Retro Comic Recap: Master of Kung Fu #56

 Hi everyone,

Today's topic is the fifty-sixth issue of Marvel's The Hands of Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. The cover showed an anonymous villain preparing to swoop down upon Shang. The story was called "Of Heroes Past and Battles Present!" The issue had a cover date of September 1977.

The tale began in Leiko Wu's apartment. Shang-Chi had returned there after battling a mystery opponent claiming to be Attila the Hun, only to find that he and Wu had disappeared afterward. He shared his encounter with Black Jack Tarr and Clive Reston. Reston had a similar experience with a Robin Hood-esque foe earlier that evening. The two attackers might have been related somehow.

Reston suggested that the attackers may have ties to Shang's late father, Fu Manchu, although his son was not totally convinced that his father was deceased. Reston ruled out Mordillo, who was definitely dead. The trio left Leiko's apartment in search of clues, wondering who the next attacker would be.

Little did they know that the same man who assaulted them in different guises was now adorned in his newest identity as Saint George, and that he was keeping Wu prisoner. Leiko woke up in her cell, initially confused before realizing that her captor really believed that he was the slayer of Saurians. The man who was born Eric Slaughter found himself questioning his own identity before realizing who he really was. Wu felt compassion for the man who was obviously battling with his multiple personalities. He was about to free her before returning to the Saint George identity and leaving to resume his mission.

Back at MI-6 headquarters, Sir Dennis Nayland Smith regretted snubbing Wu and Shang-Chi at the hospital. He was wondering if they would ever return to work for him again when his assistant, Miss Carstairs, entered the room. She reported that Miss Greville was in stable condition and had a dossier for his eyes only. Carstairs added that Tarr had supplied them with his updated address and a standing order to try daily contact. 

While Shang-Chi, Reston, and Tarr were continuing to debate how to proceed with the information that they'd shared, a masked assassin had made his way to Tarr's hotel. He made his presence known after tossing an explosive at the room door. Reston realized that their attacker had an electronic homing device moments before Tarr tossed his gun at another explosive. Shang soon squared off against their foe and asked him where Leiko was.

The mystery man proved to be no match for Shang-Chi. He lapsed into unconsciousness before he would provide any further information, but the trio realized that he was the same person who'd attacked each of them earlier, even though the fighting styles were quite different. Tarr was impressed by the technology he'd used, but before they could find out more, they saw that their foe had disappeared. Tarr admitted that Smith was the only other person who knew where he'd been staying.

Minutes later, Slaughter returned to his headquarters. He greeted his men before assuming another identity, which this time was that of the legendary Red Baron. His men had been ready for three days, and now it was finally time to depart.

Tarr, Reston, and Shang knew they couldn't stay at the hotel any longer. Reston and Tarr drove on through the night, discussing their options. Tarr suggested going to MI-6 to "borrow" their files on the matter. Shang-Chi stayed silent in the back seat. He only cared about Leiko, who we soon saw was still alive and well at Slaughter's headquarters. She was noticed by a stranger, who soon relayed her captor to his superiors.

The three heroes had finally gotten some sleep when the roar of a World War I plane filled the air. As the man who spotted Leiko was transmitting his report, his higher-ups were most displeased by her capture. It could mean altering their plans. The men who talked about those plans had no clue that Slaughter was flying a biplane that fired deadly laser bolts at Wu's companions in their car. 

Modern Marvelites know the Sentry/the Void, but I'm sure that very few know about War-Yore. He was one of the company's first characters with multiple personalities. I was amazed by how quickly Slaughter changed from one identity to another, and the lethal weaponry that he was equipped with. Jim Craig's artwork continued to carry over from the legacy that Paul Gulacy left. I felt that he worked with writer Doug Moench on another fun epic storyline, albeit one with a bit less stress than the last Fu Manchu series. 

Well, that's all for now. Next up is the fifty-seventh issue of Master of Kung Fu. We'll find out what danger this new persona has in store for Shang-Chi and company. The battle will lead to a significant confrontation at Slaughter's base, which involves most of the supporting cast. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.