Good morning everyone,
Today's topic is the eighty-fifth issue of Marvel's The Hands of Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. The cover showed the titular character on a staircase, fighting multiple opponents, trying to block his path. The story was called "Warriors of the Golden Dawn Part 3: The Ram and the Dove." The issue had a cover date of February 1980.
The tale began where the last issue left off. Shang-Chi and Black Jack Tarr were faced with trouble on two sides: alligators behind them and spear-wielding leopard cultists in front of them. Shang opted for the least dangerous path and dove under the water. Tarr quickly followed as his friend took on one of the alligators.
This move took the cultists by surprise. They chose to stand their ground and wait to see who would be the victor of that battle. What they didn't know was that the heroes were hiding underneath the alligator, moments before they threw the creature up onto the shore, which dispersed the warriors who fled in terror.
Shang and Tarr waded back onto dry land and fought off the soldiers who'd stayed behind. Tarr told his comrade to head to their Jeep. Shang-Chi obeyed, even though he wished that they could have done more for the brainwashed captives that they would leave behind. Shang was still a novice driver, but he was capable enough of leading them to safety, while Tarr fired at their pursuers from the back of the vehicle. They planned to follow the convoy, hoping it would lead them to Fu Manchu's South American base.
Meanwhile, in Casablanca, Morocco, Leiko Wu and Clive Reston had no sooner disembarked from their plane when a young boy handed Reston a note. The note gave the location of their missing former employer, Sir Dennis Nayland Smith. They realized it could be a trap, but nonetheless hired a taxi and headed toward the location anyway.
Not far away, Doctor Petrie's previously presumed dead wife, Karamenah, assured Smith that Reston would be there soon to rescue him. She would pretend to still be allied with the leopard cultists and face whatever fate Manchu would have in store for her "failure."
Fu Manchu was already aware of Tarr and Shang-Chi's impending arrival. He confided to his daughter Fah Lo Suee that their convoy of brainwashed subjects was already boarding a plane bound for Lima Airport. From there, the dignitaries would be dispersed into separate flights back to their home nations, all while still under his control.
It didn't take Wu and Reston very long to reach their destination. They swiftly defeated the guards and entered the building. Karamenah allowed Smith to leave, and Wu punched her hard, so that it would appear to the guards who came to her aid that she resisted the heroes' invasion.
As Tarr and Shang approached Manchu's compound, Wu and Reston went to a nearby hideout. They were greeted by Reston's old friend Richard (who looked very similar to the late actor Humphrey Bogart), who was glad to give his friends a place to stay temporarily.
Shang-Chi and Tarr crept up to the compound's door, only to find an assorted army of Manchu soldiers right behind them. Tarr fired his machine gun to drive some of them away. He and Shang entered the building to find even more warriors waiting. Tarr's ammunition ran out, and the duo were forced to combat each attacker individually. Shang-Chi soon fell into a hole in the floor, while Tarr ventured further inside the complex.
At the Moroccan hideout, Wu and Reston had some time to talk alone. Old feelings were rekindled, and the pair embraced. Wu explained later that their gathering was just for the moment. Reston agreed, knowing how strong here feelings were for Shang. They were then ambushed by leopard cultists.
In the compound, Tarr found his way inside a previously locked room. Inside, he found several more captives who had been brainwashed. At the same time, Shang made his way into his father's complex. The evil ruler quietly welcomed the man whom he now called his former son.
Fans had been asking for a Shang-Chi/Fu Manchu rematch, and they were finally about to have it. This was another interesting issue. I was concerned that Wu and Reston's former romance would resurface, but I'm glad they realized that their brief fling wouldn't last. One concern I had was the fact that we saw Doctor Petrie's wife in this story arc, but as of yet, there was no mention or appearance of the doctor himself. I was kind of hoping for them to be reunited at some point.
Well, that's all for now. Next time, I'll cover the eighty-sixth issue of Master of Kung Fu. We'll see Shang and his father together for the first time in three years. We'll learn more about the evil tyrant's master plans, including those strange, colorful orbs that we saw a couple of issues ago. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.
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