THE VARIANTS #4: Realizing You’re Part of the Problem

Just when you think things can’t get more psychologically intricate, Gail Simone says hold my
salmon (yes that’s a bear joke if you know you know) and Jessica comes face to face with several startling realizations AND another variant! Simone turns the tables and has Jessica do the exact opposite of what she has been trying to do so far…instead of fighting to keep the the evil that is the Purple Man out, Prime Jessica and her variants decide to invite a
confrontation, in a type of psychological exorcism. The issue’s focus is the deep dive into Jessica’s psyche as she faces the terrible and dangerous trigger that Zebediah Killgrave has planted in her…but of course with Jessica, things are never simple as Jessica confronts the a horrible realization about this deadly impulse to hurt her family that was planted in her is not only from some new influence of Killgrave but a far more deadly and intricate combination of his long-ago planted influence and Jessica herself as the trigger.

It’s an issue filled with exposition as Simone digs into Jessica’s character and headspace facing her worst and deepest fears. She doesn’t do this alone as Simone plays another surprise guest appearance from a certain helmet-wearing mutant who is an absolute expert at head games. He shows Jessica how her own scarred psyche is as much a part of what’s happening to her as the trigger. Part of what makes Jessica Jones who she is and how she interacts with everyone around her is her trauma and Simone is conscious of this. This isn’t any sort of full catharsis but the trigger is dealt with in an aggressive way. This brings Jessica back to the real world as her detective’s mind makes a realization about one of her variants and then things end with a bananas cliffhanger featuring a whole lot more variations than we have seen so far.

There’s an exceptional intimacy to this issue. Psychic confrontations and even physical ones aside, Simone’s script lives or dies through the artist’s ability to communicate the emotional state of Jessica and her variants throughout the issue. Fortunately, the artist we are talking about is Phil Noto who once again delivers an absolutely flawless issue that has the psychological impact the script deserves. Every facial expression is perfectly suited and tied to the script, connecting you with Jessica every step of the way as she navigates her inner and outer peril. The splash announcing our mutant guest star’s appearance is an exemplary example of how to use the scale to convey the ability of the character and his mastery of the realm of the mind. Overall it’s a superb character exploration that blurs the line between what’s in Jessica’s head and what’s real so well that by the end of the issue and the cliffhanger, you have answers but also more questions, and isn’t that what a good mystery does?