  | Book Details Title: The PLAIN Janes |
Book DescriptionReview Praise for The Plain JANES:“Plain JANES brought me back to High School in the best way. It reminded me of the power of that time; the friendships, the growth, and the consequences. Cecil and Jim are clearly a powerful duo, and the work they’ve created is startlingly relevant to the world today.”―Tillie Walden, Eisner Award winning author of Spinning and On a Sunbeam“Fantastic!!!! #TeamPlainJANES forever!”―Jennifer & Matthew Holm, creators of the Babymouse series“Castellucci imparts an infectious, punky energy to her female leads, which Rugg renders with humor and nuance.”―Washington Post“Castellucci (Boy Proof) and Rugg (co-creator of Street Angel) nimbly make their larger point-that fear is an indulgence we must give ourselves permission to overcome–without ever preaching…”―Publishers Weekly“The story is filled with unforced insights about the role of art in our lives, and Jim Rugg’s understated illustrations let these moments glimmer quietly on the page.”―NPR’s All Things Considered“An old-school John Hughes movie in comic-book form…you’ll most likely find yourself wishing there were more after you turn the last page.”―IGN.com Read more About the Author Cecil Castellucci is the author of books and graphic novels for young adults including Boy Proof, The Plain Janes, Soupy Leaves Home, The Year of the Beasts, Tin Star, Don’t Cosplay With My Heart, and the Eisner nominated Odd Duck. In 2015 she co-authored Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure. She is currently writing Shade, The Changing Girl, an ongoing comic on Gerard Way’s Young Animal imprint at DC Comics. Her short stories and short comics have been published in Strange Horizons, Tor.com, Womanthology, Star Trek: Waypoint and Vertigo SFX: Slam! She is the Children’s Correspondence Coordinator for The Rumpus, a two-time Macdowell Fellow, and the founding YA Editor at the LA Review of Books. She lives in Los Angeles.Jim Rugg is a comic book artist, bookmaker, illustrator, and designer. His books include Street Angel, The Plain Janes, Afrodisiac, Notebook Drawings, Rambo 3.5, and Supermag. He is a recipient of both the Eisner and Ignatz Awards and he teaches visual storytelling at the School of Visual Arts and the Animation Workshop in Denmark. He lives and draws in Pittsburgh. Read more Customers Review: This is a book nearly a decade in the making. Cecil and Jim collaborated on the first two Janes stores in 2007 and 2008. And had a third planned. And it never happened. I interviewed Cecil in 2010 and the working title of a third story at that point was Janes Go Summer. In this finally released three in one edition the title of the third instalment is Janes Attack Back. So the sections in this volume are:The PLAIN JanesJanes in LoveJanes Attack Back.The first two were previously release as single volumes and were done with color coves and the artwork was black and white and grey-scale. In this edition each of the three stories are in a different monochromatic scale. Part 1 is blue, part 2 is fuchsia and part three is green. And this new edition is being simultaneously release in hard cover, paperback and digitally. I went back and check my reading log and I have read both of the first two volumes 10 times. I reread them nearly once a year since I discovered them. And now I will likely be reading this new edition annually. When this book arrived I read it immediately. And it did not disappoint. And I have already started reading it a second time with my oldest daughter who is 13. I can’t wait to find out what she thinks of the Janes.The Janes are:Jane – DramaticJaneJayne – BrainJaynePolly Jane – SportyJaneJane – MainJanePart I: The PLAIN JanesThe story is set shortly after 9/11 and features a girl, Jane, who was near one of the blasts. Her whole life is turned upside down. He parents move her to a small town. Her mother is not getting better from the shock of 9/11; she is getting more frightened, and protective and a little paranoid. Jane was popular and in the ‘in crowd’ at her old school in the city. Here she decided to make conscious changes; she joins the outcast, a group of Plain Janes. And they use Art as therapy and as a way of understanding themselves and the world around them.Part II: Janes in LoveMainJane is still dealing with the aftermath of being near ground zero of a terrorist attack. She is getting better but her mother is getting worse. All of Janes’ art is an attempt to bring her mother back out of her shell. The Janes get in trouble for their public art. But decide to try and work with the system. This one does go into greater depth about relationships and overcoming adversity.Part III Janes Attack BackThis story starts with the girls doing art installations in the park. They want to expand to more public spaces but the city threatens to take even the park they have. So then compromise. This causes them to start losing focus and the edge to their art. Then each of them ends up going a different way for the summer. When they come back MainJane hopes her renewed passion is carried by the group, but that at first does not seem to be the case. They are preparing for university the next year. And life is busier than ever. A New girl at school really clashes with MainJane even though she is an artist. They are very different in their styles and approach. But they end up feeding off each other and inspiring each other. And in the end it comes down to a showdown with the city of the art space, and keeping it around for others to take over.In this edition you get not only three complete incredible stories you get a whole lot more. There is a wonderful forward by Mariko Tamaki. Between part 1 and 2 there is original concept art for Main Jane. Between parts 2 and 3 there is a section called ‘The Evolution of a Graphic Novel’ with a full page to each of the four steps. Then we are treated to original cover sketches, and 8 evolutions of cover options. And the book ends with other artists renditions of the Janes including: Joshua Middleton, Sophie Campbell, Becky Cloonan, Cliff Chiang, Tom Scioli and Philip Bond.When I reviewed the first one 10 years ago I stated: “The story is great. It has a message every high school student and maybe every adult could learn from. It is incredibly well written and Jim Rugg did an amazing job illustrating the story. I have a feeling this will become one of those books I read annually because there will be more I can get from it each time I read it.” It has proved true and I am sure will be even more so with this third instalment added. I would love to see what happens to the Janes in University, or even after. But to finally have the third Janes story is a blessing and a treasure. If you have read either of the others you must pick up this to find out how the story continues. And if you have not it is an incredible read. | |
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