Marcus Shugel-Shen wasn’t always afraid, but a nighttime visit from a Batman threatening one’s parents tends to leave a lasting impact on a child. Since then, fear has defined much of Marcus’ life, but when a strange janitor in a new school encourages him to face his fears, Marcus dives right in and discovers a hidden lineage that will leave him changed forever. Monkey Prince #1 is written by Gene Luen Yang, drawn by Bernard Chang, colored by Sebastian Cheng, and lettered by Janice Chiang.
Monkey Prince is exactly the kind of comic I wish I’d been able to read growing up. Don’t get me wrong, I had a lot of fun reading this as an adult (and by all reports I’m not the only one), but I think of a younger me, and my classmates and friends at the time. There’s silliness, joy and fun inherent in this comic that we were always ravenous for. I remember the quiet buzz that would take over the whole school when a new issue of the kids’ anthology comic Tinkle was available in the library (it was a small town, there wasn’t much in the way of new things). A new issue of Monkey Prince? It would have practically been a holiday; I can see an entire classrooms crowding around a single issue during our library period, and subsequently being yelled at for being too loud in the discussion of the issue.
Monkey Prince is a comic that deserves celebration. Significantly, this is an all-Asian creative team, with an Asian editor to boot. Writer Gene Luen Yang has done some amazing and underappreciated work in creating new Asian heroes for the DC Universe. As much as I miss the Justice League of China, though, I’m excited to see a hero whose identity isn’t a reflection of Western counterparts. More than that, though, I’m excited to see a hero whose origin isn’t rooted in tragedy, stoicism and Atlas levels of responsibility. Marcus’ life may have been defined by a single, terrifying moment from his childhood, yes, but his superhero origin? It enables him to fight those fears back. It’s empowering, as more superhero stories should be.
I was not prepared for how much this issue would make me angry at Batman, but seeing him break into someone’s home to do nothing but terrify the family did the trick. Sure, the parents of our protagonist, Marcus, may be henchmen for the Penguin, but it feels like the World’s Greatest Detective ought to know whether or not there’s a child in the house if he’s going to break in in the middle of the night to scare henchmen in their off-hours. Brief as Batman’s visit was, it left a lasting impact on Marcus, and though his family may have moved from city to city, the shadow of the Bat follows Marcus everywhere he goes. Triggers are everywhere. Every time Marcus is forced to relive that night, the fear takes over, and Marcus is left whimpering—though some, according to Google, might possibly label the noise a gibbering or a chattering instead.
The first half of this issue gives the rest of the series a lot to play with. Marcus parents are revealed to be a mad-scientist henchmen duo of some sort to the Penguin, who in turn is quickly possessed by an ancient Chinese demon that seems to embody greed—a possession that couldn’t have happened to a more appropriate Batvillain. We get a few glimpses into who Marcus is, and get the sense that despite their career choices, Marcus’ parents are generally good people, who care for their son. We are introduced to Marcus’ supporting cast, the gross but cheerfully endearing guide, Shifu Pigsy, classmate Kaya and, of course, the bullies, whose torments force Marcus to quite literally take the plunge…and in doing so find out who he really is, which is where the issue truly gets going.
It’s a chaotic whirlwind of a second half, where the art really gets to let loose and play. Bernard Chang and Sebastian Cheng’s work can feel a little cramped at times, the bright vividness of the colors and the crowded panels making me want to take a step or two back from the comic. Once they’re given room to play, though, it’s the kind of wild fun that the cover promised this comic would be. Joy shines in these pages, which proceed at a whirlwind pace, a celebration of magic, color, legend and chaos. It’s beautiful and overwhelming, and before you know it we’re deep in the middle of a truly bizarre but utterly hilarious situation that I can’t wait to see played with next issue.
I love the designs of both the Monkey King and the Monkey Prince. Flashy but not tacky, royal but not stiff and formal, intricate little details that are going to give cosplayers a heck of a time but they’re going to look amazing. The brief action we get in this issue displays exuberant acrobatics. It’s not the first acrobat I’m used to seeing on the page, but few of them put this much joy, flair and energy into every flip, kick and pose. As fun as the story has been, I’m excited to see more action in the pages to come.
Monkey Prince takes me back to a simpler time. When high school bullies were an all-encompassing problem, when the only way out of constant anxieties and fear was finding strength in play, when I longed to be a Chosen One in a world full of superheroes, showing ‘em all how it was done. The world of comics needs more stories like this one, and I couldn’t be happier that this one is here.
