Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Fu Fighters

As you know, Master Of Kung Fu is clearly the greatest comic series EVER. About this I will tolerate no argument. Sorry.

And if you've been hanging around here long enough, you also know that Marvel can't reprint 70-80% of the series. They still own the titular hero, Shang-Chi. But in the series he was the son of Chinese bad guy Fu Manchu, and comrade/employee of Sir Denis Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard/MI6, both of whom were characters from Sax Rohmer's pulp novels. And Marvel lost the Rohmer license. Which makes reprinting a bit difficult, because (especially early in the run) Fu was in every damned issue, or mentioned in every issue, or ruminated about in every issue. And Smith was there virtually every story, as well.

Now, Marvel was able to get around this for a new one-shot special in 1990 and a six issue MAX mini-series in 2002 by the clever expedient of having Fu as the villain but not actually calling him by name. One suspects someone's lawyers were asleep at the switch to let Moench and Gulacy get away with this: the MAX series featured a mysterious "Saint Germaine" who was drawn EXACTLY like Fu Manchu, and was discovered to really be Shang's father, so he was just called "Father" the rest of the series. Subtle, guys.

But even though they still own the character, no one at Marvel has really seemed to have any idea what to do with Shang-Chi. Until the November solicits:


SECRET AVENGERS #7
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Penciled by MIKE DEODATO JR.
Cover by MIKE DEODATO JR.
Tron Variant Cover by TBD
Dark forces are at work in Hong Kong to reincarnate a great evil...but the Secret Avengers and that great evil's son -- SHANG CHI -- are also on these dark streets! As is a new secret member of Marvel's hottest covert Avengers team! By the all-star team-up of Ed Brubaker and Mike Deodato.
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$3.99


My head just exploded. Shang-Chi is back...Brubaker's writing it, which is just about perfect...and someone is trying to reincarnate Shang's father?!?

Dare I hope...are they just being coy? Has Marvel gotten the rights back and is bringing back Fu? Will we see Marvel Master(works) Of Kung Fu and Essential Shang-Chi?

Ah, probably not. It's probably still status quo, and we'll play all sorts of name games to not actually call him Fu Manchu. But still, Shang-Chi, handled by Brubaker...damn, I must have earned some good karma this week.

But my fingers are crossed for the return of Fu Manchu, the greatest Marvel villain EVER (eat that, Von Doom!!)

6 comments:

Lazarus Lupin said...

Maybe it has finally passed on to public domain?

Lazarus Lupin
http://strangespanner.blogspot.com/
art and review

inkdestroyedmybrush said...

I long ago posted my love of MOKF and the moench/gulacy series years ago: http://inkdestroyedmybrush.blogspot.com/2007/09/in-praise-of-paul-gulacy-and-master-of.html

I had the pleasure of inking paul on a number of different series over the years, but never on shang chi. Damn

ShadowWing Tronix said...

So caught up were you in Fu Manchuness that you totally missed "Tron variant cover". I wonder how that works?

I only have one issue of MOKF and his recent guest appearance in MA: Spidey, but I do understand why it has the fanbase it does. It's good stuff.

snell said...

Only one?? Get on it, Shadow, hit some quarter bins!!

Most of the November Marvels have "Tron variants," doubtless because Marvel is publishing the official movie adaptation and 2 other Tron titles that month.

mengblom@q.com said...

Besides the legal issues (which can be overcome with enough licensing money), I'm wondering if the problems with Fu Manchu might also stem from his old school "Oriental Menace" look and M.O. For years, the standard oriental mastermind was depicted with claw-like fingernails, skull cap, robe, and long, droopy Fu Manchu mustaches....which, considering his name is synonymous with said mustache, presents a sticky politically correct wicket.

Now, I've never been one to blanche at reprinting older material that might now be offensive to modern sensibilities. As long as people understand the historical context in which they were presented, I don't see the problem. But that's not how far too many bookstore and library system buyers think and operate[. Instead of understanding the historical roots of Fu Manchu and other ethno-centric characters, it seems to be much easier to simply ignore those characters altogether. This is a shame, because...as you well know, there is a wealth of fantastic stuff to share with new generations of comic book fans, who publishers don't think high enough of to differentiate between history and advocacy.

snell said...

I'm pretty sure it's just a money problem, Mark, with Marvel not willing to invest the dough just to do reprints that might not sell all that well (but with deep-pockets Disney now in charge...). The were willing enough to bring the character back (unnamed...shh, don't tell anyone) in 2002.

As to the Oriental Menace problem, that hasn't stopped Marvel from doing mondo Atlas era reprints featuring the Yellow Claw, who made Fu look like a wannabe as stereotype standards go. not to mention their many WWII-era reprints with their disturbing portrayals of the Japanese. Bookstores and libraries have bought those, so I'm not sure the critically heralded MOKF would really present any more of a problem.

By the way, one of the best features of MOKF, that would still be sadly lost in any reprints, is that it had the best Marvel letters page ever, hands down. The mag consistently had thoughtful back and forths between the editors (and Doug Moench) and the readers on such such topics as Asian stereotypes, the portrayal of violence, and honest explanations and apologies when certain creators simply weren't up to meeting deadlines. And people actually listened to each other!!