Tales from the 50 Cent Bin! - The Master of Kung Fu #100

Next up for the month is a return to the Marvel Universe’s Master of Kung Fu. I’ve already looked at a few things involving Shang-Chi. I thought I’d come back to the guy since I got a random issue from his first series. Word on the street is that there may be a Shang-Chi movie coming one of these days. I don’t know how that’ll pan out, but hopefully that does get some traction. It’d be nice to see some more Marvel kung-fu action since The Immortal Iron Fist Netflix show is gone. More on that next week.

Today’s issue is The Master of Kung Fu #100.  I don’t remember where I found it at. This double-sized issue was written by Doug Moench. I probably remember Moench more for his Batman work, but he’s done some Marvel stuff as well. The artwork is handled by Gene Day and Mike Zeck. Jim Novak handles the letters and Bob Sharen does the colors. So, what happens in the 100^th issue of Shang-Chi’s book? Flashback time!!! (echoes)

Master of Kung Fu #100

Writer: Doug Moench

Artists: Gene Day and Mike Zeck

Letters: Jim Novak

Colors: Bob Sharen

Editor: Jim Salicrup

Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

“Red of Fang and Claw, All Love Lost”

“The Immortal Caravan”

We start out in 1932. Sir Denis Wayland Smith is recounting a tale in his diary about a journey to Egypt. He and his associates, Leeks and Petrie, were on the search for the evil scientist, Fu Manchu. They go to the house of Fah Lo Suee who’s revealed to be the daughter of Fu Manchu. It turns out that Manchu is smuggling ingredients of his immortal elixir, the Elixer Vitae, somewhere in Egypt. We also find out that Wayland and Fah Lo Suee are lovers. Wayland ends up sneaking aboard a caravan that gets taken to Fu Manchu’s fortress. Leeks and Petrie follow the caravan

Days pass and Fah Lo Suee’s caravan makes it to the fortress. They find that Fu Manchu is not only working on this immortal potion, but he’s also trying to create mindless soldiers by using his own men. Wayland blows his cover and Manchu plans to use him in this experiment. Fah Lo Suee tries to stop Manchu but can’t. Luckily, Petrie and Leeks show up to save Wayland. While they succeed in blowing up Manchu’s hideout, they’re unable to capture Manchu who also took his daughter with him.

“The Ancient Mystery”

Years pass and we find a young Shang-Chi being trained in his father’s home. Fah Lo Suee comes to visit, and this is the first time Shang-Chi’s ever met her. Shang also notices that she has a lover, Phillip, along with her. While she’s visiting, he does notice that she and Fu Manchu don’t get along at all. While he doesn’t see her much, he does feel her presence especially when an older lady is around. He then notices that the older lady is connected to his father. She’s also having problems with Fu Manchu and something about “a madness being unleashed on the world” is said. Eventually, Fah Lo Suee leaves without a word and strangely without Phillip. This part of the story ends with Shang-Chi having a lot of unanswered questions.

“The Whitechapel Madness”

We finally get to the present and we’re in London. It turns out that someone is trying to copycat Jack the Ripper and has killed three women. Wayland (old and bald) tells the adult Shang-Chi to read his diary about the event from 1932 to get caught up. They believe that Fu Manchu finally succeeded in his experiment of creating a mindless killer by basing the killer on Jack the Ripper. Meanwhile, it turns out that they have sent Leiko, one of their agents, on the case to lure who they call “The Mad Slayer” out. The Slayer almost attacks Leiko, but a cop’s in the area, so the Slayer looks for someone else to kill. The killer almost gets a young woman, but Leiko stops him. The Slay injures Leiko and escapes.

Shang, Reston, and Melissa find out find Leiko recovering in the hospital. They then try to lure the Slayer out by using Melissa as bait. The trap works but Shang-Chi runs into problems of his own: ninja assassins. After he takes care of them, he finds Reston and Melissa safe and chases after the Slayer. He ends up finding the Slayer’s lair and the Slayer himself. It’s revealed to be an unaged Phillip, Fah Lo Suee’s lover. Fah Lo Suee also shows up and reveals that Fu Manchu had done this to Phillip years ago. He’s only stayed young because of the elixir and Shang realizes that the old woman he saw back then was also his sister without the elixir. The two argue over what to do when Phillip tries to attack her. She ends up regretfully killing him, says farewell to Shang-Chi, and leaves.

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For a series that has reached 100, this issue was fine for the most part. If I was reading this series from the beginning, I’d probably get more out of it. What I do get is pretty good. We find out more about Shang-Chi’s past and family. We find out how devious his father, who I know has had his named changed over the years (copyright laws), could really be. We even find out about his sister and the twisted tale that ended up being.  They kind of reminded me of Ras’ Al Ghul and Talia. The writing is good for the most part. I haven’t read much of Moench’s run with Shang-Chi, but he tends to do him good.

The artwork is pretty good. I actually haven’t heard of Gene Day, but he does good here. From what I’ve read online, he and Mike Zeck were on the book for years. The artwork hits certain moods well. The action is nice, and the intimate moments are good. I really have no complaints about the artwork as a whole here. As for any negatives, I don’t have too many either. For a book that’s about Shang-Chi, the dude really only appears in half of it. That’s not exactly a bad thing, but it is a little weird. Also, while I did like the stories, the first one dragged a little too long for my tastes. It actually would have been nice if we got more of Young Shang-Chi, but that wasn’t meant to be.

Overall, this was a fine anniversary issue. This does give some info on a character I know little about, so it wins in that regard. Here’s hoping whatever happens with Shang-Chi in the MCU turns out to be good. It could be pretty cool. Now, if you excuse me, I need to jump back into some movies and TV shows. Until then, Peace, God Bless, and don’t take your lovers to your parents’ house if your parents are evil warlords. It might not turn out well for your lover.