Weapons of the Gods

(ComicsOne, 2003-2004)
™ and © ComicsOne

One downside to kung fu comics is that some take a while to get going — but not this one. It opens with a cool-looking snake-tailed celestial goddess purging the world of evil, then moves to the titular weapons producing a nuclear-level explosion (the flesh of the victims dripping like wax, depicted in loving detail), complete with a green chi mushroom cloud. And that’s just the opening sequence.

The density of fantastic characters is just amazing, from the leads, blue-haired Tian, master of spatula fu, and the beautiful telekinetic Snow Bei, who has serious anger management issues, down to minor henchmen like Two-Headed Demon and Mummy Demon (who look as if they’ve escaped from Eric Larsen’s sketchbook). And, while the emphasis here is definitely on the action (it’s nearly nonstop, kinetic, frantic, compulsive, and almost convulsive), the characters are surprisingly well thought-out. Like the supremely vicious Fang Dong, who’d be an empty “evil queen” type except she’s given enough of a backstory so we understand why she’s evil.

— S.A. Bennett

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