Concrete Park Volume 1 You Send Me by Tony Puryear

This was our library’s random graphic novel acquisition of the week. Didn’t quite work for me. Sure, the concept is interesting, the cover is vivid, the title makes me think of a magical song, but…but…the overall production leaves a lot to be desired. 
Mainly because it’s such a mess. I mean, there’s an entire world built here and with some impressive world building skills, no less. This is a colonized world on a distant planet where the undesirables i.e. low-income prospectless minority youth of this one is sent to – think one way ticket penal colony situation or a labor camp. 
But even in the most hostile environments, people find a way to survive. In this instance, they form gangs and we, gang around and do what gangs do.
It’s all intricately thought out with gang leaders and even its own patois, which is a clever combination of slang from different languages and so extensive it requires its own glossary (included).
So, it’s very all ‘street’ and very hip and very tough – it’s kind of like a rap song. And it’s also so very busy with constantly shifting perspectives and agendas that it’s a juggling job and not the most engaging way to tell a story. The art is quite good and the book reads very quickly.
If it sings for you tonally and doesn’t distract you with its business, it might work. For me, it didn’t, really. Though it seems my inner competist is still determined to read book two.