Jia and the Nian Monster Brings the Classic Chinese Legend to Life
- WRITER
- Mike Richardson
- Artist
- Megan Huang
- Letterer
- Comicraft's Jimmy Betancourt, Richard Starkings
- Cover Artist
- Megan Huang
- Publisher
- Dark Horse Comics
- Price
- 7.99
- Release Date
- 2020-03-18
- Colorist
- Megan Huang
The Nian monster is one of many visually striking elements found in Chinese folklore that has appeared prominently around the world. This iconic creature and the mythology behind it are explored in Dark Horse Comics' latest original graphic novel, Jia and the Nian Monster, by Mike Richardson and Megan Huang. The graphic is an all-ages friendly fantasy story that lovingly delves into the symbolism and iconography of Chinese culture, in particular its traditional observance of New Lunar Year.
Every year, a remote Chinese village is attacked by the mythical Nian monster in revenge for the loss of its divine mistress to an unscrupulous human. After a young girl named Jia loses her family to the hulking beast, she decides to avenge them personally. After she teams up with a young boy from her village named Deshi, the two brave children set out across the Chinese countryside for an adventure to the heart of the Nian monster's lair, deep in the mountains.
Richardson's grasp of Chinese culture doesn't play down to its audience, but remains supremely accessible without coming off as intrusive to the story itself. Jia and Deshi are certainly familiar and don't really break out of their archetypal roles, but both are likable without coming off as derivative from similar character dynamics in other fantasy stories.
What really elevates and propels the comic is Megan Huang's artwork. There's a natural warmth to Huang's visuals, both in the story's quieter moments as Jia interacts with her family and village, as well as when Jia embarks on her perilous mission with Deshi. This instills a sense of vitality throughout the story, with deeply immersive landscapes and genuinely thrilling action sequences -- like when the Nian monster's destructive rampage takes center stage, with Jia right in the behemoth's path. Huang certainly swings for the fences with the cultural elements, and her color palettes gives the visual an effervescently bright life while her depiction of the main characters -- including the Nian monster itself -- are all distinctly memorable in their own right.
It's clear that both Richard and Huang have done their respective research in bringing this mythical vision of China to life, both in terms of scripting and artwork. From top to bottom, the graphic novel feels like a love letter to Chinese culture and folklore, showcasing why exactly the Lunar New Year is celebrated in its traditional manner. With this in mind, Richardson and Huang never lose sight of the story they are telling, keeping the proceedings firmly focused on Jia and her emotional journey as she ventures to confront the Nian monster head-on.
A children's story without playing down its audience, Jia and the Nian Monster truly is an entertaining tale for readers of all ages, celebrating the hallmarks of Chinese culture by breathing new life into East Asian fairytales. Richardson treads familiar ground with his scripting but the story itself never feels old or uninspired. Rather, it's a familiar, accessible jaunt through Chinese mythology. Huang's warm, welcoming visuals delivers some truly stunning artwork from cover-to-cover, reflecting classic Chinese art styles and landscapes in her own signature approach to bring these blended sensibilities to wider audiences. While Lunar New Year may have been observed months ago, this original graphic novel sheds a welcome light on the background behind the iconic holiday.