A new back story, cheap price, comic and TV series combination, this deal sounds almost too good to be true.
Matt Brady at Newsarama tells all about it.
Following the model it established with Red Sonja #0, Dynamite Entertainment will release Painkiller Jane #0 this spring, laying the groundwork for a new, ongoing series. The new issue, featuring a story by Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti, with art by Lee Moder (covers by Ron Adrian and Moder), will carry a $0.25 cover price, and will hit stores in early April, in time for both the debut of the new Painkiller Jane ongoing series on Sci Fi, as well as Free Comic Book Day – May 5th.
Painkiller Jane #0 will lead in to the new series, and introduce a new character. Issue #1 of the new series is due in stores in May.
The comic version of the character, has remained consistent. Jane Vasko was a undercover cop who gained superhuman regenetive powers after an assignment went wrong. Leaving the force, Vasko became a vigilante, working outside the law to stop, or kill criminals, suffering injuries along the way, but always recovering fully, and quickly.
The first time the character was adapted for television, Jane was played by Emmanuelle Vaugier, and her origin was recast to make her a special ops soldier who gained her powers when a raid on a biochemical weapon factory in Chechnya went wrong. The new Painkiller Jane series on Sci Fi stars Kristanna (T3) Loken as Jane, who now has a new origin (a la Sci Fi’s description):
Painkiller Jane is the story of Jane Vasko, a young researcher trying to make a difference as the world faces its greatest drug addiction epidemic. When Jane catches wind of a budding conspiracy, and a secret research program within her corporation, she turns DEA informant. Thus threatening to expose corruption within one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, Jane becomes a target. However, she is accidentally exposed to an experimental ‘cure’ that renders her impervious to sickness and injury but not pain. Unfortunately for Jane, these powers come at a price: she has less than a month left to live before the cure’s unstable nature overtakes her. Jane continues to develop new abilities. After each injury, she heals stronger than she had been. But the pain remains and intensifies as she races to turn the tables on her pursuers, and save her own life.
The first episode of Painkiller Jane is slated to debut April 6th on Sci Fi.
To get as many copies of the #0 issue into stores as possible, Dynamite is creating retailer incentives including a 1 for every 100 edition “sneak peak” edition featuring a “first” look at cover art and a 1 for every 1000 RRP (Retailer Reward Program) for issue #1.
"We want to create as much awareness as possible, and bringing the new series in at .25¢ is the best way we can think of to introduce the launch to fans! We’ve had great success with introductory priced books in the past. Our friends from Atomic Comics, Heroes Aren’t Hard To Find, Mid-Town Comics, Golden Apple Comics, Fat Jack’s Comicrypt, Westfield Comics, Coliseum of Comics, Stormwatch Comics and so many other retailers who have supported our introductory priced comics, have encouraged us to continue with the right launches! With the Sci Fi Painkiller Jane TV Series launching on April 6th, and Free Comic Book Day on May 5th, this is the perfect opportunity for retailers to offer this comic to fans old and new! This is our way of showing thanks when the awareness for Painkiller Jane and comics will be at an all time high!” stated Dynamite Entertainment.
Palmiotti: “Jane is one of my favorite characters, and with this new series we are going to take her places she never has been. The greatest thing about writing Painkiller Jane now is that, with working on the show and the book at the same time, it’s giving me a unique opportunity to build on the character and take Jane to a more mature audience than she has ever had before. I really am excited!”