Intertwined #1 Review

"Intertwined" #1 from Dynamite -

    Jin Juan is a fearless street tough from Sham Shui Po, one of Hong Kong's poorest areas. It seemed like Jin Juan was headed nowhere until he found out about the ancient art Wing Chun. Under the tutelage of one of China's best masters, Jin Juan seeks to bring honor the to Fang Dan Martial Arts School by winning the upcoming Southeast Asia Open Martial Arts Tournament. But life on the mean streets Hong Kong can be tough - Jin Juan has to deal with the triad, and gangs like the Ghost Daggers who have taken notice of Jin Juan's martial prowess. All that, along with the loss of Jin Juan's father, and more recently, his beloved uncle, are pushing Jin Juan's coping skills to the limit - he has even begun to have strange dreams of flying, dreams in which powerful, shadowy figures ponder the future of the cosmos, and the balance of the Wu Xing, the Five Elements that rule the universe. When Jin Juan learns that his uncle has left him an inheritance, he prepares to take a trip to America, to NYC, to claim it; however, the Golden Daggers have different plans for him...And so do the shadowy figures from his dreams who are not only real, but they believe that Jin Juan will emerge as a major player in the future of the entire cosmos!

   Fabrice Sapolsky and Fred Pham Chuong pen this love letter to the Chinese martial arts action flicks of the 70's and 80s, "Intertwined!" "Intertwined" #1 is a kung fu flick in comic book form, following the same cliched, but oh-so-fun formulas of those great films that those of us over forty loved as kids. Gone are the days of Bruce Lee, Jimmy Wang Yu, and Angela Mao (well we still have Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung), but these days are alive in well in this fun little action-packed comic that features those familiar flavors of Eastern philosophies that many absorbed in the golden age of the kung-fu flick. While Sapolsky and Pham Chuong give us a great protagonist beginning his kung-fu quest, Verónica R. López gives sketchy, kinetic pencils that may seem a bit amateurish, but they communicate action very well, even explosively at times. López's art works well for this book. This comic is not for everyone, but if you are a fan of Hong Kong action cinema, you will probably dig "Intertwined." I do.

RATING: 8 out of 10. 

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