Marvel’s first Chinese superheroes debut on NetEase Comics

Chinese superheroes are finally joining the Marvel Universe.

One year after NetEase and Marvel announced that they would co-develop new superheroes, the first issue of their two co-authored comics will be released on NetEase Comics May 9th and May 10th.

The two comics, Warriors of Three Sovereigns (our translation; Chinese: 三皇斗战士) and Cyclone (our translation; Chinese:气旋), will have contemporary Chinese elements and reflect the spirit of the time.

Warriors of Three Sovereigns tells a story of an 18-year old college student who picks up an ancient sword to fight against Chiyou (蚩尤), a tyrant roughly dating back to between 2,850 to 2,205 years ago. In comparison to Warriors of Three Sovereigns’ references to China’s ancient legends, Cyclone is about a talented female architect, who can control air currents, protecting an eastern city after a resettlement project goes awry.

“The editor of Marvel Comics participated in the creation of the two heroes, so it’s fair to say they are Marvel’s first two official Chinese superheroes,” a NetEase spokesperson told us. “These characters will have various connections with the Marvel Universe, including the infrastructure of cities they live in, like Stark Industries advertisements.”

The artists of Warriors of Three Sovereigns and Cyclone are Chinese artists Gunji (Chinese:棍记) and Keng, who already has published comics before and had their own audiences. Marvel is to supervise the creation.

Both of the comics will be first published on NetEase Comics and then later in the US.

Apart from the new series, NetEase has introduced other 10 Marvel comics to the Chinese market, including The Avengers, Dr. Strange, Captain America: Steve Rogers and Civil War.

Marvel has gain household popularity among Chinese audience. Its latest superhero movie Black Panther grossed more than $100 million after two weeks of release, being Marvel’s biggest overseas market.