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A review by devinr
Street Angel: The Princess of Poverty by Jim Rugg
4.0
Okay, first things first: this book is about a 12-year-old girl who is a martial arts expert and the world’s greatest homeless skateboarder who has to fight ninjas, crime, time-traveling pirates, and nepotism deep in the heart of the city. That sentence alone made me want to read it, and it is just as awesome as it sounds, if not more. Plus, the supporting cast includes a one-armed, no-legged skateboarder named Bald Eagle, an old Blaxploitation hero named the Afrodesiac, and an Irish astronaut named CosMick. Seriously. The book just walks right up to you, slaps you in the face, and then DARES you not to read it.
Okay, aside from the high-concept comicky goodness, what else is to like? Well, the art, particularly in the first issue, is incredibly dynamic. At times, it felt like the images were actually moving. And yes, the whole thing is extremely silly, but there are a couple of more serious moments that come out of nowhere and yet don’t seem out of place. However, it’s not all ninjas and chocolate. Because there’s no ongoing storyline, it had a hard time holding my attention. And as the book went on, I felt that the stories started falling a little flat. It didn’t help that the first issue was so awesome, the rest of the book suffered by comparison. So overall, a great concept that might fall a little flat at times, but the first issue embodies what great comics can be.
Okay, aside from the high-concept comicky goodness, what else is to like? Well, the art, particularly in the first issue, is incredibly dynamic. At times, it felt like the images were actually moving. And yes, the whole thing is extremely silly, but there are a couple of more serious moments that come out of nowhere and yet don’t seem out of place. However, it’s not all ninjas and chocolate. Because there’s no ongoing storyline, it had a hard time holding my attention. And as the book went on, I felt that the stories started falling a little flat. It didn’t help that the first issue was so awesome, the rest of the book suffered by comparison. So overall, a great concept that might fall a little flat at times, but the first issue embodies what great comics can be.