Random Back Issues #129 - Master of Kung Fu #126

The plan to attack Shang-Chi while he's relaxed backfired once they realized he was on a sugar high.

About six years ago, Marvel did this series of one-shots that were numbered as the "next" issues in long-canceled series. I bought three: Darkhawk, Power Pack, and this, which is also the only one still in my collection.

Shang-Chi's doing some crossed armed push-ups while the local news discussing an octopus missing from the zoo. Shang also has himself a monkey friend he calls Chee. They go to get ice cream - mint chocolate chip for Shang-Chi (a man after my own heart), and date ice cream for Chee - and are accosted by several ninjas. You see above how attempts to attack Shang-Chi went, so the ninjas decide to try and take Chee hostage.

That's gonna be tough to live down, assuming they don't contract a deadly disease from monkey bites to the eye. Oh, and that they can escape. And it looks like they just might, because when Shang-Chi gives chase, the ground suddenly opens beneath him and he wakes up in a cell underground. Two ninjas are assigned to guard him, and they're morons, but we learn they work for a Dr. Prasis, first name Mel. Meaning his name is almost "Malpractice", as we (and the doctor) are reminded more than once.

Turns out Shang-Chi's been aware of someone experimenting on animals for weeks. First he saw a rat steal a slice of pizza with kung fu. The ninjas trying to adopt rescue animals was somewhat more obvious, and he tracked them to an underground lair full of missing pets that had died after being experimented on. Which is when he found Chee, who, once he was able to trust again, showed an aptitude for kung fu. Shang used some old S.I.S. and Homeland Security contacts, and learned about a doctor at the local zoo who liked to talk to the animals about martial arts movies.

Mel was fired after trying to sneak the octopus out, but now that he's successfully stolen the (very large) octopus, and has Shang-Chi captive, he's going to transfer Shang's brain into the octopus. Which isn't really teaching an animal kung fu, is it? Plus, that just gives Shang-Chi more arms to whip the shit out of you with. I'm starting to think this insane vet may not be all there in the head.

Chee gets Shang-Chi loose, Shang whups the shit out of the ninjas with only two arms and two legs, and releases the octopus. Into the sewer. The newscaster joked about being careful when you sit on the toilet, but man, don't put it past an octopus to try. But first, it has to take a little revenge. Mel tears by on a speedboat and gets yoinked out of it and tossed at Shang's feet by the octopus, and that's pretty much it. Insane doctor incarcerated, octopus free to terrorize the plumbing of San Francisco, more ice cream for Shang-Chi and Chee.

{7th longbox, 10th comic. Master of Kung Fu #126, by CM Punk (writer), Dalibor Talijac (artist), Erick Arciniega (color artist), Travis Lanham (letterer)}

What I Bought 11/29/2017

I went to the store hoping to find at least one of the two books that came out this week I was interested in, or one of the two from last week I wanted. I found none of those, but I did come up with a book from three weeks ago I'd wanted to try.

Master of Kung Fu #126, by CM Punk (writer), Dalibor Talijac (artist), Erick Arciniega (color artist), Travis Lanham (letterer) - I like that cover much better than the Mayhew one I saw in the solicits. Javier Rodriguez brings the goods.

Shang Chi's hanging out in Brooklyn, and he has a monkey. A monkey wanted by some ninjas, who capture both of them. The ninjas work for a Dr. Prasis, who is trying to teach animals kung fu. Having failed at that, he's going to try transplanting Shang Chi's brain into an octopus to achieve basically the same effect. That doesn't go very well for the doctor.

Not having any past experience with Punk's writing, this was a little different than I was expecting. It's played a bit silly, as the ninja henchmen are goofs, and Dr. Prasis got fired by the Hand, of all things. But I'm mostly used to Shang Chi having a lot of internal monologue, seeming unfamiliar with whatever he's encountering. This Shang Chi is more relaxed, comfortable. He's not bemoaning having to resort to violence, maybe because this is a mission he chose.

Talijac is inking himself this time, which results in a thicker line, and a less crisp look than in the Secret Wars Master of Kung Fu mini-series he drew with Goran Sudzuka. The musculature has a bit of a rough, sketched look to them. Which isn't bad, just a different look. The fight scenes are still good, and there's one panel where he gives Shang and the monkey similar irritated expressions that was amusing. Although every time I look at Dr. Prasis I kept having a bit of deja vu, and I just realized it's because he reminds me of Dr. McNinja.

Arcinega's colors are a little muted. Not enough to really muddy things up, but enough I didn't feel like the switch to the two-page flashback was as obvious as it was meant to be. Because the sepia tone wash over everything didn't produce that much of a difference.

As a stand alone story, I think this works a lot better than the Power Pack one did. Whether it would work better as an enticement to get fans to demand a revived Master of Kung Fu, I don't know. Shang, living in NYC with his monkey that knows some kung fu, helping people and animals that slip through the cracks. Given the wide variety of people living in and under NYC in the Marvel U., there's a lot of possibilities there.