I first heard of Street Angel in either 2012 or 2013 from the good buddy Tim Barklay when he showed me and a bunch of others in a group a film made version of the quite awesome Street Angel. It was an interesting experience if a little nutty, but one I enjoyed none the less. Fast forward sometime later and Jim Rugg (oh yeah!) himself hits me up via email to ask if I’d be interested in giving the graphic novel a look at. Naturally there was no way I was gonna say no to that! So sometime later, here we are with me talking about this very book right here, right now! I love that this is in black and white, I love that this is goofy (ninja gangbangers for example!) yet serious at the same time considering our lovely young Street Angel, better known as Jesse Sanchez, is something of an orphan without a home. Which leaves me wondering how that even came to be and why nobody is really doing anything about it.
Especially considering the fact she seems to be something of a well known figure with some kick ass Kung Fu and stylish skateboard skills. I like that Jim has this set up to show several different stories rather then one long interlocking one. Then again, a part of me wouldn’t have minded a long interlocking story so in a weird way I’m of two minds about this. The events, characters, and other various things in Jesse ‘Street Angel’ Sanchez’s life would fit really well in the days of hokey not exactly serious comics but there is always a place for it here in this day and age too when we have a lot of serious stuff in comics these days. Doctor Pangea is one such character who is a little on the strange side who’d fit in with the crazy mad scientist types for sure!
I mean, only a real legit mad scientist would want to combine the continents of the planet and he’ll somehow have God level power afterwards! That’s a guy other mad scientists could follow the example of unless they weren’t looking to go that far in world domination or what have you! Street Angel is a bonafied bad ass that I definitely would not want to cross, and the proof is right in front of you in the first story as she makes her way to Dr. Pangea’s hide out along with all sorts of hijinks as well. The megaphone bit is probably my most favorite part of this first story and I’d be surprised if she didn’t keep it! Would certainly be handy in annoying the crap out of people! Though the Mayor’s daughter needs a good slap in the face considering how much of a brat she is.
Its somewhat sad however that a majority of the characters on here aside from Street Angel and Bald Eagle aren’t all that bright. Which is probably why Jesse is something of an orphan. And for a God like Inti, you think he would be but I guess he had to let certain things happen to his people in order to perserve history. Course, had he known just how exactly he was sending the Spanish Conquistadors (Virgin obsessed loons!), he might have aimed a little better when sending them back home. Their fight with the ninjas was pretty amusing though and I wouldn’t mind seeing a live action version of that.
I’m also loving that Jim and Brian aren’t being shy about using religious matter in this story too. But a team up between Jesus himself and Street Angel!? Well hecks yeah to that! Even though what he does a bit later is a jerk move and if you’ve read this by now you know what I’m talking about and might even agree with me. But here’s my thing with this part of the GN, was the whole thing a dream her pain filled mind cooked up while in school? Or did it actually happen but Divine Intervention is trying to say otherwise? Its a huge tease in my view by Jim and Brian as only they are likely to know the answer to that!
Now, I could go on and on about this Graphic Novel, but I likely would be doing you guys a dis-service by doing so when you all would likely want to explore all it has to offer. You’ll laugh, feel sadness, have hate for some things that go on in the stories of Street Angel, and you’ll wonder by the end of it all on why exactly you hadn’t heard about this much sooner. So go on and grab yourself a copy cause its Eaglin’ time with Street Angel!
Street Angel: The Graphic Novel
AdHouse Books, LLC
Story by: Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca
Art by: Jim Rugg
Reviewer: Rob Wrecks
Summary: Harry Potter, Bruce Wayne, Annie, and Oliver Twist can go #&©% themselves! There’s a new orphan in town.
Homeless teenager, Jesse “Street Angel” Sanchez cuts school and uses her skateboard and kung-fu action to fight ninja gangbangers, mad scientists, cops, time-traveling pirates, J-horror cliches, an evil version of her future self, ancient gods, rednecks, hunger…
Funny, violent, irreverent – everything you love in comic books (except sex). The creators of Afrodisiac present the Princess of Poverty — Street Angel!
