Today's topic is the 101st issue of Marvel's The Hands of Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu, a monthly comic book. The cover showed Shang in a martial arts pose, with images of a woman running, an old man, a grim skeleton, and an armed warrior in the background. The story was called "Not Smoke, Nor Beads, Nor Blood!" The issue had a cover date of June 1981.
The tale began at a London hospital, where Leiko Wu was still recovering from wounds sustained during the previous issue's encounter with a Jack the Ripper clone. Shang was at her bedside, and the couple was bidding farewell to Clive Reston and Melissa Greville, after the pair had stopped by to visit and bring Leiko flowers.
Leiko admitted that she'd ventured to London after hearing the news of women being violently murdered to help re-establish part of her own identity. Shang-Chi understood that and admitted that his love for her was just as strong as ever. Wu went on to say that they now loved each other because they wanted one another.
Shang left her room and started walking down the hallway. He hadn't gone far when he heard a commotion from another room and ran to investigate. The two people he'd just passed by were trying to suffocate someone lying in a hospital bed. Shang-Chi fought them off, while a nurse outside went for help.
After the altercation, Shang went to see if the patient was all right. He quickly recognized him as the old man he'd met at Malay Jack's who'd betrayed him (back in issue #76). The old man awoke and acknowledged his prior misdeeds. He asked Shang-Chi for help after he'd reported drug dealers.
The current threat was the Yakuza, whose particular group in London was led by a man who wore a suit of ink and frequented Malay Jack's. Shang then walked away. He provided information to the police officers who'd arrived, and then filled Leiko in on what had just happened.
As Shang-Chi left the hospital and wandered the streets, the old man toyed with the idea of pulling the plugs on the machines that helped to keep him alive. Shang soon found himself at Malay Jack's once more, where he spied the man with the suit of ink, who had a large tattoo of a green and red dragon that spread across his torso, back, and right arm.
Shang-Chi crept to a window, where he overheard the man saying that his associates had failed to kill the snitch at the hospital. He distributed swords to his colleagues moments before Shang broke through the window. Shang defeated their leader, but the lackeys soon escaped.
The associated fled by car, which Shang-Chi swiftly overtook. One by one, Shang defeated his opponents. The final warrior engaged in a sword battle just steps outside of the old man's hospital room. Wu reached his room before the battle outside was over. However, she was too late to prevent the elderly man from pulling the plugs.
After defeating the last opponent, Shang entered the man's room. Leiko lied and told him that he'd died of natural causes, while putting the plugs in their appointed spots, since her back was to the machines. Shang-Chi realized that his foes had won overall, and the couple knew that their attack that evening wouldn't be the last.
I felt like this issue brought closure to some of the events that happened in MOKF #76. It also opened up the potential for new rivals, like the Yakuza and other similar drug-running gangs. It also showed how Shang had matured. Previously, he might not have returned to Malay Jack's, but it seemed like he forgave the old man for his betrayal and still tried to set things right for him, regardless.
Well, that's it for today. Tomorrow, I'll recap the one hundred and second issue of Master of Kung Fu. Peter Gillis is the issue's guest writer. He joins inker Gene Day in creating a whodunit mystery that Shang-Chi becomes entwined in. We'll also see some bonus materials from the regular storytelling team. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.
No comments:
Post a Comment