by Alison L. Roberts

Certain folktales are so universally appealing that there is room for each generation to interpret them as their own. Journey to the West is one such story and has served as the inspiration for far-flung and numerous projects, from movies, Leiji Matsumoto-helmed anime and a U.S. television miniseries to the recent anime/manga Saiyuki and Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball.

The original legend chronicles the adventures of two travelers, a Chinese monk in search of a Buddhist text and the boisterous monkey king who serves as his companion on this quest for enlightenment.

XIN: Legend of the Monkey King is artist/author Kevin Lau's (Vampi) hyperkinetic take on the ubiquitous Chinese myth. What makes this journey different from the rest?

Issue #1 opens up with Xin, the monkey king of this tale, raising a ruckus. A celestial temper tantrum because things aren't the way he thinks they should be. It is such a spectacle that Buddha's eight saints take it upon themselves to confront their colleague.

Their battle — set among stylized, ancient architecture and, in some cases, conducted with futuristic, science fiction weaponry — is action-packed, yet character-driven. Xin's frustration, however justified (or unjustified), is immediately tangible, and the opening sequence is an incredibly effective introduction to supporting characters who will likely serve as his foils throughout the three-issue miniseries.

Lau and UDON Studio's Erik Ko waste no time with expository devices, instead choosing to propel readers into the fray. They allow the characters' strong personalities to speak for themselves, via dialogue penned by Jay Faerber (Noble Causes). The vibrancy of the art adds another layer of tautness and urgency to a situation where emotions are already running high.

Part superhero, part anti-hero, Xin, himself, is refreshingly brash and conceited in a way that is still vaguely likable. The reason why? For the most part, he is that good . . . making him a potentially valuable ally or deadly enemy.

Will Xin overcome his arrogance and achieve the powerhouse status for which he feels he is destined? It's how you get there that counts, and the road he takes is sure to be interesting.