Street Angel, the urban drama/teen comedy/tragedy/action-adventure/sci-fi/political satire/slice-of-life comic with its tongue firmly planted in its cheek, is bursting forth from its underground roots into the realm of "legitimate" comics as a full-sized, ongoing quarterly series by Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca from SLG Publishing. Described by its creators as "Bruce Lee meets Dan Clowes crossed with Watchmen, if Tony Hawk and Clint Eastwood had a child, and the Matrix crossed with Punky Brewster," Street Angel is a comic series defies any single genre or high-concept description to pin it down.

Creators Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca, who published the Eugene Day Memorial Prize-nominated mini comic version of Street Angel with Aweful Books under the name "Dick Troutman," created the comic to bring fun back to superhero comics. Among the influences artist and co-writer Rugg names for Street Angel are "imaginary memories of Silver Age comics" and Jack Kirby, a sensibility that SLG Publishing won over SLG Publishing's president Dan Vado.

"The only things that could make this comic better are an alien with a giant brain and a talking gorilla," said Vado. "And who's to say those won't show up?"

"There's definitely a lack of fun in comics these days. In some ways Street Angel is a reaction against what I see in the superhero mainstream today," said Rugg. "I think the book has some unique qualities even as a superhero book. It's extremely flexible and open to incorporating elements from other genres like horror, noir, comedy."

Co-writer/creator Maruca agrees, saying of the conception of Street Angel, "We just wanted to take the superhero, use all of the conventions and try to make it entertaining and easier to relate to."
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Rugg and Maruca's superhero comes in an unexpected package -- their five-foot, 90-pound heroine, Jesse Sanchez, a homeless 13-year-old girl whose skateboarding and martial arts skills make her the most feared crime-fighter in Wilkesborough, a dangerous ghetto of Angel City. Angel City may be overrun with poverty, drug abuse, nepotism and ninjas, but Jesse will fight for the poor and destitute -- and for food, if she can get it.

In the first issue of Street Angel, a Silver Age story by ways of indie comics unfolds. Angel City's mayor recruits Jesse Sanchez, known to criminals as Street Angel, to save his daughter from the evil genius Dr. Pangea, who has planned to re-unite the planet's continents in a diabolical plot for world domination. But what chance does a 13-year-old homeless girl stand against a mad genius and his army of henchninja?

Each issue of Street Angel will feature a single self-contained story with appearances from conquistadors, Incas, Irish astronauts, Jesse's friends in Wilkesborough and, of course, more ninjas. The concepts are outlandish, but it never crosses into the realm of the ridiculous, says SLG's editor-in-chief Jennifer de Guzman. "Street Angel is fun, but it's absolutely not mindless," she said. "This is hip, smart storytelling matched with slick, lively artwork. You won't be cool in 2004 if you don't read Street Angel. Seriously."

Street Angel #1 will hit stores in March 2004, and subsequent issues will be released quarterly. Each 24-page, black-and-white issue of the ongoing series will feature color covers and will retail for $2.95. A preview of the comic is available at SLG Publishing's website, www.slavelabor.com.