Awkward place to start, but, in spring of 2019, co-creator and writer Jai Nitz was accused by multiple women of rape and/or sexual assault. I can't find anything about how that turned out, although it sure as hell sounds bad. I know Nitz' mini-series Astro Hustle had just released its first issue at the time and Dark Horse canceled the thing. Which may just be standard CYA by the publisher, but maybe not. On the chance I end up making this sound like something interesting, but that's a deal-breaker as far as hunting it down in back issues, better to lay it out there up front.
Fu Jitsu was a five-issue mini-series that came out in late 2017 by Nitz and artist/co-creator Wesley St. Claire. The title character is a century old alien boy genius, who has to somehow stop Robert Wadlow, the World's Tallest Man, who took over the world with the power of the Atomic Katana. Fu Jitsu's only ally is his ex-girlfriend Rachel, who is also an android he built, who broke up with him.
It's one of those series that throws a crapload of concepts at the wall. Which is something I am very susceptible to. See also, Atomic Robo. The third issue is actually set in the 1960s, when Fu Jitsu was the Shaolin Kid, sidekick to Johnny Unitas, who was apparently the superhero Golden Arm. I guess it beats "Super-Pro". Sorry, "NFL Super-Pro." There are fights against future versions of himself, battles involving Gundams, a brief appearance of a bunch of past enemies of Fu Jitsu's. That's them getting pummeled up there. I really like the name, "Baron von Punchausen," but Sizzle Reel and Death Panel are probably the best designs.
The story tends to just glance off a lot of this stuff. Parts of Fu Jitsu's past are mentioned in passing, because the characters know it and don't need to go into detail. Trying to make the world seemed lived in with hints they hope are intriguing. The story also ends on a cliff-hanger, which is a risky choice. Nitz and St. Claire wanted there to be enough buzz and demand for more Fu Jitsu, and so they seem more interested in showing the breadth of this thing they've cooked up. I mean, there's the possibility of more adventures with Golden Arm, focus on Fu Jitsu's time spent in space, his creation of Rachel and everything around it.
I feel as though, if you're going to make a five-issue pitch, maybe don't end it on the big
epiphany that Fu Jitsu has ultimately always been most concerned with
himself, and is really the cause of all this trouble. Puts kind of an unflattering light on all those past adventures they wanted people to be interested in.
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