Good afternoon,
Today's focus is the seventy-first issue of Marvel's The Hands of Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. The cover showed Shang-Chi, with a jigsaw puzzle of the yin-yang symbol behind him. The symbolism of the background will become apparent as you read the issue. The story was called "Nightimes." The issue had a cover date of December 1978.
The tale began several weeks after Shang's return from New York. He was back in London, thinking about his recent experiences. The memories of his encounters with the villains Skullcrusher, Pavane, and Kogar, as well as his forays with Shen Kuei (aka The Cat), Juliette, and his friends Clive Reston, Black Jack Tarr, Melissa Greville, and Leiko Wu, were all displayed on the second and third pages like pieces of a puzzle.
He thought about his battle with Skullcrusher at the monastery in Hong Kong, only to see Juliette rush to his opponent's side after Shang-Chi's victory. His feelings for her still remained even after rejoining his comrades in the United Kingdom. Shang also thought about how Tarr opted to isolate after losing his beloved Anna once more (as depicted in the previous issue of this comic). He knew that Tarr would eventually get over his heartbreak and rejoin his friends.
Shang was home, but had not yet settled into a comfortable routine. He was deciding on rest before getting up to observe Wu's progress on the jigsaw puzzle. The puzzle was nearly completed when dinner arrived.
They sat down to enjoy pizza and music from Fleetwood Mac, knowing that Shang-Chi's siamese cat probably wouldn't enjoy their dinner selection. Shang thought back to his first experience with pizza back in New York with a woman named Sandy, whom he'd soon fallen for. He was then reminded of his recent kiss with Juliette back in Hong Kong.
The apt musical lyrics brought Shang-Chi back to the present. He turned, looked at Leiko, and knew where his heart belonged. After an interlude, the lovers left for their evening routine. As the apartment door closed, we saw that the jigsaw puzzle on the table was that of the yin-yang symbol, a puzzle that appeared to be completed as the cat decided to sit upon it.
Wu and Shang were about to begin their workout at a nearby martial arts academy. The pair impressed the other patrons as they showcased their skills and abilities. Wu and Shang-Chi faced off against each other and proved that they were equally matched. However, only Wu fell to the floor at the end.
Afterward, Wu and Shang-Chi went to see the new science fiction blockbuster movie, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." A quiet dinner and romantic ride in a horse-drawn carriage completed the evening excursion. They returned home to find the cat purring for them.
Leiko was about to provide the Siamese cat with leftovers when a thump could be heard from the other side of the apartment door. Shang-Chi rushed to see what it was. It opened slowly, revealing the bruised and battered Sir Dennis Nayland Smith, their former MI-6 director. As the couple asked him what had happened, Smith explained that he couldn't take the rottenness of his employer any more, and had just resigned.
This was a much more peaceful story than other recent issues, except for the final page. It was refreshing to learn what Shang had chosen after his adventures abroad. I was happy to see Shang-Chi and Leiko together again, as I thought right away that they were a great match. The one real question that still lingered was how the former MI-6 coworkers would remain together after deciding to break ties with the agency.
Well, that's all I have for today. Tomorrow, I'll discuss the seventy-second issue of Master of Kung Fu. Shang-Chi and Leiko will learn more about what happened to Smith before he arrived on their doorstep. We'll also see the return of a couple of popular adversaries: one that's generally expected, the other less so. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.
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