By Wing Shing Ma (DrMaster Publications)
ISBN13: 978-1-59796-131-8
I’ve said it before and it’s still true. Hong Kong comics are beautiful. They’re produced using an intensive studio art-system that means any individual page might be composed of painted panels, line-art, crayons and art pencils, literally anything that will get the job done. And that presumably is to enhance not so much nuances of plot but rather details of the mysticism/philosophy of Kung Fu that my western sensibilities just aren’t attuned to. They are astounding to look at, but don’t expect them to make much sense.
These relentless action classics (originally published by Hong Kong outfit Jademan Comics) have been digitally re-mastered for trade paperbacks. The protagonist, tough, good-looking, Hero Hua, is a husband and father, the latest in a long line of Guardians tasked with protecting a magic sword powered by blood. His line has safeguarded the blade for generations, and the ability to endure personal sacrifice is bred to the bone in him.
When a Gangster tries to steal the Blood Sword, the collateral damage includes most of Hero’s family, launching a vendetta that encompasses half the planet. The villains are thoroughly evil, masters of every fighting art and dirty trick and Hero and his incomprehensibly wide circle of friends and associates – who come and go with dazzling brevity – fight an unceasing battle to preserve the sword and avenge his family.
Because that’s fundamentally what this genre of comic is: One glorious, lavish spectacular exhibition of Kung Fu mastery. Like much of the region’s classic cinema, all other considerations are suborned to the task of getting the fighting started and to keeping it going. If you’re looking for characterisation, sharp dialogue or closure, look elsewhere. If, however, you want Good Guys thumping Bad Guys in extended, eye-popping ways, you might want to give this a go. Be warned though, it is by nature a never-ending story…
This is the sixth volume and to be honest, all sense of logic and continuity has long been abandoned by the creators. Hero, his son and their disparate allies must overcome foes that include a vampire, Q Level Face Card Assassins, the deadly fashionistas of the Nymph Flower Puzzle and a host of other exotic menaces, just to stay alive, and I suspect there’s no real story structure left to get in the way of all the action. Needless to say the book ends on a cliffhanger…
Crafted in a dizzying variety of artistic styles including pen-and-ink, crayon, painted art, even photography, this is a comic about fighting, heavily influenced by the spiritual aspect of Kung Fu. If you prefer a semblance of realism in your fiction this rollercoaster romp is not for you. This is Fighting Fantasy…
Superhero fans might be amazed at the variety of powers a lifetime of knuckle push-ups and bowing can produce, but this is a style of comic wedded to the concept of study and training and will producing literal miracles. It is however, irresistibly exuberant, beautifully illustrated and endlessly compelling. If you’re open to different ways of telling tales you may find yourself carried away on this relentless tide of shallow heroes and non-stop action.
© 2008 Yasushi Suzuki. © 2008 DGN Production Inc.