Alias: Red Band #5 — Jessica Drew and Typhoid Mary Chase the Boss Through Hell’s Kitchen

There is a specific kind of electricity that happens when two characters who are fundamentally at odds are forced to stand back-to-back. In Alias: Red Band, that dynamic is the engine of the entire series. We have Jessica Drew, the spy with a conscience, and Mary Jane Watson, a woman literally possessed by a chaotic, violent alter ego.

By issue #5, the hunt for the mysterious figure dubbed the Boss has moved from the fringes to the center of the action. The pressure is mounting from every direction. Mary’s inherent instability is making her harder to control, her reckless instincts threatening to blow their cover before they can strike a blow against their enemy. Meanwhile, the police are circling, and the rift between Jessica and her partner Luke is widening under the strain of their shared secrets. The setup is tight: a race against time to unmask a monster while Jessica’s own world threatens to collapse under the weight of the investigation.

Geraldo Borges’ art is the perfect match for this chaotic energy. His lines are loose and expressive, capturing the visceral tension of hand-to-hand combat and the psychological toll on Jessica. It’s a style that feels lived-in and urgent, grounding the supernatural elements in a gritty reality that makes the stakes feel immediate. You can feel the exhaustion in Jessica’s posture and the wildness in Mary’s movements. It’s a visual narrative that complements the script’s tension, turning every panel into a moment of potential explosion.

And we have to talk about the cover. David Mack is a legend for a reason, and his work here is haunting. He brings a painterly depth that elevates the book from a simple comic to an art piece. The way he renders the characters in this issue promises a visual payoff that matches the narrative intensity. If you love comics that treat their artwork with the same reverence as their storytelling, Mack’s contribution is a major reason to pick this up.

This issue lands at a moment where the series is peaking in tension. It’s the perfect place to jump in if you’ve been wanting to see where the dynamics between these two women are heading. The combination of Humphries’ sharp writing, Borges’ kinetic art, and Mack’s cover makes this a standout drop. It’s a book that rewards attention, offering a complex portrait of partnership and chaos that feels fresh in the Marvel landscape. It’s one of those titles that just begs to be discussed once you turn the last page.