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Painkiller Jane

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the television show, seePainkiller Jane (TV series).For the film, seePainkiller Jane (film).
Painkiller Jane
Painkiller Jane#1. Art byRick LeonardiandJimmy Palmiotti.
Publication information
PublisherEvent Comics
Marvel Comics
Dynamite Entertainment
First appearance22 Brides#1 (March 1996)
Created byJimmy Palmiotti
Joe Quesada
In-story information
Full nameJane Vasko, Jane Browning
AbilitiesHealing factor,expert fighter andmarkswomanskills

Painkiller Janeis a fictionalsuperheroinecreated byJimmy PalmiottiandJoe QuesadaforEvent Comicsin 1995. Originally a five-issue mini-series, the character went on to star in numerous crossover titles with the likes of thePunisher,Vampirella,andHellboy.

AfterEvent comics,the character was exclusively written by Jimmy Palmiotti and drawn by various artists as it jumped from publisher to publisher. The series relaunched atDynamite Entertainmentwith the first mini-series selling out. After thatMarvel Comicspublished two mini-series under itsIconbrand. The character then came back toPaperFilms,a company owned by Jimmy Palmiotti andAmanda Connerwhere it is currently published. Painkiller Jane has been published all over the world in at least 8 languages to date. The comics have been the basis for a television film and series.

Fictional character history[edit]

Jane Vasko begins as an undercover police officer attempting to infiltrate the Fonti Mob. After gaining the trust of mob boss Joey Fonti, she is given the assignment of passing a message on to rival gang member Adam, not realizing that an explosive device has been planted on her. As she meets her target, the explosion causes significant injuries, but Adam is uninjured. Through mysterious means, he manages to revive Jane, giving her superhuman regenerative powers in the process. Leaving her life as a police officer behind, she becomes the vigilante Painkiller Jane.

The validity of this origin is unclear, as a completely different origin has been presented in the firstPainkiller Janeminiseries, and the Dynamite Comics' miniseries contain references to both versions of the characters' origin.

Powers and abilities[edit]

Jane Vasko is virtually indestructible. With Jane's exceptional regenerative abilities, minor injuries heal in seconds, and do not even slow her down; more major ones tend to take a few minutes. She has recovered from multiple gunshot wounds, explosions, chemical weapons assault, axes buried in her spine, even a shotgun blast to the face (which simply knocked her off her feet for a bit). However, the healing power does not stop the injuries from hurting, which is where her new name came from. On the offensive side, she has no real powers except for being a tough woman to kill. Other than that, she is a skilled fighter and master of undefined martial arts, as well as a master marksman with her weapons of choice, a brace of semiautomatic pistols.

Bibliography[edit]

  • 22 Brides#1-4 (Mar. 1996 - Jan. 1997)
  • Painkiller Jane#0-5 (Jan. - Nov. 1997) (#0 printed in Jan. 1999)
  • Painkiller Janevol. 2, #1-3 (Mar. - Aug. 2006)
  • Painkiller Janevol. 3, #0-5 (Apr. 2007 - Mar. 2008)
  • Painkiller Jane: The Price of Freedom#1-4 (Nov. 2013 - Jan. 2014)
  • Painkiller Jane: The 22 Brides#1-3 (May - Oct. 2014)
  • Painkiller Jane: Trust The Universegraphic novel (Aug. 2019)
  • Painkiller Jane: Heartbreakerone-shot (Nov. 2021)
  • Painkiller Jane: Beautiful Killers#1-2 (Apr. 2023)

Crossovers[edit]

  • Ash/22 Brides#1-2 (Dec. 1996 - Apr. 1997)
  • The Ash Files#1 (Mar. 1997)
  • Painkiller Jane vs.Darkness#1 (Apr. 1997)
  • Vampirella:Crossover Gallery#1 (September 1997) (pin-up only)
  • No Justice, No Piece#1 (October 1997) (short-story anthology; back inside pin-up only)
  • Vampirella/Painkiller Jane #1 (May 1998)
  • Painkiller Jane/Hellboy#1 (Aug. 1998)
  • Painkiller Jane/Darkchylde#1 (Oct. 1998)
  • The Punisher/Painkiller Jane#1 (Jan. 2001)
  • Terminator 2#6-7 (Jan. - Mar. 2008) (crossover with vol. 3 #4-5)
  • The CBLDF Presents: Liberty Comics#2 (Oct. 2009) (short-story anthology)

In other media[edit]

Television[edit]

Main article:Painkiller Jane (film)
  • Painkiller Janewas made into a made-for-television movie and broadcast on theSci-Fi Channelin December 2005. The film starsEmmanuelle VaugierasJane Browning.The film differed significantly from the comics, notably in regard to the character's origin, but led to a subsequent television series.
Main article:Painkiller Jane (TV series)
  • TheSci-Fi Channel original seriesbased on the character starredKristanna Lokenas Jane Vasco.[1]The series' pilot aired in Friday, April 13, 2007. The name of the heroine in the show was more similar to the original comic name of Jane Vasko, as opposed to the Jane Browning character from the television film. The series received lukewarm reviews.Painkiller Janedid not return for a second season.[2]The final episode aired on September 21, 2007.

References[edit]

  1. ^"SCI FI PICKS UP PAINKILLER JANE AS SERIES".newsarama.com.Archived fromthe originalon 2006-08-18.Retrieved2006-07-14.
  2. ^"Sci Fi Sees 'Jane' Run Out".The Hollywood Reporter.August 15, 2007. Archived fromthe originalon October 17, 2007.

External links[edit]

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