Writers: Joe Quesada, Jimmy Palmiotti
Artists: Lee Moder, Phil Kuusela(c)
Publisher: Dynamite
I forgot just how depressing Painkiller Jane can be. Quesada and Palmiotti remind me. This is not to be read as a caveat. It's simply a statement of fact borne from the characterization.
Jane Vasco bears a curse. She can be hurt. Shoot her, and she will bleed, but there's a very good chance that she cannot die. Jane can take a lot of punishment, and this power creates in her opinion a distancing from humanity. She acts human with her friend, but she does not allow the warmth of humanity to bridge any gaps. She displays this weakness in the narration regarding Seth, the young doctor from the previous series. He clearly cares about her, but Jane will not allow him to experience anything more than fascination.
Jane while being different is not a misanthrope. Quesada and Palmiotti with this extremely unsavory story show that Jane does care about others. She is capable of empathizing with their pain. She executes the monsters that prey on humanity because to paraphrase Zukovsky from James Bond, they deserve her.
Lee Moder has been missing in action for several years. His justifiably praised work on Legion of Super-Heroes and Wonder Woman appear to have been merely a warm-up. He excels on Painkiller Jane. Despite its star being a tragic figure, the book has always benefited from a traditional look that leans toward the cartoony.
Painkiller Jane fosters a lot of pitch black humor, and Lee delivers in such standout scenes as Jane's attempt to end it all. He has no problems when depicting the more observational humor such as when Jane's friend takes a sip of her coffee and finds it not to her liking, and he easily orchestrates action--Jane's descent in the den of torture--as well as expression--her camaraderie with her best friend.
The premiere of the new series wastes no time. It kicks off a nasty story that gives Jane the opportunity to be as violent and valiant.
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