Writer: Shuizhu

Art: Gunji

Adaptation: Amy Chu

Price: $3.99

Release Date: 1/1/20

Reviewer: Archer of the Asylum

Sword Master #7 is the western adaptation of the Chinese e-comic of the same name. I was so excited to read Shuizhu’s work, but I feel something has been lost in translation. Ok, it probably doesn’t help matters that I’m quickly catching up on the first 6 issues but let’s dive in and see if anything can be salvaged from this week’s issue of SWORD MASTER #7 by Shuizhu.

I get that he’s still new to the role of the Swordmaster but fuck-a-doodle-doo, boy grow the fuck up! We get it, this shit is all you have left from your dad. But honestly, you’re making Arm-fall-off boy from the old DC vault look not lame.

I feel so let down by this because I desperately wanted it to be good. (I’m currently reading Fengshen Ji, so don’t tell me there aren’t any good god damned translators out there, just don’t!) The one saving grace that I can find for this book is Gunji. She has done a damned impressive job with the styling of this.

As is the case with many Chinese artists, the manga style is easily seen but is uniquely different than that drawn by Japanese artists. The coloration adds a gritty, grimy nature to the book that is just too dissimilar to the tone of the dialogue and the boldness of the onomatopoeia that the whole thing just doesn’t gel together for me.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I am so disappointed! I was so excited about this run that I saw it on the list of books and screamed. Remember how disappointed you were when you watched The Last Airbender movie for the first time? Yeah, that’s me with this book. The artwork is nice but the protagonist is a whiny brat. Here’s to hoping it picks up.