Marvel Comics has just announced that its current Shang-Chi series will soon be getting renumbered with an all-new title, completing the hero's MCU makeover in the comics canon with the Ten Rings. While the powerful weapons were wielded by the live-action version played by Simu Liu, it looks as though the comics will be following suit by giving them to his comics counterpart as well, serving as a new addition for the character. However, this is only one element of many where Marvel has been working to make the character more recognizable to the MCU version following the success of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
In the current pages of Gene Luen Yang's ongoing Shang-Chi series with artist Marcus To, the titular hero has become the Supreme Commander of the Five Weapons Society following the death of his evil father Zheng Zu (whom the Mandarin replaced in the MCU). Hoping to turn the traditionally criminal organization into a force for good, Shang-Chi has struggled to make his vision a reality as he faces pushback from his previously estranged siblings while concerns mount from his fellow heroes such as Spider-Man and the Avengers. However, Shang-Chi and the Five Weapons have recently united in the most recent issue to save his mother, venturing to the dimension of Ta-Lo and preparing for a conflict that could be even bigger than the battle Shang-Chi faced in the MCU.
Now, it looks as though the Ten Rings will soon be coming into play in the series, preceding the recently announced title change. According to Marvel Comics' new announcement, Shang-Chi will be retitled in July to Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings, a change that will renumber the series as well. However, the series will still have the same creative team (Yang and To). Here's the brand new cover art from Dike Ruan for the upcoming Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings #1:
The introduction of the Ten Rings will follow other changes that have been where continuity has been smoothed over with minor retcons occurring such as the return of Shang-Chi's mother and a new history along with the new focus on the other-dimensional realm of Ta-Lo. Likewise, Shang-Chi taking over the Five Weapons Society from his late father is not unlike his sister Xialing taking over the Ten Rings organization at the end of the MCU film. Furthermore, Shang-Chi's tense relationship with his estranged sister Shi-Hua is now very similar to his relationship with Xialing.
While the addition of the Ten Rings both narratively and in the upcoming title change undoubtedly comes from Marvel's desire to create synergy between the screen and the page, it should be pretty exciting to see Shang-Chi armed with the powerful weapons regardless, which he's apparently been destined to wield. That being said, it will need to be explained how Shang-Chi comes into possession of the Ten Rings in the comics. What happened to the comics' Mandarin (who isn't Shang-Chi's father), and what will his connection be to the martial arts hero? Fans will just have to wait and see when Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings #1 hits shelves July 20th.
Source: Marvel.com