Plain Janes

Starting a new school is never easy, but for Jane, it proves especially difficult. She has just survived a bombing, and her parents think that it's best to move out of Metro City and to the suburbs.

Jane is invited to sit with the popular girls at lunch, but defers and tries to break into the table of not-so-popular girls. Jane is surprised when these girls don't welcome her with open arms. But, she doesn't give up. She soon wins them over when she comes up with her plan to hit the town with P.L.A.I.N. (People Loving Art in Neighborhoods).

Soon Jane and the other Janes (Polly Jane, Jayne, and Jane) are hitting the town guerilla grrl style with public art. The small town deems the acts "art attacks", and soon that feeling of fear from Metro City has followed Jane and her parents.

Smartly written with sassy illustrations, this graphic novel is my favourite of Castellucci's work. I honestly have to say, I was coming at this with a little bit of a snotty, holier-than-thou, this is a marketing comic viewpoint, and I was swiftly reminded that coming at something with that kind of bias makes me no better than those comic boys who look down their noses at me, just cuz I'm a girl. The plot is quickly gripping and the main Jane is quite likable. The desperation and rollercoater-y nature of teen life is honestly portrayed.

Black and white illustrations are perfect for the story, and I think that Plain Janes will lead many a young grrl toward comics and illustration. Never a bad thing!