Shang-Chi #1: Everybody Was Kung-Fu Fighting

I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this comic, I’m not that familiar with Shang-Chi, and I’m not at all familiar with author Gene Luen Yang. I have to admit, it was great to go in with a blank slate. I can honestly tell you that this issue surprised me a LOT and all in a good way.

The story was really great, the pace was absolutely perfect with high and low points right where they should be ad where they make the story even better than it already was. Instead of getting an origin for Shang-Chi, yang gives us a back story to everything that came before Shang-Chi, which gives the audience a lot more freedom with the portrayal of the character of Shang Chi. It’s as if we’re seeing this character for the first time ever, and it totally works. The tone of this book is a nice change of pace. There are some “dark and mysterious” parts of it, but Yang also takes us out of there and puts some action in the bright, broad daylight and that really cements the feeling that this is a comic that’s not going to take itself too seriously. Shang Chi has a very healthy sense of humor. The story is very well written and I enjoyed it tremendously.

The art, which is done by two high caliber artists, Philip Tan and Dike Ruan, is incredible. Tan and Ruan have such different styles, yet for some reason, it’s not jarring at all when you go from one to another. They made it look more natural than I’ve ever seen in a comic. They’re both master story-tellers and it really shows. Subtle gestures that are drawn make the characters look human and very relatable to the reader, even when they’re performing superheroic acts.
A lot of people are disappointed as this is the first year without a big Marvel summer blockbuster movie.

Well, I’ve got good news, there is a big Marvel summer blockbuster out and it’s called Shang-Chi!