Heaven Official's Blessing (The Comic), Volume 1
Tian Guan Ci Fu
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5.0 • 4 Ratings
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
A fallen god unravels supernatural mysteries and comes face-to-face with ghosts from his past in this official manhua (comic) adaptation of the New York Times bestselling danmei novel by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. Featuring stunning art by STARember, the webcomic produced by BILIBILI COMICS is now available in English in print for the first time.
Xie Lian, once the darling of the heavens, is a twice-banished god infamous for his fall from grace. Eight hundred years have passed since his mortal life as the Crown Prince of Xianle, and he’s now the laughingstock of the three realms. So when he ascends to godhood for a third time, it causes an uproar among his divine peers. Ascension may be nothing new to Xie Lian, but this time he has no followers, little power, and less luck. To repay his heavenly debts, Xie Lian must descend to the Mortal Realm to hunt ghosts that prey upon the living. There, he encounters a mysterious stranger—but is this newcomer friend or foe . . . or something else entirely?
Volume 1 includes the prologue and episodes 1–14 of the original webcomic based on the webnovel Tian Guan Ci Fu published on JJWXC.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
STARember's stylish manhua debut, an adaptation of Mo Xiang Tong Xiu's Chinese webnovel, is more satisfying to look at than read. In a lush fantasy historical version of China reminiscent of wuxia movies, Prince Xie Lian achieves divinity as a reward for his heroic deeds. For as-yet-undisclosed reasons, however, he loses the favor of the gods. He's banished back to the mortal world, where his repeated efforts to regain his heavenly status by humble deeds (busking on the streets, collecting trash) make him "the laughingstock of the three realms." Subsequent serialized plots feature Xie Lian and other earthbound immortals recruited by the gods to deal with supernatural troubles plaguing humanity. In this opening volume, they investigate the mystery of a "ghost groom" who abducts brides from their wedding processions. The lavish painted art is rife with lithe figures in flowing silks surrounded by butterflies, blossoms, eerie lights, and dramatic shadows. The script, unfortunately, is mired in confusing info dumps and wonky asides on heavenly bureaucracy. Additionally, the action can be hard to follow visually, in part because the many attractive, elegant characters look so much alike. (At least the young man with disfiguring "human face disease" stands out.) This eye-catching confection lacks flavor.
