Shang-Chi #4 - Marvel Comics

SHANG-CHI No. 4, February 2021

Rather nicely mixing the modern day values of this mini-series’ titular character with the mythical past of his ancestors, Gene Luen Yang’s narrative for Issue Four of “Shang-Chi” probably surprised many within its audience courtesy of its somewhat sympathetic portrayal of the evil sorcerer, Zheng Zhu. For whilst it is the Master of Kung Fu’s long-dead uncle, Zheng Yi, which this twenty-page periodical’s plot actually focuses upon, it is the ghost’s recollection of the Five Weapons Society’s fall in 1860 at the hands of Baron Harkness and the subsequent revelation that “Fu Manchu” lied about stealing his late brother’s spirit energy in order to inspire fear, which arguably leaves a lasting mark upon the audience.

Indeed, the American author seems to positively delight in wrong-footing any perusing bibliophile with this book’s narrative by repeatedly switching the existing relationships between its central characters, such as the stoically loyal Takeshi suddenly losing his infectious faith that the former MI-6 operative should single-handedly lead his secret society following Chi's half-brother being given a vision of Shang's dark future by a multi-limbed tomb guardian; “Before I eat your face meat, want to hear my secret? Master Zheng Zu’s spirit commanded me to let Hand go! First Hand defeats Hammer! Then Hand becomes Commander! Then Earth burns to ashes! Master Zheng Zu’s revenge!”  

Yang is also very good at intertwining a significantly spiritual storyline with plenty of pulse-pounding pugilism. Admittedly, the battle against the aforementioned Chimera-like creature in a cave buried deep beneath Henan Province in China, is arguably this comic’s action-packed highlight. But there’s also the shockingly swift defeat of MI-5’s reconnaissance squad at the House of the Deadly Staff to enjoy, following the covert operations team’s unwise decision to change their mission goal and attempt to arrest “a gang of illegals who fight with sticks!”

Equally as responsible for this publication’s success as its penmanship is the artwork of Dike Ruan and Philip Tan, who between them do a stellar job of imbuing even the most sedentary of scenes set at Zheng Yi’s gravesite with mesmerising life. Of particular note are Tan’s layouts depicting Lord Dormammu’s Mindless Ones demolishing Zheng Zu’s super-powered defenders during the Nineteenth Century Opium War, and in many ways it is a real pity that the Manila-born illustrator isn’t given more sheet space with which to sketch such a sensational-looking sequence.

The regular cover art of "SHANG-CHI" #4 by Bernard Chang