REVIEW: Inevitable Conflict Ahoy in Shang-Chi #5
Shang-Chi #5 by Gene Luen Yang, Dike Ruan, Tríona Farrell, and Travis Lanham, with a main cover by Leinil Francis Yu and Sunny Gho, is the penultimate chapter in this excellent ongoing title, which is both good and bad: the good part is, it seems like the conclusive issue will be even more explosive, but the bad part is, this is the second-to-last issue!
Shang-Chi #5. Photo: Marvel Comics
“Shang-Chi Vs. the Marvel Universe: Part 5”
Shang-Chi #5 is built around two primary concerns.
The first is to give us another “episode” that pits our protagonist, Shang-Chi, who has just taken over his father’s Five Weapons Society, against another hero of the Marvel universe, Iron Man, giving two icons a chance to face off against each other! This is especially interesting because, with his large supply of cash and his dubious background, Shang-Chi might be closely paired with Tony Stark across certain axes!
Iron Man! Photo: Marvel Comics
The second is, we get to see how the plot elements that have been introduced over the course of this series so far are going to play into the conclusive issue. Time and again, we see the established heroes of the Marvel Universe casting a suspicious eye towards Shang-Chi. As readers, we know this is unjustified, but it’s fascinating to see the narrative dramatize their doubt.
But why don’t the heroes trust Shang-Chi? There’s not a lot of charitable answers as we near the conclusion… however, there’s still time for Iron Man, Captain America, Mr. Fantastic, and the other Marvel superheroes to wake up and smell the Shang-Chi!
Shang-Chi #5. Photo: Marvel Comics
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
This issue also reveals another connection between the Shang-Chi of Earth-616 and the Shang-Chi of the MCU: both of their mothers are actually from another dimension!
Shang-Chi #5. Photo: Marvel Comics
What have you thought of the ongoing Shang-Chi comic, Marvel Blog True Believers? Did you get to read the Shang-Chi story in Marvel’s Voices: Identity? We want to hear from you! Let us know what you’re thinking in the comment section.
