| Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu | |
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Shang-Chi as depicted by Bob Larkin |
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Special Marvel Edition #15 (December 1973) |
| Created by | Steve Englehart Jim Starlin |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Shang-Chi |
| Team affiliations | Secret Avengers[1] Heroes for Hire MI-6 Freelance Restorations "Marvel Knights" |
| Notable aliases | Master of Kung-Fu |
| Abilities | Superb Athlete, Expert practitioner of the Chinese martial arts |
Shang-Chi (Chinese: 上氣; pinyin: shàng qì; literally "rising of the spirit") is a Marvel Comics character, often called the "Master of Kung Fu". He was created by writer Steve Englehart and artist Jim Starlin.
He has no special superpowers, but he exhibits extraordinary skills in the martial arts and is a master of Wushu (a general name for the various Chinese styles) both empty handed and with weapons, including the staff, nunchaku and double-edged sword.
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The character was conceived in late 1972 when Marvel Comics acquired the comic book rights to Sax Rohmer's pulp novel villain Dr. Fu Manchu while they also held the rights to the Kung Fu television program. Instead of producing a straight adaptation of either source, Marvel combined the two. The result was Shang-Chi, a master of Kung Fu, who was introduced as the (previously unheard of) son of Fu Manchu.[2] Though an original character himself, many of Shang-Chi's supporting characters (most notably Fu Manchu and Sir Denis Nayland Smith) were Rohmer creations. No characters from the Kung Fu television series carried over into the comic series, though the character Lu Sung, in an early issue, bears a strong resemblance to Kwai Chang Caine with the addition of a moustache.
Shang-Chi first appeared in Special Marvel Edition #15 (December 1973) by Englehart and Starlin (SME #1–14 were reprints of older Marvel superhero stories). Shang-Chi appeared again in issue #16, and with issue #17 (April 1974) the title was changed to The Hands of Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu. Amidst the martial arts craze in the United States in the 1970s, the book became very popular, surviving until issue #125 (June 1983), a run including four giant-size issues and a king-size annual. He also co-starred with Spider-Man in Marvel Team-Up #84 and The Thing in Marvel Two-in-One #29. Shang-Chi also appeared in Marvel's Special Collector's Edition #1 entitled "Savage Fists of Kung Fu". At the height of the martial arts craze, he did several crossovers with other Marvel martial artists, including White Tiger, Iron Fist, and Daughters of the Dragon (Colleen Wing and Misty Knight). He also appeared quite prominently in Marvel's sister imprint magazine entitled Deadly Hands of Kung Fu.
The series began by introducing Shang-Chi as a man raised by his father Fu Manchu to be the ultimate lackey for the would-be world conqueror. However, his first mission, in which he killed one of his father's old enemies, Dr. Petrie, ended with Shang-Chi learning of Fu Manchu's true, evil nature. Disillusioned, Shang-Chi swore eternal opposition to his father's ambitions and fought him as an agent of British intelligence, under the orders of Nayland Smith.
The series was an instant sales success. Though Englehart and Starlin soon left as the creative talent for the title, its success grew once writer Doug Moench and artist Paul Gulacy, began collaborating in issues #22. Their critically acclaimed run continued (with short gaps) until #51 when Gulacy was replaced by artist Jim Craig. Craig was later succeeded by Mike Zeck who became the regular penciller in issue #64 (1978).
| Prologue from Master of Kung Fu: |
| "Call me Shang-Chi, as my father did when he raised me and molded my mind and my body in the vacuum of his Honan, China retreat. I learned many things from my father: That my name means 'The Rising and Advancing of a Spirit', that my body could be forged into a living weapon through the discipline of Kung Fu, and that it might be used for the murder of a man called Dr. Petrie.
Since then I have learned that my father is Dr. Fu Manchu, the most insidiously evil man on earth...and that to honor him would bring nothing but dishonor to the spirit of my name." |
| –Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu |
Gulacy was a film buff, and modeled many characters after film stars: Juliette on Marlene Dietrich, James Larner on Marlon Brando, Clive Reston (often broadly hinted at as being the son of James Bond as well as the grand nephew of Sherlock Holmes) occasionally looking like Basil Rathbone and Sean Connery, and a minor character Ward Sarsfield (after the real-life name of Sax Rohmer) who looked like David Niven. Moench introduced other film-based characters, including ones modeled after Groucho Marx and W. C. Fields.
Moench continued for a long tenure, though the title did not again receive the same level of acclaim as the Gulacy period until Gene Day, who had previously been inking the book, took over penciling in #100 (1981). Despite critical success, sales lagged, and the publication schedule change from monthly to bimonthly. Day died of a heart attack after finishing issue #120, and Moench left the book after #122. The character's long-running battle with his father ended with #118 and with the main storyline resolved, the book was canceled with issue #125 as Shang-Chi retired to a passive life as a fisherman in a village.
Shang-Chi had two more short series: the Master of Kung Fu: Bleeding Black graphic novel (1990) and the MAX miniseries Master of Kung Fu: Hellfire Apocalypse (2002) (with artist Paul Gulacy on art again). The character also had two stories in the anthology series Marvel Comics Presents (including one by Moench that ran in the series' first eight issues in 1988), and co-starred in the Moon Knight Special (1992).
Although spun out of licensed properties, Shang-Chi is a Marvel-owned character and has been firmly established as a part of the Marvel Universe with guest appearances in numerous other titles, such as Marvel Team-Up, Marvel Knights and X-Men. Most of the original, licensed, characters in the supporting cast have been phased out in the more recent series and stories.
In some of his modern appearances, mention is made of his villainous father either in cryptic terms or using a variety of new names, due to Marvel no longer having the rights to Fu Manchu. In Secret Avengers #6-10, writer Ed Brubaker officially sidestepped the entire issue via a storyline where a rogue group of S.H.I.E.L.D agents resurrect a zombified version of Fu Manchu only to discover that "Fu Manch" was only an alias; that Shang-Chi's father was really an ancient Chinese sorcerer who discovered the secret to immortality.
Shang-Chi returned as a main character in the 2007 Heroes for Hire comic book, and both he and several characters of his supporting cast appear in that year's Wisdom miniseries.
Shang-Chi appeared in Wolverine First Class #9, where Wolverine approached him for advice in order to defeat his nemesis, Sabretooth.
Shang-Chi was born in the Hunan province of the People's Republic of China, and is the son of Fu Manchu, the Chinese mastermind who has repeatedly attempted world conquest. Shangi-Chi was raised and trained in the martial arts by his father and his instructors. He was sent on a mission to murder Dr. Petrie, but he met Fu Manchu's archenemy, Sir Denis Nayland Smith and learned that Fu Manchu was evil and rebelled against his father.[3] Shang-Chi battled Midnight,[4] and then first met his close ally Black Jack Tarr.[5] Shangi-Chi became an ally of Sir Denis Nayland Smith, and opposed Fu Manchu, and battled the Si-Fan assassins.[6]
As a secret agent, he encountered the Man-Thing,[7] and first met the superhero Spider-Man.[8] Shang-Chi then first met his friend Clive Reston. Shang-Chi battled the Shadow-Stalker and Fu Manchu's Phansigar followers, and rescued Dr. Petrie from Fu Manchu.[9] He then first opposed his half-sister, Fah Lo Suee.[10] He opposed Carlton Velcro, and first battled Razor-Fist and Pavane.[11] Shang-Chi then first met love Leiko Wu.[12] He opposed Mordillo and Brynocki.[13] He first encountered the Cat,[14] then first met Iron Fist,[15] and then first battled Shockwave.[16] With his allies Smith, Tarr, Reston, and Wu, Shang-Chi opposed Fu Manchu;[17] With Tarr, Reston, and Wu, he then quit MI-6.[18]
As an adventurer, he teamed with Iron Fist, White Tiger, and Jack of Hearts against the Corporation.[19] He then first met the Thing, and battled HYDRA.[20] He became involved in a game between Doctor Doom and the Prime Mover.[21] He first battled Skullcrusher,[22] and then first battled Zaran.[23] Shang-Chi then teamed with Spider-Man, the Black Widow, and Nick Fury against Viper, Boomerang, and Silver Samurai.[24] Shang-Chi opposed Fu Manchu and Fah Lo Suee once again.[25] With Smith, Tarr, Reston, and Wu, he formed Freelance Restorations, Ltd, which was based in Stormhaven Castle, Scotland.[26] Shang-Chi finally witnessed the death of Fu Manchu.[27] He then teamed with Rom against the Dire Wraiths.[28] Not long after his father's death, Shang-Chi quit Freelance Restorations, forsook his life as an adventurer, and retired to remote Yang-Tin, China, to live as a fisherman.[29]
Some time later, Shang-Chi returned from China, and rejoined Tarr, Reston, and Wu. He rescued Wu from terrorists, but was dosed with a slow acting poison.[30] Before the poison could kill him, he was cured of the poison's effects by Fu Manchu's elixir vitae.[31]
Shang-Chi has been identified as a possible Initiative recruit.[32]
As a member of the restored Heroes for Hire, Shang Chi had put his strength of character at the service of their teammates, his desire for inner peace often mistaken for coldness. However, Shang Chi warms with time, or at least shows more his genuine emotions, as when he avenges the death of teammate Orka, forges a measure of friendship with Humbug and forges a somewhat romantic relationship with the more feisty and emotive Tarantula, peaking in a passionate kiss in the Savage Land. He later tries to put more distance between him and Maria, fearing that a strong relation could lead his inner peace to downfall, something that happens later, during the World War Hulk.
Humbug, turning against the heroes, tries to double cross both his friends and the "Earth Hive" of insects, joining the Hive and offering Colleen Wing and Tarantula to a lifetime of tortures. Even so, when a dying Humbug begs his friend to mercy kill him, Shang Chi refuses, until he finds that Humbug actually had no qualms to torture Tarantula, if it meant less suffering for Colleen. Shang Chi then snaps his neck, and leaves with the catatonic Tarantula, ashamed of what he believed he had to become, a soulless murderer.[33]
Still working for MI6, he goes on to collaborate with Pete Wisdom of MI-13 in facing the Welsh dragon, which had turned amnesiac and become a human crime lord; Shang Chi had been told by Wisdom that the dragon (being inherently noble) would go free once it remembered its true origins, and was embittered to find this had been a lie.[34] He also became the ward and tutor of a young Earth-616 Killraven.[35]
In the "Shadowland" storyline, Shang-Chi is one of the heroes fighting The Hand ninjas. He later works together with Spider-Man against Mister Negative, and temporarily takes Mister Negative's powers until Shang is being brought back to normal by Spider-Man.[36]
In Secret Avengers, Steve Rogers tracks Shang-Chi down to help turn back the Shadow Council, which has resurrected Shang-Chi's father, Zheng Zu, and employed the Hai-Dai, a squad of assassins, to hunt Shang-Chi down.[37]
Per the instructions of the new Madame Web, Shang-Chi has begun training Spider-Man in kung fu to help him compensate for the recent loss of his spider-sense.[38]
The series, especially as written by Doug Moench was notable for its strong supporting characters. As they evolved these characters became nearly as integral to the series as Shang-Chi himself:
Although it has never been determined exactly how extensive Shang-Chi's fighting skills are, he has beaten numerous superhuman opponents. Even without having any superhuman powers, he has on several occasions matched Marvel superhumans such as Spider-Man and the Thing. In one instance, he indefinitely held off a crowd of at least 30 super criminals for Captain America with help from Falcon. After the death of fellow Hero for Hire, Orka, Shang managed to single-handedly take out the Headmen including a reprogrammed Doombot, although his hands were injured badly after the battle. All of these incidents were empty handed.
Shang-Chi is classed as an athlete but he is one of the best non-superhumans in martial arts and has dedicated much of his life to the art, being referred to by some as the greatest empty handed fighter and practitioner of Kung Fu alive. Much of his physical abilities seem to stem from his mastery of chi, which often allows him to surpass physical limitations of normal athletes. In one instance, Shang was able to stand shirtless in –20° weather without feeling any physical discomfort. He has also demonstrated the ability to dodge bullets from machine guns and sniper rifles, and is able to deflect gunshots with his bracers. Shang-Chi is also highly trained in the arts of concentration and meditation, and is an expert in various hand-weapons including swords, staves, kali sticks, nunchaku, and shuriken.
Shang-Chi never realizes his father's evil doings before his death at Magneto's hands.[40] This causes him to become consumed with a desire for vengeance. In this reality, Shang-Chi is the head of the Dragons criminal organization, alongside Colleen Wing, Swordsman, Mantis, Zaran and Machete. The Dragons later resolved their rivalry against Luke Cage's gang,[41] but were eventually captured in a trap created by both the Kingpin's assassins and Thunderbird's agents.[42] He is charged with attempted murder.[43] The Dragons and the Wolfpack were freed by Luke Cage, in which Shang-Chi's gang join the Avengers in their battle against the Brotherhood.[44]
In this simian version of the Marvel Universe, Shang-Chi and his father work as a subversive organization, trying to get the local sentients to work in peace and not in animalistic domination. The Avengers (Ape-vengers) murder him for this 'weak-minded' sentiment. [45]
In the Marvel Zombies continuity, Shang-Chi has been turned into a zombie. In a mid-Manhattan battle, detailed in Ultimate Fantastic Four #23, he and dozens of other zombie-heroes attempt to consume the last batch of humans. These humans are defended by that universe's Magneto and the Ultimate Fantastic Four. During a successful rescue attempt, Thing sends Shang-Chi flying through the air with one punch.[46] Later, Shang-Chi is seen attacking Magneto once again, but he is cut in half by the Master of Magnetism. A different Shang-Chi appears in Marvel Zombies Return in an alternate universe where he is unaffected by the zombie outbreak. The zombie Wolverine finds him in an underground fight club, engaging with other infamous martial artists. The flesh-hungry mutant slashes him to death. [47]
In the Ultimate Marvel universe, Shang-Chi first appeared in Ultimate Marvel Team-Up #15. He is the son of an international crime lord. Trained from birth to become a living weapon, he became the world's greatest martial artist. A noble spirit, he eventually came to renounce his father's empire. Seeking to get away from his father's reach, he emigrated to New York where he worked as a floor sweeper at Wu's Fish Market in Chinatown. At some point, he met and befriended fellow martial artist Danny Rand.
While Shang-Chi was in Chinatown, three separate gangs were threatening the locals. He was the only one who was willing to stand up to them. One day, he stopped a couple of the thugs from mugging a newcomer to the area, Leiko, unaware that she was an agent sent by his father to look for him. Shortly after, he was attacked by more gang members, attracting the attention of Spider-Man, who was in the area at the moment. Before Spider-Man could lend his help, Shang-Chi had already beaten the gang members. Seeing that Shang-Chi didn't need his help, Spider-Man left.
Leiko met with the local gangs promising them exclusive rights to the local drug trade if they could break, but not kill, Shang-Chi. Wu Kwan, the man who ran the fish market overheard the conversation and told Shang-Chi to leave the city for his own safety. Before he could do so, he was confronted by the heavily armed gangs. Shang-Chi, who was outnumbered 40 to 1, began to cut a swath through his foes but was overwhelmed by their sheer numbers. This was when Spider-Man came to lend him a hand, and together they triumphed. Impressed by Shang-Chi's skills, Spider-Man asked him to teach him some moves. In gratitude, Shang-Chi only had time to teach him the White Ape maneuver before departing the city.
Shang-Chi secretly returned though, feeling that the denizens of New York's Chinatown needed someone to protect them. He and his friend Danny Rand were recently drawn into the gang war between the Kingpin and Hammerhead after the latter targeted him to win over the Chinatown gangs to his cause. The conflict climaxed when Shang-Chi, Danny Rand, Spider-Man, Black Cat, Moon Knight and Elektra ambushed Hammerhead's penthouse, where a battle royale ensued. It ended with an unconscious Elektra, Hammerhead and Moon Knight. The gang members were then arrested by the police.
The martial arts warrior recently disguised himself as a costumed criminal in order to take down the Kingpin. The Kingpin discovered his plan and threatened to kill the hero, but he was rescued by the Man Without Fear, Daredevil, who then recruited him as a part of his team.
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