Review: HEAVEN OFFICIAL’S BLESSING (THE COMIC) VOL. 1 simply stuns

Heaven Official’s Blessing (The Comic) Vol. 1

Written by: Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
Adapted and Illustrated by: STARember
Lettered by: Viet Phuong Vu
Translated by: Mimi
Designed by: Bones Leopard
Edited by: Logan Balestrino
Published by: Inklore
Publication Date: December 2
Rating: 16+
Genre: Danmei

Heaven Official’s Blessing (The Comic) Vol. 1 formats STARember’s webcomic adaptation of the beloved danmei webnovel by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu into a graphic novel, to great effect. The story follows Xie Lian, the former Crown Prince of Xianle and a twice-banished martial god whose third ascension to heaven has been met with derision from his divine peers. He’s given a challenge: Return to the Mortal Realm and hunt a ghost who preys upon living brides. There, he meets a mysterious stranger with scars from an allegedly eradicated sickness…

This may just be my new obsession.

The English print edition of Heaven’s Official Blessing (The Comic) Vol. 1 beautifully showcases the prologue and first 14 episodes of the webcomic, with character and pronunciation guides for English readers and a table of contents delineating chapter breaks. This version features a brand new English translation and localization by Vivi, which is more fine-tuned in its execution and offers a tighter narrative arc.

Panel layouts by designer Bones Leopard honor the manhua’s original vertical-scroll layout through the use of tall, parallel panels and vertical cut-outs against full-page spreads and horizontal panels. The comic doesn’t feel confined to traditional page layouts, which is something of a feat.

Thanks to Leopard’s work, STARember’s art flows just as well in book form as it does in the Heaven’s Official Blessing webcomic. Richly contrasted, bold colors and well-placed light sources make every page come to life, ratcheting up the tension as Xie Lian and heavenly officials Fu Yao and Nan Feng hunt the ghost on Mount Yujun. Chibi-style art breaks create moments of levity throughout, inviting insight into the characters’ true feelings even in dire circumstances.

A lot of lore gets unpacked at a rapid clip in this first volume, but while that may seem overwhelming at first, leaning into the potential information overload seems to generate the best reading experience. By the time Xie Lian is back on Earth and focused on the mission, things start to make sense, and when the cliffhanger hits at the end of the book, the immersion is so good that it feels a bit like a slap to suddenly be faced with the back cover. (Luckily, Lezhin Comics—which took over publication of the webcomic from Bilibili Comics following its shutdown—is up to Episode 101.)

Mo Xiang Tong Xiu’s storytelling is brilliant, with extensive world-building and intriguing characters whose backstories I need to know more about immediately. STARember successfully adapts the webnovel for webcomics, and the team at Inklore further continue that work in adapting the webcomic for graphic novels while honoring the source material with each decision. This book simply stuns in every way—and it’s a breathtaking addition to any bookshelf, especially in this hardcover format.

Verdict: Buy