Review: Plainer Jane #3

From Broken Face Comics, and fully funded and released on Kickstarter, Plainer Jane #3 will be available soon to buy in print and digitally.

In chapter 2, 'The Kill' we saw Jane trying to balance her chosen career as a killer for hire, with her 'normal' life as a teenaged girl, friends, family, student life.

In this issue we find her progressing in her career, and learning that there's sometimes a lot more to killing people for money than simply sneaking up with a knife. We also introduce Tougard, the fearsome leader of The Nexus.

With no training, no special skills, just her own cunning, brutality, and fearlessness, Jane leaves a trail of bodies behind her, ultimately going head to head with the feared and secretive criminal gang, The Nexus, in a war that could ultimately cost not only her life but the lives of everyone she loves.

The Issue 3 Team:
Wayne Lowden (Sequential art)
Our sequential art genius has been working in comics for years. Notably drawing and inking Akio, Nocturne, Abyssal Albion, and Sharks on a Train. His own book, Noliverlowdy Dribbles and Scribbles Vol 1 is available on Amazon. He
describes himself as a big music fan and a reluctant early morning dog walker.

Tim West (Logos, lettering, print layout)
Tim has been working in indie comics for over a decade. Designing amazing logos, writing, lettering, editing, blogging, and more. He has published his own book, 'Get Woke', as well as the indie anthology Killer Bytes.

Ralf Singh (Covers, colours)
In 2014 Ralf dropped out of university to pursue his passion for drawing comics. Since then he has published comics for numerous publishers in Germany, the USA, and Italy. Among them is his very own comic Zinnober which sold 8,000 copies world-wide. Today, Ralf is an accomplished author, colorist, and letterer with international experience in numerous genres.

Donna A Black (Rear Cover)
Donna is a mixed media artist specialising in comic art and covers. Originally trained as a photographer she uses her skill with lighting and composition to give her mixed media artworks a very unique look and feel. She has had been involved in many group shows and major solo shows across Ireland and the UK, she has been interviewed by popular newspapers and magazines about her work and had a documentary made about one of her art shows in Ireland. She now works everyday in her Belfast studio, drinking coffee, making comics and creating art.

Giuseppe Sabè Di Stefano (Guest artist, 'The Ballad of Jane & Kat')
After finishing his studies at in Italy, Giuseppe has been working as a background and storyboard artist at an online video advertising company (Video Explainer), as well as within the animation industry (Galactus studio and Graphym studio). His focus
though is on his main specialization, comic books. He recently drew a 12 page Christmas special for the Scout Comics “Sh*tshow" series”. He is currently working on a large graphic novel project as an artist and colourist.

This issue does two amazing jobs.

First, it does the job of establishing the 'plainer' part of the story. It does this well, establishing the normal world as Jane and her friend are working at a hospital. The conversations between the two are well written and ring true to many people and their workplace conversations.

Continuing on, we get the other part. Jane's extra job. We get a good deeper look at the seedy underworld and those who may yet cause a problem for Jane. It's an interesting setup, with some good aspects to it. This issue isn't as bloody as before, but there are parts that skirt close.

We get a look at the other side of Jane. She's cautious, and that is good, but this may cause problems and impatience in the long run. Not just from her, but her clients - and that could lead into something worse.

In addition to the main story, we get some amazing short stories added to this issue. Bookending it well we get some interesting storytelling and amazing art.

In all, this issue moves the story on well - adding new characters and aspects to the hired killers circle. Things are looking to ramp up soon.

The art is currently underway for issues 4 & 5, which are going to be released together as a single Kickstarter later this year. With the final two issues (6 & 7), to come in early 2022. 

You can catch up on Plainer Jane and get other comics from Broken Face Comics here.