Good afternoon,
This article will summarize the ninetieth issue of Marvel's Master of Kung Fu monthly comic book. The cover showed Shang alone against eight armed warriors in Chinatown. The story was called "Triumphs of the Flesh." The issue had a cover date of July 1980.
The tale began on Pier 23 in New York City, not long after Shang-Chi had foiled his father's evil plans. He met with his colleagues Leiko Wu, Sir Dennis Nayland Smith, Clive Reston, and Black Jack Tarr. Shang was not ready to return to London and preferred to stay in New York for a while. Smith understood, noting that he'd been toying with the idea of starting his own agency.
Smith hoped that Shang would rejoin him in some capacity. Shang was not ready to make any kind of commitment just yet and bid his companions adieu. On his way across the pier, he told Leiko that he would see her again. As her friends were about to depart via helicopter, Wu ran toward her love.
Meanwhile, Shang-Chi walked the streets of New York alone. Lost in his thoughts, he wondered why Leiko hadn't tried to stop him. Moments later, he heard a familiar voice calling his name. He turned and saw Leiko running toward him. They embraced.
The lovers swore to never leave each other again. At a local restaurant, they sat to eat and decided what to do next. Leiko mentioned that her brother lived in the city. He'd followed in their father's diplomatic footsteps and was a cultural attache at the city's Hong Kong embassy.
They arrived at the embassy building moments before Leiko's brother, David, wrapped up a meeting with local police. He greeted them warmly before inviting them into his office. David explained that he'd been dealing with gang violence, mainly between Japanese and Chinese gangs, part of which branched back to the Tong wars of the 1930s.
David felt pressure from businesses and families to do what he could to step in. He wasn't sure how to solve the problem, though. Several hours before dinner, Shang-Chi stepped out on his own to explore the city. He soon found himself in Chinatown and had unwittingly entered gang territory.
He asked to speak with members of the Joy Boy gang and was led into a nearby alleyway. Members of the Joy Boy gang were there waiting for him. Shang didn't want to fight, but was forced into conflict.
Afterward, Shang-Chi was then directed to a nearby building, where he found more gang members. The residents of the worn-down slum had heard about what Shang had just done. They then asked him to lead their gang.
This was an interesting diversion from the suspense-filled epic that unfolded across the last several issues. I was surprised that Shang opted to stay in New York for a while, and I'm glad that Leiko renewed her loyalty to him. Gang violence was a growing concern in the 1980s, so it made sense that this eventually became a topic for this comic book series. It was a rare story where most of the supporting cast was absent for the majority of the book.
Well, that's it for this issue. Next time, I'll recap the ninety-first issue of Master of Kung Fu. That issue concludes the gang war storyline. We'll find out if Shang accepted the gang's offer to be their leader, and what Leiko did when she noticed Shang-Chi's absence. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.
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