Hi everyone,
Today I'll be recapping the twenty-fifth issue of Marvel's The Hands of Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. The cover showed Shang facing off against a half-dozen loincloth-clad black-haired warriors. The story was named "Rites of Courage, Fists of Death!" The issue had a cover date of February 1975.
The tale began shortly after the last issue. We see Shang-Chi and Black Jack Tarr together on a hillside somewhere in South America. Tarr was talking to Shang about how the home office would most likely be displeased upon learning that all of the barrels of fuel had been destroyed during their battle with former Gestapo commander Wilhelm Bucher, or that they'd abandoned a steamboat simply because it ran out of gasoline and decided to continue on foot.
Sir Dennis Nayland Smith, the third member of the crew, said that the accountants back at Scotland Yard would easily support any efforts meant to derail Fu Manchu's activities. He added that they should consider themselves lucky to be able to move forward on foot after their last mission, which could have been their last. No sooner had he uttered those words than the sounds of Manchu's helicopter flying above them filled the air.
Smith remarked that he'd give his right arm to see that copter crash down in flames, but was content that the world could sleep a bit easier that evening, after they'd prevented Manchu from obtaining Bucher's nuclear weapon plans. As Tarr and Smith continued to converse, they soon noticed that Shang-Chi was far ahead of them. Shang had soon discovered a jaguar several steps away from a young child on the shore in front of him.
Shang-Chi was determined not to let any harm come to the youth and leapt after the large cat, leading it away from the bawling infant. A scuffle soon followed, one that Shang won by forcing his opponent into becoming too exhausted to resume his hunt. Shang-Chi then turned and picked up the boy, who was now no longer crying. As he did so, several native birds cooed their approval.
The silence was then broken by a voice from behind. Shang whirled around to see a contingent of men armed with crude weapons. Shang realized that the child belonged to their tribe. He was about to return the child to them when a swordsman prepared to strike. Shang-Chi then kicked his would-be attacker to the ground. He was prepared to defend himself again before agreeing to follow the natives to their home.
When they arrived at their destination, Shang-Chi was stunned to find one of his father's Si-Fan assassins bound to a stake. He soon learned from Manchu's soldier that the child he rescued had been left there as a sacrifice. As the natives talked amongst themselves, the Si-Fan operative went on to say that his rescue of the infant divided the natives into two factions. One group, led by the chief, believed Shang to be an emissary sent by their gods. The other group, led by the chief's main rival, thought that he was just a foreign intruder. A test was being prepared for Shang-Chi. If he failed the test, the child would perish, and Shang would join the Si-Fan soldier in slow torture. Their shrunken heads would eventually join those already on display in the village.
Several hours later, the test began. Shang, with the baby cradled snugly in his arms, walked through a path of hot coals. He emerged unpained and unscathed. Shang-Chi then walked between more than a dozen warriors armed with spears and clubs. He defeated them all. The sound of the child's mother's voice caught his attention. Shang handed her the baby before continuing the fight. After emerging victorious once more, the chief now viewed Shang-Chi as one of the very gods that they worshipped and promised to do as he commanded.
Shang-Chi asked that his father's soldier be set free, much like he freed the child from death. They gladly obeyed. The Si-Fan warrior was still loyal to Fu Manchu and quickly ran to attack Shang, only to meet a swift demise as he ran headlong off the tall cliff that the two were on, after Shang-Chi evaded his charge. Shang soon regrouped with Smith and Tarr at their airplane. When asked where he had been, Shang replied that he'd been to the beginnings of life and the ends of death, and that he was now prepared to leave both.
This was another satisfying issue. Even though Smith and Tarr were barely in the story, I was okay with that. We learned more about Shang-Chi's moral fiber, and I gained greater respect for the man whose name means the rising and advancing of a spirit. He truly grew to be more of a noble, genuine person more and more as the series went on.
Well, that's all for now. Next time, I'll cover the twenty-sixth issue of Master of Kung Fu. Shang, Smith, and Tarr will wind up in another location and face more threats. Fu Manchu will return, and we'll see a few more new opponents, including one character that will have a prominent role in a fair number of issues. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.
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