Appearing in "Lair of the Lost!"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Steve
- Jim
- Al
- Black Jack Tarr (First appearance)
- Sir Denis Nayland Smith
- Si-Fan
- FBI
- Numerous unnamed agents
- Four unnamed robot knights
Other Characters:
- British Army (Mentioned)
- Dr. Petrie (Mentioned)
- Daily Bugle (Named only)
- Midnight (M'Nai) (Mentioned)
- Peko (First appearance) (Unnamed)
- Shang-Chi's Mother (Mentioned)
- MI6 (Mentioned)
- Buddha (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earth
- North America
- United States of America
- New York
- New York City
- Westchester County
- Rye (First appearance)
- Murder Mansion (First appearance)
- Rye (First appearance)
- Long Island (Mentioned)
- Washington, D.C. (Mentioned)
- New York
- United States of America
- England (Mentioned)
- London (Mentioned)
- China (Mentioned)
- Honan (Mentioned)
- Hong Kong (Mentioned)
- Fu Manchu's Fortress (Referenced)
- North America
Items:
- Elixir Vitae (Behind the scenes)
Synopsis for "Lair of the Lost!"
This story actually begins with two stories. In the left-hand panels, three punks attack Shang-Chi to get money for drugs, with the usual result. In the right-hand panels, Sir Denis and Black Jack finalize their plan to trap Shang-Chi.
The first phase of the plan works. Shang-Chi finds Sir Denis's picture on the cover of a Daily Bugle and learns that he's visiting Rye, NY. Shang-Chi wants to apologize for killing Dr. Petrie (two issues ago), so he grabs the back of a passing truck. The truck passes Fu Manchu's headquarters, where he is making his own plans against Shang-Chi and Sir Denis.
In Rye, Shang-Chi asks a cabby for directions. When he overhears the "cabby" reporting his presence, he realizes he's walking into a trap. He sneaks in through a window, which is immediately sealed by a metal plate. He easily defeats a group of federal agents and, not so easily, a group of robot knights. When he encounters Black Jack, they fight hand to hand. Nothing seems to faze the Britisher, until Shang-Chi levers him over a balcony rail. Shang-Chi finds Sir Denis, who is still confined to a wheelchair. Sensing the man's chi, Shang-Chi tells him to stand up. Sir Denis complains that the doctors say he will never walk again. Shang-Chi tells him to stand up. He does! "What one knows, Sir Denis," says Shang-Chi before he leaves, "is not always the truth. Think on what you know of me until next we meet."
Notes
Publication Notes[]
- Shang-Chi is attacked by three men, Steve, Al and Jim. Their names and look is based on Jim Starlin, Steve Englehart, and Al Milgrom and in fact may be the 616 versions of these people but it is never confirmed.
- Although numbered to follow Special Marvel Edition (which was cancelled), this is the premiere issue of Master of Kung Fu.
Trivia
- Creators Al Milgrom, Steve Englehart, and Jim Starlin make cameo appearances as muggers in this issue.
- The tagline for this issue is, "They call him Blackjack! The man not even kung fu can smash!!"
- This issue includes Marvel Value Stamp #53, the Grim Reaper, and the first installment of Missives to the Master, the letters page.
