Good morning,
Today's topic is the eightieth issue of Marvel's The Hands of Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. The cover depicted Shang in a defensive pose while four opponents dropped in on him from above. We can see several train cars behind Shang-Chi's left shoulder. The story was called "The Pride of Leopards." The issue had a cover date of September 1979.
The tale began with Shang mediating to loud music after having slept for sixteen hours. The noise was enough to annoy Black Jack Tarr, who approached Shang-Chi's quarters along with Clive Reston to invite him to a meeting downstairs. Shang replied with a quote to help calm his friend: "Make every song your favorite tune," a line from Mick Jagger. That showed how much Shang-Chi had changed from his father's strict upbringing in Honan, China.
Sir Dennis Nayland Smith had requested their presence, as well as that of Melissa Greville and Leiko Wu. He began the meeting by discussing Sarsfield's claims that Shang's father, the notorious Fu Manchu, may still be alive. Smith doubted that the tyrant could ever die. The tape that he'd played the other day seemed to confirm his suspicions.
The tape that had previously recorded the words of their former opponent, Shockwave, had been taped over. The voice that could now be heard on the recording belonged to Shang-Chi's half sister, Fah Lo Suee. She was the one that Shang saw talking with Zaran outside of his lodge (in a recent issue). Shang-Chi realized that she had made the recording while discussing plans with Zaran.
Tarr deduced that Zaran's new employer was Suee. He questioned if Shang's half sister was now allied with or against Fu Manchu. Smith was curious as to how she'd escaped from prison. The group assembled around the conference table began postulating about their former organization, MI-6, including the possibility that Manchu may be associated with it.
Shang-Chi brought up an important point. He said that he'd seen very little truth ever since joining Smith and his comrades. He noted that nothing is ever what it seems and that the rules often change with every roll of the dice, adding that the meaning of his own name, the rising and advancing of a spirit, had become alien to him.
Smith then brought up new business. He showed the group a photo of his associate Lyman Leeks. Leeks had been working at MI-6's South American bureau, and thought that he had evidence that Manchu had a presence there. He also thought that Smith was still in a leadership role with the organization, which was why Leeks made his report directly to Smith instead of sending it to Whitechapel.
Meanwhile, in an undisclosed location, a pair of men sat in a hotel room waiting for two others to join them. Once they arrived, all four of them opened their briefcases. They were evidently preparing for a mission.
Back at Smith's estate, Smith went on to say that the meeting with Leeks would have to be in person for security reasons. He asked Shang to participate, and he agreed. Smith noted that there may be MI-6 agents as well as others who might want to interfere with the contact that would take place at Victoria Railway Station.
While we saw the four strangers adorn odd-looking leopard costumes and prep for battle, a man at the rail station was shot at by gunmen from an oncoming car. Tarr drove off in pursuit of the gunmen's vehicle. Reston approached the gunmen's target, while a pair of strangers in the crowd fled. Reston noticed a knife sticking out of the back of the man he'd just approached.
Somewhere in South America, a warrior named Maru was locked in combat. His rivals were strong, but not strong enough to defeat him. The person overseeing the match was in shadows, but his profile looked familiar to long-time readers. We also saw that Maru's opponents adorned costumes similar to those worn by the men in the hotel room just a few pages earlier.
The two men in trench coats who had just fled soon shed their disguises. Shang-Chi caught up with them and quickly found himself face to face with a sextet of warriors in leopard costumes. At the same time, Tarr found himself being boxed in by other cars. He ducked to avoid more gunfire and was able to accelerate into a pair of cars, knocking them out of the fracas.
While Shang fought, Reston tended to the wounded man. With his last few remaining gasps, the man told Reston Hanemark in two threes and chemist's rainbow bird at dawn before passing away. Shang-Chi returned to Reston's side after his foes fled when they saw the lights of an oncoming train before them.
Shang-Chi and Reston helped to put the dead man's body in the back of Tarr's vehicle. As the quartet drove off, Reston was trying to figure out what their contact's last words meant. At the station, another man who looked identical to their contact stood around waiting for a meeting.
This was the very first issue of Master of Kung Fu that I ever read. I picked it up in the discount bin at my local comic book store and was impressed with the story and layouts. It made me want to know more about the characters, and I eventually wound up acquiring all of the issues. I really wanted to know what happened after this issue, and I'm glad I took a chance on a title that I previously would have ignored. It really has become one of my favorite Marvel comic book runs.
Well, that's all for this morning. Later today, I'll delve into the eighty-first issue of Master of Kung Fu. We'll learn more about the new foes that Shang just faced. We'll also find out more about Suee's involvement and why there seem to be two Lyman Leeks. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.
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