Friday, May 28, 2021

Shang-Chi (2020-2021) #1 (of 5): Brothers & Sisters Part One

With a new movie coming out, it only makes sense that Marvel would reboot its Shang-Chi character with a five issue miniseries. Shang-Chi (2020-2021) #1 (of 5): Brothers & Sisters Part One sees the Master of Kung Fu and Bruce Lee inspired martial artist wanting to lead a normal life in San Francisco's Chinatown. After the death of his father, the head of an evil secret society, he is attacked by those who see him as a threat against their right to lead it. With the help of Leiko, a former love interest and MI-6 spy, and his half-siblings, Brother Sabre and Sister Dagger, they will take on Sister Hammer to take back the Five Weapons Society. Even though Shang-Chi has had a long history with Marvel since 1973, this issue manages to give enough information to understand his past while not giving too much so as to confuse any new to him. Writer Gene Luen Yang crafts out a remarkable first issue that sets up an epic storyline with great mix of drama and action. Though it is often over bloated by the characters' dialogue and exposition filling up many of the pages and panels. The artwork by Philip Tan and Dike Ruan with coloring by Sebastian Cheng is incredible with great detail and fitting in well with the the story it conveys. One particular thing is the beginning of the comic, set hundreds of years earlier in China, has a slightly different style than the present, being more like watercolor. Though there are times when certain things like people's faces aren't even drawn at all even when they're not far away. The most notable part of the issue is that the first page has a tribute dedicated to Chadwick Boseman from Marvel writer Ta-Nehisi Coates, which may seem odd for a Shang-Chi comic but then remember that it was Black Panther's success that lead to the character having his own movie made. Originally made to capitalize on Bruce Lee's success and often resembling a stereotypical Asian character of the time with Fu Manchu as his father, Shang-Chi (2020-2021) #1 (of 5): Brothers & Sisters Part One manages to modernize him but without taking away what made him such an amazing character and begin a new and interesting storyline. Over all: 100%
Top list so far for 3rd set of comics:
1. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers FCBD 2018 Shattered Grid Special
2. Free Comic Book Day 2018: 2000 A.D. Regened
2. DC Universe: Legacies #1
3. Free Comic Book Day 2017 I Hate Image
4. Shang-Chi (2020-2021) #1 (of 5): Brothers & Sisters Part One
5. Champions (2020-) #1
6. Infinite Frontier (2021) #0
7. Green Lantern Vol. 2 #76
8. DC Retroactive: Green Lantern - The 70s #1
9. Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2020-) #1
10. Showcase (1956-1978) #17
11. Werewolf By Night (2020-) #1 (of 4)
12. Free Comic Book Day: Bongo Comics Free For All 2018
13. Free Comic Book Day 2017: Riverdale
14. Marvel Comics (1939) #1

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