, but will not be just a side note in the series. Bendis will continue to explore her personal life, which should prove to be anything but boring with both Luke Cage and a baby on the way.

"The Pulse" will not be a Marvel Max title, but should not prove to neuter Bendis' stories. "Alias" never relied on gratuitous T&A and uncensored cussing to sell copies. The stories could easily have been part of Marvel's regular line and have been just as effective. Jessica's story should continue to be engaging in "The Pulse" as it has been in "Alias."