Jessica Jones

3.1. Origin

Jessica Campbell was a student at Midtown High, attending school alongside Peter Parker, for whom she harbored a secret crush. She was present when Peter was bitten by the irradiated spider that endowed him with his powers, attempting to speak to him at that moment but retreating due to shyness after his reaction to the bite.

Her life took a tragic turn when her father, an employee of Tony Stark, received tickets to Walt Disney World. On their journey home, their car collided with a military convoy transporting radioactive chemicals. The accident resulted in the death of her entire family, and Jessica herself spent several months in a coma. Upon regaining consciousness, she was placed in an orphanage and subsequently adopted by the Jones family. It was after this experience that Jessica discovered her radiation exposure had granted her superhuman abilities, including enhanced strength, limited invulnerability, and the capacity for flight.

Her adoptive parents re-enrolled her at Midtown High, where she faced ostracization from her classmates, particularly Flash Thompson. Peter Parker, who had by then become Spider-Man and experienced the loss of his Uncle Ben, recognized a kindred spirit in Jessica, seeing someone who also endured the tragic loss of family. However, Jessica misinterpreted his kindness as pity and reacted with hostility. Later, she witnessed a battle between Spider-Man and the villain Sandman at her school, an event that profoundly inspired her to utilize her newfound abilities for positive purposes.

3.2. Early Career and Personal Life

Jessica's initial foray into superheroics as Jewel was relatively uneventful until she intervened in a disturbance at a restaurant caused by Zebediah Killgrave, also known as the Purple Man. Killgrave, possessing the power of mind control, subjected Jones to his command, psychologically torturing her and forcing her to assist in his criminal activities. After eight months under his control, Killgrave dispatched her to assassinate Daredevil at the Avengers Mansion. She was rescued by Carol Danvers, the only Avenger who genuinely knew her.

Following this traumatic ordeal, Jones underwent psychic therapy with Jean Grey of the X-Men, who implanted a specific mental command in Jones's subconscious to safeguard her from future mind control. During this period, Jones had a brief romantic relationship with S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Clay Quartermain.

Deeply demoralized and depressed by the violation of her mind by Killgrave and the fact that her disappearance for eight months went largely unnoticed, Jones abandoned her costumed superhero life. She briefly adopted a darker persona as the Knightress, interrupting a crime meeting between the Owl and a mafioso. This encounter led to her meeting fellow superhero Luke Cage, and after defeating the Owl, they developed a lasting friendship.

No longer a superhero, Jones established a private detective agency. Her longtime friend Carol Danvers arranged for Jones to meet Scott Lang (the second Ant-Man), and they dated for several months. She also engaged in an intermittent affair with Luke Cage. Killgrave, still fixated on Jones, later escaped from high-security incarceration. However, armed with the mental defenses provided by Jean Grey, Jones broke his control and incapacitated him. Eventually, Cage and Jones acknowledged their mutual feelings, and after Jessica became pregnant with their child, they committed to their relationship.

3.3. Major Events and Team Affiliations

Jessica Jones took a hiatus from her detective business and joined the staff of the Daily Bugle newspaper as a superhero correspondent and consultant, becoming a main character in the comic book The Pulse and a contributor to its fictional newspaper supplement. While pregnant, Jones was attacked by the Green Goblin after the Bugle reported that he was secretly industrialist Norman Osborn. In retaliation, Cage confronted Osborn, leading to Osborn's exposure as the Green Goblin upon his defeat and incarceration. Jones resigned from the Bugle after publisher J. Jonah Jameson used the paper to discredit the New Avengers.

Jones and Cage were living together when she gave birth to their daughter, whom they named Danielle in honor of Luke's best friend, Danny Rand. Subsequently, Cage and Jones married. Jones also appeared as a supporting character and reporter in Young Avengers until the series concluded, returning in Avengers: The Children's Crusade #6, where she, Beast, and Hawkeye attempted to de-escalate a conflict between the Avengers and X-Men over the punishment of the Scarlet Witch. She participated in the fight against Doctor Doom and was present when Stature and the Vision were killed.

During Marvel's 2006-2007 crossover storyline "Civil War", Jones and Cage refused to join the Superhuman Registration Act proposed by Iron Man and Ms. Marvel. As members of the New Avengers, they relocated to Doctor Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum. However, a traumatic attack involving the demonic villain the Hood prompted Jones to leave the New Avengers and register for the Superhuman Registration Act, which temporarily ended her relationship with Luke Cage.

In the "Secret Invasion" storyline, a Skrull imposter of Jessica Jones, wearing her Jewel costume, emerged from a crashed Skrull ship. The real Jessica Jones appeared in Secret Invasion #7, joining the heroes' battle against the Skrulls and reuniting with her husband. After the Skrulls surrendered, the Skrull impersonating Jarvis vanished with their daughter, leaving Jessica distraught. Unbeknownst to Jessica, Luke sought assistance from Norman Osborn in their search for Danielle. Osborn helped Luke recover Danielle, and Luke returned the baby to Jessica.

Spider-Man later revealed his identity as Peter Parker to the New Avengers, shocking Jones to discover her former classmate was the webslinger. She confessed her past crush on him, only to learn he had never recognized her, remembering her merely as "Coma Girl," which upset her. She later aided the Avengers in rescuing Clint Barton after his capture by Norman Osborn. Jessica revealed that she was inspired to become a superheroine after witnessing an early battle between Spider-Man and the Sandman, which occurred during the villain's first published appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #4 (September 1963). Peter then encouraged Jessica to return to superhero life, suggesting it would set a better example for their daughter than simply recounting her past career.

3.4. Later Career and Contemporary Activities

During Marvel's 2010 "Heroic Age" branding campaign, Jessica returned to her costumed identity of Jewel and rejoined the New Avengers when the title relaunched in June 2010. She and Luke began searching for a nanny, interviewing various characters from the Marvel Universe, ultimately selecting Squirrel Girl as Danielle's caregiver. In The New Avengers #8, Jessica adopted the name Power Woman to honor her husband, Power Man (Luke Cage), and to serve as a role model for their daughter. However, a series of incidents, including attacks on Avengers Mansion by the Thule Society and threats from Norman Osborn, led Jessica to realize the extreme danger Danielle faced by remaining in Avengers Mansion. Consequently, she quit the team and went into hiding to protect her daughter.

Jessica later became an ally to the Mighty Avengers team, formed by Luke Cage. She and Danielle resided in the apartment of the Gem Theater, which served as the Mighty Avengers' base of operations. She and Luke were confronted by the Superior Spider-Man and his Spider Robots, who offered her a place on a new Avengers team under his leadership. Jessica swiftly found a babysitter for Danielle and refused, delivering a powerful punch to Spider-Man's face for his threat. The group was later backed up by She-Hulk, and she and Jessica decided to go for coffee. Jessica and Luke later exchanged apartments with an old friend of Luke's, David Griffiths. While moving in, Jessica spoke to the Blue Marvel about the challenges of raising a child of superheroes, expressing both her support and annoyance regarding her husband's decision to start another Avengers team.

During the "Secret Empire" storyline, Jessica Jones became a member of the Defenders alongside Daredevil, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage. Alongside Cloak and Dagger, Doctor Strange, and Spider-Woman, she fought the Army of Evil during Hydra's rise to power, but they were defeated by Nitro. Jessica Jones and her allies were subsequently trapped in the Darkforce dome by Blackout, whose powers were enhanced by Baron Helmut Zemo using the Darkhold.

In October 2016, a new ongoing series titled Jessica Jones debuted, running until May 2018. This was followed by another title, Defenders, which launched in 2017, featuring Jessica as one of its main characters. During the "Hunt for Wolverine" storyline, Jessica Jones and Luke Cage assisted Iron Man and Spider-Man in their search for Wolverine, whose body had gone missing from his unmarked grave. They attended an underworld auction and fought Mister Sinister. After the mission, Jessica and Luke learned from Tony Stark that one of the X-Men members was not a mutant but a genetically altered sleeper agent, based on information found in Mister Sinister's database.

In 2022, The Variants, a five-issue limited series by writer Gail Simone and artist Phil Noto, began. The series features Jessica taking on a case that leads her to encounter alternate universe versions of herself. Currently, following the events of Devil's Reign, in which Luke Cage became the Mayor of New York City, Jessica Jones holds the position of the first lady of New York City.

6.1. Critical Reception

Critics have widely praised Jessica Jones for her distinctive portrayal and her role in subverting traditional superhero tropes. George Marston of Newsarama lauded her as one of the "best female superheroes of all time," noting that her lack of a consistent superhero codename, much like her husband Luke Cage, is part of what makes her "so great." Gavia Baker-Whitelaw of The Daily Dot similarly hailed Jones as one of the "greatest female superheroes of all time" and a "truly modern subversion of the superhero genre."

Shawn S. Lealos of Screen Rant described her as a "huge star," attributing her widespread recognition to the critical success of her Marvel Netflix series. Gary Walker of CBR.com characterized her as one of Marvel's "most seasoned street-level heroes," emphasizing that despite her powers, she primarily uses her private investigator skills, making her "one hell of a vigilante and one resourceful mother!"

Rosie Knight of Nerdist celebrated Jessica as one of the "most brilliant women who solve crimes in the pages of your fave comic." Ned Beauman of The Guardian offered a particularly poignant assessment, calling her "one of the bravest, wittiest and most sensitive portraits of a female character that superhero comics have ever seen." He further highlighted her realistic body type and her refusal to engage in battles in stereotypical "gold bikini and stiletto heels," reinforcing her grounded and authentic representation.

6.2. Accolades and Rankings

Jessica Jones has received numerous accolades and high rankings from various media outlets, solidifying her status as a significant and influential character in comic book history.

• In 2016, The Hollywood Reporter ranked Jessica Jones 28th in their "50 Favorite Female Characters" list.
• In 2016, Entertainment Weekly placed Jessica Jones 39th in their "Most Powerful Superheroes" list.
• In 2017, The Daily Dot ranked Jessica Jones 21st in their "Top 33 female superheroes of all time" list.
• In 2018, CBR.com ranked Jessica Jones 7th in their "Marvel's 20 Most Seasoned Street-Level Heroes" list.
• In 2018, GameSpot ranked Jessica Jones 25th in their "50 Most Important Superheroes" list.
• In 2019, ComicBook.com ranked Jessica Jones 23rd in their "50 Most Important Superheroes Ever" list.
• In 2019, CBR.com ranked Jessica Jones 6th in their "Marvel: 10 Best Street Level Heroes" list.
• In 2020, Scary Mommy ranked Jessica Jones 4th in their "Looking For A Role Model? These 195+ Marvel Female Characters Are Truly Heroic" list.
• In 2020, CBR.com ranked Jessica Jones 3rd in their "10 Best Detectives In Marvel Comics" list.
• In 2020, TheWrap included Jessica Jones in their "24 Badass Female Superheroes" list.
• In 2021, CBR.com ranked Jessica Jones 16th in their "20 Most Powerful Female Members Of The Avengers" list and 20th in their "20 Strongest Female Superheroes" list.
• In 2022, Newsarama ranked Jessica Jones 22nd in their "Best female superheroes" list.
• In 2022, The A.V. Club ranked Jessica Jones 16th in their "100 best Marvel characters" list.
• In 2022, Sportskeeda ranked Jessica Jones 5th in their "Ten best detectives in comics" list.
• In 2022, Bustle ranked Jessica Jones 18th in their "35 Best Female Marvel Characters Who Dominate The MCU & Comics" list.
• In 2022, Nerdist included Jessica Jones in their "8 Awesome Women Detectives in Comics" list.
• In 2022, CBR.com ranked Jessica Jones and Luke Cage 2nd in their "10 Healthiest Marvel Couples" list and 4th in their "10 Best Marvel Couples" list.
• In 2022, Screen Rant included Jessica Jones in their "10 Best Street-Level Heroes In Marvel Comics" list.

7.1. House of M

In the 2005 "House of M" storyline, which depicted an altered reality where mutants were the dominant species, Jessica Jones was apparently in a romantic relationship with Scott Lang.

7.2. What If

In What If Jessica Jones Had Joined the Avengers? (volume 3 #1, February 2005), an alternate reality is explored where Jones accepted Captain America's invitation to join the Avengers. In this timeline, she perceived that something was amiss with Wanda Maximoff (the Scarlet Witch) and alerted the other Avengers to her burgeoning villainy. This intervention prevented the catastrophic events depicted in "Avengers Disassembled" and "House of M" from ever occurring. In this reality, Jessica eventually married Captain America.

7.3. Ultimate Spider-Man

In the Ultimate Spider-Man series, Jessica Jones appeared as a senior student at the high school attended by Ultimate Peter Parker. She held the position of executive producer for the school's television network. Initially, she became jealous of Mary Jane Watson's superior filmmaking skills and attempted to deduce Spider-Man's secret identity for the school newspaper, growing suspicious of Peter Parker. However, after the events of Ultimatum, she claimed to have abandoned her pursuit of Spider-Man's identity, choosing instead to focus on documenting his heroic actions.

7.4. Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane

In Spider-Man Loves Mary Jane, Jessica was a student at Mary Jane's high school and was a former friend of Mary Jane until Mary Jane became a goth. Mary Jane spent more time with Jessica after her breakup with Ned Leeds and became more goth-like, but Jessica told Mary Jane that the goth style did not suit her.

7.5. Infinity Wars

During the events of "Infinity Wars", when Gamora used the Infinity Stones to fold the universe in half, creating Warp World, characters and histories were merged. Jessica Jones merged with Janice Lincoln to become this universe's version of the Beetle. She was also depicted as the fiancée of Scott Banner, also known as Little Monster, an amalgamation of Scott Lang and Bruce Banner.

7.6. Spider-Man: Life Story

In Spider-Man: Life Story, a series that explores Spider-Man's life in real-time, Jessica Jones briefly dated Peter Parker after his separation from Mary Jane. She assisted him in tracking down an elderly Norman Osborn. Much like her Earth-616 counterpart, this version of Jessica Jones also became a private investigator and founded Alias Investigations.

7.7. Secret Wars

During the "Secret Wars" storyline, which saw the Marvel multiverse condensed into a single planet called Battleworld, different versions of Jessica Jones existed within various domains:

• In the Battleworld domain of Arcadia, Luke Cage and Jessica Jones provided assistance in combating a horde of zombies from the Deadlands after the female Loki attacked a portion of the Shield.
• In the Battleworld domain of the Walled City of New York, Luke Cage and Jessica Jones were married and resided in their home in Harlem.

8.1. Television

Jessica Jones is a central character in Marvel's Netflix television series, where she is primarily portrayed by Krysten Ritter as an adult. A younger version of Jessica is portrayed by Elizabeth Cappuccino in the first and second seasons of the series.

In her self-titled series, this version of Jessica Jones was involved in a childhood car accident that claimed the lives of her parents and left her in a coma. After recovering, she was adopted by talent agent Dorothy Walker and befriended her adopted sister Trish Walker. She later graduated from Midtown School of Science and Technology in Queens, years before Peter Parker attended. As an adult, Jones encountered Kilgrave, who enslaved her for eight months. She eventually broke free from his control after being forced to kill Luke Cage's wife, Reva Connors, under Kilgrave's influence.

Jones also appears in The Defenders, where she and Luke Cage help establish the eponymous group to combat the criminal organization known as The Hand.

8.2. Video Games

Jessica Jones has been featured in a variety of video game titles, often as a playable character or a supporting non-player character.

• She appears as an unlockable playable character in Marvel Avengers Alliance.
• Jessica Jones is an unlockable playable character in Marvel Future Fight.
• She is an unlockable playable character in Lego Marvel's Avengers, with Tara Strong providing her voice.
• In Marvel Avengers Academy, Jessica Jones appears and is voiced by Michelle Phan. A Vietnamese American version of the character is featured in this game.
• Jessica Jones appears as an assist character in Marvel Heroes, again voiced by Tara Strong. In this version, she is a member of the Heroes for Hire.
• She is featured in Marvel War of Heroes.
• Alias Investigations, her private detective agency, makes a cameo appearance in the 2018 video game Spider-Man.
• Jessica Jones is an unlockable playable character in Marvel Puzzle Quest.
• Based on her Marvel Cinematic Universe incarnation, Jessica Jones appears as a playable character in Marvel Strike Force. In this game, she is a member of both the Defenders and A-Force.
• She appears as a NPC in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, voiced once more by Tara Strong. In this game, she is a member of the Defenders.
• Jessica Jones is featured in Marvel Snap.

9.1. Major Comic Series

Jessica Jones has starred in several key comic book series, each contributing to her development and legacy.

Alias
The series Alias, which introduced Jessica Jones, was published under Marvel's "R-rated" Max imprint, allowing for more mature content, including language. According to Diamond Comic Distributors, Alias #19 was the 63rd best-selling comic book in February 2003, and Alias #28 was the 73rd best-selling comic book in November 2003.
Graeme McMillan of Wired highlighted the series for its groundbreaking approach, stating that it "finally let fans know that their favorite superheroes did, in fact, know how to swear." He praised creators Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Gaydos for crafting "one of the company's most well-rounded female characters: flawed, bitter, self-destructive, and far more optimistic than she would ever allow anyone else to see." Guillermo Kurten of Screen Rant ranked Alias 5th among "Brian Michael Bendis' best comic books," commending its "gritty run" and its focus as a "psychological character study" that explored Jessica's past and her healing from trauma.

Jessica Jones (2016)
A new ongoing series titled Jessica Jones debuted in October 2016, published as a tie-in with the self-titled television series. Jessica Jones #1 was the 22nd best-selling comic book in October 2016, and Jessica Jones #2 was the 78th best-selling comic book in November 2016.
Jesse Schedeen of IGN gave Jessica Jones #1 a grade of 8.8 out of 10, praising Bendis's writing and Gaydos's "heavy black lines and generally moody style," which created a "vague noir quality" alongside a "humble slice-of-life one." He concluded that "Jessica Jones has the solo book she deserves again." Blair Marnell of Nerdist gave Jessica Jones #1 a grade of 4 out of 5, noting the return of her "edge" and the timeless quality of Gaydos's artwork. Joe Ruggirello of IGN gave Jessica Jones #2 a grade of 8.9 out of 10, asserting that "it just feels right to have the Bendis/Gaydos version of Jessica Jones back," appreciating how the series continued directly from its predecessor while conveying the passage of time and character damage through the art. Sean Edgar of Paste included Jessica Jones #2 in the magazine's "Best Comic Book Covers of November 2016" list.

Jessica Jones - Marvel Digital Original (Jessica Jones: Blind Spot - 2018)
This digital-first series, later collected as Jessica Jones: Blind Spot, was released in 2018. Jessica Jones - Marvel Digital Original #1 was the 460th best-selling graphic novel in 2018.
Chase Magnett of ComicBook.com gave Jessica Jones - Marvel Digital Original #1 a perfect grade of 5 out of 5, stating that the issue "nails everything that readers have come to want from the character." He lauded the "pitch perfect" dialogue, the "great detective story that plays out like a Chandler novel," and the "lot of heart" in Jessica's attitude and family. Jesse Schedeen of IGN included the series in their "Top Comics to Buy This Week" list in October 2019, recommending it for readers who prefer print or missed its initial digital release. Sam Stone of CBR.com identified Jessica Jones: Blind Spot as one of the "best Jessica Jones stories," praising the new creative team of Kelly Thompson and Mattia De Lulis for maintaining her private investigation aspects and delivering a "hard-boiled detective story" focused on a serial killer case.

Jessica Jones: Purple Daughter (2019)
Jessica Jones: Purple Daughter #1 was the 321st best-selling graphic novel in 2019.
Peyton Hinckle of ComicsVerse highly praised the art by Mattia De Iulis, describing it as "realistic, yet distinctive," and perfectly suited for darker comics, making Jessica's struggles feel relatable. Hinckle also noted Filipe Andrade's stylized linework for the fake reality scenes, which effectively emphasized Jessica's detachment from reality. Hinckle concluded that the series, despite being online-only and less flashy, was "complex, entertaining, and visually stunning." Christian Jones of Stardust gave Jessica Jones: Purple Daughter #1 a 9-star rating, commending Kelly Thompson for expertly establishing the trauma and emotional depth experienced by Jessica as a mother facing her worst nightmare. He also praised Mattia De Iulis's artwork for its "photographic realism" and effective use of color, shading, and lighting to create a "convincing piece of neo-noir."

Jessica Jones: Blind Spot (2020)
The print edition of Jessica Jones: Blind Spot saw its #1 issue as the 128th best-selling comic book in January 2020, and #2 as the 150th best-selling comic book in the same month.
Grace Wright of Screen Rant called Jessica Jones: Blind Spot #1 a "brilliant new take," highlighting its significance as the first time Jessica Jones's original creative team, Bendis and Gaydos, passed the torch to a new writer and artist in a solo book. Wright praised Kelly Thompson and Mattia De Iulis for successfully providing new insight into Jessica without undermining her past character development, noting Jessica's increased focus on her domestic life and acknowledging the foundation laid by Bendis and Gaydos.

The Variants (2022)
The Variants #1 was the 94th best-selling comic book in June 2022.
Hannah Rose of CBR.com described The Variants #1 as an "intriguing first issue," stating that Gail Simone successfully captured Jessica's essence by balancing her "hardened if heavy-handed cynicism with her vulnerability and humanity." Rose highlighted the sequence where Jessica tries on lipstick as an instance of her "softer, more insecure, and human side." She also praised Phil Noto's "elegant, smooth, fluid, and pretty" line art and his use of a "soft, muted color palette." Jenna Anderson of ComicBook.com gave The Variants #1 a perfect score of 5 out of 5, calling it a "beautifully-constructed new look at the Marvel multiverse" and a "truly stunning and revolutionary new chapter in the ongoing story of Jessica Jones." Anderson lauded Simone's script for bringing Jessica's "heartfelt, but world-weary tone" and Noto's "effortlessly cool and timeless art," concluding that The Variants was "an absolute knockout."