10 Marvel Graphic Novels You Must Read Before You Die

8. A.K.A. Jessica Jones: Alias

With the news that Brian Michael Bendis is set to end his eighteen-year-long partnership with Marvel, it seems apt to include one of his books on a list of the publisher's all-time greats.

And of course, Jessica Jones today is one of Marvel's most popular characters. Without Bendis' work on the title during the early 2000s, it's likely that that wouldn't be the case. More importantly, if you do go back and read Alias (and you should), you'll find that it has all the gravity the Netflix series has in spades. It has its problematic moments, certainly, but Bendis' tale of a former superhero turned P. I. struggling to survive in New York is as timeless as it is intuitive.

Others will likely highlight the writer's stint on Daredevil (a run second only to Frank Miller's in terms of quality) and Spidey, but Jessica Jones is a Bendis creation through and through. It's also highly influential, and while barbs will inevitably be made regarding the writer's seemingly verbose style, the way he kickstarted the millennium at Marvel was massive.

As far as Marvel heroes go, you'll struggle to find one as compelling as Jessica Jones.