This book stinks. But only in the literal sense . . . of scents. I don't know what it is outgassing, but as I walked and read it outside I thought some chemical spill must be coming to me on the wind because I was swamped in a sour, pickled reek the whole time. It was only when I got home, and opened the book again for my review that I realized the book was the source. I've never read a book that smelled so bad! Anyone else getting fumes from their copies?

But putting that aside, I at least enjoyed the story that was also between the covers. Shang-Chi continues to deal with family issues as the book steers itself closer to the events of the recent movie. I'd prefer Shang-Chi without all the fantasy elements, but Gene Luen Yang is handling those elements well enough that it is not a turn-off.

Apparently, the current series has been canceled and the book is being relaunched with a new #1 for the third time in like two years. I'll keep my eye out for it.

FOR REFERENCE:

Originally published in magazine form as Shang-Chi (2021) #7-12 and one short story from Marvel's Voices: Identity (2021) #1.

Contents:
• Shang-Chi #7 / Gene Luen Yang, writer; Dike Ruan, artist; Leinil Francis Yu with Sunny Gho, cover art
• Shang-Chi #8 / Gene Luen Yang, writer; Dike Ruan, artist; Leinil Francis Yu with Sunny Gho, cover art
• Shang-Chi #9 / Gene Luen Yang, writer; Marcus To, artist; Leinil Francis Yu with Sunny Gho, cover art
• Shang-Chi #10 / Gene Luen Yang, writer; Marcus To, artist; Leinil Francis Yu with Sunny Gho, cover art
• Shang-Chi #11 / Gene Luen Yang, writer; Marcus To, artist; Leinil Francis Yu with Sunny Gho, cover art
• Shang-Chi #12 / Gene Luen Yang, writer; Marcus To, artist; Leinil Francis Yu with Romulo Fajardo Jr., cover art
• Marvel's Voices: Identity (2021) #1: "What Is vs. What If" / Gene Luen Yang, writer; Marcus To, artist; Jim Cheung and Romulo Fajardo Jr., cover art
• Variant Cover Gallery / Rian Gonzales, Rahzzah, Ron Lim, Stephen Mooney, Dike Ruan, Inhyuk Lee, artists ( )