The Zodiac Legacy: Convergence’ Rawr Reviews Superhero legend returns true to form

Bradley Burgess | rawr reviews

If you don’t know who Stan Lee is, you’re clearly not a nerd.

He was lead editor of Marvel Comics when he was just 18 years old. He created Spider-Man, X-Men, the Fantastic Four, the Avengers and countless others. He’s appeared in virtually every movie based on those works. In short, this man is God to millions of comic book fans. So when he puts out a new illustrated novel for Disney, we all should pay attention.

“The Zodiac Legacy: Convergence” is a refreshingly old school superhero franchise starter Lee himself wrote, with editing from Stuart Moore and artwork from Andie Tong. Undoubtedly, Lee’s legions of followers will read it based on pedigree alone, but even for those not in tune with the genre, it’s a great read.

The story is about Chinese-American teenager Steven Lee, who is on a class trip to a Hong Kong museum. He unintentionally stumbles into an ancient ritual conducted by the mysterious Maxwell, who is trying to harness the powers of the Zodiac animals. After receiving the powers of the Zodiac Tiger, Steven teams up with Jasmine, a Zodiac Dragon and Maxwell’s primary opposition, on a global chase to recruit other people who have received Zodiac powers before Maxwell’s Vanguard agents get to them first.

The book feels fresh and nostalgic at the same time. Yes, it’s technically a superhero origin story, but Lee’s writing doesn’t point a finger at which genre it’s in. Most superhero stories are already heightened and extraordinary from page one, but Lee wisely grounds this world before showing us the fantasy.

Readers are educated on ancient Chinese history and the book earns points for doing its homework and bringing a foreign culture into contemporary context.

Every chapter comes with at least one gorgeous illustration highlighting the events of said chapter, but even if you strip this away, the book is incredibly visual. Lee comes from a world where artists create half the world, but reading this book, you would never guess that. He describes everything so well, so readers get a clear mental picture with every word. It makes the audience yearn for a film adaptation, although it’s not required to enjoy the story.

The characters showcase Lee’s trademark memorability. Steven makes for a relatable lead, and his reluctance to become a hero is handled wisely. Jasmine sparkles off the page and her dialogue is fun to read. There’s a bunch of other characters, including super powered teenagers and ruthless villains.

On top of all this, the book is just plain fun. The 463 pages can fly by in a few days due to the gripping narrative that throws in a few exciting twists and creative use of the reality-based powers.

“The Zodiac Legacy: Convergence” is a ball to read. The breakneck pace, memorable characters and energetic story meld together wonderfully. Readers will be clamoring for the inevitable sequel and will be talking about the story long after they’ve finished it. Pick it up, give it a read and get ready for a wild ride.