New yr, new comics! That’s the famed motto proper? If you are in search of a new favourite to lose your self on this yr, then you definitely could be asking the place do I begin? Luckily, we right here at DC.com can be found to assist fulfill all of your studying requests on this very pleasant weekly column the place we recommend a nice comedian that you must spend your free time studying. (We counsel doing it over the weekend, however actually, any time you may have a free hour or two will work.) This time spherical I’ve received one thing actually particular for you. One of DC’s latest and most enjoyable heroes has had his collection collected for the very first time! Yep, Monkey Prince Vol. 1: Enter the Monkey is on cabinets now. This partaking commerce collects Monkey Prince #1-6 in addition to the story the place Marcus Sun debuted within the good 2021 one-shot DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration, all of that are additionally out there on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE, for those who favor to learn your comics digitally. Either method, here is why Monkey Prince needs to be your subsequent Weekend Escape.
The Premise:
Offering a new spin on the Chosen One trope that is so prevalent in superhero tales, Monkey Prince introduces readers to Marcus Sun, a seemingly regular teenager who was traumatized after he noticed Batman assaulting his dad and mom as a baby. But as we rapidly come to study, Marcus is truly the son of Sun Wukong, the famed Monkey King, and due to that, he has fantastical powers and a higher journey forward of him than simply scraping by at Gotham High. This units him on a path of superheroic self-discovery and pits him towards the shadows and nervousness of his childhood trauma as he has to face down none apart from Batman. It’s a enjoyable new twist on the superhero origin that additionally acts as a good introduction to the expansive lore of Wu Cheng’en’s massively influential traditional sixteenth century Chinese novel, Journey to the West.
Let’s Talk Talent:
Monkey Prince boasts a roster of all-star comedian guide expertise: a number of Eisner and Harvey award-winning author Gene Luen Yang, celebrity artist Bernard Chang, acclaimed colorist Sebastian Cheng and famend letterer Janice Chiang. I at all times get excited once I see that Janice is lettering a guide as she’s one of the names I’ve been seeing in my comics since I used to be a baby. She’s at her greatest right here and is joined by an all-Asian inventive staff that makes Monkey Prince really feel like an immediately traditional DC hero despite the fact that this is his very first journey. Chang and Cheng craft a visible panorama that feels slick, thrilling and trendy whereas additionally echoing the timeless model of the DC superheroes which have come earlier than.
A Few Reasons to Read:
- A brand new perspective on the DC Universe: As followers of the sprawling world of DC, we regularly marvel what it appears like to truly dwell throughout the cities that our favourite heroes patrol. In Monkey Prince, we get a floor degree view of simply how terrifying and overwhelming that may be, particularly in case your dad and mom get on the incorrect aspect of Batman. It’s this juxtaposition that makes Monkey Prince so fascinating. Sure, Marcus Sun is the titular legendary hero, however he is additionally a regular teenager attempting to outlive in a world crammed with meta-humans who can break into your property and beat up your dad in the event that they really feel prefer it.
(*1*)
- Lose your self in epic fantasy storytelling: Comic guide superheroes are fantastical by their very nature, however Monkey Prince takes that one step additional. Marcus’ life and powers are intrinsically linked to the magical world of his father Sun Wukong, the famed determine often known as the Monkey King. That makes Marcus a legacy hero in a completely new method for DC. While his father won’t be a well-known DC hero, the Monkey King is a famed folkloric determine in China and past. You’ve seen the Monkey King encourage many tales together with some of your favourite TV collection like Avatar: The Last Airbender, Dragon Ball Z, Into the Badlands and even an episode of Wishbone! To have him develop into a half of the broader DC Universe makes a lot of sense. Plus, we get to discover the lore in a complete totally different method with Marcus and Monkey Prince as our entry level.
- Fall in love with that killer character design: With the Monkey Prince, Bernard Chang created a really distinctive search for a DC superhero. It’s cool, barely surreal and comes with each a brand and armor impressed by his legendary origins, to not point out a tremendous sick pair of kicks. As Chang instructed DC.com, “The Monkey Prince is a teenager named Marcus going to high school, so you know whatever he’s wearing has to have some hotness to it.”
Why It’s Worth Your Time:
Dynamic, heartfelt and action-packed, this is the right learn for superhero heavyweights or newcomers to the DC Universe. This debut quantity is a nice introduction to a model new character that DC appears to be all-in on, whereas additionally serving as a slick showcase for the immensely proficient creators behind it. Plus, you get a nice primer on one of probably the most influential tales ever instructed. Basically, this is one of probably the most thrilling DC comics of the previous few years and this weekend is the right time to select it up and meet your new favourite hero.
Monkey Prince Vol. 1: Enter the Monkey by Gene Luen Yang and Bernard Chang is now out there in bookstores, comedian outlets, libraries and on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE.
Rosie Knight is an award-winning journalist and creator who loves Swamp Thing, the DC Cosmic, and writing about these and extra right here at DC.Com. You can take heed to her waxing lyrical about comics, motion pictures, and extra every week as she co-hosts Crooked Media’s pop-culture podcast X-Ray Vision.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed on this function are solely these of Rosie Knight and don’t essentially replicate these of DC Entertainment or Warner Bros.
Discussion about this post