Sword Master #1 is the beginning of the origin story for Lin Lie, Marvel’s newest Chinese Super Hero. He was featured in the War of the Realms: New Agents of Atlas. This issue is much like a regular sized double feature, much like Aero. The first part of the issue deals with how Lin Lie came to possess the magic black sword. The second part is post War of the Realms and has Shang Chi as a mentor to the Sword Master. This could honestly have been two separate issues and expanded a little and I would have been very happy.
Credits and Thoughts
The Sword Master portion, “Sword in the Tomb”, was written by Shuizhu, drawn by Gunji and adapted to the English version by Greg Pak. The “Master Class” portion that features Shang Chi was written by Greg Pak, drawn by Ario Anindito and colored by Rachelle Rosenberg. If you read many other reviews by me the name Greg Pak should be familiar. I’m really loving a lot of stuff by him right now. Sword Master is no exception. The artwork has a lot of Manga style to it. I’ve never been a huge fan of Manga but the art is really growing on me. The story is really cool and a must read if you’re up on the latest MCU news. I’m not sure if this series will feature two separate stories in every issue or if it will merge as we get through the origin story. Spoilers are ahead so stop here if you’re planning to read this on your own.
Sword Master #1 – *SPOILERS*
In Sword in the Tomb, Lin Lie is having nightmares where he is using the sword to vanquish an ancient evil Chiyou, when his Father warns him to stay away. He wakes from his dream with his friend, Cheng, scaring the daylights out of him with a mask. Lie then finds out that Cheng has a lead on the disappearance of his Father and Brother. Lie visits the people who attacked his father just before he disappeared at Qianfengou. He makes a deal with them to give him the location so he can investigate. As he packs to go to the location, a strange delivery man brings a package he says is from Lie’s father.
In Master Class, Shang Chi stops Lie while he is interrogating a shop owner he believes has information about Qianfengou. He take Lie to a roof top to teach him an important lesson about weakness. He must learn his own weakness and how to keep his enemies from exploiting them. It’s a tough love lesson, but one he must quickly learn. Probably sooner than either of them think. While they are training, a hidden enemy is watching their every move.
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