Local heroes

"It was a regular day, and I was busy drawing drafts of Guiyi Qitan (The Collection of Weird Things, an online comic series about supernatural creatures like mermaids and a man who transforms into a dog). Surprisingly, I got a call from an editor at NetEase, who asked if I would be willing to draw a Chinese-superhero story for Marvel," recalls Gunji.

Feeling excited, but anxious, she agreed to take the new job, which has breathed fresh life into the artist, who jokes that her record for staying home without going out is more than a month.

In the past, the Guangzhou-based artist would finish a comic on her own, doing all the work from start to finish, including writing, storyboarding, drawing the panel images and uploading the new content online.

Sword Master, however, relies a lot more heavily on teamwork.

After collaborating and finalizing the plotline with her editor and the scriptwriter, Shui Zhu, Gunji draws drafts and sends every new chapter to Marvel. She then has to wait for the United States-based team members to agree on the plan.

Besides the language barrier, the time difference also adds challenges. Drawing the comics consumes a lot more time than her usual work.

Inspired by ancient myths about Fu Xi, Nyu Wa and Shen Nong-three ancient demigods, who emerged from chaos to bring civilization to Chinese tribes-Sword Master centers on the fictional role of Lin Lie, a chosen hero who is a descendant of Fu Xi.

Lin is the son of an archaeologist. He discovers an ancient artifact that gives him incredible powers but also unwittingly unleashes an evil tied to his own family's past.

"If we want to create a Chinese superhero, we have to explore our own history and culture deeply. That's how the Sword Master tale was spawned," explains Gunji.