Retro Comic Recap: Master of Kung Fu #52

 Hi everyone,

After taking a couple of days off to spend time with family and friends, I'm back blogging about retro comics. Today's focus is the fifty-second issue of Marvel's The Hands of Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. The cover showed Shang squaring off against several opponents in Morocco. The cover blurb boasted the return of a popular guest star. The story was titled "A Night at the 1001 Nights." The issue had a cover date of May 1977.

The tale was a flashback that was spurred by Shang-Chi shortly after leaving MI-6 in the previous issue. He thought back to a time a year earlier in Morocco, when he heard a cry for help from his old friend, Rufus T. Hackstabber (the Groucho Marx parody character that was introduced in Giant-Size Master of Kung Fu #4). Hackstabber literally landed in the arms of his old pal, "Chang-Shee," moments before a trio of tall, muscular warriors entered the scene.

Shang defended his friend from the attackers, who soon departed, but not before claiming that the cab driver would pay for his interference. Sir Dennis Nayland Smith had been sent to Morocco to investigate possible rumors of his father, Fu Manchu's, presence in the area. Shang-Chi wasn't sure if the warriors who'd just attacked them were some of his Si-Fan soldiers. On their drive, Hackstabber explained that he was in the country on vacation to visit his comrade, Quigley J. Warmflash, his cousin twice removed.

Warmflesh operated the Blue Carrot Night Club, which is where the heroes were headed. The cab broke through the front entrance of the club, just in time to prevent a pair of gunmen from robbing the establishment. We were then introduced to Warmflash in the flesh, who was an obvious parody of W.C. Fields. The proprietor explained that he was also in the business of procuring and selling rare artifacts, and that one of the items he'd acquired was something that the gunmen wanted. Warmflesh then introduced his stunningly beautiful daughter, who had sold the merchandise to a place called the 1001 Nights Curio Shop.

Shang-Chi and Hackstabber offered to help. Shang preferred to go on foot, having had enough of his friend's reckless driving for one day. The business appeared to be vacant when he first arrived, but after he took a few steps inside, he was greeted by his father's former employee, Tiger Claw (who also debuted in the last giant-sized issue of Master of Kung Fu). 

Once again, Hackstabber's cab burst onto the scene. This time, he crashed through the curio shop, just above Shang-Chi and his opponent. He and his passengers, Warmflesh and his daughter Dinah, were unharmed but soon joined the fray against Tiger Claw and his Si-Fan soldiers. 

Warmflesh found the bauble he was looking for while Shang engaged in battle with Tiger Claw. Shang won the grudge match moments before the elephant statue that Warmflesh had been holding fell to the floor and broke into several pieces. The statue was empty and proved to be unimportant. The mission seemed to be a waste of time, except that it brought Hackstabber closer to the gorgeous Dinah. 

After the seriousness of the last several issues, this issue had a much more comedic tone. I enjoyed Doug Moench and Keith Pollard's parodies of well-known comedic legends. Even though the story itself didn't achieve much, it was a good buffer between storylines. 

Well, that's all for now. Next up is the fifty-third issue of Master of Kung Fu, which revisits a classic Shang-Chi story. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.