Some of the pages of the comic book penned by Xu. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Xu says that he set the story during the short-lived dynasty because he wanted to give it a solid cultural and historical foundation, showing how people struggle with fate and fight against it in troubled times.

It took him several years of preparation before he started work on the comic, during which time he practiced drawing storyboards and read reference books like Zizhi Tongjian, (Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government) and Suishu (History of Sui), and sought for advice from experts on the design of weapons and costumes.

"The creation of Dao Ma's image was inspired by historian Sima Qian's description of xiake (meaning swordsmen, or vigilantes) who stand for free will, upholding justice, and fighting against a rigidly stratified society," says Xu. "I suppose the Chinese 'xiake spirit' will resonate with readers around the world."

Last April, the first book of the serialized comic was launched and its sales exceeded 100,000 copies in its first month. Japanese manga artists Rumiko Takahashi and Tooru Fujisawa lavished high praise upon Xu's work for its fascinating characters and enjoyable film-like narration.

Unlike many other influential comic strip artists, who learned to paint or draw from a young age, Xu, who was once an advertising major at Northeast Normal University, barely has any such training.