MASTER OF KUNG FU is one of the lost masterpieces of the Bronze Age. Written by Doug Moench and pencilled most by Paul Gulacy, Mike Zeck and Gene Day, it was philosophical exciting, full of love, loss and danger, weird, very much of its time (1974-1981) and yet timeless. Despite the memorable work on the title, it cannot be reprinted because the main character, Shang Chi, was supposed to be the son of Fu Manchu, the pulp villain created by Sax Rohmer, and owned by the Rohmer estate. Supporting charactaer Denis Nayland Smith and Fah Lo Suee from the books were also in the comics. So unless an agreement with the Fu Manchu owners is made, the comics can only be seen in scans and my own treasured, coupon clipped back issues. Shang Chi has come back a few times—most recently early last year, but shorn of his nefarious paternal connections.
But Shang Chi IS Coming back, as is the title Master of Kung Fu…as part of Secret Wars Battleworld, Shang Chi is back and he has a whole new origin—which is Iron Fist’s but…who is counting. Also, he’s now…an X-man? Haden Blackman and Dalibor Talajic are the creative team, and Francesco Francavilla does the covers.
Can one man defeat an entire empire? Find out this May, as fists fly on the surface of BATTLEWORLD and a victor will be crowned in MASTER OF KUNG-FU #1, a new 4-issue limited series launching during Secret Wars! Fan-favorite creators Haden Blackman (Elektra) and Dalibor Talajic (Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe) team to take you inside the mystical land of K’un Lun for a series of brutal trials by combat!
Welcome to K’un Lun, a land where the study of martial arts reigns supreme. In a world where everyone is a master of their craft, what becomes of the drunken, drop-out failure? Shang-Chi was the most prized student at the most prestigious of K’un Lun’s many martial arts schools. Now he’s a washed up has-been living on the streets.
Cast out and forsaken by society, Shang-Chi will join other outcasts like him in a bid to dethrone the harsh and evil Emperor Zu. One problem – Zu is Shang-Chi’s father! Things are going to get messy.
“I’m really looking forward to portraying Shang-Chi in ways that we haven’t seen before,” says Haden Blackman in an interview with Marvel.com. “He begins the story very down and out, an exile and an outcast himself, which was very fun to write. I’m also hopeful that the interactions with some of the supporting cast will show us different sides of Shang-Chi, who finds himself a reluctant mentor.”
This May, can one beaten-down man become a MASTER? As Secret Wars begins, step in to the arena and prepare to find out in MASTER OF KUNG-FU #1!
MASTER OF KUNG-FU #1
Written by HADEN BLACKMAN
Art by DALIBOR TALAJIC
Cover by FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLAComing May 2015!
We drill deep into the Shang-Chi/Fu Manchu backstory in our latest episode of The Panel Jumper.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kX97FOkOKc
Please check it out when you have a moment.
Sax Rohmer died in 1959 so all of his work has been in the public domain since 2010. (Well, here in Canada!)
But don’t worry, this isn’t a reboot…
no….man every book I loved as a kid is getting messed with.. if their gonna mess with it atleast change it so the old books can be re- printed and they can reprint it but it’ll take some work. change all Manchu names to yellow claw.. a fu Manchu copy marvel already owns and change smith and suree names to something else. won’t change the stories that much and old and new fans a like can enjoy this great book. but no they’ll keep pumping out crap just like dc does..
Just keep his origin the same please.
K’un Lun belongs to Daniel Rand, Iron Fist, the second best Martial Artist in Marvel.
Shang Chi, The Rising And Advancing of The Spirit, is always number 1, in Marvel Martial Arts and his origin is NOT in K’un Lun.
And like any sane person, I’m against the whole “reboot” in every way.
Fu Manchu has already been known as Zheng Zu in the Marvel Universe. He appeared in Secret Avengers 6-11. Same character, different name. He has also gone by the name Mr. Han in Marvel books.
I grew up with the old comic book plus Iron Fist and Sons of the Tiger. I even had an issue of DC’s Richard Dragon: Kungfu Fighter drawn by Jack Kirby. He’s one of the reasons I got into martial arts. If they can keep the spirit of the old books while still adding something fresh I’m all for it.
while i understand why marvel needs to distance shang-chi from fu manchu, during the course of secret wars, this could have been done with minor adjustments to the character’s history, while leaving the bulk of shang-chi’s history intact. could be wrong , but this looks like a total reboot of several marvel characters as well. from the artwork above , along with shang there’s daniel rand, marrow, lockheed, caliban , cypher, and rahne. then again, is this an alternate version of those characters, that ended up on battleworld and will fade away after the whole secret wars fiasco works itself out. either way, i won’t be picking up this mini-series. if marvel reboots everything from the beginning , origins and all , i’m out. i’m also not interested in a book portraying shang-chi as a “drunken drop-out failure”.
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