Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu

Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu #1-6

by Doug Moench, Paul Gulacy (Illustrator)

Comics pre-eminent star of martial arts action -- Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu -- is back. If Moench and Gully's seminal Master of Kung Fu successfully tapped into the Bruce Lee kung fu craze and popular James Bond spy flicks, then their revamped MOKF will appeal to the folks who are packing the seats for the latest Jet Li flick, or "Mission Impossible" sequel.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Marvel, Fiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2003

About the author

Doug Moench, is an American comic book writer notable for his Batman work and as the creator of Black Mask, Moon Knight and Deathlok. Moench has worked for DC Comics, Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics and many other smaller companies; he has written hundreds of issues of many different comics, and created dozens of characters, such as Moon Knight. In 1973, Moench became the de facto lead writer for the Marvel black-and-white magazine imprint Curtis Magazines. He contributed to the entire runs of Planet of the Apes, Rampaging Hulk (continuing on the title when it changed its name to The Hulk!) and Doc Savage, while also serving as a regular scribe for virtually every other Curtis title during the course of the imprint's existence. Moench is perhaps best known for his work on Batman, whose title he wrote from 1983–1986 and then again from 1992–1998. (He also wrote the companion title Detective Comics from 1983–1986.)

Moench is a frequent and longtime collaborator with comics artist Paul Gulacy. The pair are probably best known for their work on Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu, which they worked on together from 1974–1977. They also co-created Six from Sirius, Slash Maraud, and S.C.I. Spy, and have worked together on comics projects featuring Batman, Conan the Barbarian and James Bond.

Moench has frequently been paired with the artist and inker team of Kelley Jones and John Beatty on several Elseworlds Graphic Novels and a long run of the monthly Batman comic.

Reviews

[A.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

“In risking darkness to do good, our spirits rise and advance. And in their spreading light, no one acts alone.”

Shang Chi: Master of Kung Fu: The Hellfire Apocalypse is one of the weirder Marvel Max books I have read. Not only is its title absurd and long, but it is by the creative team that did the most famous run with the character back in the 70s. There is a major difference in the approaches between the two runs though. Unlike Doug Moench’s and Paul Gulacy’s initial Shang Chi run, which was more akin to the martial arts led Bruce Lee films that were plentiful by the late 70s, this Shang Chi run takes inspiration from the James Bond & Mission Impossible movies from the late 90s & early 2000s. It’s very noticeable even before you open the book, as can be seen by the fact Shang Chi is wearing sunglasses, and leather gloves with a leather jacket while standing in a fire on the cover. You can also see the flame reflecting off the glasses, it’s all so very 2000s, I just love it. There’s even a scene in the book where someone rips a face mask off for no reason just like in Mission Impossible 2, which made me realize just how amazing this book would be.

The story itself follows Shang Chi, I assume an undisclosed number of years after the end of Doug Moench’s and Paul Gulacy’s original run, as he is dragged from his “Shangri-La” and back into the world he left behind after a mysterious foe named “The Ghost” inherited his father's empire and ended up kidnapping Shang’s ex-wife, Leiko Wu. Leiko was sent by MI-6 to kill The Ghost, and her current husband and a man named Black Jack Tarr, have been sent by the same agency to recruit Shang Chi to stop The Ghost and help get Wu back. With all this established, how does the comic itself hold up? Well, it was honestly pretty fun.

I haven’t read any of the original Master of Kung Fu, but this does a pretty good job at getting people who have no clue who Shang Chi is up to speed. The book at the same time never slows down, with the action kicking up into gear as quickly as the end of the first issue. The team of Moench & Gulacy is a joy though, with action scenes that are easy to read and fun to follow. There’s a pretty sick fight in the final issue that had some great paneling, and it was one of the better action scenes I have seen in a comic.

That said this book isn’t perfect and is probably one of the most 2000s book someone can read along with The Ultimates. Tying into that, there’s also this really weird subplot with this group called The Omegans, and that all just sucks. Finally, the Max label is never really justified either, with this one being pretty tame throughout. There are MAYBE 3 panels in all 6 issues to make a case for this being Max, but this book should’ve just embraced that aspect and gone full Max, or just gone for a wider audience. It doesn’t make sense to make a book 18+ when it doesn’t need to be, and this didn’t need to be.

Other than being dated, the Omegans, and being a Max book for seemingly no reason, this was fantastic. Even though it has problems, I’m giving it 4 stars just because I never was bored while reading this nor did I really want it to end. The action scenes are awesome, and while it isn't exactly Max level, there is some light, yet cool gore at certain points. The martial arts scenes are the best of the action, and the final issue, in particular, is a standout. I haven’t read a ton of Shang Chi, but this is probably the best I have read starring him. Easy recommend if you can find it.

[Ignacio · Rating 1 out of 5]

Moench y Gulacy regresan al personaje treinta años después de su etapa histórica con el personaje y apuestan por un revival. Desafortunadamente el guión es muy muy flojo (casi una reescritura de su saga más conocida, esta vez con Fu Manchú haciéndose con el rayo de la muerte de Tesla), y el dibujo, entre el entintado y un color muy poco adecuado a los lápices de Gulacy, tampoco me ha gustado. ¡Quédense con sus tebeos de los 70... si es que pueden encontrarlos!

[ReyReyPod · Rating 3 out of 5]

Needed Shang Chi more front and centre, which he only really did start doing by the last two issues. Story was well entrenched in an espionage style and this could easily have been translated to film...but I feel the opportunity to round out all supporting characters was lost and they all ended up being rather bland. Shang Chi vs Moving Shadow in finale was the highlight...as was the classic Moench writing towards the end, of Shang Chi's thoughts and philosophies

[Devero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doug Moench riprende, in questa mini, il personaggio di Shang-chi di cui ha scritto dozzine di storie e lo trasporta a oggi. Una storia ben scritta, e nel complesso con disegni degni. Una colorazione un poco troppo marcata tende a penalizzarli però.
Mi sono divertito a leggerla e a ritrovare in azione il Bruce Lee della Marvel.

[Jimbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Doug Moench continues the story of Shang Chi and his father in this MAX Comics version from Marvel. It continues the tale of Shang's feelings about "death and destruction", but his return to help find Leiko Wu and stop St. Germain and his bid to take over the world.

[Mackenzie Melo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Shang Chi and I learned a lot with his sayings and reflections over the years, so I keep returns to him from time to time. I wish this one had been better, though.

[Glen Engel-Cox · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I became a certified comics fan in the late 70s, there were two comics outside of the "mainstream" superhero fare that I loved. One was Howard the Duck, a satirical comic about politics and society. The other was a comic about family, albeit one in which the father was the ultimate evil and the son had been raised to be the perfect assassin, who then rebelled against his father. Of course, Master of Kung Fu also had the big action sequences as well as secret service intrigue as well, but I suspect it was that idea of the son not exactly wanting to follow in his father's footsteps that a psychiatrist would have a field day with if I ever found myself on the couch.

Marvel's recent successes on the movie screen along with the burgeoning market for graphic novels has them looking to the past for their future. They also, obviously, believe that since the audience that grew up on these comics are older, that such audience also wants their return to be "mature" as well, and to that end Marvel has a new line of comics called "MAX" to distinguish comics with "mature" themes. I've only read two of the MAX titles--the original creators returning to my favorite books, Howard the Duck and Master of Kung Fu, and I'm starting to think ol' Thomas Wolfe was right, and you can't go home again.

It's not that Master of Kung Fu (subtitled "The Hellfire Apocalypse") isn't well done. Moench and Gulacy are a wonderful team and the intervening years have not diminished their ability to portray in flat panels the fluidity and excitement of a martial arts epic. But something is missing, and I think it's the cliffhangers and surprise of the monthly comic. Collected together in this graphic novel, the monthly wait to see just how Shang-Chi, Weiko Lu, Clive Reston and Black Jack Tarr were going to get out of this dire calamity is gone. But even then, it wasn't that cast, nor Fu Manchu, that drew me to the comic, but the ancilliary ideas, just as it isn't James Bond or Blofield that brings you back to 007, but the gadgets. "The Hellfire Apocalypse," although it tries hard, is warmed over kung fu--there's nothing in this book that we haven't seen time and time again since Moench and Gulacy took their leave of us 20 years ago.

It makes me wary to re-read any of those 1970s/1980s originals, to see if my memory has failed me and that those comics weren't as great as I remember.

[Sonic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shang Chi is reluctantly brought back into the games of deceit and death,
and it is fun,
just like the good ol' days!

[DURTY · Rating 3 out of 5]

I tried to learn Kung Fu in the 70's by studying Shang-Chi's moves. A nostalgic story.

[mushroomsooup · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5*