Part of me just can't believe that this series is coming to an end (not a cancellation, but to make way for a new story in the upcoming Pulse title) because with each issue, the story just keeps getting better and better. With the "Purple" story arc, Bendis, keeps one-upping himself, blending the brightness of the super-hero genre with the dark and scarred character of one woman who's been kicked while she's down... over and over again. This story of pain and broken spirits is completely riveting, and it makes the most of a shared super-hero continuity without getting mired in it.
Jessica Jones tells her friend, Luke Cage, of her encounter with the Avengers and the Defenders from years before, and how it led to a complete shutdown of her body and mind. The mind-control manipulations of the Purple Man, combined with the physical damage that resulted from a fight with not one but two teams of powerful heroes, took their toll, and it took the intervention of an unusual counsellor to turn the tide in her life. Jessica recalls a job offer that was made to her, and she realizes that she has a rather unpleasant but important job to tend to now: to confront the Purple Man himself.
The use of artists with radically different styles to convey different storytelling modes always works well in this book, and a new name turns up in this issue. Rick Mays brings Jessica's mindscape to life here, and he brings a softness and tenderness to it that in keeping with the tone of the scene. There's also a touch of the surreal to be found as well. But the real visual strength in this issue is the dark and mature artwork of Michael Gaydos. This is a story about an ugly man's effect on the life of an already fragile psyche, and Gaydos captures the dark emotions those events have thrust into the main character's heart. Bagley's to be commended for driving home the physical damage that she undergoes as well; it's a shocking visual, and it provides a cue to the extent of the psychological scars the heroine bears as well.
One of the strongest elements in this issue is just how convincingly Bendis portrays the friendship between Cage and Jessica. The playful banter and sex is behind them here, and one really gets a sense for how much Cage cares for his friend and how rare it is for her to lean on someone like she does in this issue.
What really grabs a hold of the reader in this issue, though, is how well Bendis makes the most horrific period in Jessica's life come alive. It's clear to the reader at the end of this issue how incredibly daunting and intimidating a task it is for her to confront the man responsible for a great deal of the darkness that threatens to consume her. The idea itself is chilling enough, but when conveyed through Bendis's sharp and genuine dialogue, it becomes an overwhelming and compelling bit of storytelling. If you're not reading "Purple," make damn sure you pick it up in the inevitable trade paperback format down the line.
