Le scénariste Mike Benson et le dessinateur Tan Eng Huat ont été engagé par Marvel pour s’occuper d’une mini-série Deadly Hands of Kung Fu en quatre numéros centrés sur Shang-Chi. Pour cette histoire en hommage au titre des 70’s qui a vu naitre des héros comme Iron Fist, White Tiger, et bien entendu Shang-Chi, le scénariste promet une bonne dose d’inspiration des films de la Shaw Brothers et du cinéma d’action américain.
En apprenant la mort d’une ancienne conquête, Shang-Chi décide d’aller lui rendre hommage en Angleterre. Sur place, il découvre que plusieurs de ses anciens ennemis l’attendent pour en découdre une fois pour toute.
La mini-série Deadly Hands of Kung Fu marque le retour de Mike Benson (Deadpool Pulp) chez Marvel après 3 ans où il s’est consacré à son travail de scénariste télé, notamment pour les séries de la chaine HBO. La couverture du premier numéro est signée Dave Johnson.
[quote=« Mike Benson »]Let’s face it, when Shang Chi’s « Deadly Hands » came out it was right in the middle of the Kung Fu boom – everyone had Kung Fu fever. Bruce Lee’s « Enter the Dragon » really turned the heat up and showed the world that a non-traditional Asian man can be a hero with sex appeal and a coolness. Forget Steve McQueen, Bruce Lee was the true « Cooler King. »
Shang was the Asian James Bond with his own set of Eastern philosophies, where Bond was flashy and had his « too cool for school » attitude and charm that he could always back up, Shang was a peaceful warrior who worked the spy angle with a different approach – he was humble, honorable and fought with his hands, and the occasional martial arts weapon. I loved when Shang had nunchucks in his hands. It just made him look so hardcore and the way he was drawn in black and white made the stories really pop. That’s some original art I wouldn’t mind owning.[/quote]
[quote]Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #1
Story by Mike Benson
Art by Tan Eng Huat, Craig Yeung
Colors by Jesus Aburtov
Letters by VC - Jo
Cover by Dave Johnson
Publisher Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date Wed, May 14th, 2014
MURDER! MYSTERY! MARTIAL ARTS!
A former lover of Shang-Chi’s is murdered in cold blood while working deep undercover for MI-6. When Shang-Chi travels to England to pay his respects he learns all is not as it seems, and if he’s not careful he may be next to die! Old friends, new enemies, espionage and kung fu collide in this riveting story from Mike Benson and Tan Eng Huat![/quote]
[quote]Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #2
Story by Mike Benson
Art by Tan Eng Huat, Craig Yeung
Colors by Jesus Aburtov
Letters by VC - Joe Sabino
Cover by Dave Johnson
Release Date Wed, June 11th, 2014
• Shang-Chi versus mystical kung-fu masters in the streets of London!
• With a little help from THE DAUGHTERS OF THE DRAGON!
• Terrible truths about Shang’s fallen comrade revealed![/quote]
J’ai feuilleté assez longuement le premier numéro et je l’ai trouvé bien trop sage en terme de mise en page pour mon goût.
Une série telle que celle-ci, dont les arts martiaux ont un aspect central, devrait être donnée à des dessinateurs tels que J.H. Williams III, **Declan Shalvey **, Paolo Manuel Rivera ou Marcos Martin ; des artistes qui font souvent une mise en page saisissante et innovante.
Ici Tang Eng Huat est bien trop sage.
[quote]DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU #3
STORY BY Mike Benson
ART BY Tan Eng Huat, Craig Yeung
COLORS BY Jesus Aburtov
COVER BY Dave Johnson
PUBLISHER Marvel Comics
COVER PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE DATE Wed, July 9th, 2014
SHANG-CHI versus THE WHITE DRAGON! Misty Knight and Colleen Wing discover the danger is greater than any of them had feared! Deadly secrets revealed! Kung Fu action unleashed![/quote]
STORY BY
Mike Benson
ART BY
Tan Eng Huat, Craig Yeung
COLORS BY
Jesus Aburtov
LETTERS BY
VC - Joe Sabino
COVER BY
Dave Johnson
PUBLISHER
Marvel Comics
COVER PRICE:
$3.99
RELEASE DATE
Wed, August 20th, 2014
• THE STUNNING CONCLUSION! The shocking truth of Leiko Wu’s murder revealed!
• Shang-Chi’s epic showdown with the enemy he never saw coming!
• The jaw-dropping final twist of the knife that NO ONE will see coming![/quote]