Retro Comic Recap: Master of Kung Fu #44

 Hi everyone,

Today's topic is the forty-fourth issue of Marvel's The Hands of Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. The cover showed Shang leaping into action, with a picture of Fu Manchu behind him. The cover blurb promised a conflict between father and son. This is misleading, as I'll explain in this article. The story was called "Prelude: Golden Daggers (A Death Run)." The issue had a cover date of September 1976. 

The tale began at the private estate of Sir Herbert Griswold in Switzerland, right after the battle in the previous issue. A pair of Griswold's men were moving the villain known as Shock-Wave to the boathouse. Inside the complex, Shang and Leiko Wu were talking with Ducharme, Fu Manchu's lover, who was revealed as the double agent.

Ducharme explained the necessity of leading both roles. She started by going back some forty years, adding that Manchu had provided her with the elixir vitae that extended life. Back before her involvement with either side, she was in love with a man named Pan Chen. One day, Chen informed her that he was a member of the Si-Fan cult of assassins. He was about to embark on a mission on behalf of Manchu to slay Doctor Petrie and Sir Dennis Nayland Smith. 

Needless to say, the mission was a failure. Chen was the only one in his group to survive the ordeal. Several days later, Ducharme received a message from Chen, asking her to join him. He knew that he would face the ultimate penalty from his master and was planning to leave the country and head for the United States. Unfortunately, the couple didn't get very far.

Fu Manchu intercepted them. He placed Chen in a pit filled with poisonous spiders. Manchu forced Ducharmed to watch her lover die a slow, painful death. She later escaped Manchu's residence, mainly because the warlord had no desire to keep her. She eventually made her way to Smith and begged him for his assistance.

Smith informed Ducharme that her life could be preserved only if Manchu wished to do so. To gain his trust, she was given confidential information by Smith that would make it seem like she was betraying him. Ducharme then returned to Manchu to share what she'd learned and was welcomed into the fold. She had a terrible existence and shared the atrocities she'd learned from Manchu with Smith over the years.

Wu added that Shang's father had finally discovered who Ducharme was truly loyal to and wanted her death. He'd sent the Golden Dagger sect after her. Their cover was Oriental Expediters, who had a rendezvous with Shock-Wave. The current objective was to protect Ducharme from harm by Manchu's men.

Back at MI-6 headquarters in London, Clive Reston was examining Larner's progress on examining the fragments of bombs that had been used in the assassination attempts of several of their agents. Larner advised Reston to book a flight to Lausanne, Switzerland, noting that the pieces he'd inspected were the work of a man named Tarrant who operated out of Lausanne. 

Meanwhile, at Griswold's Switzerland estate, he informed Shang, Wu, and Ducharme that he'd just received communication from Smith. Leiko and Shang-Chi were to depart immediately for Zurich, where they'd meet their contact who would take them to Lausanne. Ducharme would stay with him. When asked who the contact was, Griswold replied that it was a colleague of his named Clive Reston.

While Wu's lip twitched at the news, it was revealed that Doctor Petrie was listening in on their conversation. Moments later, Smith approached Petrie and asked him to join him on the journey to the hospital to visit Black Jack Tarr (who was injured after a bomb went off in his office). As the trio stood in Tarr's room talking about who the suspect was, neither Tarr nor Smith knew that the person responsible was in the room with them.

In Zurich, Reston met with Wu and Shang. He provided a motorcycle for Leiko, and he and Shang drove to their destination together. It wasn't long before their vehicles were attacked. Reston and Shang were surprised by a gun-toting driver who soon drove off the road during their battle. At the same time, more masked men were waiting to ambush Wu. She fought them off until the blast from a rocket launcher knocked her off her motorcycle, and she lay unconscious atop a pile of rocks.

Shang-Chi and Reston made their way to a house on a hill in Lausanne. They made their way inside and soon realized that it was a trap. More masked gunmen approached them, and another battle ensued. 

In London, Smith and Petrie entered another hospital room, this time at Whitechapel. Here lay Smith's nephew Lancaster Sneed, the villain known as Shock-Wave. Sneed revealed that his accomplice was Petrie. Angered by this, Petrie pulled out a handgun from his jacket and fired at Smith. He then placed the pistol in Sneed's right hand and cried out to the interns that Sneed had grabbed his weapon and shot his comrade.

At the house in Lausanne, Reston and Shang continued fighting off masked gunmen until a familiar voice made them pause. It belonged to Shang-Chi's half-sister, Fah Lo Suee, who was flanked by a pair of men armed with golden daggers. She told her brother that she'd been warned of the upcoming conflict between her and their father, and expressed concern that Shang had not heeded her warnings. Suee then stated that his spirit must now reach the early end of its growth and thus die. 

While this issue didn't feature the return of Fu Manchu directly, and only included him in flashback scenes, it was a good prelude for the issues leading up to the climactic milestone fiftieth issue. I was surprised by Petrie's betrayal and the fact that Ducharme was the mysterious double agent. Paul Gulacy's art just continued to impress, and I felt that it got better with every issue that he drew in this series.

Well, that's all for now. Next up is the forty-fifth issue of Master of Kung Fu. The conflicts from this over carry over, and we'll learn a bit more about Fah Lo Suee's plans, meet Tarrant, and finally see the actual return of Fu Manchu. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Master of Kung Fu #43

 Hi everyone,

Today I'll be summarizing the forty-third issue of Marvel Comics' The Hands of Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. The cover showed Shang battling the villain called Shock-Wave underwater as a trio of gunmen fired upon them. The story was named "A Flash of Purple Sparks." The issue had a cover date of August 1976. 

The tale began as Sir Dennis Nayland Smith was finally able to get a hold of his associate, Doctor Petrie, by phone. The doctor explained his absence over the previous two days was due to doctoring for kidney issues. He assured his old comrade that all was good and that he was on the road to recovery. What Smith didn't know was that Petrie was in Black Jack Tarr's office working with the villain Shock-Wave. After the call ended, another time bomb was placed in Tarr's desk.

Smith ended the call just as Tarr, Clive Reston, and his former associate, Larner, entered, having been brought inside by Smith's assistant, Miss Greville. Larner was still smarting from his previous release from the agency, but Smith started the meeting with the good news that Shang-Chi's burns had been treated at Charing Cross Hospital (suffered during his first battle with Shock-Wave in the previous issue) and that he'd been released earlier that morning. He was on his way to Switzerland at the moment to protect Leiko Wu and the counter-agent known only as Agent-O.

As the quartet spoke, the agent and Wu were engaged in a gun battle with Oriental Expediters warriors. The hilt of a golden dagger thrown by one of their opponents reaffirmed Wu's suspicion that they were in on it as well. She gathered her partner and headed toward the safe house. 

Smith told his comrades that the safe house in Switzerland was the private estate of their chief of Swiss operations. Larner was a bit surprised that he was trusted with that confidential information, after having been kept out of the loop for more than a year following his dismissal. He reminisced about his last mission for Smith and the loss of his girlfriend Jennie during that assignment when Tarr lashed out at him. Reston broke up the fight before Smith's temper flared and threatened to relieve his associates of their employment if they continued in such a manner.

The next order of business was the fact that Shang had been hospitalized because of burns, instead of cuts as originally reported. Smith suspected that it was because of his colleagues' swearing him to secrecy about Shock-Wave's involvement in the ordeal. Smith had reviewed the physician's report on Shang-Chi, and later admitted that the man known as Shock-Wave was his nephew.

Reston replied that they hadn't informed Smith of all that had transpired because of that relation, even though they were duty-bound to. After chastising Smith for not attending the mock funeral for his girlfriend's empty casket, he asked Smith why he'd requested him. Smith responded by saying that Larner was a demolitions expert, and that ninety percent of the agents they'd lost were due to explosives. As he said that, an incendiary device crashed through a window in Shang's apartment. It was only noticed by the Siamese cat that Shang-Chi had brought back with him (from the Cat affair in earlier issues) before destroying the flat. 

Smith wanted Larner to examine the bomb fragments to determine their origins. He also wanted to know who employed his rogue nephew. Smith then assigned Reston and Tarr to board a plane bound for Zurich to serve as Shang's backup in Switzerland. 

Meanwhile, Shang-Chi had just arrived via car at the safehouse, which was the estate of Sir Herbert Griswold. The lord of the manor was occupied with target practice at his archery range. After his last practice shot, he welcomed Shang and informed him that the people he'd come to protect had not arrived yet.

Before departing, Reston and Tarr went to Tarr's office to pick up a few things. They had no sooner entered when the bomb underneath Tarr's desk went off. Tarr was at the desk and appeared to have taken the brunt of the blast.

In Switzerland, Griswold sat with Shang, joined by Griswold's bodyguards and his loyal dogs. Griswold had just finished saying that he feared that Shang's fellow associates were dead when he was struck by a sniper's bullet. The bodyguards soon located the assassin and several other Oriental Expediters gunmen who were posted on a ridge not far away. 

We then saw that Shock-Wave held Wu and the counteragent helpless to react. As the gun battle ensued, Shang made his way to Shock-Wave and his two prisoners. The villain sensed that someone was behind him and used an electro-blast attack. He then left his captives to pursue whoever had crept up on them. 

Shang-Chi soon attacked Shock-Wave from above. He'd learned from their earlier meeting to strike at the parts of his suit that were not metal, as the metal portions were capable of emitting strong electricity blasts. Shang soon forced his opponent back through the hedge maze and into a pool of water. Shock-Wave struggled to surface, but eventually sank in defeat.

The Oriental Expediters gunmen were scared off and left the prisoners where they were. Shang soon saw that his friend Griswold had survived the attack on his life. Griswold commented that he was wearing bulletproof armor. He saw Shock-Wave (real name: Lancaster Sneed) in the pool and ordered his guards to send him back to MI-6 in London. 

Griswold and Shang continued talking when a voice from behind cried out Shang's name strongly. That voice belonged to Leiko Wu. One of Griswold's men said that they'd found Shock-Wave's captives behind the hedges. Wu was once again in Shang's arms. He wasn't sure if he was in love with her yet, but that was a topic that could be discussed later.

Her companion was then revealed as Ducharme, the lover of Shang's father, Fu Manchu. Shang was stunned to see that his father's long-time companion was one of Smith's agents. She reported that her name was her sole possession after all of those years. Ducharme added that she'd received some information regarding the plans for the death of Tarr.

This was another well-executed story by Doug Moench and Paul Gulacy. Shock-Wave was an interesting foe that would appear from time to time in this magazine. It appears that Shang must have a healing factor that's almost as impressive as Wolverine's, as his wounds healed incredibly quickly. Then again, maybe time passes faster in comic books than in real life. Anyway, it was still an enjoyable sojourn with Shang and his friends.

Well, that's all I have for the time being. My next blog article will recap the forty-fourth issue of Master of Kung Fu. This storyline has ended, but another mini-epic is about to begin. We'll see Smith's reunion with his disgraced nephew and learn more about Ducharme's knowledge. We'll also find out what happened to Tarr and see the return of a popular character. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Master of Kung Fu Annual #1

 Hi everyone,

Today, I'll be discussing Marvel's first and only Master of Kung Fu annual. The cover depicted Shang-Chi battling side by side with Iron Fist against a handful of thugs, while a seemingly powerful man appears to be conjuring behind them all. The tale was titled "The Fortress of S'ahra Sharn!"

The story started in Shang's London apartment, which had been provided to him by Sir Dennis Nayland Smith. His peaceful meditation was interrupted by a knock on his door. He went to open it, and a man named Daniel Rand stepped inside after introducing himself. Rand explained that he went to Scotland Yard with an issue and was then referred to Whitechapel, MI-6 headquarters. Once there, he talked to Smith, who referred him to Shang-Chi.

Rand added that Smith had told him about his friend's recent reluctance to follow orders. Shang replied that he had grown weary of the games of death and deceit, but has helped Smith in affairs where honor dictated or when innocent lives were in jeopardy. Rand explained that his friend Colleen Wing had been kidnapped before asking Shang-Chi if he'd heard of K'un Lun or Iron Fist. 

Shang replied that Leiko Wu and Smith had provided him with some information. As he answered, Rand removed his civilian clothing and admitted that he was Iron Fist, as he put on his costume. Shang-Chi replied that he knew already, by the way that Rand carried himself. He noted that any true master of the martial arts could recognize another master once their eyes met. Shang agreed to help Iron Fist on his mission, and the pair left Shang's apartment. On their way out, Shang-Chi asked his new friend why he wore a mask. Rand replied that he was still figuring that part out.

Meanwhile, at a London fish and chips restaurant, a server and his customer were spooked by the appearance of another man right out of thin air. They ran for help, bumping into a bobby (British police officer). The officer approached the stranger, who dispatched him with an energy blast. Undeterred, the powerful being moved on. 

Outside Scotland Yard, Shang-Chi and Iron Fist were walking and talking. Neither of them knew much about the city, and conversed about the seclusion they'd experienced in Honan, China, and K'un Lun, respectively. Rand was just wondering where Shang's father Fu Manchu obtained the elixir vitae that enabled him to keep his youth when a horde of villains charged at them. 

Neither hero knew where their opponents came from, noticing that their appearances and fighting styles didn't match anyone that they'd ever opposed before. However, they soon proved to be rather infeffectual, as they were quickly defeated by Shang and Iron Fist. After the battle, their vanquished foes faded away. The intruder we'd seen earlier at the fish and chips shop then entered the scene. He stated that they'd just fought assassins who had been dispatched from S'ahra Starn to stop him from joining them in a mutual conflict. He then introduced himself as Quan St'ar, a fellow native of K'un Lun. 

Quan explained that his intentions were noble and that he'd never try to kill anyone, even as we saw the dead police officer that he'd attacked earlier in the evening. When Rand asked him how he was able to traverse from K'un Lun now when it wouldn't appear in this dimension for another nine years, Quan replied that he was one of a select few known as a magician who could bridge the dimensional gap. He went on to say that S'ahra Starn was a mirrored opposite of K'un Lun. Instead of peace and tranquility, natives from his village sought darkness and evil. His words intrigued Iron Fist and Shang-Chi, and they both decided to join their new comrade in his mission.

Chapter 2 of this story was called "The Evil Which Is S'ahra Sharn." It began with Quan, Shang and Iron Fist neared the portal and crossed the gateway from Earth to S'ahra Sharn. They arrived in the middle of the town. There, Quan told his companions to head to a local tavern and find a man named Shai-Tahn, who would give them more information, including where he'd be located in the future. 

The duo was a bit wary, but headed toward the tavern anyway. As they did so, Quan stood back with several of his compatriots watching them. Quan was confident that the price they'd paid was worth it to bring Iron Fist to his doom.

Inside  the tavern, the arrival of strangers was noticed immediately. Another fight began, this time with Shang and Iron Fist warding off those who didn't like their presence in the estabishment. The skirmish stopped when a man riding what appeared to be a horse with a twisted horn above its eyes. Entered. He ordered the soldiers behind him to stop the fracas and kill any who dared to resist. 

After only Iron Fist and Shang-Chi were left standing, the mounted warrior called for their arrest. Shang said that they'd arrived to find a man named Shai-Tahn. The warrior then introduced himself as Shai-Tahn and called for their arrest. A knife placed by one of his officers against an innocent woman's throat was enough to convince the heroes to surrender. They were then led away by Shai and his men. Afterward, Quan entered the tavern and spoke to the woman, who was named Cybelle. He said that she'd earned her release, but she didn't seem very happy about it. 

Five days later, Shang-Chi and Iron Fist were in the same prison they'd been in since their capture. They began to talk about their predicament, when a third voice could be heard from above them. That voice belonged to Quan St'ar. He explained that forces were massing to invade K'un Lun and that he would be supervising and leading that army. He and his future queen Cybelle then left the stars of this book alone.

Iron Fist lashed out in anger with his namesake power, before a rope fell at them from the doorway that Quan and Cybelle had just viewed them from. They weren't about to look a gift horse in the mouth, and quickly made their escape. Once outside the castle, Cybelle stepped forward with a tray of food for the former prisoners. As they ate, Shang and Rand learned that Cybelle was a spy who was part of a growing resistance movement agenst Quan and his army.

The trio took up individual mounts and rode off. As they did so, Cybelle informed her new comrades about Quan St'ar's background. She started by saying that he was a native of K'un Lun and had originally been favored by the personage in jade known as Yu-Ti. In his last day there, one of their dragons went wild and went after Yu-Ti. Quan leapt to his rescue and slew the beast. When he presented the monster's heart to his master, he was stunned to see his master's revulsion.

Yu-Ti valued the life of the dragon above that of Quan, and banished his former protege from the city forever. The august personage in jade would later take the dragon heart to a cave where it turned molten and subsequently saved the dragon's life. This was the same dragon that Iron Fist would later challenge and defeat, therefore gaining his power. 

Quan eventually made his way to S'tara Sharn. His magical tricks were enough to impress the general populace, and he gained followers in the process. Cybelle asserted that Quan was consumed with personal hatred and vengeance and that he desired to rule his former city. He planned to stride into K'un Lun as its conquereror with the skull of Iron Fist at his feet.

Before long, the three resistance fighters arrived outside the front entrance of the very castle whose dungeon Rand and Shang had just escaped from not long ago. Cybelle informed her colleagues that the globe of eternity which fueld Quan's sorcerous abilities had to be destroyed if they had any chance of victory. 

Cybelle led the attack against her former allies. She, Shang-Chi and Iron Fist fought on as they ventured deeper into the castle. Shang and Iron Fist soon entered Quan's quarters, where he stood before the large globe of eternity. While Rand countered Quan's mystic bolts with the power of the iron fist, Shang crept behind them to approach the globe. 

Shang-Chi pinpointed a pressure point and broke the globe with a single, powerful punch. Spirits of evil were released from the globe after it shattered, and Shang was careful to evade them. The globe's destruction was enough to weaken Quan's powers, and he was swiftly knocked out by Iron Fist's punch. Both the villain and his essence soon dissipated.

Not long after the battle, Cybelle took her place as rule of S'hara Starn. She asked Shang and Iron Fist if they wished to remain there. Each of them politely declined, and her court sorceror returned them to where they came. Moments later, Shang-Chi and Iron Fist were back on the same London street. Rand still hadn't found his friend Colleen, but he decided to search for her on his own, and the heroes went their separate ways. Before departing, they wished each other luck, having a feeling that they would need it.

This was a well crafted tale by writer Doug Moench and penciller Keith Pollard. It was a fun team up by stars of the popular black and white magazine Deadly Hands of Kung Fu. My only criticism is that they didn't fulfill the initial objective of finding Colleen Wing. It would have been nice to see more of the supporting casts for both Shang and Rand as well. 

Well, that's all the time I have for now. Next time, I'll return to the monthly mag by recapping the forty-third issue of Master of Kung Fu. We'll learn what Shock-Wave's plans were for Doctor Petrie and Shang and the rest of his associates. We'll also catch up with Leiko Wu and discover the identity of the counter agent known as Agent-O. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Master of Kung Fu #42

 Hi everyone,

Today, it's time for me to write about the forty-second issue of Marvel's The Hands of Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. The cover showed Shang being attacked by a masked man known as Shockwave while reaching out for a ticking time bomb. The story was called "The Clock of Shattered Time." The issue had a cover date of July 1976. 

The tale began in the office of Sir Dennis Nayland Smith. His receptionist let Shang-Chi in. Smith was less than happy with his associate. He noted that Shang had turned down the last two missions in a row: the Shen Kuei affair and the current crisis involving the worldwide murders of multiple agents. Shang-Chi reminded Smith that he was not one of his agents and that he'd grown tired of the games of deceit and death.

However, Shang was willing to go with Black Jack Tarr to check out the Oriental Expediters' clue, because Tarr had convinced him that more deaths might be prevented by investigating it. Smith appreciated his answer and strict moral code, and asked him to cooperate fully and obey completely. That was something Shang-Chi simply could not do. 

Smith left to follow Shang-Chi mere moments before his office exploded. Remnants of a time bomb soon landed at the duo's feet. Both Smith's assistant, Miss Greville, and Smith himself were amazed by what had just happened and the fortune that no one was seriously hurt. A few moments later, an agent named Caldwell presented Smith with an important communique that he could decipher.

As he was preparing to leave the building, Shang ran into Black Jack Tarr and Clive Reston. They asked him to join them behind closed doors in another office. There, Larner sat eating a hamburger as he waited for them. He talked about the recent attack on his apartment (in issue #40) and a former MI6 agent named Lancaster Sneed. 

Sneed was caught in a shrapnel burst during a mission in South Africa and had half of his face blown off. He opted for rebuilding himself with metal plates instead of plastic surgery, and liked the results. Sneed was eventually dismissed from the service after being declared mentally unfit. He then went off to pursue martial arts training, and later used that knowledge during his employment at a traveling carnival, where he assumed the moniker Shock-Wave. 

Shang-Chi asked how this concerned him. Larner went on to say that after botching a mission, he was approached by Sneed to join his cause. Shang still didn't understand how this was related until Larner explained that Sneed had told him that his front was the same Oriental Expediters Limited that Shang-Chi and Tarr were planning to investigate. Larner had not relayed this information to Smith because they couldn't. Shang-Chi thanked Larner for the information and went to join Tarr to pursue the lead.

A short car ride later, Shang and Tarr arrived at Oriental Expediters' storefront. From the outside, it appeared to be a typical warehouse. However, danger lurked on the inside. A quartet of masked men quickly attacked our heroes, who wasted little time in defeating them. 

Afterward, Shang-Chi made his way up into the ventilation shaft. He crawled along the passageways until he heard a conversation from a window below him. He peered down to see two men talking in an office. Shang soon dropped down onto the table where the men stood, and asked why they sought the death of himself and Tarr. 

A man named Skolnik called for Shock-Wave, who arrived from an adjoining room. His electroshock attacks proved to be more powerful than the efforts of most of Shang-Chi's opponents. He fled the room, knowing his opponent would soon follow him.

Meanwhile, back at headquarters, Smith and Greville convened. The secretary was unable to reach Doctor Petrie. Smith asked her to summon Larner and Reston and meet him by the car.

Back at Oriental Expediters, Tarr arrived in time to interrupt another ferocious attack by Shock-Wave. The villain got away, and he and Shang made it outside just as Smith and his companion's vehicle arrived. Smith informed Shang-Chi that Leiko Wu had sent a message from Switzerland, stating that her contact, Agent-O, had been exposed as a counteragent. He asked Shang to protect both Wu and Agent-O. 

Shang could barely muster a reply before collapsing in pain. Smith then changed his mind and ordered his young warrior to be sent to the hospital. Tarr was surprised by his friend's injuries, noting that he'd never been seriously hurt before by any previous foe. Both he and Smith knew that this didn't bode well for them, especially with the slew of agents being slain across the globe. 

In the epilogue, a British policeman noticed Tarr's office door was ajar. He opened it to find Doctor Petrie standing there as if he were in a trance. Before he could do more, the bobby was hit from behind by Shock-Wave. He seemed to be working in tandem with the doctor, who now held another active bomb in his hands. 

I think that some readers may have been confused by the panels depicting Shang squaring off against Shock-Wave before their actual initial confrontation. To me, it seemed to be a bit of foreshadowing. Shock-Wave might even have been sparring against a Shang-Chi look-alike to prepare him for their first encounter. Whatever the case or reasoning, it was still an enjoyable issue from Moench, Gulacy, and company. 

Well, that's all for now. Next time, I'll recap the first and only Master of Kung Fu annual. Shang-Chi will join forces with fellow Deadly Hands of Kung Fu star Iron Fist in a trippy tale that marks the duo's first meeting in a color Marvel comic. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Master of Kung Fu #41

 Hi everyone,

Today's focus is the forty-first issue of Marvel's The Hands of Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. The cover is essentially a Shang pin-up, as he fends off throwing stars and a spear thrown at him by people who were not shown. The story was titled "Slain in Secrecy, and by Illusion!" The issue had a cover date of June 1976. 

The tale picked up where the last issue left off at Larner's apartment. Clive Reston, Larner, and Black Jack Tarr had agreed to follow up on the Oriental Expediters' lead from the business card that was in the jacket pocket of one of their attackers. Shang opted to stay behind for a time. 

He started to meditate and thought back to a time in his father's Honan, China retreat when he was sparring with his rival and classmate Midnight (who was last seen in Special Marvel Edition #16). Their instructor, Cho Lin, chided Shang for having been bested by his opponent. Shang-Chi rose to his feet and resumed the attack with fervor, but was not able to advance another step before being defeated once more. 

The sparring session was interrupted by the arrival of the priest Kwan-Shu. He delivered word from Shang's father, Fu Manchu. Manchu believed that Midnight (also known as M'Nai) had stolen a quantity of drink from the cellar. He wanted Midnight to be brought to his personal chambers for punishment. That task would become Shang-Chi's responsibility. He was advised to use force if his friend resisted. 

Shang initially refused that his sparring partner was capable of such a thing. However, he still felt bound by duty to obey his father's commands. He began by making his way to M'Nai's quarters. His comrade was nowhere to be found, but he'd left a note stating that he'd been falsely accused of wrongdoing, and that he was not about to accept punishment for someone else's misdeeds. The note was unsigned, but it didn't need to be. The message also asked Shang-Chi not to find him, or else their spirits would no longer be as one. 

Afterward, Shang continued on until he heard a familiar voice in the shadows. The voice had warned Shang-Chi not to pursue him, which belonged to his brother Midnight. They engaged in a close-matched personal battle. Shang asked his comrade if he feared weakness, to which M'Nai replied that he feared injustice. 

After fighting to a standstill, the two decided to investigate the wine room. To their surprise, they learned that Kwan-Shu was the thief, as they watched him consume several cups of wine from a nearby vat. However, when they shared that revelation with Cho Lin, they were dismissed as liars, and Cho Lin ordered them to their chambers until called for. 

Shang-Chi remembered how his father never said a single word to him about that particular incident, even tho Cho Lin said that he would. He wondered if he had never known about it, or if it was a test, one that Shang had passed in a greater and unexpected sense. Shang-Chi realized that Larner's words were true. A traitor could be anyone, even someone who was least suspected. If someone didn't want to believe the truth, then nothing would probably change their mind. As Cho Lin observed, comforting ignorance of placid illusion is always chosen over the disruption of a harsh and unwanted truth. 

This issue felt like a bit of a fill-in, with the guest artists, and a reflection back to Shang's earlier days. It was good to see Midnight again, and this was a bit of a morality tale. Regular readers of this site know that I'm a big Sal Buscema fan, and I always enjoy seeing his artwork in comics. I enjoyed this story, which served as a bridge between Gulacy issues.

Well, that's all for now. Next time, I'll write about the forty-second issue of Master of Kung Fu. Paul Gulacy returns to craft another excellent tale with Doug Moench. We'll learn more about Oriental Expediters and see a new threat and a new villain for Shang and company. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Master of Kung Fu #40

 Hi everyone,

Today I'm writing about the fortieth issue of Marvel's The Hands of Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. The cover depicted Shang battling a man who held four knives in one hand. The story was called "The Murder Agency." The issue had a cover date of May 1976.

By now, Shang had returned to London and went to Whitechapel, the MI-6 headquarters. He stormed into Sir Dennis Nayland Smith's office and expressed his outright anger at being sent on a mission that almost ended in a man's death. He explained that Juliette was last seen in the arms of her lover Shen Kuei, and that he'd destroyed the documents that were recovered, noting that the paperwork belonged to the Chinese government. 

Smith countered that the papers did belong to the British government and contained information about the biggest threat to the country and perhaps the world. He asserted that Doctor Petrie could vouch for that. By this time, Shang was so tired of the deceit and deception that he no longer cared what he was told. He quit the service right there and then.

Afterward, Black Jack Tarr approached Shang-Chi. He told him about the agents who were being murdered, and asked for his assistance in tracking down the mole who was responsible for their murders. He was able to persuade his comrade to join him on the trek to Leiko Wu's flat, where Sir Denis was supposed to provide them with additional information.

When they arrived, Tarr and Shang-Chi found Leiko being held captive by four gunmen. Naturally, they intervened to save their friend. Three of the intruders fled. Tarr went after them, while Shang stayed with Wu. He asked Leiko what the gunmen were after. She replied that they wanted information. Wu was about to rendezvous with their mole to learn more. It was a dangerous mission, with very little chance of success, but she was determined to proceed with it. She also shared that she'd met with Clive Reston and told him that she and Shang-Chi were in love.

Shang was taken aback by those words, probably because they'd just met rather recently. Wu obviously thought that her feelings were not the same as his, and gently excused herself to head for the airport. Before departing, she told Shang-Chi to have Tarr re-enlist Larner, saying that Tarr would know what she meant by that. She apologized and left quickly. Shang stood alone with his thoughts in the empty apartment for several moments. 

Tarr returned a few minutes later, stating that the gunmen had escaped. Shang told him that Leiko had left and gave him her instructions about Larner. He noted that Larner was removed from the service a year ago, but made the trek to his residence with Shang-Chi. A short drive later, they arrived at Larner's apartment. 

The man known as Larner was busy imbibing in liquid courage when Shang-Chi and Tarr entered. He was hesitant to agree, because he'd been branded a traitor, and felt that Leiko let his love Jennie die on a previous mission. Tarr refuted the claim, stating that Larner was drunk.

Larner went on to add more details about what had happened after Jennie's death. He said that he and Leiko escaped from an attack on a gunrunning boat via a speedboat. Unfortunately, Leiko had been hit in the shoulder by a bullet and fell from the boat. Larner left her behind, which he felt was why he was considered to be a bad risk and a traitor.

Tarr literally tried to slap some sense into Larner and said that they eventually rescued Leiko. Larner had been dumped, but now they needed him back. Clive Reston then entered the apartment and explained the high-risk mission that Wu had just embarked upon. 

Reston added that Wu now loved Shang, just moments before the conversation was broken up by the sounds of gunfire from outside the building. A grenade was then tossed into the room, and it went off seconds later. Several armed strangers entered and engaged in a fight with the British agents. Larner still had enough firepower to hold some of them off, while Shang-Chi exited out the back. He caught up with an opponent who brandished a knife. Shang bested him in combat and tried to save him from falling to his death, but was only able to grab part of his jacket before his foe's hold gave way and he dropped to the street below. 

Inside one of the jacket pockets, Tarr found a business card for a company named Oriental Expediters, with an address in Soho, London. It was presumed to be a front, but the quartet decided to pursue it anyway, not knowing the full dangers that they might face. Shang was not happy with the possibility of more deceit, but it seemed that he couldn't escape it at that point.

This was another enjoyable issue. Larner was a good character, although he did look very similar to Reston. Casual fans might not have been able to distinguish the two, but regular readers knew their differences well enough. This was the start of Shang-Chi and Leiko's relationship, which would continue to evolve over the years of the title's run.

Well, that's all for now. Next time, I'll recap the forty-first issue of Master of Kung Fu. Sal Buscema and Mike Esposito join writer Doug Moench in creating an adventure from Shang's past. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Retro Comic Recap: Master of Kung Fu #39

 Hi everyone,

It's time for me to discuss the thirty-ninth issue of Marvel Comics' The Hands of Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. The cover showed Shang facing off against Shen Kuei, the mysterious man who was also known as Cat. The story was called "Fight Without Pity." The issue had a cover date of April 1976.

Back at the Jade Peacock, things were at a standstill. Shang told Kuei that Juliette did not betray him and that she had not disclosed his location. Kuei brushed that off as a lie, even when Juliette asserted that Shang-Chi was telling the truth. Shang said that he was not sent to assassinate Kuei. His mission was to protect Juliette from murder by Kuei's hand. Kuei replied that he would not love a woman whose love for him was just deceit and guile.

Kuei then assumed a defensive stance after asking Shang-Chi to defend Juliette from him. A low sound indicated the presence of others in the building, who we soon learned were gangsters. Three of them entered their room, with their pistols drawn. Before anything could happen, Shang-Chi burst through a window, escaping with Juliette in his arms.

The gangsters were willing to stop them, but Kuei insisted that they stop firing. He knew that they fled because he would kill them. Kuei knew what Shang and Juliette's destination was. He would go there and then kill them.

Meanwhile, Juliette and Shang-Chi discussed their plans. Shang wanted to go to the harbor to retrieve the documents and then go to the air terminal to return Juliette to London. However, she still wanted to remain in Hong Kong and professed her love for Kuei, even though she knew that her lover might kill her. She thought that he would calm down if she could just convince the Cat that she hadn't betrayed him. Shang-Chi respected her decision and was about to go off on his own, until a Siamese cat walking by Shang's feet was enough to change her mind and go with him. 

Back in London, Leiko Wu was busy practicing her tai chi. Her exercises were interrupted by Clive Reston. He confessed to picking her lock. Wu asserted that what they'd once had was now over. Reston knew that and wanted to talk about the present. He mentioned her affair with Brentor/Mordillo and her new affection for Shang-Chi. He didn't want his naive, innocent friend to be hurt by Leiko like he'd been. Leiko reminded him to keep out of her affairs, stating that Shang could take care of himself. She struck at him brusquely and immediately regretted it. The scene ended with the two former lovers embracing.

At the Hong Kong harbor, Shang swam to the boat where the documents were located. He defeated a guard and made his way to an interior cabin. He then asked the man at the desk for the papers that were stolen from the British government. The man replied that he had the papers, but that he'd already transmitted them via a secure channel and a scrambled system. His people knew the documents' contents, but he added that they did not steal them and that the documents were developed by their own intelligence sources. Shang-Chi was surprised to hear that the papers were not stolen from Smith, but rather that he'd tried to steal them from the Chinese government. He then took the documents topside and shredded them before letting them scatter into the sea.

Shang grew tired of the game and swam back to the docks, where Juliette was waiting. She asked him if he'd found the papers. He replied that they were not his to take. Before Juliette could ask Shang-Chi why he said that, Shen Kuei arrived behind them. He wanted vengeance on the British agent, and another battle began.

Kuei and Shang made their way across the harbor, engaging in both hand-to-hand combat and using weapons such as nunchuks and spears before being drawn to a halt by Juliette once they were on the shoreline. She stood on the dock above them with a dagger in one hand. She asked her love to believe her words. In his hesitation, she drove the dagger into her chest. Kuei ran to her side, not knowing whether or not she could be saved.

Shen Kuei knew that her fate was not Shang-Chi's fault, and that the blame may have been his. He tossed the knife at Shang's feet, which he could use to slay his foe if he so chose. Shang-Chi stood silently as Kuei carried his lover away in his arms. Juliette took one last look at Shang before they departed. 

Instead of reaching for the blade, Shang put his hand down to pet the Siamese cat who had returned. He took the animal with him on the plane trip back to London. He questioned the meaning of his battle with Kuei and the mission, and knew that he wanted more answers than Sir Dennis Nayland Smith had given him thus far. 

This was another great art issue, and I felt that it was a somewhat satisfying conclusion to this two-part story. My one regret was that Juliette seemed so willing to end it all so quickly. She could have been a great ally for Shang and his colleagues. Shen Kuei was an interesting character, and the underlying subterfuge and seeming pointlessness of Shang's mission were worth delving into. 

Well, that's all for now. Next time, I'll recap the fortieth issue of Master of Kung Fu. Shang will confront Smith about the Hong Kong mission and embark on another sojourn with Black Jack Tarr and Clive Reston. We'll also meet another new character and learn what Leiko's up to. Until then, have a great week and don't forget to be kind to one another.