Street Angel: After School Kung Fu Special –
Image Comics
Written by Brian Maruca & Jim Rugg
Art by Jim Rugg
(RELEASE DATE: 4/26)
You know the old saying, “boys will be boys and girls will be girls.” Well…not everybody fits in to that mold. In fact, Jessica Sanchez smashes it with her fist and watches it bleed. Leave it to Image Comics to do what they do best, break the mold and tell a fun story. This “Street Angel” has been in her own web comic, now Brian Maruca and Jim Rugg bring her into this hard cover special.
The story centers around Jessica “Street Angel” Sanchez, who is no stranger to battling forces that you think would be beyond her control. There’s still the pesky matter of having a regular life, having to go to school and contend with friends that want her to go to an after school dance. They mean well, but there is another little matter of a showdown with the Ninja Kid to attend to after school that may change things. It’s pretty clear that Van Buren Middle School is not ordinary school, but yet there is a very familiar feel to this story. I don’t want to spoil any of the details, but you do get to see a couple of different sides to Jessica. After the fight happens (which isn’t a spoiler, because it wouldn’t be a Kung Fu Special without one), things kind of take a turn from there. What we end up with is something quite unexpected, and yet, should leave you smiling at the end.
Before I even get to the writing, let’s talk about the art. Jim Rugg is a name you need to know, because I thoroughly enjoyed each and every panel of his art. What he did with the kung fu scenes alone is worth the price of admission, and the layouts were top notch. I got a high end comic strip vibe from this book, and that is a good thing. Another reason is the setting and the presentation of Jessica Sanchez. This book is sure to be popular with the young adult crowd, but adults should also be able to take a trip down memory lane here (especially if your school life wasn’t exactly great or normal.) To me, this is a feel good book that is just plain fun. Don’t over analyze it, just look at the great art and enjoy a few rounds with this kick-ass kung fu girl.
RATING: PULL / BUY