Marvel’s “Gang War” event is in full swing, and some intriguing side stories are taking place. Luke Cage and Daredevil both have interesting journeys to overcome, and now it’s Shang-Chi’s turn. He’s particularly exciting since his role as leader of the Five Weapon Society puts him in a precarious position with superheroes. Is he a villain, or is he trying to make his gang play nice? That’s one big question in the first issue of the new miniseries.
Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu: Gang War #1 opens in the past. Shang-Chi is being taught a lesson in tactics as he plays a game with his father. Shang-Chi is relatively young, yet gets a hard slap when he reveals his plan. It’s a lesson in being deceitful when at war, and it’s one he’ll need to cling to in the present.
Writer Greg Pak does a good job establishing the plotting and planning that goes into battle. One can rush in, but why not let the enemy come to you? That’s just one tactic Shang-Chi takes on in this issue, and it keeps the reader on their toes as they try to decipher what he’s up to. He must combat more than one threat as New York burns, and while it’s obvious he’s a good guy trying to simply protect the people in Chinatown, he’s also not stupid. He’ll do what he must to ensure he can fight.
Shang-Chi going full-ring power!
Credit: Marvel
Superhero fans will enjoy the Ten Rings battle at the start and a Spider-Man appearance. Caio Majado does a good job with the art, keeping things clean and easy to follow. There’s a slight cartoony edge to the art that suits the youngish Shang-Chi. Spider-Man looks great.
It’ll be interesting to see what the story does going forward. The main threat is established, as well as a new status quo for Shang-Chi that will test him in an exciting way. The reveal at the end brings things back to basics, but it also resets things a bit, making the events feel a little longwinded, given where we end up. Did we need a full issue to get Shang-Chi to where he’s at by the end? This is a common issue in tie-in books, albeit a bit of a minor gripe.
Deadly Hands of Kung-Fu: Gang War is a fun issue, leaning into the war aspect of “Gang War” while setting up Shang-Chi to be stripped down and tested in a way he hasn’t for some time.
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