Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #3

Good afternoon,

Today's focus is the third issue of Marvel's adaptation of the first Star Wars film. The cover showed Han Solo, Leia Organa, Chewbacca, and Luke Skywalker blasting their way through a cadre of Stormtroopers. The tale was titled "Death Star!" The issue had a publication date of September 1977.

The story began on the large Imperial space station, which was now orbiting Leia's home planet of Alderaan. Grand Moff Tarkin urged the princess to provide him with the location of the Rebel base. She finally uttered that the Rebels were on Dantooine. Tarkin was somewhat satisfied with the response and continued with the operation. He summoned the firing crew, who aimed the massive cannon at the planet, completely obliterating it in a matter of minutes. 

The loss of life on that world was soon felt by Obi-Wan Kenobi. While on board the Millennium Falcon with Solo, Chewbacca, Skywalker, and the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO, he felt a disturbance in the Force as Alderaan's inhabitants cried out and were suddenly silenced. After a moment, he then instructed Luke to continue with his Jedi training exercises. 

Chewbacca and Artoo were involved in a game of dejarik (also referred to as holochess). It was a match the astrodroid was excelling at, until his Wookiee companion became angered. Threepio then suggested a new strategy: let the Wookiee win, for fear that a loss might cause him to tear the droid's limbs from its body.

Meanwhile. Luke used his father's lightsaber to defend himself from shocks fired by a floating remote. It wasn't until he put on a helmet with the blast shield down at Kenobi's urging that he was able to ward off the attacks. He'd just taken his first step into a larger world.

Before long, the ship exited hyperspace. They left lightspeed in the ruins of what had once been Alderaan. Han was alerted to the appearance of a TIE (twin ion engine) fighter that sped past them. He raced to follow the craft, which was heading toward what appeared to be a small moon.

Kenobi correctly identified the moon as a space station. By the time Han and Chewbacca could react, the Falcon was caught in a tractor beam, moving them ever closer to the massive complex. They had no choice but to be reeled in. 

Tarkin and Darth Vader were soon informed that the ship matched the markings of a vessel that had blasted its was from the Mos Eisley spaceport on Tatooine (as seen last issue). A minute earlier, one of the Imperial officers told them that scout ships had been to Dantooine and found the remains of a Rebel base, which had been abandoned for quite some time.

Vader presumed that the now captive ship might have been trying to return the stolen data tapes to Leia. That would delay her execution, at least for the moment, anyway. Han instructed his passengers to duck down into the storage compartments that he'd installed for smuggling while an Imperial scanning crew came to inspect the ship.

Chewbacca and Han made short work of the crew and the Stormtrooper guards. Solo and Luke put on the Stormtrooper armor and made their way to a control tower. From there, Threepio was able to determine where the tractor beam could be deactivated and showed the locations on a map.

Kenobi went off to accomplish that goal. It was something he had to do alone. Before leaving, he told Luke that their paths were different and that the Force would always be with the young lad. Han wasn't happy about sitting there and waiting to be picked up. Artoo excitedly beeped about having located the princess. 

Luke convinced the smuggler to go rescue her. He devised a plan where they pretended to be transferring Chewbacca to another cell. The guards weren't fooled, but the trio made short work of them before finding which cell Leia was being kept in. 

Skywalker went to find her, while Han and Chewie stayed back, preparing for more soldiers. Leia was a bit dismissive of the short Stormtrooper until Luke removed his helmet and explained that he was there with Kenobi and the R2 unit. The duo soon joined Solo and the Wookiee in a firefight with more Stormtroopers, one that seemed to have cut off their only escape path. 

Well, we're halfway through the adaptation already. This issue stays pretty close to the script in the movie, although the artwork by Howard Chaykin and Steve Leiahola is a bit messy in spots. This was the part of the story where the action really picked up, and I think this issue did a pretty good job of portraying that.

Tomorrow, I'll recap the fourth issue of this adaptation. We'll see Luke, Han, Chewie, and Leia go from the frying pan and into the fire as they attempt to escape from the Imperials. There'll also be the first-ever lightsaber battle from the film series. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #2

Hi everyone,

Today's topic is the second issue of Marvel's adaptation of the very first Star Wars movie. The cover showed Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi about to engage in battle with a bevy of strange-looking alien creatures. The tale was titled "Six Against the Galaxy." The issue had a cover date of August 1977.

The story began with an unconscious Skywalker lying motionless on the Tatooine desert ground, having been knocked out during a brief scuffle with Tusken Raiders. The scavengers were in the midst of ransacking Luke's landspeeder when the sounds of a Krayt dragon scared them off. 

Ben Kenobi had made the beastly noise. He revived the young lad, who said that he'd been out in the Jundland Wastes on the trail of R2-D2. The diminutive astrodroid claimed to be the property of an Obi- Wan Kenobi, who Ben admitted was him, although he didn't seem to recall ever owning a droid. They then went to recover See-Threepio, who had fallen during the attack, before retreating to Ben's home before the Sand People returned in greater numbers.

As Luke repaired Threepio's arm, Kenobi located the message that Artoo had been carrying. It was a holographic transmission from Princess Leia Organa. Her ship had been en route to enlist his aid, but had been captured by Imperials. She begged for his help, stating that the former Clone Wars soldier was their only hope.

Ben admitted that he'd served in the Clone Wars, just like Luke's father did. Luke's aunt and uncle told him that his father had been a navigator on a spice freighter. Ben then went to an old chest to retrieve one of his comrade's possessions: a lightsaber. This was the weapon used by the Jedi Knights. The Jedi were once the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy, before the Empire hunted down and eliminated most of them.

Luke then asked Ben what happened to his father. Kenobi said that his former pupil, Darth Vader, destroyed and murdered the boy's father. He went on to say that Vader had been seduced by the dark side of the Force, an energy field created by all living things. Ben asked the lad to accompany him to Alderaan to assist the princess and learn the ways of the Force like his father had.

Skywalker felt compelled to assist his family, even though he hated the Empire. He offered to take Kenobi to Anchorhead. From there, the old general could secure transport to Mos Eisley or other locations. Kenobi observed that Luke must do what he felt was right, of course.

On the Death Star, Vader entered Leia's cell with a droid (that looked nothing like the interrogation droid from the movie) to learn where the secret Rebel base was. Back on Tatooine, Luke and company were en route to Anchorhead when they came across a battered Sandcrawler.

The Jawa transport and its inhabitants had been ravaged by Imperial stormtrooper blasters. Luke realized that they were the same Jawas who had sold his uncle Artoo and Threepio. He then rushed home, only to find his uncle and aunt's charred remains outside the family abode. Luke had been too late.

Meanwhile, on the Death Star, Vader was reporting Leia's resistance to the mind probe to his superior, Grand Moff Tarkin. Tarkin felt that an alternative might be more appropriate. He then ordered that the station set a course for the planet Alderaan.

Luke returned to Ben and the droids, who were cleaning up things back at the devastated Sandcrawler. He asked the old man to go with him to Alderaan and train him in the ways of the Jedi. The quartet was then soon off to Mos Eisley. Kenobi had warned Luke beforehand to be careful in the wretched hive of scum and villainy.

It wasn't long before a quartet of Imperial Stormtroopers approached Luke's landspeeder. When one soldier asked how long Luke had had the droids in the back of his craft, Ben gently stated that these weren't the droids that they were looking for and that Luke could go about his business. After departing, he remarked how the Force could have an influence on the weak-minded. 

Luke parked the landspeeder outside a rather seedy-looking cantina. Ben said that most of the best pilots could be found in establishments like that one, adding that things could get a little rough. The droids were denied entry and remained near the speeder.

As Ben was making his way around the bar, Luke approached the bartender and asked for a beverage. He was jostled by an alien whose mate said that his friend didn't like the young farmboy. He said that he didn't like the youngster either, and warned him because he had the death sentence on twelve systems. Just then, Ben intervened, offering to buy them a drink.

The duo resisted, and the alien raised his blaster. The arm wielding that weapon was quickly sliced off by a quick slash of Kenobi's lightsaber. Afterward, Ben directed Luke toward a table in the back. He'd just been conferring with the first mate on a ship that might be able to take them offworld.

While Artoo and Threepio were becoming wary of a patrol that might be looking for them, Skywalker and Kenobi were being introduced to Han Solo, a gruff Correllian who was captain of the ship known as the Millennium Falcon. The eight-foot-tall Wookiee next to him was his co-pilot, Chewbacca.

Ben asked for passage to the Alderaan system for himself, the boy, and two droids, with no questions asked. They were looking to avoid any Imperial entanglement, which made the pilot a bit wary. He asked for 10,000 credits, all in advance. Kenobi countered by saying that they could pay two thousand now and another fifteen thousand when they reached Alderaan. 

Solo accepted the counteroffer and told them to meet him at docking bay 94. He advised his customers that someone was starting to take an interest in their handiwork, gesturing at a pair of Stormtroopers who had probably been informed of the incident with the patrons at the bar earlier. Ben and Luke were gone by the time the troopers reached the back table where they had just been sitting.

Luke and Ben retrieved their belongings from the landspeeder, knowing that Luke would have to sell the craft so they would have enough money for the down payment for their flight. Han was telling Chewbacca to prep their ship when he was met by an alien named Greedo. Greedo had come to collect a debt that Solo owed his boss, Jabba the Hutt.

Solo said that he had the money, but not on his person at the moment. There was clearly no love lost between the two, and Han fired his blaster under the table before the alien could shoot, ending the threat permanently. He tossed the bartender a coin on his way out, apologizing for the mess.

Luke sold the speeder, grumbling that he made less from the deal than expected. Ben assured him that it would be enough. As they made their way to the docking bay, neither of them knew that a long-snouted creature was tailing them.

Outside the Falcon, Jabba and his men were waiting for the ship's captain. Note: the alien portrayed here as Jabba was nothing like his iteration that was finally shown in Return of the Jedi. This interaction was based on a part of the script from Lucasfilm. There was a portion of the movie that was shot that showed Jabba as a human character, which was eventually cut from the movie. In the special edition of Star Wars: A New Hope, this scene was included, with Jabba as the familiar slug that we'd since grown accustomed to. It also included the bounty hunter Boba Fett as part of the crimelord's entourage. 

Jabba and his henchmen asked the pilot why he'd failed to pay him and why he'd slain Greedo. Han asked Jabba to find him personally the next time he needed something, before explaining that he had to dump his last shipment of spice after being boarded by Imperials. Solo stated that he'd just taken on a nice charter that would pay handsomely. All he needed was some time.

The crime boss was satisfied by this news, but told Han that if he disappointed him once more, he'd put a price on his head so large that he could never enter another civilized star system ever again. Han replied by saying that he'd pay Jabba not because of the threat, but because it would be his pleasure.

Vader and his staff were receiving reports from Tatooine that their troopers were still combing the area for the droids that had undoubtedly received the stolen plans for their space station. One squadron had just been alerted by the spy who had been trailing Luke and Ben of their imminent departure.

The troopers opened fire on the Falcon. Han returned shot for shot for a while before raising the hatch and telling his co-pilot to raise the deflector shields. The Millennium Falcon burst into space even as a trio of Star Destroyers attempted to intercept the smaller vessel.

Han told his passengers to settle in. He had to prepare the coordinates to reach their destination via hyperspace. A few moments later, the smugglers and their clients were soaring by lightspeed. 

I apologize if I quote some of the lines directly from the movie. That's just because I've seen this film so many times that I know most of it by heart. If you thought that the alien (who can be seen in the movie in one of the hallways after Luke sells his landspeeder) that was shown as Jabba in this issue was interesting, he makes a return to the monthly mag several months after the film adaptation has been completed.

Well, that's all for me for today. Tomorrow, I'll recap the third issue of this movie adaptation. We'll find out what Tarkin had in mind, see Luke begin his Jedi training, and witness what the ragtag group does once they approach the ominous space station. Until then, have a great day and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Star Wars (1977) #1

Good morning everyone,

I'm taking a little time on this snowy Sunday to recap Marvel's very first issue of Star Wars. The first six issues of the title chronicled the original film. Most of us are familiar with the cover image, which shows Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Organa, Ben Kenobi, Darth Vader, the Death Star, and several Rebel and Imperial fighter craft. The first issue had an original publication date of July 1977.

The epic kicked off with the massive Imperial Star Destroyer chasing the Rebel blockade runner. In the midst ot the ensuing chaos on the smaller ship were the protocol droid C-3PO and his astromech counterpart, R2-D2. Meanwhile, the space battle was witnessed in part on the planet Tatooine by a young farmboy named Skywalker.

Villainous Vader and his legion of Imperial Stormtroopers had captured the Rebel ship and were now frantically searching for its passengers, as well as the transmissions that had been beamed aboard the vessel. Darth was ready to accomplish his objectives by any means necessary, even if it meant killing Rebels in the process.

Not far from the tyrant were the two droids. Artoo had befriended the young princess, who provided him with the information that the Empire had been looking for. He directed his companion to a nearby escape pod, which was soon jettisoned toward the desert planet below. 

Leia was then left to fend for herself. She encountered a group of Stormtroopers and put up a good fight before a stun blast knocked her out of the battle. The troopers finally had something to report to their leader.

Back on Tatooine, an excited Skywalker couldn't wait to tell his friends in Anchorhead what he'd just seen. Camie and Fixer were less receptive than Luke's best friend, Biggs Darklighter. Biggs was doubtful, but understood his friend's enthusiasm. He wanted to get off the planet as much as any of them did. 

It wasn't long before Leia was brought before Vader. She claimed to be on a diplomatic mission to her homeworld of Alderaan, a statement that the Dark Lord of the Sith swiftly refuted. He stated that she was part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor. After she was led away, Vader instructed his subordinates to send a transmission that all aboard the blockade runner had been killed, and to send a scanning crew to the planet to search for the escape pod that had been launched during the infiltration.

That escape pod had just landed in the Tatooine desert. It was a rough terrain that the droids were not built for. They decided to go on separate paths. Artoo's path led him to his imminent capture by scavengers known as Jawas.

Luke and Biggs were still talking together in Anchorhead. Darklighter confessed to his best friend that he was going to join the Alliance as soon as his assigned ship reached one of the central systems. Luke lamented the fact that he'd probably have to stay on and help his aunt and uncle with their moisture farm for yet another season. 

While all of this was going on, a group of Imperial leaders were conferring about Vader, the Rebellion, and the new battlestation that the Emperor had approved. Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Darth and Grand Moff Tarkin. Tarkin informed the group that the Senate had been dissolved, and that regional governors were now in control. 

Doubt was expressed about the stolen plans, something that Vader affirmed he would acquire eventually. He went on to demonstrate the power of the Force, before Tarkin ordered him to cease. The Moff was confident that the tapes would soon be theirs, and that the Rebel Alliance would be destroyed.

A little while later on the desert planet, a large sandcrawler was rumbling toward a small farmstead. Included in its inventory were the robots R2-D2 and C-3PO. Both of them had been captured by the Jawas and were about to be put up for sale. They were put on display along with several other well-worn droids. 

Their wares were being inspected by Owen Lars and his nephew, Luke. After careful consideration, Owen opted for C-3PO and an R5 unit. However, as soon as the astrodroid rolled on, its motivator broke. Threepio convinced Luke to suggest R2 as a replacement. This was suitable for Owen, and the droids now had a new master.

Luke was tasked with looking after the new acquisitions. While he was cleaning Artoo, he came across a snippet of a hologram. It was part of the message that Leia had recorded before the robots entered the blockade runner's escape pod. Luke was taken by her beauty and demanded to see the rest of the message. The stubborn droid refused to do so, even after his restraining bolt had been removed.

At dinner that evening, Luke told his uncle about his suspicion that the R2 unit might have been stolen, because he'd come across a recording saying that he belonged to someone called Obi-Wan Kenobi. He wondered if that meant old Ben Kenobi. Owen brushed Ben off as a strange old hermit and told his nephew to concentrate on his work. He also said that he needed him to stay for the harvest, and that Luke could send his application to the academy next year. Frustrated, Luke left the room, and went back to work on the droids. Beru chided her husband for forcing Luke to stay on when most of his friends had already gone, adding that Luke wasn't a farmer and that he had too much of his father in him. That's what Owen was afraid of. 

When he returned to where he'd left the robots, only C-3PO came forth when summoned. He pleaded forgiveness for Artoo's rash departure. Luke went out to try to spot the astrodroid with his macrobinoculars. He was out of scanning range, and it was too dangerous to try to find him at night because of the Sand People. 

Luke and Threepio left via the family's battered landspeeder to search for their missing comrade. They didn't know that Imperials had found the escape pod and a metal ring nearby, indicating that droids had been aboard. The speeder stopped after finding Artoo.

The astrodroid wasn't about to join them just yet. He warned that there were several creatures approaching from the southeast. Luke grabbed a blaster rifle from the speeder and went to find a place to scout. He saw a Sandperson (aka Tusken Raider) sitting by a pair of Banthas. The other Sandperson was right next to him. The creature raised his Gaderffii stick and shattered the old rifle, leaving Luke weaponless against his attacker.

I didn't know a lot about artist Howard Chaykin before I started reading this series. The one thing about this issue's cover that drew my eyes was the fact that the back part of Vader's helmet was uneven. The right side is much bigger than the left side. Writer Roy Thomas later admitted that the full theatrical movie wasn't available to view before this adaptation began, and there are some parts that didn't make the final cut. It's still a very well-respected version that is very much in demand by collectors.

Well, that's all for today. Tomorrow, I'll discuss the second issue of this adaptation. We'll find out what happened in the Tusken Raider battle, and see Luke's meeting with Kenobi. We'll also learn more about the Empire's new weapon and be introduced to a certain Correllian pilot and his first mate. Until then, have a great day and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: What If? #16

Hello again,

I'm devoting this post to the sixteenth issue of Marvel's bi-monthly double-sized comic, What If? The story was "What If Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu, fought on the side of Fu Manchu?" The issue had a cover date of August 1979.

As long-time Master of Kung Fu readers probably know, Shang-Chi's first mission was to assassinate Doctor Petrie in London, at his father's order: the evil Fu Manchu. Shang accomplished the task (on what we later learned had been a robot duplicate of the dear doctor). After accomplishing the task, Shang-Chi was confronted by a wheelchair-bound Sir Dennis Nayland Smith, who told the lad about the evil he'd witnessed in his years of working with the tyrant. He also showed his leg that had been damaged during one incident. 

Shang-Chi later returned to his father's Honan, China retreat, and listened to his father's claims of trying to restore their nation to its former glory. He was not convinced that Manchu's intentions were pure, and renounced his father. They would then go on to become mortal enemies.

However, in this alternative, Shang accomplished his task and quickly left after killing Petrie. A sorrowful Smith was left behind to mourn his longtime friend. Shang-Chi met with Manchu afterward and was informed that Smith was more evil than Petrie. 

Meanwhile, Smith informed Black Jack Tarr about the loss of their associate. While Smith and Tarr were recruiting Clive Reston and Leiko Wu to their cause of revenge against Manchu, the dictator was advising his son that selective killing would at times be necessary. 

The heroes embarked on searching for leads in London that might lead to Manchu, while Shang was assigned to stand guard as his Si-Fan warriors attempted to dig up five Dacoit members who had been dead for twenty years. Little did he know that the task would bring him into contact with Smith's colleagues.

Shang-Chi soon squared off against Tarr for the first time, while the Si-Fan warriors were digging up the graves and loading them onto a nearby truck. Wu and Reston, who were still lovers at the time, joined in the battle that ensued. The truck eventually got away, but not after leaving one of the soldiers behind as a captive.

Fu Manchu intended to revive the long-dead Dacoit warriors. He then planned to use them to strike the leadership at Buckingham Palace in London. Back at their headquarters, a few doses of truth serum were finally enough to convince the captured warrior to disclose his master's plans to Smith and company.

After questioning his father's motives, Shang had been exiled to his quarters. He didn't stay there very long and soon went to stop the attack. By the time that Tarr, Wu, and Reston arrived at the palace, the resurrected warriors had just burst through the ground below, riding large lizards as they charged. 

Shang-Chi evaded the attackers and the gas that was meant to provide minimal resistance, breaking through an open window of the palace. The warriors and their beasts posed formidable threats, and Shang soon found himself joining the others in battle against them. Before long, Tarr and a British guard eliminated their foes with several flamethrower bursts. 

Angered by the Dacoits' destruction, Shang-Chi cried out and slapped Reston before departing. He fought his way to the throne, where his father now sat. He informed Manchu that his opponents were already on their way to him. 

Manchu eventually escaped, before Shang ran into Reston and company once more. This time, he explained that he was the son of Fu Manchu, but that he had no desire to serve him any longer. Smith asked the youth if he would join them. Shang-Chi refused, noting that the revived warriors should have been assisted instead of killed. He then went off on his own. 

This was an interesting take on the main and supporting characters. I'm not a big fan of Rick Hoberg's art, but I'm glad that this tale was penned by Doug Moench. He's the one person who I feel really understood each of the characters individually. I'm glad that he chose to have Shang-Chi see the error of his ways, much like he did in the regular Master of Kung Fu title. I couldn't imagine an evil Shang, especially one that continued on with his evil father's ways. 

Well, that wraps up my Master of Kung Fu series of articles. I hope that you enjoyed them. They were fun to write about. I started picking up these issues because they were relatively inexpensive, and once I started reading them, I just had to know what happened during the entire series' run. You can find the individual issues and omnibus collections in print and online. Shang and company were also featured in the second Giant-Sized issue of Spider-Man, and Shang-Chi made guest appearances in Captain America, Daredevil, Marvel Team-Up, Marvel Two-In-One, and other titles as well. 

Time for me to take a breather for a bit. I'll kick off the new month with a new series. This one will feature a certain group of star warriors in stories that took place a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. Until then, have a great weekend and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Master of Kung Fu: Bleeding Black

Hi everyone,

This post will be dedicated to the Master of Kung Fu one-shot issue. It was called Master of Kung Fu: Bleeding Black. This special issue was 80 pages of brand new content, featuring Shang-Chi, Leiko Wu, Black Jack Tarr, and Clive Reston. It had a publication date of February 1991.

It took place not long after the events of the Master of Kung Fu storyline from Marvel Comics Presents in 1988. Shang was dealing with the inevitability of his pending demise, thanks to being poisoned by a brand-new toxin that had been created by their previous foe, the arms dealer Argus. He was busy meditating to try to get some sense of his life.

Meanwhile, a man named Li Chun was being tended to by his female attendants. While Shang-Chi was meditating, Leiko was getting a tray for tea ready and still dealing with the newness of her artificial left hand. At the same time, Tarr and Reston were waiting for their contact.

Unfortunately, the meeting would not take place, at least not while their contact was alive, anyway. He was fatally stabbed by a knife that was thrown by their old opponent, Zaran, the weapons master. The villain soon delivered the reliquary that the contact had in his possession to Chun, who was also known as Shadow-Hand. Tarr and Reston later discovered the dead body and told Shang that the courier had information about a secret stash of the elixir that was often used to extend his father's life. 

In Chapter II: The One-Eyed Guide, Shang talked with his friend about the elixir. It was something that he'd originally eschewed (last seen in the monumental Master of Kung Fu #100), but was willing to search for it, if it could possibly reverse the poison. Wu told him how much she'd missed him (since he left to become a fisherman in MOKF #125) and wasn't about to abandon him on his quest.

First, Shang needed to consult with a man called One-Eye. He ventured down to the Hong Kong wharf. After fighting off a few attackers, he met the old man who gave him an address. Chun and Zaran were occupied at the time with examining the reliquary, which was a model of an Oriental temple. 

At his destination, Shang-Chi found a check that confirmed Zaran's involvement in the affair. The payment also gave him another location, which belonged to Chun himself. That was his next destination.

This began Chapter III: The Unfolding Puzzle. After dispatching the guard dogs outside, Shang made his way in the building. He soon found the reliquary. Lifting it from the base exposed a maze that also served as a floor plan. Shang-Chi also found several pieces of faded parchment that identified the location of the serum, as well as pictorial information about a few related items. 

Upon hearing someone approach, he made quick work of returning the floor plan and reliquary to the state that he'd found them in, and departed before Chun entered the room. However, once he was outside, he found himself up close with Zaran once more. 

Their rematch kicked off Chapter IV: The Floating Serpent. Although Shang abhorred weapons, he would use them defensively from time to time when necessary. A swift elbow to Zaran's jaw ended the scuffle, right before guards could approach. Shang hopped the fence and soon returned to his comrades.

Once inside, Shang told his friends what he'd seen. While Leiko bandaged his wounds, he asked for maps that could verify the location of the island that he'd seen on one of the pieces of parchment. While he was dong research, a group of masked assasins were on the island. One of them used the beam from a ring worn on his finger to open a hidden cache of items contained in a stone that bore the mark of the phoenix. The soldiers then went to meet Zaran and Chun.

In Chapter V: The Returning Stranger, we learned that the masked men were Si-Fan warriors, who had the same prior master as Chun, aka Shadow-Hand. Chun was a potential tyrant who used various weapons in place of his hands. As Tarr, Reston, Wu, and Shang were discussing their course of action, Zaran was bringing out the reliquary on the island, which would act as their guide.

A fight soon broke out between the Si-Fan and the island's new guests. After Chun and Zaran's victory, Shadow-Hand thought back to the time when a strange caged creature forcibly removed his hands from his body. That explained his use of weapons in the place of those lost appendages. 

What they didn't know was that the heroes were traveling via submarine to the island at that very moment. After a while, they emerged, using scuba gear to swim to shore. They were still as committed to the cause as their foes were to theirs.

Chapter VI: The Crowning Darkness began with Reston making sure that there were no immediate threats in their vicinity. Their goal was to reach the volcano, which would be the main entrance to the lair. Zaran, Chun, and the remaining Si-Fan warriors who had since joined their cause were almost at that landmark by then.

Several Si-Fan warriors took the rear and eventually wound up fighting our heroes. Chun and Zaran proceeded inside the volcano. Zaran used the ring to gain access to an inner level, where they soon found the actual temple that the reliquary had been based on. 

During the fracas, Shang-Chi and Wu found themselves separated from Reston and Tarr. As Tarr and Reston were being taken to their foes' leader, Shang and Leiko soon branched off on different paths, hoping to find the volcano at the end of one of them. 

Shang encountered a strange, tall, white, hairy beast. His tussle with it continued on in Chapter VII: The Beasting Man. It looked somewhat similar to the Wendigo that battled the Hulk, Wolverine, X-Men, and other Marvel characters in different titles. An attack from above by Zaran was enough to gradually convince the beast and Shang-Chi that they were on the same side.

After dispatching their common enemy, Shang made a fire and used some leaves as a poultice for his injured leg. He then used the same remedy on the creature's back. The duo soon left the scene as friends instead of enemies.

Wu's path was chronicled in Chapter VIII: The Rising Bars. It didn't take her very long to find the cells where Reston and Tarr had been held. As she made short work of the female guards, Shang-Chi entered the temple. He followed the path that he'd remembered from the small-scale model. At one point, he ran into the creature, who soon gave him the ring that served as a key. 

Chun's ritual began in Chapter IX: The Mirroring Darkness. He hadn't located the prize yet, but Shang was coming closer to him with each passing step. The two soon faced off for the first time. Shadow-Hand's ball and chain weapons were impressive, but they weren't enough for him to win the fight against either Shang or his old foe, the creature, who had broken into the room just before Chapter X: The Dying Elixir started.

Unfortunately, Shadow-Hand got his revenge on the beast by knocking him several stories below. He then renewed his attack on Shang, who quickly ripped the chained weapons from his foe's body. He then used the ring to open a compartment that bore treasure along with the serum. He drank from the vial right before the warriors proclaimed him their new leader. 

Shang-Chi accepted the mantle long enough to issue two commands. First, he asked the soldiers to give up the way of assassins and forget his father. His second request was for their prisoners to be freed. Tarr, Reston, and Wu were then rejoined with their friend.

Afterward, the quartet sailed away from the island. Shang tossed the vial onto the rock, stating that one taste was enough. He was content to wait to see if the serum had worked to counteract the poison and allow him to go on living. If not, he was willing to accept his fate.

Obviously, the serum worked, and Shang-Chi would go on to face new challenges. His appearances were somewhat sporadic in Marveldom until his own movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was announced. All in all, this was a rather satisfying epic crafted by writer Doug Moench and artists Dan and David Day, who were brothers of the late Master of Kung Fu artist Gene Day. 

I have one more Shang-Chi article to write, which will be from What If. The sixteenth issue of that bimonthly mag posed the question: What if Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu, fought on the side of Fu Manchu? It's something that we'll dig into next time. Until then, have a great weekend and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Revisisted: Marvel Comics Presents #8

Hello all,

Now it's time for me to recap the Master of Kung Fu story that appeared in the eighth issue of Marvel Comics Presents. The story was called "Crossing Lines VIII: Kills." The issue had a publication date of early December 1988.

While a battle blazed on in an island off the coast of Sardinia, Shang-Chi found himself face to face with the evil arms dealer Argus, who proclaimed that his girlfriend, Leiko Wu, was dead. Their initial encounter was interrupted by the arrival of Clive Reston and Black Jack Tarr. The villain retreated to his laboratory, followed closely by Shang. 

Several terrorists entered the melee, and Reston and Tarr were forced to return fire. Meanwhile, Shang-Chi stepped in front of Hashioka (whom he'd met earlier in Tokyo under the guise on arms dealer) just as a vial of acid was flung at him. He knocked Hashioka down and pursued Argus, who had fled down the corridor.

Shang-Chi soon saw that Argus was in a room where the very much alive Leiko was being held captive. Furious, he lunged at her kidnapper and beat him unconscious. He was reminded of what he was doing when Tarr and Reston arrived. They let Leiko go, and the two lovers embraced. 

Afterward, they left Argus and his minions to be picked up by the proper authorities. Leiko and Shang were taken to a hospital in Rome. Three days later, the group returned to Hong Kong. 

Back at the Oriental Expediters headquarters, Shang-Chi and Leiko were gathered at Xiao's headstone. She told Shang that the ring Xiao gave her had belonged to his late wife. They'd pretended to be lovers to help him change and distance Xiao from his past as a member of the Red Wolves gang. 

Meanwhile, reality was about to set in. Tarr and Reston watched Shang and Leiko while they talked about the fact that Shang-Chi's exposure to the virus that was contained in Argus's vial was potent. It appeared that his time was limited, but Shang wasn't about to let a single moment go to waste. 

This was certainly an interesting twist for long-time Shang-Chi readers and fans. I didn't think that the virus had been fully developed yet. I wanted to know more, but thankfully I didn't have long to wait. I'm glad that I finally understood Leiko's relationship with Xiao during Shang's absence. 

That's it for this article, but my next blog post will pick up where this storyline left off. It'll cover the one-shot Master of Kung Fu: Bleeding Black comic that came out in 1991. It's an 80-page epic that takes our heroes on a quest to resolve Shang-Chi's condition. On the way, they encounter a new foe and a well-known opponent from their past. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Revisited: Marvel Comics Presents #7

Good afternoon all,

I'm making some time to discuss the Master of Kung Fu story from the seventh issue of Marvel Comics Presents. The tale was titled "Crossing Lines VII: Hooks." The issue had a cover date of late November 1988.

The story began on a busy highway, as a car driven by Black Jack Tarr was following an arms dealer's truck. He, Clive Reston, Shen Kuei, and Shang-Chi were hoping that the vehicle would lead them to the villain Argus. They soon learned that the next leg of their journey would be by air once they reached the Tokyo airport.

Reston found out by talking to a member of the grounds crew that the plane that had loaded the last shipment from the truck they had been following was bound for Sardinia. He and his friends were on a commercial flight to that destination within the hour. Shortly after arrival, they saw that the crates were being placed on a boat, which looked like it was headed to an island not far away.

Kuei and Shang acquired access to a boat, while Reston and Tarr were planning to find a helicopter. They had no sooner landed on the island when Shang-Chi and Kuei noticed that Hashioka was speaking with the man named Argus. It seemed apparent that the two were business partners. The heroes were about to try to find a way to sneak in when a guard spotted them and opened fire.

The noise of the machine gun caught Argus's attention, just as he was speaking to his captive, Leiko Wu. By then, Tarr and Reston had arrived via helicopter and joined the fray. As the violent conflict outside continued, Shang found a way inside. He was confronted by Argus, who told him that he should have heeded the warning conveyed when he'd sent Shang-Chi Leiko's severed hand, and proclaimed that because of his recklessness and stupidity, his girlfriend was dead.

This was the most action-packed chapter of this storyline to date. It seemed inevitable that a conflict would arise between Argus' forces and Shang-Chi and his companions. I was beginning to wonder if the drug and gun running were merely fronts for larger criminal intentions. I also wanted to know more about the character called Xiao and his larger role in the whole affair.

Well, that's it for this article. Later today, I'll discuss the final part of this series. You can peruse the other stories in this issue if you wish until then. Have a great Saturday, and don't forget to be kind to one another.