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Post by codystarbuck on Feb 16, 2020 16:05:16 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #77I think Zaran's in a world of hurt if he lands wrong, with all of those knives pointed at his throat. Creative Team: Doug Moench-writer, Mike Zeck-pencils, Gene Day-inks, Joe Rosen-letters, George Bell-colors, Roger Stern-editor Synopsis: Chi and Leiko grab their gear and tool up to head to Scotland, to aid Black Jack Tar. Leiko takes the tape of Shockwave's confession, for safekeeping, as they expect MI-6 will search the flat. They leave, without anyone designated to take care of the cat. Someone call the RSPCA! Up in Scotland and true to form, Tarr has no patience and decides he must do something, since it will take Chi and Leiko hours to get there. So, rather than spending those hours doing a full recon and devising a plan, he moves in without back-up. he find the three missing friends seated at a dinner table and lowers his guard, only to discover it is a trap, as they are all unconscious, with their mouths taped shut. Out come the mimes. Chi and Leiko find their way blocked, when a truck pulls ahead of them from a side road and blocks a bridge. Chi and Leiko recognize a trap and approach warily, but ignore the cargo compartment and the goons get the drop on them from behind, while the mysterious Zaran confronts them from the....er...front. Zaran wants the tape, which means he is in the employ of MI-6. Leiko tosses it to Chi, as a train hurtles under the bridge. Zaran flings a knife and diverts it to a timber car below. he goes after it and Chi follows. While they distract the goons, Leiko lays them out and takes her sports car to follow the train. Chi and Zran battle atop the rail cars... Back in Scotland, Tarr has hurt his back on his dive, but not his trigger finger and Marcel Marceau get one through the earhole. His Mumenschantz partner gets one in the face, but gets off a shot that hits Tarr and he is down. Chi and Zaran continue their fight. Chi feints and jumps down to the log pile, to retrieve the tape. Zaran flings knives to black Chi and leiko lines up her shots, firing at Zaran. he reverses the hollow shaft of his spear and fires a blow dart through it, taking out Leiko's tire, sending her out of control. Chi leaps after her and pulls her out of the wreckage of her car, where she passes out. Zaran escapes with the tape. Meanwhile, the wounded Tarr comes face to face with the armed Ward Sarsfield, who tells him MI-6 believes Fu Manchu is still alive and he is prepared to kill the former agents. Tar is confused and so am I. Thoughts: terrific action, especially the fight on top of the train. However, once again, leiko is a liability in combat. Come on Doug, man up and let Leiko kick some but without resorting to sexist cliches! Zaran's design owes much to a movie that preceded this comic by about 4 years: Swashbuckler, starring Robert Shaw, James Earl Jones and Peter Boyle. In the film, there is a knife-thrower, known as Cudjo, played by dancer/actor Geoffrey Holder (the Un-Cola. HA...HA...HAAAAAAAA!). Like Zaran, Cudjo carries knives ina collar, around his neck, as well as ona pair of gauntlets, on his wrists. However, Cudjo is a better dancer! (a bit uneven, but a really fun film, even if Robert Shaw is no Burt Lancaster). Two dead mimes, which is always a plus. I might have to use that as a rating system! I give this issue 3 dead mimes out of 5. It loses points for continued weak characterization of Leiko and a rather convoluted scheme by Sarsfield, but gains points for the train battle, the overall badassery of Zaran, and two dead mimes! Now, the big question....who takes care of Chi's Siamese cat while they are off chopping and socking? You can only leave out so much food and the litter box won't remain usable for very long. You can kiss you soft furnishings goodbye! Personally, I think that cat is plotting with MI-6 or Fu Manchu 'cause Chi never feeds it! Hell hath no fury like a kitty ignored!
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Post by codystarbuck on Feb 16, 2020 16:11:36 GMT -5
ps Those aren't throwing knives around geoffrey's neck; they appear to be copies of the Sykes-Fairbairn Commando Dagger, from WW2 The little tabs on the sheath were so it could be secured by straps sewn onto the trouser leg of the commandos. I won't go into the favored technique for using the knife, except to say it will give you a rather decisive headache!
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Post by codystarbuck on Feb 16, 2020 16:45:21 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #78I take it, by the knives, that Zaran is back. Creative Team: Doug Moench-writer, Mike Zeck-pencils, Al Gordon-inks, Joe Rosen-letters, Bob Sharen-colors, Roger Stern-editor. Not sure why Al Gordon is doing the inks, this issue, instead of Gene. Maybe Day was bogged down with another assignment (he was a regular inker on Star Wars and did some Marvel 2 in 1 issues, around the same time). Synopsis: Chi carries Leiko's unconscious body away from the burning wreck of her car. Since he is in Scotland, he takes her to..... ...the Pub!!! Pint of bitters and a doctor for my friend.... They ring for a doctor and just happen to know who Zaran is. He has a lodge on a loch, aboot 5 kilometers north, ya ken? Och, Chi takes a wee cab to the lodge and waits for nightfall. Hoot, man! Meanwhile, tTar is trussed up like a turkey and Sarsfeld still thinks he knows something about Fu Manchu and is waiting for interrogators. The mimes are just robots. Shame, really, wasting good bullets on fake mimes. A mime is a terrible thing not to waste! Tar works on his bonds and signals Clive. Sarsfield rambles and pistol-whips Tarr. Chi swims the loch, jammie, and then breaks into the hoose, to find Zaran.. Chi basically tells Zaran this fight occurs with the idea that Leiko died and Zaran is foo@#ed! Chi proceeds to kick ass and chew bubble gum and he forgot to bring his bubble gum, so he kicks twice as much ass. Zaran slings knives and Chi catches them on a pole, disarming Zaran. Zaran throws a bear trap and Chi knocks it aside. Zaran leaves a pool on the floor and runs for a boat and tears across the lake. While the fight goes on, leiko does na' ken that she should stay in bed and goes after Chi. She turns up at the lodge, after Chi has located the tap, hidden in a moose head. Sarsfield thinks Fu has set himself up in South America and we see someone beaming in to speak to a crowd, from a balcony, while Sarsfield talks about the US recognizing Red China and Boys from Brazil and fluoridation. Wait, no, Tar is the one who says something about Hitler hiding in South American and Gen Jack D Ripper was the one going on about fluoridation. Anyway, Sarsfield is nuts and a car shows up; but it isn't the MI-6 interrogators. It is Zaran, tendering his resignation... Someone tell June that Ward won't be home for supper! Thoughts: Not that Al gordon does a bad job, far from it; but, I missed Gene Day's inks on this one. Still, Chi looks suitably pissed and Zaran soon does. It's about time Chi got a little testy in a fight. The whole MI-6 thing is dragging on a bit long and defies logic. However, Doug Moench loves his conspiracies and secret intelligence shenanigans. For plot, I'd say 2 dead mimes, though that fight earns an extra mime and a half.
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Post by codystarbuck on Feb 16, 2020 17:11:07 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #79No snark; just a really cool cover. Creative Team: Doug Moench-writer, Mike Zeck-pencils, Gen Day-inks, Jim Novak-letters, Bob Sharen-colors, Roger Stern-editor. Synopsis: Forgot to mention that Chi saw Zaran meet a shadowy figure at his lodge, before he kicked his butt. That will come into play here. Chi hasn't slept in two days and he is groggy and slap-happy. leiko recounts what he has done for the past two days. they arrive at Smith's castle. Inside, Zaran has a knife to Tarr's throat, while he gloats about his new employer, as Sarsfield croaks. Tarr has his hands free, but needs a distraction, with the knife at his throat. it comes when Chi and leiko knock on the door and Zaran turns, allowing Tarr to knock him across the table. However, tarr has only one good wing, after being shot by a mime. Leiko pulls out her pistol and Chi is hallucinating and freezes up, seeing a figure of death. Leiko is still suffering from a concussion (convenient, at this particular moment, and Zaran starts throwing knives at Chi... Chi blocks instinctively, but is still out of it. Zaran starts laying into him with punches and kicks then misses with a knife again. Chi starts coming out of it... and Zaran wishes he had kept on going south... Zaran throws a knife at the ceiling, with an explosive charge, which drops a big chuk towards Chi, as Zaran splits. Nayland Smith tips his chair and knocks Chi aside and MI-6 finally show up. Smith bluffs them and they patch up the wounded and leave with Sarsfield's corpse. Smith goes to play the tape and it isn't Shockwave's voice we hear. Chi mumbles about the familiarity of the figure who met Zaran. he finally realizes who it is, as Smith recognizes the voice on the tape... Thoughts:Okay, that was a weird climax. Moench telegraphed Chi was fatigued, but his responses are a little much. 2 days, for the average person, doesn't turn you into a complete zombie. Should have included a scene with some kind of drug or something. Fah Lo Suee was unexpected; but, if Fu is back, she wouldn't be far behind. Is Fu alive? Oh, please, like they would waste paying a licensing fee and royalties to Rohmer's estate and not use Fu Manchu. They were smart to keep him off the board for early 3 years, though. Still, with Juliette and Shen Kui back, then Pavane, then Shockwave and Brynocki, Fu couldn't be too far behind.
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Post by codystarbuck on Mar 11, 2020 14:50:46 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #80Attack of the Kitty men! Creative Team: Doug-Moench-writer, Mike Zeck-pencils, Gene Day-inks, Joe Rosen-letters, Nel Yomtov-colors, Roger Stern-editor Synopsis: Chi has finally gotten some sleep and is meditating to rock music (oooooookay). Tarr tells him that Smith wants him and to turn down that noise. And get off my lawn, while yer at it!. Chi quotes Mick Jagger to him ("Jumpin Jack Flash, it's a gas-gas-gas" or something). Smith says Fu is most likely still alive (ya think?). Shockwave's tape was recorded over by Fah Lo Suee, who mocks them. Chi realizes that was who was meeting Zaran (duh!) and then everyone sits around debating, while Zeck & Day watch from above... They wonder if Fah was let go by MI-6, escaped, aided in their plots or in league with her father. Chi is having a crisis of faith (must be all that rock n roll music and bad-mouthin' yer country!) Smith adds that MI-6 has rumblings in South America; but, that might be the currie they had for lunch. Smith asks Chi to make contact and he agrees, without argument. Meanwhile, the Kitty Men suit up. Reston makes contact outside Victoria Station and the courier is killed, in a double assassination (guns and knives). Tarr and Reston give chase (the gunners). Meanwhile, down in retired Nazi territory, a shadowy mandarin figure watches gladiatorial combat and orders the death of both the loser and the winner, since he took too long to defeat his opponent. Geez, he makes Vince McMahon look like an old softie! he has Woody Strode do the deed... Chi chases down the knife assassin. He hops onto the tracks of the Underground and Chi runs into an ambush. Tarr runs into a roadblock and a lot of guns that look like Zeck just came off of drawing Battlestar Galactica... Tarr escapes the ambush, with some demolition derby and Chi whoops a few of the kitties, until a train comes along and the rest disappear. The courier dies, while spouting some gibberish about "Hanemark in 2 threes, Chemist's rainbow bird at dawn." Supposedly it will mean something to Smith. We end seeing the dead guy standing there, after Tarr and Reston have pulled the corpse into their car. Thoughts: The blue pelican reads Geoffrey Chaucer! Yes, but he doesn't understand it! That is because he reads it upside down. Moench has been reading too much Len Deighton, lately. So, set up for the next phase, with the subplot carryover from the last one. I don't know why they are playing coy with Fu in the shadows, since they spend most of the issue saying he is alive and we already saw that fact before. This is 1979, our attention spans weren't that.....Hey, look at that dog! Chi is going through a personal crisis of faith and confidence (same thing, really) and gives into things easily; and, by his own admission, isn't up to snuff. Guess his workouts with Leiko spent too much time in the clinch. Fu seems to be lack Si-Fan and is forced to use locals, who aren't very good killers. His dude Maru (Woody Strode) kills too who were just sparring. However, we seem to have a double or clone, or something; so, maybe Fu is hanging out with the Boys From Brazil. For the cinematically and athletically challenged, Woody Strode was an athlete and actor. He was one of 4 African-American players on the UCLA football team, when there were only about a dozen on college teams, nationally. he also became one of the first African-Americans in the NFL. He was a world class decathlete and posed for a nude painting that was part of an exhibit for the 1936 Olympics, in Berlin, but was shut down because it depicted black and Jewish athletes. Strode dabbled in professional wrestling, in California, facing the likes of Gorgeous George, in the early 50s, as well as teaming with other African-American wrestling pioneers, like Bobo Brazil and Bearcat Wright (who could lay claim to being the first black world champion for a major promotion, the WWA, of Los Angeles). Strode broke into acting and is best known for portraying the Ethiopian gladiator that faces Kirk Douglas, in Spartacus; but, I prefer him best as the evil would-be king, in Tarzan's Three Challenges... (Mahoney was suffering from dysentery and had dropped a lot of weight) He also appeared in Tarzan's Fight For Life. One of his best roles was as the title character in Sgt Rutledge, where he plays a cavalry soldier, accused of the rape and murder of a white woman. One of his other great roles was in The Professionals, with Lee Marvin and Burt Lancaster, as an expert tracker and archer. Fu's muscle Maru, to me, seems to be inspired by Strode, although it could be someone else. During that time frame, he could have been inspired by Tony Carroll, who played Pantherman, in the Buck Rogers two-parter, "Flight of the War Witch," though that episode didn't air until 1980. So, get ready for a Rumble in the Jungle (or, at least a rainforest).
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Post by brutalis on Mar 11, 2020 15:07:59 GMT -5
Bless you for remembering Strode codystarbuck, as during his time in films and television he made anything he appeared in that much better! Loved him as a gladiator in Demerius and the Gladiators and greatly enjoyed seeing him in any westerns he popped up in.
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Roquefort Raider
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Mar 11, 2020 15:33:02 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #79Thoughts:Okay, that was a weird climax. Moench telegraphed Chi was fatigued, but his responses are a little much. 2 days, for the average person, doesn't turn you into a complete zombie. Should have included a scene with some kind of drug or something. If I recall correctly, Chi suffered from the flu, too. A bad fever coupled with two days of running around would explain why he was feeling so out of it and seeing things.
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Post by berkley on Mar 12, 2020 17:25:56 GMT -5
I thought Al Gordon's inks looked terrible - so muddy and vague that I wonder sometimes if there weren't some trouble with the printing of that issue. Also Didn't like Leiko Wu's green track suit, not sure if it was just the colour scheme or the design itself.
One of my few criticisms of MoKF is that Leiko became a bit weaker, less formidable as a the series went on and Shang Chi progressed. To a lesser degree I think this was a problem with the rest of the gang as well - Tarr, Reston, even Nayland-Smith - but it was especially disappointing in Leiko Wu's case since there were so few good female characters around.
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Post by codystarbuck on Mar 12, 2020 18:20:31 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #81More Kitty Men! Hate to see the size of the litter box! Creative Team: Doug Moench-writer, Mike Zeck-pencils, Gene Day-inks, Jim Novak-letters, George Roussos-colors, Roger Stern-editor Synopsis: The boys are ambushed again and pinned down behind their over-turned car. Tarr and reston succeed in shooting out the tires of one car, sending it crashing into the other, as Chi kicks their car onto its wheels. Somehow, it still runs and they escape, bust as a leopard-skin-wrapped knife nearly clips Clive. they get to a phone box (remember those) to call Smith and tell him about the contact and the riddle. Leiko is whining about being a useless female (blame Moench) and Smith gets the word. Hanemarak is Karamenah backwards (Dr Petrie's lover, who worked for Fu manchu, in the novels). She is dead now. Two threes refers to 1933 and in 1933 Dr Petrie and Leeks (the contact) were in Singapore, stopping Fu Manchu from kidnapping members of the League of Nations. Petrie is the chemist and the Rainbow Bird refers to the mission in Singapore. Smith, Petrie and Leeks rescued Karamaneh from Fu and she presented him with a peacock statue, as a gift, which has since been given to the London Museum. While all of this is explained, the ambushers are moving in on Tarr, reston and Chi... The trio escapes and heads for the Museum. They go to try to gain entry and the alive Leeks walks past the car and sees the dead Leeks. Reston comes back to the car and the dead Leeks wakes up. No, it's the living Leeks, who shows them the dead one, which he stashed in the boot (trunk) and then pulls off the dead guy's Mission Impossible mask. Then, real Leeks is hit by more gunfire. They take off to Clive's place, where Mrs Haversham has killed his orchids. He had Great Expectations for them! More ambushes and they are unable to get to Clive's car and are back into their battered wreck. They go back to the museum, where dawn's light is shining through the peacock statue, on a tapestry, to reveal a map, when a guard comes along and the boys hide, just as the guard is knifed by a Kitty Man. Clive and Black Jack unload with bullets and Chi says he tawt he taw a putty tat and chases the porr putty to the roof, where he fights two putty tats, before more ambushers show up (but never any armed response units, even in the heart of London). Leiko finally uses that moment to make herself useful... Leiko saves the day; but, Fah Lo Suee has left a message....she got to the package first and has it. Tarr pounds the roof and it ends up like the Blues-mobile... Thoughts: The constant ambush-escape-new ambush-escape gets old really fast. It feels like moench is padding this out to fit a certain length, rather than letting the story dictate the number of issues. So, we revisit old history, which reminds us that Smith and Petrie ar in their 70s or 80s, yet are portrayed as maybe their 50s or 60s. Part fo the problem of doing a modern interpretation of much older material. Maybe they swigged some elixir vitae, I don't know. The Kitty men aren't very formidable, which makes the Tweety and Sylvester comparison apt. Quite frankly, though, Clive and Tarr are coming across more like Sylvester and Sylvester Jr, when they face the kangaroo Hippety Hopper. Leiko finally gets something to do, rescuing Chi by helicopter and dropping grenades on the ambushers. Still, London is a busy city and there is no response from police? Not even a "What's all this then, sir?" The Blues Brothers car reference fits; but, this comic predates the movie by a year.
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Post by codystarbuck on Mar 18, 2020 19:35:49 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #82Well, at least Leiko isn't being rescued here. The daggers suggest more Kitty Men. Creative Team: Doug Moench-writer, Mike Zeck-pencils, Gene Day-inks, Dian Albers-letters, Bob Sharen-colors, Roger Stern-editor Synopsis: When last we left Chi, he had been beaten to a secret by his half-sister, FaH Lo Suee. Now, the gang heads back to question Leeks and Clive and leiko catch up and he admits to Yellow Fever... They discuss Melissa Greville and the fact that Clive may be in love and she is close to breaking from fear and anxiety. We cut to Scotland, where she shows just that to Nayland Smith, as she feels helpless. Then, we see Kitty Men skulking around outside, like my cat Derek, hunting down my chicken sandwich or milkshake. We cut back to Chi and the Gang (like Kool and the Gang, with fewer horns), who have landed their helo on the non-structurally reinforced roof of Clive's flat; but, at least Doug actually addresses this in dialogue. Chi eyes some model cars that Reston has and Reston tells him that's what he needs: a hobby. I don't think collecting Hot Wheels is a solution for Chi's spiritual crisis. Back in Scotland, the Kitty Men attack and knock out Smith and Miss Greville freaks and runs, in heels, from them and they don't catch her! Back in London, Leeks tells of tales from natives, in the Andes, of a ball of fire crashing down and a man healing the sick, who then summons his lieutenants to them. they recognize this as Fu and believe his death in space might have been faked and he was actually able to pilot his lifepod to Earth and then play god to the natives and then summon the Si-Fan. He then has equipment air dropped and builds a pagoda compound and trains the natives to be Kitty Men. He has been kidnapping scientists, without families, so their disappearances aren't quickly noted. Clive & Black Jack aren't sure they trust Leeks, but Leiko and Mrs Haversham are mooning over him and Clive commits a Me Too moment... They head to Scotland and arrive in time to rescue Miss Greville, in a roadster, from the Kitty Men, in a truck. Clive goes down a rope ladder, from the helo, and uses a can of anti-Kitty Men repellent (naw, he shoots them). Clive saves Melissa, who is about to go mental, while Chi chases Kitty Men into a windmill, where he meets Jonathan Creek (that's for the UK members), and then kicks their fuzzy butts. Chi needs some fightin' room (him and Larry Storch) They fight out onto the vanes of the windmill and Chi proves a Kitty Man does not land on his feet they land on their partner. he leaves one alive and Melissa, in hysterics, tells them that Smith has been kidnapped...again. Thoughts: The cutting back and forth kind of throws off the pace, if you ask me. It would seem to build better if we watched the Kitty men chase Melissa, longer, then have Chi and the Gang arrive. To do that, they would need to hold the Scotland attack until later; but, that means a lot of early exposition, before we got there. Still, I think that is more the route that an Archie Goodwin would have suggested to Moench, rather than a Shooter editor, who wasn't that long out of fandom (though Roger Stern was a pretty good editor and a better writer than Shooter, for my money). The Fu Manchu stuff seems a bit anti-climactic. There was no real mystery here; so, it feels like we are being told something we already know. Kind of get the feeling they clued in readers to Fu earlier, in hopes of selling the storyline, rather than have it progress slowly and build excitement and intrigue. They have bee hurting for a decent villain, since Kogarr and Shen Kui. Zaran made a nice assassin; but, he is more in the Razorfist vein. Brynocki is less a villain and more of a comic relief sidekick. Not real wild on this Fu Manchu story, so far. Some nice action; but, the Zaran portion was way better than this stuff and it was short. Hope Doug is saving something for the next half. Meanwhile, speaking of cats landing on their feet. Since cats always land on their feet and toast always lands butter side down; do you know what happens when you butter a cat's back?
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Post by chaykinstevens on Mar 21, 2020 18:56:01 GMT -5
If I recall correctly, Chi suffered from the flu, too. A bad fever coupled with two days of running around would explain why he was feeling so out of it and seeing things. An early instance of kung flu?
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Mar 21, 2020 19:05:17 GMT -5
If I recall correctly, Chi suffered from the flu, too. A bad fever coupled with two days of running around would explain why he was feeling so out of it and seeing things. An early instance of kung flu? I think the proper Chinese term is WuCHOO!
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Post by codystarbuck on Mar 22, 2020 14:37:33 GMT -5
An early instance of kung flu? I think the proper Chinese term is WuCHOO! That is brilliant on several levels!
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Post by codystarbuck on Mar 22, 2020 15:12:37 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #83The Return of Fu Manchu! Starring Christopher Lee, Bruce Lee, Janet Leigh, Lee Majors and Zippy the Wonder Capybara! Creative Team: Doug Moench-writer, Mike Zeck-pencils, Gene Day-inks, Diana Albers-letters, Ben Sean-colors, Roger Stern-editor. Synopsis: Fu Manchu is busy working in his lab, transmuting base metals into gold. he goes out to his training grounds, where his Kitty Men ninja wannabes are whacking each other with sticks. He holds up a hunk of gold and the crowd goes wild... (Somebody has been reading Robert Anton Wilson!) Apparently, Fu left behind his dacoits. Meanwhile, In London, they sit around and wonder what to do. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Fu takes an elixir vitae bath, which includes snakes slithering around him... Ugggghhhhhhhhhhh! (*SHUDDER*) Wait, Fu in a pool, with little creatures slithering over him....paging Dr Freud. Fu tokes up on some opium and starts seeing esoteric symbols, then rides with the Four Horseman (Flair, Tully, Arn and Ole), then sees the birth of Shang Chi. In London, Melissa Greville whines and back to escaped Nazi land for Fah Lo Suee asking to join her father and presenting Zaran, as a henchman... He has to audition and faces Woody Strode, and gets his butt kicked. Fu lets him live to train and grow. meanwhile, Chi and Leiko have relationship problems, for one weird panel, that reads like Moench has snakes crawling over him while he smokes some s@#$. We go back to Fu and see that Moench is also reading Robin Cook or he and/or Mike Zeck went to see Coma... Those are the missing scientists. Smith is brought in, blindfolded and it is removed, allowing him to see Karamenah, who should be dead. She's pretty hot for a woman in her 70s, thanks to the elixir vitae. Fu pours some gold into a pool and releases some flying colored objects (FCOs), proving Moench saw Close Encounters, too. Thoughts: Um........no drug testing at Marvel, I take it (no duh, read Sean Howe's book). Moench seems to be trying to replicate the previous Fu epic, with the story told from Fu's POV. Zeck's art is a bit weaker in this one, like this was rushed or something. on't know how well this is going to stack up to the Moench-Gulacy masterpiece. Moench is gathering all the old characters, as Fah Lo Suee, Karamenah and Ducharme are all back with Fu and Zaran is allowed to live, to serve him. Leiko and Chi still can't seem to go an issue without being on the rocks and how Melissa Greville isn't on a mortuary slab is mindboggling. Moench is all over the Illuminatus Trilogy references, with everything from the All-Seeing Eye to the Golden Dawn, one of many secret societies, with funny handshakes and dumb names. Gathered together we see the Si-Fan (Fu's original secret society), the phansigars (bandits of India, though Zeck draws them as more Chinese Asian than Indian , Pakistani or Burmese). thugees, hashishin, templars, the Leopard Cult and the masons (though he names their symbols, rather than the organization). The templars and hashishin should be at each other's throats. The only ones missing are the Rosicrucians and Cheech & Chong. If Moench introduces a mid-range sci-fi writer who has a converted cattle boat, I am out of here.
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Post by codystarbuck on Mar 22, 2020 15:20:23 GMT -5
ps Moench wrote the Big Book of Conspiracies, for DC's Paradox Press, which always kind of reinforced my feeling that he actually bought into some of this nonsense, beyond the story possibilities. I think the Simpsons and the Stonecutters pretty much lays it's finger on the truth of most so-called secret societies: groups designed to keep others out, rather than enlighten others...
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