Graphic Novel Review: The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg - Page 2

There are plenty of lesson plan-worthy ideas in The Plain Janes: the place of normal adolescent rebellion in a post-9/11 world; the question of whether art's function is to sooth or unsettle; the simple difficulties of being uprooted and making a place for yourself in a new neighborhood. (It's worth noting that Jane's fellow bombing victim, the artist who dropped that "Art Saves" notebook, himself was a visitor from Poland.) Where scripter Castellucci, the author of three young adult novels, falters is in her characters and basic story mechanics. Aside from our engagingly unreliable narrator, none of the Janes come off as more than a type (though artist Rugg works hard to invest 'em with more personality – and comes closest with Jane the would-be drama diva), while the adults in the story fare even worse. At times, reading the mouthings of the Kent Waters cop who seems suspiciously over-eager to enforce the town's new curfew, I felt like I was reading a graphic novel remake of Don't Knock the Rock or Footloose.

There are several moments in the book which read as if Castellucci has plans for a series featuring her Kent Waters characters (the fate of a would-be suitor, in particular, is frustratingly left unresolved in the book's rushed finale) – perhaps dependent on the Minx line’s success. If she does, I hope the writer selects another Jane to present the next part of the story: it’d definitely help to see these characters from a different egocentrically adolescent PoV. Maybe science nerd Jane can explain where they get all the materials for their Art Attacks?

As to whether the new Minx line's first offering is the start of a brand new day for mainstream American comics companies, I could see this book selling in the Teen Readers section of your big chain bookstore, with enough advanced word and some good cardboard displays (though whether it'll rise to the level of a successful girls' manga series like Fruits Basket is a whole different question). After all, there's always room in adolescent lit for halfway decent Adults Don't Understand stories; isn't that really what the original X-Men was all about?

Article Author: Bill Sherman

Bill Sherman is the Comics & Graphic Novels review editor for Blogcritics. With his lovely wife Rebecca Fox, he has recently co-authored a sudsy size acceptance novel entitled Measure By Measure.

Visit Bill Sherman's author page — Bill Sherman's Blog