Shang-Chi #1
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/1.jpg "Shang-Chi #1")
| Writer | Gene Luen Yang |
| Artist | Dike Ruan, Philip Tan |
| Cover Price | $3.99 |
THE MASTER RETURNS! An ancient and evil secret society has stayed in hiding since the death of their leader, Zheng Zhu. But now his successor has been chosen to shift the balance of power in the world...Zheng Zhu's son, Shang-Chi! Witness the Marvel Universe's greatest fighter return to a world of death and destruction he thought he left behind long ago...and discover the secrets to Shang-Chi's past that will change his world forever.
Don't miss out on this epic tale of family, betrayal and justice as the incredible team of Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese), Dike Ruan (SPIDER-VERSE, BLACK CAT) and Philip Tan (UNCANNY X-MEN) launch a
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CRITIC REVIEWS Back to Top
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10
But Why Tho? - CJ
Sep 29, 2020Shang-Chi#1 is a perfect introduction to the Master of Kung-Fu and features a much-needed update to his background. Shang's popularity is set to grow next year with Simu Liu portraying him inShang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings; readers old and new will definitely want to pick up this series beforehand to get a crash course on the character. Read Full Review
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10
Kabooooom - Matt Morrison
Oct 01, 2020I'm still not much for martial arts action stories, but I found myself enjoying this comic immensely. I imagine fans of the genre will find it more than satisfactory, as well those undoubtedly curious about the character with all the publicity regarding the upcoming Shang-Chi movie. Whatever the case, this is a great comic I recommend to everyone. Read Full Review
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9.4
SciFiPulse - Ian Cullen
Oct 06, 2020This opening issue does a brilliant job of setting the mood for what is a basic Kung Fu revenge story. To be honest. I am not familiar with the character of Shang-Chi. So this comic is my introduction to him and most likely an introduction for other newcomers too. Writer Gene Luen Yang does a brilliant job of introducing the characters and the world, and the art team does some fantastic vistas and wonderful martial arts-style fight sequences. Read Full Review
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9.0
Comic Crusaders - Steve Sellers
Sep 28, 2020As a longtime fan of the Master of Kung Fu, I'm more than satisfied with the start of this series. If you've enjoyed past Shang-Chi series, you should get enjoyment from this series. If you've enjoyed Gene Yang's work at DC and hope to see what he's capable of at Marvel, you should likewise get a satisfying reading experience from this issue. If you're new to this character and want to get a sense of who Shang-Chi is before the movie arrives, this is a good place to start. Regardless, I strongly suggest not missing out on Shang-Chi, because this could end up as one of Marvel's stronger books in the months to come. Read Full Review
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9.0
Comic Watch - Jimmy Hayes
Sep 28, 2020Shang-Chi #1 entertaining comic that's worth both your time and money. Don't wait for the trade, run out, and get a copy of this issue NOW!! Read Full Review
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9.0
Graphic Policy - Brett
Sep 28, 2020Shang-Chi #1 is fantastic. It hearkens back to classic martial arts films with lots of action, lots of family drama, but also modernizes them to rely less on stereotypes and instead focus more on the characters themselves. I feel like I know more about Shang-Chi from this one issue than all of the other comics I've read featuring him combined. This is a comic I've been hyped about and it thankfully lives up to my expectations and in many ways exceeds them. Read Full Review
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9.0
The Super Powered Fancast - Deron Generally
Sep 30, 2020Dike Ruan and Philip Tan bring some awesome energy to the art in this issue. The flashback scenes are gorgeous, gritty and powerful. The modern day panels are lighter and filled with life and style. Read Full Review
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9.0
Forces Of Geek - Lenny Schwartz
Sep 30, 2020Overall, this is a good book with some great artwork. I look forward to seeing where this is headed. Read Full Review
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9.0
Chuck's Comic Of The Day - Chuck
Oct 05, 2020It's a great start to the new series, mixing terrific artwork, martial arts action, an actual dragon, and both new and familiar faces. Read Full Review
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8.7
Black Nerd Problems - Chris Aiken
Oct 02, 2020What really sells the mythic nature of this story is Dike Ruan's art. The imagery of ancient China and its defenders is amazing to look at. It really feels like your favorite martial arts film playing out before you with each and every panel. The action pops and not a moment is wasted to show how skilled each of the characters is when they are facing off against one another. This is a good start for this new solo series. While I feel like writer Gene Luen Yang is going to have to do a lot more to make us like this hero, that's not going to stop me from wanting to see more of his adventures. Read Full Review
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8.6
Monkeys Fighting Robots - Jake Palermo
Sep 30, 2020Shang-Chi #1 starts the series off by playing the legend surrounding him. It looks and sounds great on paper but to Shang-Chi himself, it's a burden he takes in stride. Read Full Review
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8.5
AIPT - David Brooke
Sep 28, 2020Shang-Chi is a good first kick in the series, revealing a lot of information as it prepares readers for Shang-Chi's epic journey. Shang-Chi is likable, believably great at fighting, and a hero you'll want to stick around with. The art is a little rough, though, and it takes a while to get going. Read Full Review
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8.5
Beyond The Panel - Jideobi Odunze
Sep 30, 2020In the end, this debut first issue was a jaw-dropping start to this new chapter in the legend of Shang-Chi. They pulled very few punches revealing this whole new world which neither us or Shang-Chi understood existed. Read Full Review
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8.0
Newsarama - Forrest C. Helvie
Sep 28, 2020Overall, Shang-Chi #1 does what one expects from a first issue " it introduces the primary cast, we gain a glimpse into some of their motivations and backstory, and we see the future conflict they will face begin to take shape. While it may not offer a revolutionary reimagining of this nearly 50-year old character, Yang and his collaborators demonstrate fine form in this first outing. Read Full Review
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8.0
Doom Rocket - Clyde Hall
Oct 01, 2020Yang, Tan, and Ruan know their protagonist's past, the path they've placed him on, and have a shared vision for expanding his family's origin alongside Shang-Chi's future. Their handling and timing will help the Master of Kung Fu finally take his rightful position as a primary Marvel hero. Read Full Review
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8.0
ComicBook.com - Tanner Dedmon
Oct 02, 2020Shang-Chi's future looks bright with this creative team guiding the character's story. Read Full Review
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7.8
Multiversity Comics - Quinn Tassin
Oct 05, 2020"Shang-Chi #1" is a welcome addition to comic store shelves, even if it doesn't quite reach the heights its creative team is capable of. Read Full Review
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7.3
Major Spoilers - Christopher Rondeau
Oct 04, 2020Shang-Chi's past is coming back to haunt his current peaceful life! Read Full Review
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7.0
Weird Science Marvel Comics - Weird Science Jim
Sep 28, 2020This was a nice start by Gene Luen Yang, but I am afraid it needed to be more to get readers interested. Still, if you like the character of Shang-Chi or the writing of Gene Luen Yang, you should check it out. Read Full Review
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7.0
Comic Book Revolution - Kevin Lainez
Oct 03, 2020Shang-Chi #1 was a solid start to get into the world of Marvel's best fighter. Gene Luen Yang presented Shang-Chi's history in an inviting way to bring new and long-time readers into the world he is crafting around our lead character. That history enhanced the overall world-building that Yang does for Shang-Chi and the cast of this series. Read Full Review
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6.0
Razorfine - Alan Rapp
Oct 01, 2020Shang-Chi #1 offers a short glimpse of Shang-Chi's current life after leaving behind spies and super-hero adventures and now working in a bakery. However, the arrival of an old friend and then a horde of assassins presents our hero with a reason to return home and deal with unfinished business. For someone not all that familiar with the character, the issue doesn't do much to sell me on the mini-series (although I was pleasantly surprised by Fin Fang Foom's cameo). Still, for fans, this is a solid opening. Read Full Review
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6.0
Henchman-4-Hire - Sean Ian Mills
Oct 03, 2020This new Shang-Chi comic is a bit of a mixed bag, though it's generally good overall. The story is interesting, if not particularly fine-tuned, and the main character is solid, but the artwork was a little too rough for my tastes. Read Full Review
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3.5
Bleeding Cool - Theo Dwyer
Nov 21, 2020An impossibly corny debut featuring a script that feels like it was found in a decades-old filing cabinet. Read Full Review
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N/A
Monkeys Fighting Robots - Elliott Serrano
Sep 28, 2020
USER REVIEWS Back to Top
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9.0
Im in!!
+ Like • Comment -
8.5
Especially loved the Philip Tan flashback sequence.
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8.0
Not amazing, but a solid start
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8.0
I think, overall that was a pretty fine issue with pretty good set-up for the future of the series. Everything feels exactly like a kung-fu flick. The start of the issue was the best part of the issue for me. The whole story of the deadly warriors seemed really interesting , the art served it greatly and the transition to the present day was done quite naturally. For me the things started to get a little bit stale(not too much) when we were introduced to Shang-Chi and I think, the main reason for that was the art. Not that is bad or anything, I actually liked it till this point, because it served the vibes and the aesthetic, they were going for, pretty good . But when the things unfold in the city, I do not think its all that fi more
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8.0
Much better than the first ish in 2021.
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7.5
It was pretty good. I never read anything with Shang Chi before and it got me an entry level idea of what he does but the dialogue was a little corny. It looked great though and showed promise for a good story.
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7.0
Lacks the pulpy style and feel of the original series from the 1970s, but enjoyable enough. I've liked a lot of writer Gene Luen Yang's comic book writing up 'til now, and he is the reason I picked this up. The art is okay, but it made me pine for the days of Paul Gulacy, Mike Zeck, and Gene Day; true masters of the Master of Kung Fu. A fun read overall.
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7.0
This was fine. It kept me fairly entertained throughout. I don't really have my interest peaked by it or anything though.
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7.0
Pretty standard storytelling, but the content managed to pique my interest. I've read the OG Master of Kung Fu comics, so I thought revisiting the "Shang-Chi vs. Daddy" well was a huge mistake. But Gene Luen Yang has an interesting take on it -- starting with Not-Fu-Manchu dead is an excellent decision. (I'd bet a large amount of money on "Surprise, Daddy's not dead!" happening if the series goes on long enough, though.)
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5.5
Uhhh this was fine? I guess? Nothing special.
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