Alias is back for its 25th anniversary right in time for Jessica Jones to return to the Daredevil show, and for Marvel Comics to go even harder with the adult material. A “Red Band” comic, each issue is polybagged to keep children safe! Housed in the bag of plastic is also a bona fide good detective story, but for a hero like Jessica, who lost her detective license, that’s far from the only complication in the case she’s taken on. Her marriage and her life hang in the balance!
After a strong first issue, Alias: Red Band #2 is even better, as Jessica and Typhoid Mary are fully teamed up to find a serial killer. Sam Humphries writes a good issue, from the dialogue to the plotting, which keeps you guessing and invested in these characters. At the same time, Geraldo Borges has the power of pace extremely well in multiple scenes, drawing you into questioning and Typhoid Mary’s maniacal expressions.
Alias: Red Band #2 opens with Jessica and Typhoid Mary questioning a potential suspect. Jessica has full control of the conversation until Typhoid Mary grows impatient and does it her way. It’s a great opening scene because it sets up the yin and yang of these two characters, as well as the saddle bag on Jessica to keep Typhoid Mary in line.
Humphries plays up this odd pairing well and even gives Typhoid Mary a win. You can’t help but like Typhoid Mary, who certainly has a Harley Quinn vibe to her, but she feels more unhinged and dangerous, and certainly not silly. She’s funny, though, and when that comes out, you can’t help but grin.
Now try it her way.
Credit: Marvel
While how Jessica and Typhoid Mary interact is the bread and butter of the issue, there’s also a compelling detective story at work. Between the questioning and the clues they dig up in the issue, you’ll likely be curious how it all makes sense.
The story also cuts ahead to a trial, adding some stakes to the already dangerous detective job at hand. Personally, I’m not sure it’s super necessary, since it draws you away from the linear story, but it does allow for cutting to move the story along. How dangerous can some politician eyeing Luke Cage’s job as mayor really be for a hero who could be absolved with a hand wave from Iron Man or the like?
Closing out the issue is an intense sequence of events that blends detective work and questioning, with fast thinking. The blood flies in these closing pages, making for an intense and excellent full-page splash cliffhanger.
I continue to wonder why this needs to be a red band issue. Sure, there’s swearing, but it could easily be removed without changing the quality. The gore and blood are also minimal at best. While I appreciate swearing in a comic, it’s tame for something marketed as too adult for young readers.
Alias: Red Band #2 builds on a strong start and sharpens its focus on character and tension. Sam Humphries leans into the uneasy partnership between Jessica Jones and Typhoid Mary, and it pays off in every scene they share. Their back-and-forth drives the issue, balancing humor, danger, and unpredictability in a way that feels true to both characters. The detective angle adds another layer, keeping the mystery compelling without losing sight of the emotional stakes. The Red Band label still feels like window dressing, but the story itself is confident, tense, and worth your time. A volatile pairing, sharp writing, and rising tension make Alias: Red Band a gripping detective story that hits harder with every page.
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