Customer Reviews

Street Angel: The Princess Of Poverty, Volume 1

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Jesse Sanchez lives on the streets. She's dirty, hungry, doesn't smell very good, and can rarely afford the luxury of going to school. She's a skinny little 13-year-old in a dire situation -- but if ninjas, time-traveling pirates or Satanic supervillains threaten the safety of the world, she's your last best hope.

Alternately hilarious and poignant, Brian Maruca and Jim Rugg's "Street Angel" lures you in with superlative kung-fu ass-kickery and an absolutely riotous sense of humor. Issue 2, in which Jesse must deal with slightly confused conquistadors, an Irish astronaut who talks like an Australian ("the world's friendliest language") and a pimped-out Aztec god, may be the funniest thing I read in 2004. But the stories can turn startlingly dark on a dime, and underneath the explosions and derring-do, the unvarnished sadness of Jesse's life gnaws at you. It's a strange and compelling mix, making "Street Angel" one of the best and brightest comics debuts in quite some time.

Street Angel TPB is a compendium of the previously published "Street Angel" black-and-white, mature-themed comic book series from SLG Publishing and features the collaborative work of Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca. The principle character is Jessee Sanchez, the greatest homeless skateboarder, martial artist, and 12-year-old crime fighter ever to beat down hoods and beat up ninjas. She goes to school three days a week, when she feels like it, and her closest friend is a triple amputee. She fights for her friends, she fights for justice - and whenever possible, she fights for food. Edgy to the extreme, and highly tongue-in-cheek in its depiction of battles, time travel, megalomaniacal geologists and the infamous conflict between pirates and ninjas, Street Angel combines a satire of comic book cliches and the gut-wrenching all-too-real problems of life on the street.

"Orphaned by the world, raised by the streets, Jesse Sanchez is a dangerous martial artist and the world's greatest homeless skateboarder."

Add in pirates, ninjas (lots of ninjas), a mad geologist named Pangea (yes, that's his real name), and the first Irish astronaut who speaks with an Australian accent, and you'd expect a funny madcap romp.

And Street Angel delivers - sort of. Look back up to the top - to that "homeless" bit. Street Angel treats both its protagonist's homelessness, dumpster diving (and trying to hide both from schoolmates) and aged 70's blaxploitation heros (Afrodisiac, I kid you not) with exactly the same tone, seriousness, and respect.

Which is cool, but it also kept me from engaging with Jesse. The absolute silliness of some elements (ninjas playing basketball) just kept jarring me out of taking her seriously - but the tone kept me from looking at it as farce.

The idea(s) are great, but ultimately I was left thinking this book wasn't quite for me. I know a few people who it *is* for, though, and they'll be getting a copy as a present.

Street Angel is a fast, funny, smart no-bull comic. The heroine is likeable and sympathetic, the stories are cute and clever and the tone is absolutely perfect. Touching without being sentimental, weird without being ludicrous, beautifully and simply drawn, and over too soon!
If you're looking for a comic book to make you laugh without entangling you in ridiculously complex plots, pick up Street Angel. It'll grab you from "go". This TBP is especially recommended to parents looking for something to buy for their sons/daughters, something that they'll love which won't corrupt them. (So there's some smoking. Big deal.) Daughters in particular! I relish an unobjectified heroine in comics, and Street Angel is one of 'em.
And if you care about seeing great non-mainstream comics like this one flourish instead of getting measly 5-issue runs (what's with that?) pick up a copy, or two or three and hand them around.
I hope Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca decide to give this another go, because it is one of the most satisfying graphic novels I can remember.

This book was a thinker. The humor was deranged but the blurring of reality and fantasy made you feel for the main character. I would recommend this book to nearly anyone... though probably not anyone that is younger than the main character in the story. The only reason this book isn't getting a 5th star from me is that I don't like black and white. It could have used some color.

Street Angel was a welcome surprise. While most of it is really well done over-the-top silly fun, it also had some great sincere moments. Friends that don't read comics enjoyed this one.

very funny, you can read many review.
the book is printed on heavy glossy paper, high contrast black and white print, the book looks very nice.
SLG did a good job!