REVIEW: ‘Deadly Hands of Kung Fu: Gang War’ Issue #2

Deadly Hands of Kung Fu: Gang War #2 is published by Marvel Comics, written by Greg Pak, art by Caio Majado, colors by Jim Campbell and letters by Travis Lanham. This is part of the Gang War event. Shang-Chi has been betrayed by members of his organisation and the Ten Rings are now locked away from him. This draws the eyes of both the heroes and the villains.

The comic forces Shang-Chi to deceive both sides. His allies and enemies both view him with suspicion. The plot jumps between those separate factions as they all start closing in on Chinatown. There are glimmers of action early in the book that shake up the exposition. Deception is the keyword of the comic. Every player in this war is lying to each other to gain an advantage and that keeps the story interesting. There are four different factions of the Gang War in play in the book, and the villains work both separately and as one.

The coordination between the creators across the tie-ins is excellent, although one of the bosses is shared between this comic and Spider-Woman. With the Ten Rings inaccessible, Shang-Chi’s martial arts come back to the fore. He is one of the most formidable fighters in The Marvel Universe, and it is great to have that represented. However, we don’t see this nearly enough. It would be fantastic to see that continue into the next chapter, where a surprise is waiting for the hero.

Pak’s approach to Shang-Chi changes depending on who the protagonist is talking to. That diversity is terrific. When talking to Delilha, his girlfriend, Shang is calm and casual. He uses more colloquialisms and is far funnier than when he has to be a leader. His actions as a gang boss don’t sit well with him often, and his girlfriend is the only one who sees that vulnerability. To those who oppose him, the man is respectful, cold and calculated. He acts with honor but will use trickery if necessary. Ultimately, he matches the way that others speak to him.

The art is superb in visual storytelling. We see this through Delilah’s presence. Her face alters massively from panel to panel with her eyes widening and jaw-dropping. Majado’s art has a cartoon quality to it that fits both the slower moments and the action. The characters all look impeccable. The villains encroaching on the territory are Mr Negative, Lady Yuna and Diamondback. Each person has their own style and totally distinct shapes to make up their design, looking like unique individuals forced into the same world. Panels can either denote the location or be entirely blank, detailed when necessary. Shang-Chi doesn’t get the call to action much during this chapter, but when he is it looks amazing.

The colors are terrific. Some of the solid tones for the panel background have a slight gradient. This stops the pages from being too overpowering to the eye. New York is beige and natural as the heroes and villains bring bright and fanciful colors. The lettering is calm and easy to read.

Deadly Hands of Kung Fu: Gang War #2 threatens Shang-Chi’s balance. Poised between being a gang leader and a superhero, the turmoil sends the martial artist back and forth between armies like a tennis ball. He can’t trust anyone and no one can trust him. The different sides of the character are on display to reflect who faces him, and that variety is exciting to explore.

Deadly Hands of Kung Fu: Gang War #2 is available wherever comics are sold.