In 1993, Billy Tucci created his first version of what a year later would become his successful indie comics title Shi: Way of the Warrior. Ran, as she was called, had a less sophisticated story than Shi, but the combination of Tucci’s energy and enthusiasm fed into a distinctly 1990s take on a female action hero.

Through original Shi inker, colorist, and logo designer Barry Orkin (Stoker & Wells: Order of the Golden Dawn), Tucci learned of the Sohei warrior monks in Japanese history, and that set him on a course of redevelopment that led to the creation of Shi, a character he’s now been writing and drawing for more than 30 years.

In his recently crowdfunded Shi: Gatecrasher, though, Tucci revisited Ran, and the success of that project led him to give his original version the issue she never got to have. Ran: Revenge of the Warrior closes December 11, 2025, on Kickstarter.

Rather than being frustrated with the “Bad Girl” tag and deluge of copycats it inspired, as he was for much of the early days of Shi, Tucci has embraced it for this project. Set in 1993, the ‘90s style adventure sees the neon lit, rainy streets of Tokyo serve as the backdrop for a vengeance-fueled battle with the Yakuza.

“Ran is everything I always wanted to do with Shi but never dared,” Tucci said.

Ran: Revenge of the Warrior is a 48-page, full-color comic that features covers by Tucci, Leandro Oliveira, Dan Lawlis, and Fred Benes, as well as a wrapround cover by Walter Simonson. There are multiple format options including a newsprint edition of the issue.