Retro Comic Recap: Master of Kung Fu #54

 Good morning everyone,

I'm starting the day off by writing about the fifty-fourth issue of Marvel's The Hands of Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. The cover showed three different kinds of opponents behind Shang. The tale was titled "The Story of War-Yore." The issue had a cover date of July 1977.

The issue began with Shang-Chi and Leiko Wu resting at Wu's apartment. Wu went out to shop for groceries and invited Shang to stay behind and listen to some of her records. Meanwhile, Black Jack Tarr had reserved a room at the Savoy hotel and was talking on the phone with Clive Reston about how bored he'd become. Reston decided to visit Tarr, but was suddenly attacked from behind before he could open his own door.

The assailant was dressed like a modern-day Robin Hood. The attacker used both arrows and an electrified sword in his battle with Reston. A few well-placed shots forced the intruder to escape, giving Reston enough time to reach his car and drive away. He soon lost the mystery man in a crowd, but had plenty to think about as he made his way to Tarr's hotel.

Several minutes later, Wu returned from her shopping trip. She asked Shang-Chi which of her albums he'd like the most. He chose a recent release by Fleetwood Mac. They spent some time talking about the lyrics and their feelings for one another. The couple then decided to see Sir Dennis Nayland Smith's secretary, Miss Greville, in the hospital (she had been shot during a conflict in issue #51).

At the same time, Reston was recounting his encounter with Tarr at his hotel room. The two friends tried to figure out who had sent the attacker. There were multiple possibilities to consider. Tarr suggested that whoever did so could be targeting all of them, including Smith, Wu, and Shang.

Wu and Shang-Chi reached Miss Greville's hospital near the Thames River moments after Smith did. Their uncomfortable reunion was brief and broken up by another unknown assailant. This one claimed to be Attila the Hun, and was dressed in a costume of the late warrior's era. Shang took on their opponent directly, and he fought well, stopping only when he found Wu unconscious, presumably after having been exposed to toxic gas emitted by one of the warrior's weapons.

Elsewhere, a pair of men waited anxiously for a companion to arrive. The third man was late and apologized for his tardiness, stating that he'd had a tough time locating their place. One of the men explained the necessity of using a surrogate to accomplish their tasks. That surrogate was a man named Eric Slaughter, code-named War-Yore.

Slaughter was a rather nondescript office worker until he was subjected to physical training and brainwashing under the Project Optimum Danger Operative. He soon became a skilled warrior, one who adopted the historical guises of several legendary figures. Another man pointed out what could happen if their soldier became unstable, to which the first replied that they would simply disavow any knowledge of anything.

Back at the hospital, Shang-Chi continued the fight with his new foe until he saw a projectile fired at an innocent bystander. He dove at the young man, and they leapt into the water, free from the projectile. By the time Shang returned, both the villain and Wu had disappeared. 

Shang went back to Wu's apartment. He broke down the door to find Tarr and Reston inside. Shang-Chi explained what had just happened. His friends thought it sounded just as bizarre as the attack on Reston earlier that evening. 

Artist Jim Craig continued where penciller Paul Gulacy left off. I was impressed by both men's work on this series. Doug Moench devised one of the first Marvel characters with multiple personalities, and it was a character that worked well in this storyline. It was a good start to the next chapter of the agents' lives after leaving MI-6.

Next time, I'll recap the fifty-fifth issue of Master of Kung Fu. This issue is a break in the storyline, but it features a Gulacy cover and art by Mike Zeck, who would go on to be the comic book's regular penciler for several years. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.