Get to Know Jessica Jones
The partnership between Netflix and Marvel got off to a rock ‘em, sock ‘em start earlier this year with the launch of Daredevil, which earned instant accolades for its gritty storytelling and superb action sequences. Now the streaming service is looking to continue that momentum with Jessica Jones, the second of four planned Marvel-related series that will continue with Luke Cage and Iron Fist before culminating in the all-star Avengers-style team-up, The Defenders. After months of filming on the streets of New York, Jessica Jones has announced that her entrance into the larger onscreen Marvel Universe will occur on Nov. 20. But where viewers were already somewhat in the know about Daredevil thanks to the 2003 Ben Affleck movie, “Jessica Jones” is a less-familiar name. Here’s our quick primer on the divine Miss Jones so that she won’t be such a stranger when you meet her in two months time.
How She Came to Be
Jessica Jones (played by Krysten Ritter in the Netflix series) is the brainchild of Marvel wizard, Brian Michael Bendis, who added her to Marvel’s comic book universe with the launch of 2001’s Alias. (Not to be confused with the Jennifer Garner spy serial.) In Bendis’ telling, Jessica was an ordinary Queens high-schooler with a crush on a dork named Peter Parker and, in fact, was present on the fateful field trip where he had an up close and personal encounter with a radioactive spider. She herself later attained superpowers after a car accident that exposed her to — what else? — radioactive gunk. Deciding to adhere to Spider-Man’s motto about great power coming with great responsibility, Jessica adopted the alter ego of Jewel.
Superhero Resume
Gifted with superhuman strength and the ability to fly, Jewel became a mid-level Marvel hero — not as popular as, say, Captain America, but certainly a step-up from the Human Fly. But her life was forever changed when she fell under the control of mind manipulator, Zebediah Killgrave a.k.a. the Purple Man (to be played by David Tennant, in a decidedly non-Whovian role). Though she eventually regained her own identity, the experience convinced her to retire from the costumed avenger life. Eager to continue doing good, she sets up a detective agency and takes on superhero-adjacent cases. Later on, she also had a brief career as a Daily Bugle reporter before eventually getting back into her Jewel costume. The Netflix series, however, takes place specifically during her private eye days.
Famous Friends
The most important person in Jessica’s life is Luke Cage, the Harlem-based strongman who was first a friend, then a lover and, finally, a husband and father. Although again, we’re getting ahead of ourselves, as the show will apparently find Jessica and Luke (played by Mike Colter) in an earlier phase of their relationship. On the page, Jessica also got along famously with Carol Danvers, better known as Ms. Marvel or Captain Marvel. Since Marvel Studios has big-screen plans for that particular character, Ritter’s Jones has been gifted with Patsy Walker (Rachel Taylor) as a best buddy. When she’s not a radio jockey, the former model also enjoys a side career in tights as Hellcat. (For those interested in Patsy’s solo adventures, Marvel has a new Hellcat comic book in the works, set to launch the month after Jessica Jones premieres on Netflix.)
Daredevil Connections
Since they’ll eventually be sharing space on the Defenders line-up, expect Daredevil’s various exploits to be referenced in Jessica Jones. Rosario Dawson, who played nurse Claire Temple in several Daredevil episodes, has been confirmed as a guest star. And we have a feeling that Tennant’s refined Kilgrave (who has lost an “l” in his name from the page to the screen) will at least be aware of a certain incarcerated Kingpin. Interestingly enough, when the comic book Killgrave initially invaded Jessica’s mind, he dispatched her on an unsuccessful outing to take out the Man Without Fear. That sounds like a great season finale cliffhanger to us!
Jessica Jones premiers Nov. 20 on Netflix
