Back in Ancient China four great detectives worked the mean streets of China… only don’t think Sherlock Holmes as these detectives carry a license to kick butt and take no names. Yes, back in the days of great heroes, evil villains, great battles… and cannon fodder for movies starring Jet Li, Chow Yun Fat, Jackie Chan and so forth.

Let’s see… so how long do we have to wait again before this gets picked up by a Chinese production house for a film treatment again?

Joking aside if you are a fan of the martial arts mayhem of Chinese Manhua then you should dig this, as it’s got all the essentials for a great slam bang readathon (and it even comes in oversized Captain America shield size print… sheesh, I thought only Amerotica, Eurotica and Last Gasp of San Francisco used this format! Wow… good thing I don’t throw these books around cause you could put an eye out on these things… sharp!

Directed by… Directed? Are you serious? Directed?
Well… “Directed” by Tony Wong, and illustrated by well known artist Andy Seto (Shaolin Soccer, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon to name a few titles he’s done), it’s got everything you need for a solid high flying action epic in old Chinese Martial Arts style. How so? Let me count the ways.

Band of pretty boy kick butt heroes? Check.
Large beautiful expanses of picturesque landscapes and villages (sometimes burning with dead bodies lying all over the place)? Check.
Hot asian females here and there? Check.
Massive stories of great evils, powerful goods, grand adventures, and beautiful women (who sometimes know how to kick butt and take names just as well as the men who fight around them)? Check.
But enough of that, you want to find out the particulars of this little romp.

A month prior to the start of this story the four constables were investigating the “Mysterious 13 Masked Assassins” when one of their own (of the name “Life Snatcher”) was captured. This sent his two comprades “Emotionless” and “Iron Hands” to the rescue, though that didn’t quite end well (as the crippled Emotionless was thought to have perished in the aftermath of the rescue attempt that went horribly wrong very fast).

Flashforward a month later (the start of this story) and the massacre of four villages has Cold Blooded hot on the trail of new evils. While chasing down the villains Cold Blooded is ambushed and must fight for his life, suddenly finding himself faced with meeting his old comrade in the afterlife… which would be a disappointment as his old comrade Emotionless is NOT in the afterlife but still alive, getting the royal treatment from a small batch of hot female characters.

Then a brief history of the Delirium Dagger then Cold Blooded gets saved.
From that point forward we’re off to the races (more or less) as we’re on the trail of new evil. Meanwhile Emotionless makes a full recovery and, in return for being saved, he’s asked to perform a Dr. Kevorkian on his savior (one Yuan-Shan Lan of West Town).

As for Cold Blooded and Iron Hands (and Constable #4)? The discovery of a pair of bodies from the river (who will make a full recovery once the water is pumped out of them) send them on an “investigation” of possible attempted murder most foul that will bring them on a collision course with the Delirium Dagger and the plot that is quickly unraveling about it and it’s mysteries… but that’s something we’ll talk about more next review (with Volume 2 when it releases).

Hmm… did I say enough to make you want to buy this yet? Did I? Oh, did I forget to mention the title is action packed, filled with pretty artwork (and prettier women), and is solidly written and executed by Mr. “Director” and his artist Mr. Seto? It is, it is.

Gosh you gotta love the genre, it’s beautiful in both film AND in Chinese Manhua! This title being no exception as once again Andy Seto draws forth another beautiful world for you to thoroughly enjoy (thanks to the work of Mr. Wong and company) as you once again take another trip into Ancient China to find another little gem of a read that is probably not on the radar of many (but should be). Be you a fan of the high hitting high styling of the martial arts genre of manhua, or just like a good action yarn with beautifully hot women and manly men who aren’t afraid to show it then this is for you.

Looking forward to seeing what happens next, and can’t recommend this enough to you. Joy, oh readers, this is a joy and you should have it in your collection (fan of the genre you be or not). 5 beautiful Chinese ladies (and kick ass fight sequences) out of 5.