ALIAS: RED BAND #2 (MARVEL COMICS)
Some habits are just too hard to break.
Jessica Jones gave up her P.I. License when her husband Like Cage become Mayor of New York City. While checking on the old office, she discovered the neighbors next door brutally murdered. Trying to leave this case alone was never going to happen. Having a nudge to find the killer from Typhoid Mary was definitely not on the agenda.
Now the pair is working the case. Can they hold it together long enough to find the true killer?
ALIAS: RED BAND #2 by Sam Humphries, Geraldo Borges, Arthur Hesli, & Cory Petit (MARVEL COMICS) dives further into the chilling murder case.
Let’s take a closer look at what is happening now.
ALIAS: RED BAND #2 by Sam Humphries, Geraldo Borges, Arthur Hesli, & Cory Petit (MARVEL COMICS)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Humphries nails the gritty sense of Jessica’s methods in the opening sequence. The banter between her and Mary seems erratic to match the conflicting personalities. How they both go about handling their suspect showcases this divide. It becomes very clear Jessica is in way over her head. This rings true when talking to her husband. Readers watch as she keeps trying to pull off he ruse. This works only for so long before she’s brought back into the always edgy realm of Mary.
The pressures of the case begin to crack more into Jessica’s foundation as they get closer to finding the killer. A long subway ride provides a quick does of humor to offset the mounting frustration. This feel carries over into meeting another suspect. Mary’s unpredictability adds much to these moments. Once in the closing aspects, Humphries dials up the drama for a fitting conclusion. More of the mystery is pulled back. It leaves Jessica with something to build from after the cliffhanger finish. Suffice to say, business is finally picking up.
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Borges & Hesli don’t delay in setting a tough pace for this chapter. the full page interrogation leaves nothing to the imagination. This spirals into an excellent spread of Jessica facing off with the suspect. Panel structure adds so much to this moment. It results in a more explosive finish than one may think. The mood switches to a more lower point as Jessica’s lies come into focus. A full page image of her riding on the train exemplifies her regrets. There’s little time to dwell from this stage.
Another strong two page spread shows Mary’s confliction facing off on the train. It’s a fun sequence that shakes events up just enough to move to their next subject. This one has a great panel set-up form Borges yet again. If you know his work from No/One, you know he has a great eye to build up events like this. The full shot of Jessica looking at a wall opens up the final act. From here, readers can start connecting some dots in the case. It leads to a more frantic finish. The closing page is a great departing shot, leaving many thoughts for readers to look at before next round. A fun trip never the less.
FINAL GRADE: 8.8
The dysfunctional duo head further into solving the murders but not without the odds against them. Humphries throws a few different looks at Jessica with the writing. Borges creates magnificent images to bring out the daring investigation. This one has the makings for a sure-fire classic.
Let me know your thoughts on Alias: Red Band #2 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
