Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

When I first saw Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in the theater I decided two things: 1) I wanted to listen to the soundtrack album on CD, and 2) I wanted to read the series of novels upon which the movie was based. The first goal was easy to achieve, but the second was problematic because the novels had not (and have not, as far as I know) been translated into English. There was, however, a graphic novel series, published by HK Comics Limited, which had. The five books of the series (I-V) are adapted in the following volumes (1-12):

I. Crane Frightens KunLun [1-4]

II. Precious Sword, Golden Hairpin [5-8]

III. Sword Force, Pearl Shine [9-12]

IV. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon [movie]

V. Iron Knight, Silver Vase [???]

I have been speaking recently (on "What Comics Have You Read Today?") about buying certain series on "faith", i.e,  buying them without reading them with the intention of reading them all at once at a later date when I'm in the mood. (That "when I'm in the mood" point can be a stickler.) I've had these for 20 years and I'm finally in the mood. First, let's look at the credits.

Author: Andy Seto

Story: Wang Du Lu

Script Writer: So Man Sing

Wang Du Lu is the man who wrote the novels. If So Man Sing wrote the script, what is it exactly that Andy Seto does? Andy Seto is the artist. In every volume he provides a "diary" (or "editorial"). At one point, he laments having left so much "dialogue" ("plot"?) out of the adaptation of the first book (graphic novel volumes 1-4). [After the graphic novel series was completed, a second version of the adaptation of the first book (which I never saw) was released with the missing "dialogue".] From Seto's "diaries", I gather that he is working full script, and when he leaves out "dialogue", I take it that he is in full editorial control, and the decision of how much dialogue/plot to include in the breakdowns is his. I could be wrong, though; I'm just guessing.

The art includes colors never seen on the palette of an American comic book.

I'll bet Jack Kirby would have remained at Marvel had the credits read thusly:

Author: Jack Kirby

Script Writer: Stan Lee

...(which is not to diminish the contributions of either Stan Lee or So Man Sing). 

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  • I am already four volumes in (the equivalent of the first book) and I am beginning to question whether or not this series does indeed adapt all five novels. Volumes 5-8 comprise a "book" and so does 9-12, and that's all there is. I'll find out soon enough, then I plan to re-watch the movie. The early volumes in the graphic novel series each begin with a "relationship chart" (similar to a family tree) which details relationships such as friends, enemies, allies, siblings, spouses, partners and so on, which is extremely helpful. I find myself referring to it often.

  • The Story So Far: 

    Grand Yu and Long Ho were once friends but, six years prior to the beginning of the story, Yu accidentally killed Ho. Now Ho's children, his daughter Jeng and his two sons 2nd Tiger and 7th Tiger, hold Grand Yu responsible for their father's death, causing a feud between the families. Grand Yu's daughter is Yu Shu Lien, a skilled martial artist. Li Mu Bai is seeking a bride and is very particular. She must be smart and skilled in Kung Fu as well as beautiful. Mu Bai met Shu Lien just in time to witness her defeat the Ho family's raiders.

    He is drawn to her, but soon learns that she has been promised in marriage to someone else. Mu Bai is engaged by Grand Yu to escort his daughter to Bau Ding to meet her future husband. On the way they are attacked by Phoenix Wei, and his band of raiders, and Mu Bai loses his Green Destiny sword. Phoenix Wei is the enemy of Yu Gan Cheung, the Golden Spear, who is also Jeng Ho's husband. 

    When Mu Bai catches up with Phoenix Wei they fight a duel and Mu Bai wins his sword back. Mu Bai and  Wei become friends after that, and Mu Bai urges Wei to give up his raiding ways. We also meet Jade Fox, Phoenix Wei's partner, who has her own opinion on the matter. It is at that point that Golden Spear shows up and defeats Wei. Mu Bai steps in and uses a technique which turns Golden spear's own chi against him. Jade Fox reveals a riddle no one has ever solved which will reveal the location of the "Book of Sacred Forms" which will grant the owner mastery of Wudan martial arts. 

  • "To get to the other side!"

    Jeff of Earth-J said:

    .Jade Fox reveals a riddle no one has ever solved which will reveal the location of the "Book of Sacred Forms" which will grant the owner mastery of Wudan martial arts. 

  • Jade Fox steals the emperor's Flaming Pearl, bringing her into conflict with Nan Chiang, Li Mu Bia's teacher and her own brother-in-law. Jade Fox married the "Deaf Master" because she thought he would teach her the secrets of Wudan Kung Fu, but he did not. Now, with Brother Deaf on his death bed, she steals the Flaming Pearl to assure her own survival, but Nan Chiang defeats her and recovers the pearl. Returning to the monastery, Brother Deaf dies and Jade Fox tries to seduce Nan Chiang. He rejects her, but reveals that his former student Li Mu Bai is now his superior, anyway. 

    Among Brother Deaf's things, Jade Fox finds a copy of Wudan's Book of Sacred Forms containing all his secrets. She then poisons Nan Chiang and flees with the book. On his deathbed, Nan Chiang commands his students not to tell Li Mu Bai about how he met his death so that Mu Bai may concentrate on perfecting his own technique. Yu Shu Lien and Li Mu Bai are already aware of Jade Fox by reputation, though, and decide to pursue her one their own. 

  • Governor Yu is on a fox hunt. Among the party is his 10-year-old daughter, Jen Yu. She points out what she thinks is a fox hiding in a bush. Her father fires his bow and hits Jade Fox in the leg. Jade Fox is on the run from a band of raiders, but she says she was separated from her family and robbed. She then passes out (or perhaps she's faking). The raiders then appear and Governor Yu is wounded. the raiders set about killing Yu's men and raping Jen Yu and Jade Fox. Jade Fox recovers enough to attack the raiders with her superior skill. (She has been studying the techniques from the Book of Sacred Forms.) She manages to kill them all, except the leader, who is assaulting Jen Yu. They fight, but Jade Fox is both wounded and exhausted. Jen Yu attacks the raider leader from behind, giving Jade Fox the opening she needs to kill him. Jen Yu offers Jad Fox shelter at their home in exchange for teaching her Kung Fu. Jade Fox accepts the offer and Governor Yu agrees. 

  • Wow, that sounds like it puts the "Graphic" in "Graphc novel".

  • It's really not all that explicit: that is, no nudity whatsoever although there was certainly the intention of rape. the scene was nowhere near as graphic as a typical sex scene in Lone Wolf & Cub. Jade Fox's tunic was ripped, but it exposed no more than Power Girl's typical "window." When Governor Yu's men went to put Jade Fox on a litter, Jen Yu said, "What are you looking at?" and covered her with a cloak. 

  • Back at the governor's house at Xin Jiang, Jen Yu introduces Jade Fox (who she now refers to as "Elder Sister") to Long Gao, her teacher, and urges him to pretend that Jade Fox is his sister so that she will be allowed to stay. Jade Fox has other ideas, though. She seduces the unworldly and inexperienced Long Gao and becomes his wife. (At this point the depictions become somewhat more  explicit.) Jade Fox is unable to read the Wudan Book of Sacred Forms. Up until this point, she has been following the illustrations. He agrees to teach her from the book. 

    Long Gao is forbidden from teaching Jen Yu, a girl, Kung Fu, but Jade Fox, a woman, can. All three begin practicing the forms together, but Jen Yu becomes frustrated that Long Gao is progressing at a faster rate than she is. He explains to her that it is his wish that Jade Fox give up Kung Fu altogether, so he has been holding certain techniques back from her. Because it is Jade Fox who has been training Jen Yu, she will never surpass Long Gao. Long Goa promises to teach her the correct technique if she agrees not to tell Jade Fox that he has been holding back knowledge. 

  • Years pass. Jen Yu has grown into a beautiful young woman skilled in the art of Kung Fu. While crossing the Gobi Desert by wagon trying to outrun a sandstorm, Long Goa, Jade Fox and Jen Yu are attacked by the bandit "Dark Cloud" Lo and his men. Before anyone can stop her, Jen Yu leaps from the wagon and attacks the men singlehanded as the storm hits. Long Goa stops Jade Fox, who knows Jen Lu has surpassed her but doesn't know why. Jade Fox is effectively blinded by the storm, but Long Goa pictures it in his mind by listening. Jen Lu pursues the retreating bandits through the storm and nearly rides her horse off a cliff. She  shouts a challenge to Dark Cloud Lo and a man appears. 

  • The man leads Jen Yu across treacherous terrain to Dark Cloud's camp. As soon as they arrive, Jen Yu learns that the man himself is Dark Cloud. Her horse loses its footing and falls to its death, but Jen Yu survives. she challenges Dark Cloud to a dual. He agrees, setting the stakes: if he loses he will disband his gang of bandits, but if he wins Jen Yu must become his wife. 

    She transfers her chi to her sword and employs the "Sixiang Sword Tactics" which consists of four successive moves: soaring wood, sweeping swallow, dancing crane and stretching dragon. These moves are delivered in sequence, each becoming progressively more powerful than the one before. She wins and he lives up to his end of the bargain, but his gang is none too happy about it. She stays behind to watch him and his men depart. 

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