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Post by codystarbuck on Mar 22, 2020 15:58:07 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #84Chi and Black Jack better start humming some Elton John and hope it sways those reptiles! Apparently, Black Jack is related to Oliver Hardy! I guess that makes Chi Stan Laurel (or at least Dick Van Dyke). Creative Team: Doug Moench-writer with the munchies, after last issue, Mike Zeck-pencils, Gene Day-inks, Joe Rosen-letters, George Roussos-colors, Roger Stern-editor, Robert Anton Wilson-checking with his lawyer. Wait, do anarchists/discordians have lawyers? fnord! Synopsis: Tarr and Chi are in the jungle, scouting. Tarr is surveying with binoculars, while Chi plays with a lizard... They are in South America, looking for Fu in the area Leeks mentioned but are coming up craps. The Kitty Men attack and Chi and Tarr beat them rather easily. Chi flashes back to an interrogation of the captured Kitty Man, where Leeks threatened him with a gun and Chi did nothing. Fu and Fah look over his mind-control experiment, then Chi and Tarr observe a convoy of post-operatives. Fu is replacing key men and women across the globe. More flashbacks as the radio reports UFO sightings all over the place. They receive a telegram, asking for a meet, in Casablanca. Reston and Leiko head there, while Tarr and Chi go to South America, to hunt for Fu. Fu shows Fah hsi "UFOs". Karamenah plays BDSM games with Smith... The Kitty Men report to Fu about sighting Tarr and Chi, who sneak down to the trucks full of mind-controlled dupes. A Kitty Man interrupts and Chi hesitates to strike him and he lets out an alarm. Tarr shoots him (the Kitty Man, not Chi). More Kitt butt-kicking, as they get fed to the crocs... However, the boys don't pay attention and end up between a croc and hard place, as the Kitty men line the shore. Thoughts: The time switches are getting out of hand in this series. moench has always used flashbacks; but, his cutting back and forth is creating a weird story flow. I'm starting to think some of his fights with Shooter weren't exactly justified, based on some of this. He could use Archie Goodwin or Denny O'Neil editing him. Stern is probably a bit too green to be exerting much influence. Zeck & Day's artwork looks better than last issue, though Zeck needs to work on his firearms. He lacks Gulacy's flair for exotic-but-functional looking fantasy weapons and a Mike Grell eye for authentic detail. I guess he hasn't got the reference material he would draw upon for the Punisher (which was a gun fetishist's dream, much like the later Mack Bolan books). At least everyone is getting into motion and we are seeing Fu's plot. Lot of rip-offs going on here. Moench has always used ideas from other sources, though this feels less homage and more stuck for ideas and going with what was hot at the movies and in pop culture.
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Post by codystarbuck on Mar 22, 2020 16:26:51 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #85Shang Chi takes on everyone, including what appears to be Prince Valiant, in the lower left corner. Creative Team: Doug Moench-writer, Mike Zeck-pencils, Gene Day-inks, Diana Albers-letters, Steve Oliff-colors, Roger Stern-editor Synopsis: Chi and Tarr are trapped between crocs (Moench keeps inserting alligators; but, they are indigenous to North America) and Kitty Men. Chi dives for the crocs to escape, fighting one under water. Yeah, that will go well, seeing as they are far deadlier in the water than on land. This being comics, Chi wins. They struggle with the croc all the way to the shore, then dump it on land, scattering the kitties. Two crocs slither up behind Chi and Tarr; but, they walk out of the water and the crocs don't follow (they are able to walk on land, Doug and Mike). They make it to their jeep and go on the run. The Kitty men radio for help. Meanwhile, in Casablanca, Victor and Ilsa....I mean Clive and Leiko arrive at the airport. They are delivered an invitation to a trap and we cut to Smith and Karamenah's kinky games... Karamenah is being mind-controlled by Fu's implants and Smith is trying to break her programming, while she has him tied up and is walking around in a slave girl outfit. Wasn't this Ross' fantasy, on Friends? Fu gets word that Chi and Tarr are headed his way and that the convoy is at an airstrip to fly off to other parts of the globe. In Morocco, Leiko suckers some Kitty men and she and Clive burst in on Smith and Karamenah, who pulls them into their little sex game... I think I saw this part in the movie Four Rooms. Leiko decks her and she and Clive escape with Smith. Tarr and Chi arrive at Fu's little country estate. Leiko and Clive end up at Bogey's club... Bogey lets them hide out, while Chi and Tarr end up in a firefight, in Boy Hitler Land. Chi fights through the secret society cannon fodder and then runs right smack into a trap door. Back in Morocco, Leiko and Clive do something they will regret; maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but some day. Tarr runs into the mind-control factory, while Chi runs into his pop. Clive and Leiko experience Kitty-us Interruptus. Anyone who has ever had a cat walk across them in mid-----well, you know....will understand how that will throw you off. Thoughts: A better chapter, with Leiko and Clive as the central focus, as Moench continues to ape the changing chapter POVs from the previous epic. And, yes, he is homaging Casablanca, as Clive goes to a cafe something and meets Richard, who wears a white suit. Only things missing were Peter Lorre, Claude Rains, and Sydney Greenstreet. Zeck and Day are cooking in this episode, as they get plenty of action to show off. They are a bit weaker on mind-control zombies; but, they are mostly a mcguffin, anyway.
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Post by codystarbuck on Mar 23, 2020 20:54:05 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #86Chi's expression says "I am here to chew gum and kick ass and my Juicy Fruit just went stale!" Creative Team: Doug Moench-writer, Mike Zeck-pencils, Gene Day-inks, Joe Rosen-letters, Ben Sean-colors, Roger Stern-editor Synopsis: Shang Chi has run smack into his old man and he tells him that he "Just doesn't understand" him! Who knew Chi was a teenager? Fu tells him he was a disappointment and ruined all of his plans and that orange skin is really off-putting. Or was that someone else, named Fred? Anyway, Fu gloats about his plan to put his zombies in key positions to create chaos around the world. Judging by the news, I think he succeeded. Tarr runs into some of the zombies and employs his standard response technique: shoot first and save philosophical question for the pub (after 3 or 4 pints). he basts a control machine and zombies wig out and he dives out one door and enters another, where he finds Fah Lo Suee reclining on a chez lounge, like all sexy daughters of evil villains.... She tips over some bowl and Tarr starts tripping, but he tries to fight it. He goes lookin' for Chi, while Doug Moench tells him not to bogart the acid. Chi is still arguing with his dad when Tarr finds him. He unloads a magazine at Fu, only to find out it's a hologram. A door opens and reveals the UFOs being shot from the volcano, while all the henchmen from the various funny handshake groups corner our heroes. Shang Chi employs gung fu, while Tarr uses gun fu and they fight their way out to the temple, with the Jetsons transport tube that Fu used. They take it and, instead of Astro or Rosie, find a pool and dive in, where they see a golden pyramid launching the UFOs. Their playmates turn up, lining the shore and even Tarr can't believe this is happening again... Flashback, man! Tarr and Chi hop a UFO to the roof of the volcano crater and then hop off outside. They steal a truck and burn rubber, while Fah Lo Suee watches and she and Zaran make plans to go to Morocco (I'm sure hashish has nothing to do with their trip). Meanwhile, Clive and Leiko are attacked, post-coital, by Kitty Men. Bogie blows them away with either a shotgun or high powered hunting rifle (Zeck really sucks at firearms, at this point). Smith comes in to find out what the commotion is. he tells them about Fu's plans, as relayed by Karamenah. In South America, Chi and Tarr sneak onto a zombie plane,bound for New York, bringing coronavirus and other souvenirs with them. Thoughts: Well, it starts a bit angsty and whiny, then starts kicking butt. Moench is really smoking weird stuff, as he even throws in a literal golden pyramid for the Golden Dawn group. Dude, it was just a novel, full of drug-fuelled stuff. Mellow out, man, mellow out. I'm still waiting for Cheech and Chong to show up in this. Tommy could unleash his bong-fu.
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Post by codystarbuck on Mar 26, 2020 22:06:48 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #87Leiko gonna F-up Fah Lo Suee! Creative Team: Doug Moench-Illuminatus, Mike Zeck-Rosicrucian, Gene Day-Templar, Joe Rosen-Knight of St John, Bob Sharen-Shriner, 3rd Degree, Jim Salicrup-BPOE 117. Jim Shooter-blackballed. Synopsis: This part features POVs from the hot chicks: Fah Lo Suee and Karamenah. Chi and Tarr have hitched a flight with Fu's zombies and have kicked back, listening to some Cranberries... (No computer can match the power of a real human singing voice and actual instruments. RIP Delores!) They arrive in Casablanca, meet Bogey and catch up with Clive. Tarr goes for a walk while Leiko admits infidelity and Tarr spots Zaran and Fah Lo Suee. She puts a whammy on him and he kisses her, making Zaran jealous... Zaran F-s up Tarr, who is too ga-ga to fight and Chi goves over and sucker punches Clive. Tarr crawls in and Chi goes off to kick some more ass. Leiko is also pretty mad and she throws down with Fah... CAT FIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!! Chi smacks around Zaran; but, he has improved and Chi is fighting with anger, making mistakes. He still musses him up, when Fah halt the fight and tells Chi she is working with the new MI-6... She is to meet Fu in New York and proposes they all team up. Clive and Chi snipe at each other, until the grown ups tell them to simmer down. Karamenah comes in and confirms Fah set things up, then admits to spying on Petrie, but she on't go back to him, as he got old (ooh, Trophy Husband!) They get ready to go to New York and everyone is POed at each other. Thoughts: Some nice character stuff and some brutal fighting. Zeck can't draw firearms (yet); but, he handles the action well. Moench really cannot write a strong woman, unless she is a femme fatale. Sucks to be Leiko, in his hands. All the spiritual stuff is falling to pieces in this saga. Looks like Chi needs to check in with Master Po.
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Mar 27, 2020 10:27:14 GMT -5
Back in Morocco, Leiko and Clive do something they will regret; maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but some day. And that's the point burst out laughing!!! Great reviews, codystarbuck, and I love all the humour you inject in them!
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Post by codystarbuck on Mar 27, 2020 20:49:24 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #88Shang Chi vs Woody Strode... Creative Team: Doug Moench-writer, Mike Zeck-pencils, Gene Day-inks, Jim Novak-letters, Bob Sharen-colors, Jim Salicrup-editor Synopsis: Our heroes are in a helicopter, over New York. They spot a raging fire, across the river, inNew Jersey. Radio reports say oil storage tanks are on fire, the act of sabotage. We see one of Fu's zombies in police custody. Maru (the Woody Strode dude) reports in, to Fu, with his new electrodes. Fu can up his strength and speed through them. The men wait for Fah Lo Suee to show up and Fu orders them to kill her, when she is in sight. He knows she is betraying him, as she always has. Maru is shocked at the order. Chi and the Gang meet up with Fah and Zaran, at the pier that was mentioned and Fah is knifed in the back by a Si-Fan. The heroes go to work, kickin' ass. The Si-Fan take off and Chi and the others give chase, as they head into a tunnel. Smith and Tarr find a pair of nukesa and work to disarm them, while Chi, Leiko and Zaran run down Si-Fan. The chase takes them to the twin towers of the World Trade Center... Up top, Chi runs into Maru, using a spotlight to send signals. Chi surprises him and Fu activates his electrodes and it's Spartacus time... Chi brought nunchucks to an electrode fight. He goes full Bruce Lee, on Maru, though still gets Kareemed.... He is knocked into the safety netting around the roof and Maru charges in. They fight close quarters and nothing stops Maru. Leiko sneaks up on him and whacks him in the head with a lead pipe. It only angers him; but, it lets Chi get off a flying kick to the chest that sends Maru over the side, like Snake Plisken's Gullfire glider. A UFO show up, gases Chi and Leiko and then Fu boards it. Tar and Smith are running out of time and Smith doesn't know how to defuse the nukes. What will happen next time? Thoughts: Pretty much pure action, apart from the meet up with Fah and Zaran, that goes pear-shaped pretty quickly. After that, it is a running fight to the top of the Twin Towers and over the side. The Towers were still fairly new, having been fully completed in 1973 and were, for a time, the tallest buildings in the world. By this point, the King Kong remake had used them in place of the Empire State Building and Escape from New York would use it in a couple of years (though most of the exteriors of the film were done in East St Louis). Pretty exciting issue, with a tense cliffhanger, at the end. Doug is making up for the weak start.
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Post by codystarbuck on Mar 28, 2020 18:38:19 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #89Chi's been hittin' the winstrol! Creative Team: Doug moench-writer, Mike Zeck-pencils, Gene Day-inks, Jim Novak-letters, Bob Sharen-colors, Jim Salicrup-editor Synopsis: Fu has gassed Chi and is climbing up into his UFO. Chi leaps and grabs the rope ladder and climbs after him. He's still trippin' from the gas and Fu looks like he stepped out of Trollords... Meanwhile, Tarr and Smith have no tools to stop the nukes and just start ripping out wires. It seems to work and New York isn't turned into a piles of ashes (well, then, anyway). Chi kicks away a silly Si-fan, who hits the controls, sending the UFO crashing into Time Square. Chi gets dumped out and Fu calls three balls of light to attack. They prove to be the other UFOs, that launched from the Golden Pyramid. The pilots step out and appear to be aliens... Chi fights them and then the cops shoot them down. Chi goes after Fu. leiko wakes up on top of the World Trade Center and thinks Chi went over the side. Tarr and Smith watch the timers count down, until they are sure the bombs won't detonate. Chi punches his way into Fu's ship. he tells off pop, then punches him and Fu is shocked that he hit him. Chi then smashes up the ship's controls and leaps out, leaving Fu to his fate... Chi hits the river and the ship explodes and crashes in. Tarr, Smith and Leiko witness the destruction. Chi crawls out of the water and ends up on Liberty Island, where he contemplates the "death" of his father. Yeah, that always goes well. Thoughts: bang up ending, as Fu goes boom-boom; but, New York doesn't. Chi is free of his father (for now) and can look to the future. Fah Lo Suee is dead (I suppose, though I wouldn't take bets on that). This seems to be Moench's way of ending the past and moving forward with a new direction for Chi, though we always come full circle, when he does that. The art looks sharper in this. Not sure if Zeck had more time or Day did, or both; but, it really looks the best of the storyline. The next issue blurb says Triumphs of the Flesh; so, I guess Chi is going to a cathouse, to celebrate.
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Post by codystarbuck on Apr 5, 2020 16:08:47 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #90Shang Chi vs Jack Nicholson! Creative Team: Doug Moench-writer, Mike Zeck-pencils, Gene Day-inks, Jim Novak-letters, Bob Sharen-colors, Jim Salicrup-editor Synopsis: After the defeat of Fu Manchu, the gang is ready to head back to the UK. Chi wants to stay and just "be", for a bit, while Smith sets up his private intelligence agency. Leiko decides to remain behind, as well... So, when all else fails, go back to Shang Chi walking the streets of New York. Doug could at least have him tryout for a Broadway production! They have lunch and contemplate the future. Leiko says they can hang with her brother, who works as a diplomat at the UN. They go to the Hong Kong Consulate (not embassy, Doug) and see her brother David. David is up to his ears in pleas from US police to aid in problems of gang violence in Chinese communities, when the immigrant population will not aid the police. Immigration brought crime problems, from the tong wars of the 20s to problems between American-born Chinese and new immigrants, with the same old story of preying on the weak. Tourism is down and people are leaving. Japanese groups have moved in and now there is a rivalry between Japanese and Chinese gangs. Sounds like Doug was reading Year of the Dragon. Chi gets hassled by "the Man"... then hangs with the Homies to meet the Joy Boys (I suspect they are in Greenwich Village, not Chinatown). they take himinto a blind alley then attempt to make him welcome, which leads to a lot of mecurochrome and band aids (and splints) The survivors take Chi to meet their boos and they elect Chi their new gang leader, setting a bad precedent for leaders with orange skin. Thoughts: Well, Doug seems to be spinning his wheels while he comes up with a storyline that will maintain interest. Chi in New York has been done to death. The plot would seem to reflect Robert Daley's novel, Year of the Dragon, but this was a year before publication of that book. However, that novel was based on the actual gang violence in Chinatown, in this timeframe and Daley was an ex-cop, who also wrote Prince of the City. So, it is probably a coincidence, based on headlines. Now, if the Chang Sings and the Wing Kongs show up, we might have a bit of fun!
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Post by codystarbuck on Apr 14, 2020 17:54:25 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #91I'd like to know (where you got the notion...) how Chi has the leverage for the snap mare, while delivering the side kick, especially with his base leg that far out from under his center of gravity. Based on my physics classes, he should come crashing down in a split and ruin any chance of an after-fight celebration with Leiko! Creative Team: Doug Moench-writer, Mike Zeck-pencils, Gene Day-inks, Jim Novak-letters, Bob Sharen-colors, Jim Salicrup-editor Synopsis: A Gulacy-style montage recaps last issue, on the splash page... Chi is in Chinatown, listening to Blondie and meeting with gang leaders... Chi was elected leader of the Joy Boys, but, he isn't calling the shots. he has to prove himself by leading a raid on a gun shop to steal some armament. Chen tries to bushwhack him and he subdues him but has to work fast to stop the others, as they smash the glass window of the shop to steal guns (any New York gun dealer is going to have bars or steel shutters over a window). Chi tries to talk them down and Chen rats them out to the cops. One of the gang points a gun at Chi but didn't check to see if it was loaded (gun dealers don't keep loaded weapons on display). The cops show up and arrest everyone, including Chi... Leiko goes to "tuck" Chi in and finds his bed empty. That's because he is being booked at the police station (possibly by Officer Levitt, if it is the 12th Precinct, though I think they were near Greenwich Village). Chi meditates until his bail is posted by Leiko and her brother. Chi is released and we learn that the charges were dropped after leiko called Smith, who interceded with the police. Chi has David take him to Battery Park to try and stop the fight between the Joy Boys and the Golden Claws. Chang tries to talk them into peace. They aren't listening. leiko adds her voice. They aren't listening. Chen attacks Leiko and gets whooped, then all hell breaks loose... Tommy Lee is dead? Aw, man, I love Motley Crue! Oh, wait, this is way before Crue hit it big. Chi gets distracted, trying to tell Leiko to get her brother out of there, then he and Leiko do some choppin' and sockin'. One of the gang has a gun, but freezes and Chen grabs it and aims at the leader of the Golden Claws. Chi knocks him away and is hit. Leiko plants Chen on the turf then runs to Chi. he talks down the stunned gang members. It's a good speech and they listen, except Chen, who is left standing alone. Thoughts: Well, after a slightly weak start, we got a bang up end to this two-parter. Chi uses logic and ideals to talk the gang mebers out of fighting and killing, eventually. Zeck and Day get to illustrate some excellent fight scenes, while capturing the emotion of the attempts to appeal to reason and the scenes of hatred and fear. Just a really nice job across the board, apart from some minor logic flaws. We have less than 30 issues to go, before the series comes to an unceremonious end. Lots of great stuff still to come, as, next, Shang Chi gets some western duds and faces the legacy of his father.
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Post by codystarbuck on Apr 19, 2020 15:38:45 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #92Chi went to Sears! Montgomery Ward? Creative Team: Doug Moench-writer, Mike Zeck Pencils, Gene Day-inks, Jim Novak-letters, Bob Sharen-colors, Jim Salicrup-editor Synopsis: Chi is still ina Manhattan, and Mike Zeck has been reading The Spirit.... A strange hand comes out of the storm grate. meanwhile, a little girl helps grandma at her grocery store. Whatever belongs to the hand crashes into the store, hurts grandma and takes food. Meanwhile, Chi, Leiko and David sit and talk and we learn that Chi and Leiko have been hitting the nightspots and follow the advice of KC and the Sunshine Band... They are interrupted by the little girl, who comes storming in, asking David for help. He tells Chi of these stories of a monster haunting Chinatown. Sounds like a job for the Scooby Gang; but, since they aren't here, Chi and Leiko go poking around. Zoinks! Leiko changes into her Emma Peeler and Chi puts on some white Haggar Slacks and a black turtleneck. they go to the store to look around. Grandma is conscious and speaks of monsters living in tunnels that stretch through the earth to the mountains of China. Neighbors speak of things taken from their shops. Leiko goes down into the sewers and finds...... Alligators?......CHUDs?...........................Lobsters?..................... She crawls back up and tells Chi and they both go down after what attacked her. A shadow watches from a nearby rooftop. They follow the trail and find a strange stone above, with light bleeding through. It pushes away to reveal a vast open space, inside a building.... They run into a lone Si-Fan who was left behind when Fu Manchu abandoned his New York base. He has set a trap, waiting...and waiting....for Shang Chi. oh, and he has some kind of ape. Chi fights the giant ape and eventually knocks it off a beam into a fire below. The Si-Fan kicks it and yells at it to get up and it swats him away. It attacks him and the go into the blaze. Chi and Leiko head the other direction and escape. they go back to grandma and tell her it was an ape; but, she still believes it was the fulfillment of a legend, conveniently ignoring Leiko's part in things. Thoughts: Pretty much marking time. It's a nice single issue story, rather like the early ones, but with Chi more mature and worldly. it also serves to show that Fu's empire is dead or dying, as this lone Si-Fan is all that is left in New York, plus an ape that might have been a test subject. Chi gets to fight without his pajamas, finally, as Moench wanted to lose them years ago; but was blocked for identification purposes. Got to have a consistent look for the hero. Fine, but why not something more like Bruce's Game of Death track suit than kung fu pajamas? He only briefly got a red jumpsuit, which looked pretty god; but, was yanked away. We'll see how long the white pants and black turtleneck last. Gonna either go through a lot of pants or a lot of bleach. Leiko gets to do a bit; but, Chi still does the butt-kicking. Could have at least have her deck the Si-Fan. Zeck and Day really gel here and the art looks great and the hidden lair is pretty cool and gonzo, as one of Fu's bases should be.
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Post by codystarbuck on May 17, 2020 15:09:35 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #93I don't know how Leiko plans to fight with bunny shadows; but....whatever! Creative Team: Moench, Zeck & Day-storytellers; Jim Novak-letters, Bob Sharen-colors, Jim Salicrup-editor Synopsis: Apparently this story is about Shang-Chi's battle with flatulence.... Doug distracts us with bedtime fables about exploiters of the insect world who build cages to trap crickets and force them to sing songs for the patricians. However, soon the glorious revolution comes and the capitalist exploiter of hoppers gets his just rewards and ends up cold and alone.... Leiko likes the story and Chi buys the book and they head home. Chi reads into the night when the peace is disturbed by Tarr showing up and slapping some Chinamen around to see Chi. Tarr's inherent charm wins over Leiko's brother and he regales the couple about their latest case. Melissa Greville's sister, Mandy, has been kidnapped by a cult and disappeared. Tarr tried to break into their New York mansion and had to run from security, who were trailing him and he ran for the Chinese Embassy Consulate for safety. Chi questioned whether Mandy joined freely or not, which Tarr denies, without proof. He goes on that the cult is a front for drugs and arms, run by a guy called Samisdat and Greville disappeared with documents about a weapons shipment which was hijacked by professionals. Chi & Leiko agree to help and Doug inserts a scene to show that Tarr is not being racist when he calls Chi "Chinamen," based on his intent; but, it's a weak defense. Chi creates a diversion for the others to leave the Embassy Consulate unseen. Tar sppeds out and Chi hops in the car and Tarr shares photos and intel as they head to the cult's mansion. Tarr distracts the guards (this time) as Chi and Leiko deck them and they sneak in, where they find the Ancient Mystic Society of No-Homers... They don robes and follow the crowd to a cellar, where Mandy Greville addresses the Reichstag and it becomes clear she is a fanatic, not a dupe. The rally breaks up and Mandy goes off to check with Leni about the footage and gets nabbed by Tarr, but she cries out. Tarr crashes through a window with her while Chi and Leiko handle the Wing Nut Brigade. A fire breaks out and cultists are trapped behind barred doors and Chi smashes them to free them. They repay him by screaming for his blood. He and Leiko hotfoot it and we see Tarr trying to reason with Mandy... "Well I knew your father & his brother, & bought you ice cream, oh Mandy; You bounced on my knee with no bother, and I freed you today, oh Mandy..."Thoughts: The fable at the front shows that contentment comes without price and don't buy cheap cricket cages. Doug tries to address Tarr's racism to show that he has no racist intent, just friendly needling at Chi. Leiko voices the other criticism that they may understand that but David doesn't, though he assures Leiko that, as a diplomat, he can hear the intent behind words. It's not the worst argument out there; but, I think Doug would have been better served by having Tarr transition to a different form of nickname for Chi, out of respect for him and Leiko, especially after criticism had been voiced, in past. I don't mean that he had to go all PC; but let "Chinaman" go and provide a situation that causes Tarr to come up with another nickname, which sticks. The cult thing seems inspired by the Moonies; possibly also the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, in Oregon, though this was written in 1980 and the Bhagwan and his cult moved in in 1981. The look of the scenes reminds me quite a bit of the Avengers tv episode, "The Maritius Penny", from the Honor Blackman days. The murder of a stamp colelctor leads them to a fascisrt cult. The episode was written by Malcolm Hulke and Terrance Dicks, who later plagiarized themselves with the script for the first Tom Baker Doctor Who story, "Robot." In both circumstances, a secret cult or group turns out to be led by what had appeared to be a victim (or, at least, they were in the leadership). The team is really working well and there isn't much to say about the art or writing that hasn't already been said. What is sad is how little attention Marvel gave this series in their marketing. X-Men sold itself; but, a little spotlight on this, one of Marvel's more consistently entertaining reads would have had a positive effect on sales.
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Post by codystarbuck on May 17, 2020 15:58:58 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #94Agent Syn needs a better tailor! Creative Team: Moench, Zeck & Day-storytellers; Novak & Sharen text and crayons, Salicrup signing the vouchers Synopsis: The dork on the cover apparently sleeps in that thing.... That's gotta bee pretty ripe by now! He trains and smashes things, but seems to have an inferiority complex, so this take off of the opening teaser from From Russia With Love goes a bit differently. Meanwhile, Chi and the Gang (like Kool and the Gang, but without a brass section) arrive at Nayland Smith's castle, which Doug then spends a third of the book giving them and us a tour of the facilities, seeing how it will be the HQ for Freelance Restorations, his new Rent-A-Spy franchise. Mandy is taken off to a bedroom to be stripped down to a nightie and cared for by a sweaty fat man who kicks everyone out of the room. Call me a prude but I don't think it is a good idea to leave a young woman in a flimsy nightdress alone with a middle aged man and no chaperone, deprogramming or not. Chi and Reston make nice and everyone plays around while Melissa is rejected by her sister and sublimates by pulling up more data on the cult. Red & White Grant turns up and Chi runs into him a whoops his hide, real good! Meanwhile, Mandy slugged Mrs Haversham and tried to knife Tarr in his bed (I'm betting he is used to that, actually). She gets dumped in to pool to avoid the assassins fire and finally comes around. Thoughts: Not gonna spend much time on this one as it is a rather weak chapter. Agent Syn comes out of the blue and gets removed rather easily. Dont' really see the point in having him, at all. It's obvious luittle thought went into his uniform. With some build up and an couple of issues, he might have been an interesting character. he appears to be a cyborg, as the chest thing sends impulses into him and he removes a finger to reveal a blade... It's obvious he was programmed for an attack on Chi; but, we don't know why, as Chi has only just encountered this cult and this guy wasn't built overnight. This really has the feeling of something thrown together at last minute. The tour goes on way too long, to the point of feeling like filler. One page would have done it; but it goes on for 5 pages (with dialogue scenes and exposition added). I thinkl Doug could have taken a page from Mark Gruenwald and Ralph Macchio when they did Project PEGASUS, in Marvel Two-in-One. That revolved around a much more complex locale, yet they let the story flow through it, letting you absorb it, threw a few exposition panels at you to fill in gaps, then gave you a schematic of the facility. The thought that went through my mind in the Agent Syn early panels was ""Pulp Fiction....the 'gimp'...." All that was missing were the chains and ballgags. Weird issue.
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Post by codystarbuck on May 17, 2020 17:08:21 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #95Whoops; I stand corrected! Agent Syn was the height of sartorial splendor, compared to these chuckle-heads! Creative Team: Copy.....paste......add smart ass comment Synopsis: The cultists are all gathered on a ship, reading their copies of Dianetics. Chi and Leiko are undercover and it's flashback time... They are headed for Samisdat Island, somewhere in the Caribbean, where they will meet the Reverend, himself. Don't drink the Kool-Aid! Clive IDs Agent Syn as an ex-KGB agent, code named Samisdat; but, he isn't the same guy. The name means "Passing from hand to hand, growing with each passage." Just like the cult! Surprised they don't have hammers and sickles on their robes. Chi and Leiko are show to their quarters, while Tarr and Smith fly in from a distance, as back-up. Chi and Leiko go all Bruce Lee and snoop around Mr Han's fortress, uncovering his heroin....I mean spy ring, as the brainwashed cult members will be armed and launch random terrorist attacks on the West. Oh, and they have a rocket or satellite (presumably both, if they do have a satellite). It's an orbital weapons platform, designed to attack satellites and other platforms, but also capable of striking targets on the ground. And it's all Val Kilmer's fault! They are surprised by guards, kick butt and disappear. Just like Bruce! They get back in their cabins in time for bed check; so, Samisdat unleashes the Dork Patrol... The next morning, Joe Stalin address the masses and tells them to unrobe and spots Chi and Leiko and sicks his men on them. Feets don't fail me now! They end up at a cliff (of course) and Leiko turns and kicks butt. Clive and Black Jack parachute onto the island and Tarr gets stuck in a tree. Reston hides while Tarr dangles, as guards come. Reston takes down the guard before he shoots Tarr, then Chi shows up. Leiko is defeated by sheer numbers (and a tree branch, swung by an ersatz Buford Pusser). Chi leads the boys down into the complex below ground. They sabotage the weapons satellite, when Sami shows up with the Power Rangers... Hijinks ensue..... and then it goes all Bond climax... Smith arrives with the cavalry, after everything is over. Just like Braithwaite at the end of Enter the Dragon! Thoughts: Well, I don't know if I would call this one an epic; but, it has a satisfying conclusion, after a weak middle. This part is pure James Bond, by way of Bruce Lee, in the grand tradition of this series. Grell & Day go to town on the action, though it is clear that we are in the Shooter Regime imposition of the Almighty Grid, as the pages lack much for innovative layout. Shame, really, as Zeck and Day do fine work, when left to their own devices. This is why I drifted away from Marvel (some books quicker than others) as there was just such a generic quality to most of them, to the point even they were making fun of it with their Generic Comic Book... As cults go, this was pretty weak. Doug is using things from the Moonies, Jonestown, Scientology and similar nutjobs (which is why certain rallies are really, really scary these days), but, the plot peters out in three issues. This really could have gone longer, as they race to stop the various cult attacks.... Moench unloads this and wraps it up in three very uneven issues. There was the seed of an epic here. Is Doug burnt out? Is it fighting with Shooter? Is it the Hostage Crisis or the election? Was it the reveal in Empire Strikes Back? Who knows?
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Post by codystarbuck on May 25, 2020 16:07:29 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #36More Kung Fu Action & Thrills Than Ever Before! Let's see if it lives up to the hype. Of course, it's never had much kung fu action, as Gulacy was about the only one who ever did research on actual techniques, not just a couple of poses and some chops, kicks and punches. It was the comic book equivalent of the WWF, with every Japanese (usually a Japanese-American wrestler who was from Hawaii) wrestler using the same chops and finger thrust to the throat, which was supposed to signify "karate master." Sonny Chiba they weren't! Anyway........... Note John Beatty inking Zeck's cover. We will be seeing more of those two, in future comics, I suspect. Creative TeamL:Moench, Zeck & Day, plus Novak & Sharen, with Salicrup in the office Synopsis: Well, either Doug or Mike has been watching PKA Kickboxing on ESPN.... That's one point in favor of the cover copy, though the basic kickboxing style was more based in karate than kung fu styles. Just sayni'.................... Jenkins in tyhe yellow, carter in the black, with the Long John Silver eyepatch (like anyone is going to sanction a fight with a guy who can only see out of one eye) . Chia nd Leiko are in the crowd, watching and Chi has never seen anything like this (well, the Shaolin didn't put on black trunks, kempo gloves and shin pads and spar, either; but, it looked cool when Bruce and Sammo did it). Zeck shows off a page from Black belt magazine.. Some redneck tells Chi he is in his seat and grabs his shoulder and Chi shows him his ticket and tells him to get his mitts off the threads (well, if Doug had him watching some old gangster movies) and the guy tries to push his point and gets decked by Chi, which distracts Carter, in the ring, and he gets a shot to the jaw and a knockdown. The ref counts and Carter gets to his feet and delivers a roundhouse kick that puts Jenkins down for the count. On the way to the dressing room, Carter introduces himself to the couple and invites them to come back to his dressing room. He makes formal introduction: he is Rufus "Super Midnight" Carter and he is from Philadelphia, trained at Joe Frazier's gym, then came to England for school. he runs an antique store and is being hit for protection money; but, wants it kept quiet from his coach and trainers. he heard about Freelance Restorations and offers to hire them to put an end to the protection racket. Chi says they will look into it, pro bono. They arrive at his shop and find 4 men having broken in. They proceed to introduce themselves to the intruders, as well as their feet to the visitors' faces... They beat a name out of one of them: Oryx. One of the thugs ran off with Carter's ledger. Leiko calls Clive to run down the name Oryx. Meanwhile, Manyd Greville pitches an idea to help blind kids deal with their limitations to Tarr and Smith approves it. Clive and Melissa come up with the name Jeremiah Winston for Oryx and an address. They ring Carter and arrange to meet, then we see Carter with the dude who hassled Chi at the match. When they meet up, Chi is suspicious of Carter... They arrive at a warehouse and Carter kicks through the door and starts busting heads, then faces Oryx, who is over 7 ft tall. He takes him down, but gets a knife to the gut and his CIA credentials fall out of a pocket. Chi goes after Oryx, while Leiko renders first aid. He catches Oryx, kicks his ass and recovers Carter's ledger, which is actually intel on Samisdat and his satellite, which has been destroyed and the villain is dead. Chi realizes everything was pointless. At a hospital, later, Chi meets the guy who gave them the tickets to the fight and the redneck, who work for the CIA. oryx worked for Yugoslav intelligence, as Tito heard about Samisdat's operation. The antique shop was a French Intelligence (the SDECE, since replaced by the DGSE) front and Carter did not run it. he was legit competing in kickboxing. Chi tells the spooks to blow, then visits Carter and gives him back his ID. He overheard the conversation in the hall and quits his Agency job and goes freelance. Thoughts: Definitely been some kickboxing viewing going on. The Professional Karate Association was launched in 1974 and the first champions were Joe Lewis (heavyweight, Jeff Smit (lt heavyweight, but not creator of Bone, nor the Frugal gourmet), Bill "Superfoot" Wallace (middleweight) and Isiasis Duenas (lightweight) won their initial world championships. PKA was the leading organization for full contact karate, through the 70s, before rival organizations began to expand, in the 80s. The original world championships were televised on ABC, with Wide World of Sports regularly featuring kickboxing bouts. When ESPN began, in 1979, PKA Kickboxing quickly became one of its top rated shows. Bill Wallace is name dropped during the opening fight panels. He starred opposite Chuck Norris in the film, A Force of One, which featured full contact fighting. Wallace was also the original (and most embarrassing) play-by-play annopuncer for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, on their debut PPV tournament. He routinely mis-pronounced names, flubbed styles, and was totally out of his depth as an announcer. He was paired with Kathy Long (women's kickboxing champion who also knew little beyond her own sport and who received a souvenir, when Tei TUli's tooth was knocked out by a Gerard Gordeau kick and landed under her seat), Jim Brown (who was there to be a celebrity and didn't add much) and Rod Machado (who was the only one who knew anything about grappling, as one of the Machado Brothers family of Brazilian ju-jitsu practitioners, who happen to be cousins to the Gracie family, who promoted the event, to promote Gracie ju-jitsu). Rufus Carter's nickname, Super Midnight, is an inside joke, as Carter's Midnight was a brand of carbon paper (remember carbon paper?). I had previously lamented about the fact that Doug never tried to make a black martial artist in MOKF, based on Jim Kelly. There was Abe Brown, in Sons of the Tiger, in deadly Hands of Kung Fu; but, the character had little or nothing in common with Kelly, apart from Race, and was more like Jim Brown, mixed with Shaft, using karate. Rufus Carter isn't exactly Kelly, either. Visually, he owes more to Ron Van Clief, aka The Black Dragon... Van Clief was an ex-Marine and practitioner of goju-ryu karate (an Okinawan style) and starred in several martial arts and action films, including The Black Dragon, starting in 1974. In 1994, he entered the Ultimate Fighting Championship torunament, at their 4th event and tapped out to a rear-naked choke by Royce Gracie, after 4 minutes. he was 51 and the oldest competitor in the 4 tournaments that had been held, up to that point (well before the UFC was sanctioned and before they had weight classes). In the 1970s, there were many African-American martial artists, as martial arts films were big staples of urban theaters. In the Hollywood scene, the most noted were Jim Kelly, Ron Van Clief, Donnie Williams and Steve Muhammad, the latter two having formed the Black Karate Federation. The story is a bit contrived ; but, the point is to introduce Carter as a character. The book has needed a black martial artist for some time, but, it is kind of overloaded with characters: Smith, Tarr, Reston, Leiko, Melissa Greville, Mandy Greville, Mrs Haversham and, now, Rufus Carter. Leiko's the love interest and Tarr is the most popular supporting character. Wonder who is going to get the short end of the stories? Art, as usual, is great.
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Post by codystarbuck on May 25, 2020 17:47:58 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #97Catchy title! Some kid scribbled all over Leiko's dress. Creative Team: Three guesses.... Synopsis: Doug goes philosophical (and possibly is suffering from insomnia).... and Mike recaps the series highpoints... and then Leiko interrupts with a dead bird, killed by Chi's siamese cat (remember the kitty?). Chi doesn't begrudge the cat as it is following its nature..... EVIL KILLING MACHINE!!!!!!! They work out (why is Leiko's workout gear always skimpier than Chi's?) and then Tarr tells them that Nayland Smith is having an open house and art showing, while two of them have to go meet a client, in London. They flip for it and Leiko trick's Tarr with a two-headed coin that Tarr gave her for luck. She and Chi get to party, while Tarr and Reston go to London! The caterers turn up and think Chi is the houseboy. He lets it slide. The guests turn up and, including the pompous Maj Pendleton Asquith, who recommended the caterers and who remarks about art thefts in the area. (Chekov's Rule, folks). Chi admires a statue, then Leiko turns up fishing for compliments and gets her just desserts, when Chi teases her back... They have dinner and Chi has no appetite and there is more talk of theft. After, Smith unveils a surrealist painting and Asquith pontificates on its craptitude, and Chi has enough and shows him up.... Before he he can chortle about philistines; or, more likely, make a racist remark, they are interrupted by the caterers and dessert is served, via mini-train. Now, normally, I'd be screaming "Brynocki!" at this point; but, Doug isn't going there. A bunch of guys pop out in what, I guess, are supposed to be stocking masks and hold up the place... Green stockings? What, did these guys swipe Irma La Douce's laundry? They load paintings into the train and shake down the guests. Smith prompts Chi to do something; but, he says not while the guests are in danger. They move them into another room and Chi and Leiko hang to the back of the crowd, so the guests pass through the doorway, leaving Chi and Leiko with the crooks, who get the nylon slapped off their face... Stealing a page from Modesty Blaise, Chi tears of the lower half of Leiko's dress and creates a tripline and they nab the rest of the hoods... They kick butt and then Chi gives the Maitre D' his opinion of the evenings repast... The hoods out Asquith as the ringleader and he takes it on the run (baby). Chi takes out a gun-wielding thug and Smith stops Asquith at gunpoint. They relax and Chi finds his appetite and ogle's Leiko's legs, as we get Doug's idea of a humorous ending... Thoughts: Doug really runs off at the typewriter on this issue and Jim Novak earns his paycheck. Thankfully, Zeck and Day give us something to relieve our boredom with the Doug Te Ching. The fight with the art thieves is great action and some visual fun (I like that Zeck mixes some lighter stuff in his fights) and it is also nice to see Chi getting more worldly and developing a personality beyond innocent and stoic. He feels way more like a 20th Century man than the ancient kung fu fighter we saw at the beginning. In the old days, he was a Shaw bros. hero, in a period story, but just happened to turn up in a James Bond movie. Now, he's more of a....well, not Jackie Chan........too thin for Sammo Hung...not enough guns for Chow Yun-Fat........Jet Li? Donnie Yen? Anyway, more modern. This is a bit of light fun that gets buried in way too many words. Doug, give them a good plot, some characterization, some nice dialogue, and let the artists do the rest. Save the philosophy for the lecture circuit. Lao Tzu you ain't. If you aspired to be Benjamin Hoff I might enjoy it more, as at least he was funny, while discussing Taoism... (Seriously, the best book on Taoism out there!) I sense another palate-cleansing issue, before a longer storyline. Probably something to do with the client, with whom Tarr and Reston were meeting.
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