Published Dec 2017 by Marvel
Limited 1 for 25 Retailer Incentive Variant Cover
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by Michael Gaydos
Cover by Tim Sale
36 pages, full color

RETURN OF THE PURPLE MAN Part 1
Jessica Jones is many things: Private Investigator. Defender. Survivor. Mother. When the Purple Man returns, Jessica Jones finds herself reliving her worst nightmare. But the only thing worse than being stalked by the evil incarnate that is the Purple Man…is being stalked by the evil incarnate that is the Purple Man when you have a small child!

PLUS: Includes 3 bonus MARVEL PRIMER PAGES! Story by Robbie Thompson and art by Mark Bagley!

Featured Characters:
Alias Investigations
Jessica Jones
Carol Danvers (Main story and recap)
Heroes for Hire
Iron Fist (Danny Rand) (Main story and recap)
Luke Cage (Main story and recap)
Dani Jones-Cage (Controlled by Purple Man)
Purple Man (Zebediah Killgrave)
Armadillo (Antonio Rodriguez)
J. Jonah Jameson (Recap)
Cassie (a babysitter) (Recap)
Ed Vernon (Recap)
Misty Knight (Recap)
Commander Sharon Carter (Recap)
Maria Hill (Recap)
Mr. Brownlee (Recap)
Ben Urich (Recap)
Alisa Jones (Recap)
Raindrop Lilly (Recap)
Jess Drew (Recap)
Susanna Punch (Recap)
Detective Brad Costello (Recap)
Matt Murdock (Recap)
Typhoid Mary (Mary Walker) (Recap)
Alison Green (Recap)
Sophie Brownlee (Recap)
Jessica's unnamed neighbor (Recap)
S.H.I.E.L.D. (Referenced)
Miley (theme park patron) (First appearance)

Last issue, Maria Hill told Jessica Jones that S.H.I.E.L.D. lost track of Zebediah Killgrave (a.k.a. the Purple Man). Now Jessica seeks help from Carol Danvers, who provides a safe house. Unlike her first encounter, Jessica is prepared for the Purple Man but will it be enough?

Since this issue is the story arc’s first part, there isn’t much action. Fortunately, Brian Michael Bendis’s dialogue keeps the plot moving. Bendis’s dialogue feels natural for the character’s nature. Plus I enjoyed the exchange between Jessica and Carol. During their conversation, Carol notes how much Jessica has grown as a character. Also the way they talk to each other tells new readers immediately that Carol and Jessica are close friends.

Speaking of new readers, this is the perfect jumping on point for fans of the Jessica Jones Netflix series.  The series did an excellent job portraying Jessica’s history with the Purple Man that fans could easily understand why his return into Jessica’s life is a big deal for her. Plus this issue features a clever easter egg when Jessica calls Luke for their code word. At first Luke assumes it’s “I love you” which is the phrase Jessica used with Trish Walker in the Netflix series.

The last page of this issue is chilling. It sets up the idea that this time the Purple Man is using Jessica’s daughter to get to her. I don’t want go into too much details because that would lessen it’s shock value. However it’s an impressive ending that sets up the tone for the remainder of the arc.

This issue had a great opening artwise. It features three groups of faces, that increase as Jessica monologues about the Purple Man’s powers. When the sequence reaches its end Jessica gets to the part about who some people could be under Purple Man’s control and unaware about it. This sequence helps the reader understand Jessica’s fear and why she is not willing to trust anyone in this situation.

While the Purple Man is only in a few scenes, they have some excellent color choices. I like how the majority of the scene uses lighter colors for everyone else but Killgrave is this sharp and bold purple. It really focuses the reader’s attention on this character.

Also there are some great transitions in this issue. When the Purple Man talks to a woman off-panel and the woman starts asking about his skin color, that’s when we move to the Purple Man’s full appearance. Then when everyone starts noticing the Purple Man, he orders everyone to leave which cuts to an empty stadium. My favorite transition is when Purple Man puts his hands on his face in frustration then we cut to Danielle pulling her hands off her face. This helps set up the idea that Purple Man’s primary target isn’t going to be Jessica but her daughter. Plus during my second read of this issue, I realized this is a great set up for the final page.

Jessica Jones #13 is a great read. This arc is bringing back Jessica’s most well-known enemy which feels in line with Marvel’s Legacy banner. Plus using Killgrave/Purple Man is a great way to get Neflix fans to read this arc. This issue also features excellent dialogue and spectacular artwork. Overall, Return of the Purple Man is not something Jessica Jones fans should miss.

Marvel's Jessica Jones, or simply Jessica Jones, is an American television series created by Melissa Rosenberg for the streaming service Netflix, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise, and is the second in a series of shows that led to The Defenders crossover miniseries. The series is produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Studios and Tall Girls Productions, with Rosenberg serving as showrunner. Scott Reynolds was a co-showrunner for the third season.

Krysten Ritter stars as Jessica Jones, a former superhero who opens her own detective agency. Rachael Taylor, Eka Darville, and Carrie-Anne Moss also star, with Mike Colter, Wil Traval, Erin Moriarty, and David Tennant joining them for the first season, J.R. Ramirez, Terry Chen, Leah Gibson, and Janet McTeer joining the cast for second season, and Benjamin Walker, Sarita Choudhury, Jeremy Bobb, and Tiffany Mack joining for the third season.

All episodes of the first season premiered on November 20, 2015. They were released to critical acclaim, with critics noting Ritter's and Tennant's performances as well as the series' noir tone, approach to sexuality, and depiction of darker topics such as rape, assault, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In January 2016, Netflix renewed Jessica Jones for a second season; filming began in April 2017 and concluded in September 2017. The second season was released on March 8, 2018, and a third season was ordered on April 12, 2018, which was released on June 14, 2019. On February 18, 2019, Netflix canceled the series, making the third season its last.

With Charlie Cox's Daredevil's introduction into the MCU in Spider-Man No Way Home, the expectation that Jessica Jones is next.  Let's hope!

Prior to its cancellation, Kevin A. Mayer, chairman of Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International, noted that, while it had not yet been discussed, it was a possibility that Disney+ could revive the other cancelled Marvel Netflix series. Hulu's senior vice president of originals Craig Erwich also said that the streaming service was open to reviving the former Netflix series.

Monday, someone on the internet—an insider that's previously leaked semi-accurate information—suggested some characters from Marvel Television's umbrella of shows would be recast when they reenter the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As the norm with such rumors, fans began to quickly speculate what characters would be recast and one quickly started to trend, but not for the reason you think. Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) trended much of Monday evening as fans begged Marvel Studios to not recast the fan-favorite character.

For what it's worth, Ritter herself is ready to get back into the role. She told ComicBook.com last fall she's ready to take the leather jacket off the hanger in her closet and don it once again.

"I absolutely love Jessica more than anything. And I loved those years playing her," Ritter told us. "If there was ever an opportunity for her to pop up anywhere, I would be the first [to say yes]. I may or may not have the jacket ready to go in my closet. So, you never know, but if I ever had the opportunity to play her again, I would be so thrilled."