Assuming you’re not a hermit and still tolerate human society you probably noticed that movies based on comics are all the rage now. You might say it’s been that way for the past decade or so. And some, while not being actual martial arts films, are very close to the genre. This year saw the release of Snake Eyes and Shang-Chi, both based on martial arts comic books. Being a huge comic book and martial arts nerd myself, I thought it might be nice to combine my two interests. There’s a world of martial arts comics which many people might not know. So, if you wanna get into those comics and don’t know where to start, read on.
Comics 101
If you’re new to the ninth art, you might think that it’s all superheroes in colorful costumes fighting bad guys and all that. And while that is certainly the biggest chunk of the cake in the USA market, there’s a world beyond that. So let’s start with three basic categories. There’s American comic books (as in from the USA), European, and Japanese comics or manga. Of course, there are also comic books from almost every other region in the world, but those are the main producers. I’m profoundly ignorant on European comic books and just talking about martial arts manga would require an article on it’s own (though I did review Kenji way back when).
So, today I’m gonna just talk about a few martial arts comic books I love.
Marvel comics
The house of ideas nowadays rules the box office and owns two of the most emblematic martial artists who ever graced a panel.
Shang-Chi
What’s it about?
Shang-Chi is Marvel’s undisputed master of kung fu. Just like in the movie, he’s the son of an immortal evil mastermind and trained since birth to become a living weapon. After realizing his father was actually evil, he escaped and became a hero. In his classic adventures, he’s a mix between Bruce Lee and James Bond, working alongside MI-6 against his father’s organization. He has no special powers, but is an expert martial artist who can go toe to toe with Marvel’s best fighters. He’s a master of both armed and unarmed combat and has even mentored Spider-Man, among others.
Where to start?
His history is long and quite different from his movie counterpart. Created by Jim Starlin and Steve Englehart, the character has roots in pulp novels and bruceploitation. Shang-Chi had a lengthy run back in the 70s. You can start there with Master of Kung Fu. But if you want to avoid that, there’s a recent ongoing series by Gene Luen Yang with art by Philip Tan and Dike Ruan. You can start with the five issue miniseries and then follow with the ongoing. The new series adds new elements to the character’s backstory. Rooting him more in Chinese and martial arts lore and putting him in a new and interesting position in the marvel universe. This is a perfect jumping point if you enjoyed the movie or just want to check out the character.
Iron Fist
What’s it about?
The titular character is Danny Rand, son of a wealthy couple, orphaned in a trip to the Himalayas. He was raised in the mystical city of Kun Lun and earned the power of the Iron Fist by defeating the dragon Shou-Lao. He returned to the states to get revenge for his family and stayed as a super-hero. Over the years he’s worked as a hero for hire, with his pal Luke Cage, and has even been part of the Avengers in a couple of incarnations. His powers come from his qi and he can channel it through his body to deliver powerful strikes, heal himself and even through weapons. Though Danny prefers to use fight bare-handed, he’s no stranger to weapons.
Where to start?
Another character born during the American Kung Fu craze of the 70s, Iron Fist was created by Gil Kane and Roy Thomas. His longest run was in the comic Power Man and Iron Fist but he’s had a few short series now and then. As always, you can start at the very beginning with his original series if you want to. To me though, the perfect jumping point is Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, and David Aja’s The Immortal Iron Fist. It’s a masterpiece that stands as probably the best take on the character in all its history. They redefined the mythology and lore around Iron Fist, adding new aspects and characters to his background. The next best jumping point will probably be next year’s series written by Alyssa Wong.
DC comics
The distinguished competition is no stranger to martial arts. Everybody know Batman is an expert martial artist. But he’s far from the only one.
The Question
What’s it about?
Our main character is Vic Sage, a TV journalist who moonlights as a vigilante. Vic lives in Hub city, a place so corrupt and riddled with crime that makes Gotham look like Metropolis. Vic’s life takes a turn when, after a brutal beating, he’s rescued by Lady Shiva (DC’s best fighter). Shiva takes Vic to train with Richard Dragon who mentors him not only in the fighting arts but on philosophy. This changes him from a brash and very aggressive vigilante to a more methodical one. The comic is a mix of noir and martial arts, with some zen philosophy thrown in.
Where to start?
The Question is, originally, a creation of Steve Ditko (yes, the co-creator of Spider-Man) for Charlton Comics. He was integrated into the DC universe in the 80s and given new life by Denny O’Neil and Dennys Cowan. To be completely honest, if you’re looking for the martial arts aspect, just read O’Neil and Cowan’s run. It’s, without the shadow of a doubt, the best interpretation of the character. There hasn’t been another successful take on the character to this day. The last miniseries focuses more on an esoteric interpretation of Hub City and Vic’s persona. It’s fun to read but not really martial arts related.
Beyond the big two
Avid comics readers know there is a world outside Marvel and DC. The indie world gave characters like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Rocketeer and Hellboy. It’s a vast world that includes self-published authors, and publishing companies of varied size. As I could probably go on forever, let me just list a few of my favorite series and graphic novels.
Fire Power
What’s it about?
Fire Power follows the story of Owen Johnson and his family. An Asian-American who travels to China in search of his parents and his origins. He ends up learning martial arts on the way and finding that his heritage is way more weird than he imagined. Owen becomes the wielder of the fire power, which means he’ll have to fight to save the world. The creators know their martial arts tropes and have experience with superheroes and it shows. This is one of the series I eagerly await every month.
Where to start?
You’re in luck with this one, it started just last year with a prelude graphic novel (pictured on the left). Written by Robert Kirkman with art by Chris Samnee, two big names in the industry. You’ll probably know Kirkman from The Walking Dead or Invincible. Samnee is not nearly as famous but he worked in titles like Captain America and Daredevil. Last issue was #17 so you can catch up easily. Just start with last year’s prelude and keep reading.
Orphan and the Five Beasts
Spurred on by her master’s dying words, the adopted warrior “Orphan Mo” seeks to find and kill five former disciples who now threaten the land with corruption from their demonic powers. A spear wielding warrior against fighters with supernatural powers. James Stokoe delivers a kung-fu epic with all the classic elements and some more. Some things remind me a bit of Fist of the North Star. All in all, a fun read with a kung-fu film feel like not many comics get. This is a miniseries which will be ending soon with its fourth issue.
TMNT: The Last Ronin
In a future, battle-ravaged New York City, a lone surviving Turtle embarks on a seemingly hopeless mission seeking justice for the family he lost. Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, the original creators of the TMNT, reunite for this miniseries. Think Old Man Logan mixed with Escape from New York, in the world of the ninja turtles. Besides the usual ninja zaniness that fans of the franchise might know, we get some very cool stuff for martial arts enthusiasts. Even some moments of teaching and character introspection. Again, this series is ending soon with its fourth issue.
Conclusion
This is brief list of what I read and can honestly recommend. There is a world out there and lots of titles, some better, some worse. Let me know in the comments if you read these or if you have any other suggestions.
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Thanks, really fascinating!
I grew up reading Shang Chi and Iron Fist in real time (when they were being published in their original versions). I’m old 🙂 but comics are a critical form or art and social expression. Thank you!
I grew up with reading The Phantom in the comics and later read Doc Savage novels. These both had martial arts training and fought crime. The Phantom also carried a gun.