***WARNING THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR SHANG-CHI #2***
It looks as if Marvel’s greatest fighter may have met his match. Shang-Chi is seeing his estranged sister after fifteen years. The family reunion starts emotional with a backstory detailing her disappearance. However, this will soon turn into a division between the two siblings. Jealous is the reasoning why a feud is brewing. What happened to cause such destruction between the once brother and sister tight bond is revealed in this issue.
We are given a flashback to the Zheng Zu’s Hunan Retreat, fifteen years ago. Shang-Chi and his little sister, Shi-Hua are sneaking into a secure room, they are attempting to get crystal cakes. Shang breaks the lock his sister is worried they will be caught. However, they do not get to devour cakes, as they see dead bodies in a lab. Shi-Hua screams and Shang with fear tries to touch one of the bodies. The two kids are then caught by their father, Zheng Zu.
He expresses his anger and takes it out on Shang. The boy had told his father to punish him rather than his sister. As Shi-Hua cries for her father to let go of her brother, he does not let go. Shi-Hua then picks up a hammer, striking her father with a weapon. Zheng is enraged throws his daughter to another location around the world with a spell. He does this as he disowns her as his daughter. Shang begged for him to stop, but it was too late.
A few days after, Shang asks for the location of his sister. His father replies that it was not important. That the only important thing was preparing for war. He also said that life had shown him lessons in the worst ways. The young boy is stuck with those words. We are now in the present day. Shang and Leiko travel to an area outside of London to find his sister. Yet, before jumping out of the plane, he ensures that it takes Leiko back to where they originally were. He said that this was family business and he should go it alone.
While in the sky, he is being spotted by Commander Hammer and two henchmen. Shang is admiring the sky, but his parachute is struck with a flaming hammer. He lands safely in the snow undetected by Hammer’s men. The ninja then surprises them by attacking. He even breaks one of their weapons with his powerful punch. They stop after Shang tells one of them to find another job. Hammer looks at the hero and is happy to see it is Shang. Hammer is a grownup version of Shi-Hua. The pair embraced in a hug. We then cut to the two having lunch, while talking about their father. Shang is happy to finally get his crystal cakes.
While eating, Shang asks where their father sent her. She brings him to another room in her temple. It is revealed that she was sent to Russia. She then shows him an artifact with five weapons pictured, a fist, a kunai, a sword, a staff, and a hammer. The cultural item also had a being in the middle and a fire above the fist. This is a reference to Shang-Chi becoming a champion of the House of the Deadly Hand for his father’s retreat. This is mentioned as his sister trained to also become champion.
With her finding out Shang became champion, she was upset because her father favored him more than her. Zheng is the being in the artifact with the fire and weapons. After Shang tries to talk her down, he clinches his stomach in pain. Shi-Hua tells her brother that she poisoned the cakes and he will die shortly.
The spirit of Zheng looks over Shang and calls upon him to wake up. Shang awakens in a lab being looked at by scientists working for Commander Hammer. Undead warriors are active to attack the hero, but Shang can hold his own. One of the zombies uses his detached hand as a weapon. The hand stabs Shang and he bleeds out sparkles and stars. He is literally bleeding the night sky. Just as all hope is lost, Leiko and another close friend save him. The trio is then on a boat en route to Leiko’s house. They are also being stalked by Shang’s father as he continues bleeding.
The issue ends with the spirit watching three and telling Shang to visit. We then get a small teaser for the next issue. Shang will explore more of the family. We also find out that Zheng’s origins will be revealed.
The story is was written by Gene Luen Yang. The art was done by Dike Ruan, Philip Tan, and Sebastian Cheng. These four did a great job of telling this story. Yang showed a well telling of Shang’s relationship with his sister. We are convinced their friendship would last forever, based on the lookout for one another. Yet, we are shocked to find out that Commander Hammer is now his rival. The callback also helped with the crystal cakes serving as something sweet.
However, with that sweetness also came consequences in both flashbacks and the present day. Even Shi-Hua referring back to what her father said to Shang. Both telling him that their family is not blessed with having regular human bonds. These two are his family and enemies. As for art, Ruan, Tan, and Cheng killed it. We have detailed panels from Zheng’s spirit to Shang resembling the late Bruce Lee, and Shang bleeding the Night Sky was a great detail too. All the good in this issue should make you excited to read the next, coming soon.
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