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Post by codystarbuck on Jun 27, 2020 16:20:08 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #103Love that cover! It brings to mind the glory days of James Bond and all-out action and intrigue. Says so, right on the cover. Creative Team: Doug Moench-writer, Gene Day-artist, Jim Novak-letters, Bob Sharen-colors, Jim Salicrup-editor Synopsis: Doug and Gene let us know what we are in for, right from the start... the Gene goes one better... Tarr narrates the story to Chi, though I would think he was acquainted, by now, with Hong Kong's boat city. Chi thinks back to Leiko checking out of the hospital, before Chi came to pick her up anfd finding her gone from her flat. Even the Siamese cat is not pleased to see him and scratches him (shoulda come across with the noms...). Leiko visited Tarr and took a mission to replace a captured Chinese agent, for MI-6 (Smith's group took on their dirty work). Something big is up in Hong Kong and the boat people have left their junks to others. Tarr and Chi infiltrate, crossing several to get to one flying three red pennants. They are spotted, the alarm sounds and the butt-kickin' begins... The propel pedal instruments into gluteal masses and record nomenclatures of the recipients, then run into someone in a green robe, straight out of...well, Fu Manchu, by way of Ming the Merciless, who turns out to be their contact. They force them inside and the hood is pulled back to reveal... Juliette, last seen playing Burma to Shang Chi's Asian Pat Ryan. Does that mean that Shen Kuei, the Cat, can be far away? Who cares, as long as Juliete keeps perching like this... Juliette tells of the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong and the sinking of a German cargo ship that was bringing a weapon for safekeeping in Hong Kong. It was sunk by American Dauntless dive bombers, but has been located and several parties are looking to salvage it and claim its secret. They are distracted by Tarr, who yells to Chi. The boats are being lashed togetehr and pulled out into the channel by tugs. The whole city is moving. Chi and Tarr search for the center, where Juliette sent Leiko. They battle through some thugs andf find the tug at the center. They see divers go over the side and follow them. There is an entire underwater salvage operation going on. Hoses are feeding compressed air into the hull of the wreck to dispell the water and float it back to the surface. Tarr and Chi surface and climb onto the command ship, where they are attacked. Chi dispenses with them quickly, then searches and spots Leiko through a porthole, looking none the worse for wear... and getting into bed with another man. They are interrupted by the cargo ship emerging from the water. The man rushes out, followed by Leiko. It is Shen Kuei and he and Chi face off... Thoughts: Hoo, baby; Shen Kuei vs Shang Chi! Leiko and Shen Kuei, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G.....Juliette dressing like the Dragon Lady, sunken Nazi ships, Hong Kong floating junk cities...... THIS IS WHAT MADE MASTER OF KUNG FU GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Moench is back in form and Day was picking up the gauntlet from Paul Gulacy, finally bringing the cinematic quality that had been either missing or severely dampened ever since he left. Moench is going back to the well; but, there is still sweet water there. Day's layouts are experimental and fantastic, really giving character to this, like Gulacy before him and Steranko on SHIELD. This is a perfect blend of story and art, something that was disappearing at Marvel, under the Shooter regime. MOKF wasn't long for this world; but, if Doug was going to go out, he was going to do it with a bang and Gene Day is there to serve notice that he was one of the best pure storyteller artists in the business, at that time. He wasn't Byrne or Perez; but, they weren't doing mystery and intrigue. They were doing comics; Day was doing Graphic Cinema. This is going to be an epic ride through the past, as we see where MOKF came from, as it faces the future. Expect more surprises and visits from old friends.
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Post by codystarbuck on Jun 27, 2020 16:24:22 GMT -5
ps Chi is back to the red pajamas. I can't confirm, but I suspect editorial mandate won out again.
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Jun 27, 2020 16:35:53 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #103Day's layouts are experimental and fantastic, really giving character to this, like Gulacy before him and Steranko on SHIELD. This is a perfect blend of story and art, something that was disappearing at Marvel, under the Shooter regime. MOKF wasn't long for this world; but, if Doug was going to go out, he was going to do it with a bang and Gene Day is there to serve notice that he was one of the best pure storyteller artists in the business, at that time. He wasn't Byrne or Perez; but, they weren't doing mystery and intrigue. They were doing comics; Day was doing Graphic Cinema. That's beautifully and accurately put! Well said, sir!
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Post by brutalis on Jun 27, 2020 17:34:32 GMT -5
Not knowing anything at the time about behind the scenes Marvel DC politics all I knew was HOT DAMN MOKF was blazing in full stunning fury. Day on inks over Zeck was great but now on his own designing to pencil to ink Gene Day was AMAZING! We were getting something very special again with the pairing of Moench/Day and I was hungry and anxious every week waiting for each new issue. Finding new issues during my search of Circle K stores during lunch in high school meant as I found the newest issue it was damn hard to sit through classes waiting for the bus ride home to read MOKF.
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 2, 2020 17:17:56 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #104Note the detailing on Gene Day's cover; the Asian figures. Also not the placement of the characters. Shang Chis is front and center, descending seemingly endless stairs. To the left, in the shadows, is Leiko, whose loyalty Chi now questions, after seeing her with Shen Kuei, previously. Then, up top, waiting to strike with a spear is the Cat, himself. Day was just a master designer of a page! Creative Team: Doug Moench-writer, Gene Day-artist, Jim Novak-letters, George Roussos-colors, Jim Salicrup editor. Synopsis: Shang Chi and Shen Kuei circle each other , measruing their genitals as testosterone overrides erason. Their lives are mirrored as where once Shen Kuei found his liover Juliette with Chi, he now finds Leiko with the Cat. He tells her she can stop pretending, since he is there now and she denies him. So, Shen Kuei says "Let's fight!" and Chi replies, "Them's fightin' words!" They start fighting and Chi throws kicks that prompt Cat to grab a boat hook. Chi replies by grabbing a rope and pulley to use as a flail. Meanwhile, Tarr is coming under the ship, via scuba infiltration. He sees the fight and hisses at Leiko for answers. She says they are fighting and Tarr goes to put a stop to things and Leiko disarms him and gives the weapon to Shen Kuei! Chi reflects on their first fight, which Shen Kuei was winning, when Juliette stopped them. This time, it is more even. Shen Kuei and Leiko depart with the secret cargo from the German ship and leave Chi and Tarr to his men, which sucks for them. They fight their way to the side and dive into the water and make it to the junk where Juliette hides... Chi maintains that Leiko is posing as Shen Kuei's lover, but Juliette has doubts. She tells Chi about the secret cargo; a new metal that would aid in creating an effective particle beam weapon. The Germans were hiding it in Japan, when they were attacked by the US Navy, near Hong Kong. Shen Kuei seeks to destroy the weapon's secret, to prevent further modern weapons. Chi believes Leiko is willingly aiding him towards that end, rather than turning it over to MI-6. Chi decides he will aid Shen kuei, though Juliette says the Cat still believes Ch is a puppet of MI-6. At a temple, Shen Kuei burns the research notes, while his men bury the metal samples. Shen Kuei and Leiko both confess they love another, but they still go off to make sweet love, down by the fire. Chi, Tarr and Julia arrive at the temple and Chi tries to appeal to the Cat and is attacked. They fight. It is more brutal than the first time, as Gene Day plays with layouts, showing them fighting down a stairway, like some kind of aggressive Escher print. Leiko tries to stop them and they won't listen..... Finally, the ladies take over and point guns at each other, threatening to shoot the other unless the men stop fighting. It finally sinks in... Shen Kuei sends a signal to the junk city and it disperses. Charges on the cargo ship are set off, re-sinking it, minus its cargo. Shen Kuei and Juliette bid Shang Chi and Leiko farewell and the head their separate ways, with Tarr staying tactfully back. Thoughts: Excellent, thought provoking conclusion to the story, as the unreasoning rivalry and jealousy of Shen Kuei and Shang Chi is finally undone by the women they love, who get them to stop thinking with their nunchucks. Really excellent, mature stuff. Day does some stunning work, especially in his layouts. The fight scene has a single page where individual moments are captured as your eye is led down the stairs upon which they fight, throwing artistry in the face of Jim Shooter's theories of storytelling layouts. It conveys more emotion and information than any 9 panel grid could ever accomplish. Next, the return of an old friend.
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 11, 2020 17:05:11 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #105I think Razorfist is running for office. Wait; Razorfist? Bbbbbut, he's dead! Creative Team: Doug-Moench-writer, Gene Day-artist, Jim Novak-letters, Christie Scheele-colors, Dennis O'Neal (RIP)-editor Finally....the Rock...er, I mean MOKF has an editor who knows something about pulp mystery and adventure (aside from Archie Goodwin, who forgot more than most editors ever knew, including Denny). Synopsis: Gene shows off a bit to both let us know that innovative layouts beats ironbound theories of graphic storytelling, every time.... Oh, yeah; and that Razorfist and Carlton Velcro, Doug's first major epic baddies, are both dead. Right? HA! In Hong Kong, a certain singlet wearing due with a rather psychotic need to shave slashes his way into a bar, looking for Shen Kuei, the Cat. The crowd tells him where to go, to find him. He thanks them... I'm sure that dark stuff is just a bit of jam, after Razorfist sliced open the cake, for the party! Razorfist exchanges pleasantries with partygoers and finds a dance partner and mentions he is looking for Shang Chi and Pavane. The crowd says, "Oh, well; why didn't you say so?" and proceeds to tell him where to find them. he replies, "Much obliged!" Meanwhile, in London (Mayfair, to be exact, possibly near a red pillarbox....) Nayland Smith is meeting with Black Jack Tarr and Clive Reston. he relates a dossier he received (from an anonymous but obvious MI-6) about the deaths of 7 Carlton Velcro-associated people (enemies, actually). All killed by a "wide-bladed sword." Chi overhears and drifts back tot he Gulf of Lions affair, where he destroyed Velcro's drug smuggling and nuclear blackmail operations and seemingly killed the man, after he gunned down Razorfist. Meanwhile, Razorfist reports to a shadowed man, who tells him his brother is waiting in London to deal with Shang Chi. In Hong Kong, Shen Kuei is alerted by the bar patrons about Razorfist and Juliette pushes him to warn both Chi and Pavane, she of the interesting wardrobe and whip. The Cat agrees. In London, Smith decides to talk to MI-6, to find out who sent the dossier and feel them out. Clive wants to warn Chi, but he sticks his head up from the outside window and says he heard and is going over to Leiko's place, down in Soho, where they drink champagne and it tastes just like Coca-Cola (or cherry cola, if you prefer). Smith confers with they new boss (same as the old boss), who knows nothing of the dossier. it turns out it was sent by Fah Lo Suee... Chi and Leiko are dispatched to go warn and talk to Pavane, at her country house in Surrey. They find a fortress and have to sneak in, where they run into her kitties. Pavane awakens to hear the little angels playing with Chi and Leiko and a bit of strong and decides to get dressed and join them.... She brings along the whip for some extra fun. They meet up inside her house and it seems she is still a little ticked off about Leiko's little fling with Mordillo. Hell hath no fury and all of that. They are interrupted by the yowl of a kitty and Pavane goes to investigate and finds Razorfist. Chi leaps into the attack, while Pavane is still pressing her case against Leiko. Chi gets his bell rung and Razorfist turns to the ladies, when he recovers. He bashes Razorfist and goads him into attacking with the blade and embeds it in a railing, then calls for Pavane to trap RF's ankles, with her whip. Pavane then reveals that Razorfist's "new employer" is not so new... Oh, and Razorfist was actually a set of triplets and the one here and the one in Hong Kong are the other two of the triad. Thoughts: That's what I'm talking 'bout! Doug has gone right back to the beginning, with Carlton Velcro seeking revenge on the people who left him for dead. Judging by his appearance, he barely survived. As we see on the cover, if you pay attention in the comic and at the end, the two current Razorfists have a single blade on opposite arms, while the dead one had blades in place of both hands (urinating was a delicate affair and I would assume he owned a bidet, to help with other functions). Pavane is back for the first time since the China Seas saga and her presence is welcome. She and Razorfist seem to shop at the same BDSM leather store. Velcro may seem like a cheat; but, we did not see him die, only the speedboat careen into the cave entrance to his base and subsequent explosion. It is possible that he could have been shielded from much of the blast, though his new right arm and leg suggest he didn't escape unscathed and would have needed help. Next issue will discuss that. Moench is really revived, since beginning this whole stretch, with Day as full artists. Once again, he is paired with a truly creative talent, who adds visual flair and mood to Moench's stories and inspires him to go further. Day's action layouts are exciting and original, which flies in the face of what was happening across the board at Marvel, which is why I grew bored with it.
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 12, 2020 16:12:15 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #106Every time I look at that cover, I go, "Ow,ow,ow,ow...." Creative Team: Doug Moench-writer, Gene Day-pencils, Armando Gil-inks, Jim Novak-letters, Christie Scheele-colors, Denny O'Neil-editor First issue that Gene hasn't inked in a while. This was the first MOKF issue I had bought since the China Seas Saga, on the newsstand, for a variety of reasons. I saw it, flipped through it, loved the new art and the story, plus I recalled Pavane. When I found a comic shop, at college, i set about finding the Gulacy issues, after reading the chapter on the series, in Will Jacobs and Gerard Jones' The Comic Book Heroes. It was quite a while before I got the Gene day issues and some of the others, including the rest of the China Seas issues (I had just the one issue, with Kogar on the cover) . In my neck of the woods, MOKF wasn't a titled that you often found sitting front and center on a spinner rack; so, it was often overlooked. Synopsis: Gene dazzles us with an evocative splash page covered in weapons, including a Luger P-08, a Sykes-Fairbairn Commando Dagger, half a set of nunchucks (or nunchaku, to be precise), a pair of brass knuckles, a switchblade, a hatchet, and a Katana and helmet, plus scattered ammo (assume it is 9mm parabellum) and photos. That looks like mayhem to me! Razorfist is tied up and Chi removes his blade and breaks it, while Pavane interrogates. The fact that he is wearing black leather and tied up and she is wearing black leather and holding a whip is purely coincidental, though this story suggests that Shooter liked it... Anyway, he reveals that the right-bladed Razorfist is his brother, but not a twin and they were not related to the original. He's a bit deluded and Pavane translates things into reality... You did always wonder how those Bond henchmen got steel teeth and the like. Chi and Leiko learn the location of Velcro's base and head off to hit him, but Pavane is staying retired, though she and Leiko spar verbally. Meow! She then turns to her prisoner and messes with him; and, probably has some more fun, off panel. On his island, Velcro gives orders to his men to prepare for Shang Chi, after Razorfist Lefty fails to report... Chi and Leiko convince Smith that they alone should go, then convince each other they need to do this together, to rediscover themselves. of they go, after tooling up. Velcro briefs Razorfist Righty on his plan to kill Nayland Smith, while Chi and Leiko parachute onto the island and silence patrols. They then don a mix of Japanese and Chinese armor (I don't think Gene had the proper reference and just went samurai, with Chinese trappings) and head for the main house. The crash inside and proceed to open a 50 gal drum of whoop ass on Velcro's mercenaries... Alarms go off and Velcro starts showing some instability and orders Razor Right to stay by him. Chi and Leiko split up and Chi locates the room where Velcro is holed up. He smashes through the door, then smashes Razor Right. Leiko does her own killing and Clive and Black jack turn up on a motor launch with the cavalry. Chi and Razor Right fight blade against blade (Chi is using a katana, rather than a Chinese sword), then plays mind games with RR, telling how Velcro killed the original Razorfist and what a coward he is, nudging what RR has already seen. he turns on Velcro and he shoots the henchman dead. Chi calls him murderer and stares him down. velcro loses his poo-doo. Chi strips off his armor and faces Velcro barehanded, while Velcro shows him his weapons Chi isn't impressed, but he also isn't stupid... Tarr and Reston and their commandos mop up the rest of the mercs as Leiko rushes to find Chi, who is busy kicking tusch and inscribing names. Chi snaps off Velcro's weapon arm and elbows him to the ground and Velcro says "No mas!" Leiko finds him and he carries the sobbing Velcro outside of the burning mansion and dumps him at Tarr and Reston's feet. he then swaps spit with Leiko as they have won. Thoughts: One of my favorite single issues from the whole series. it is near perfect. Oh, some of the Gulacy stuff is better visually, but this is such a perfect blend of writing and art. Doug gets into the psychological aspects of both Chi & Leiko and Velcro. Pavane gets some more nice moments, before departing the story. The action is tremendous and Day really choreographs the violence well, giving it subtext via mood and pacing, choosing just the right moments. So, Moench and Day have taken Chi back to his past and reconciled he and Leiko completely (again); so, what now? Armando Gil is a new addition and looks fine on Day's work. I assume penciling and inking was becoming too much of a burden, though Day will ink his own stuff in future issues. Gil is here next issue, too.
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 15, 2020 16:48:52 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #107Hey...you...get offa my brow....... Creative Team: Doug Moench-writer, Gen Day-pencils, Armando Gill-inks, Jim Novak-letters, Bob Sharen-colors, Denny O'Neil-editor Synopsis: Gene has been practicing his Bruce Lee expressions... Bruce...I mean Chi, is sitting in a stateroom, on a cruise ship. meditating and fasting, to purify his spirit, which leads to a few side effects, like talking to spirit guides.... He arrives in Naples, pretty hungry and interrupted by a mission from Nayland Smith... On the train to Rome, the dining car is closed and won't open until after it arrives in Rome. In Rome, restaurant surround the train station, but Chi has a mission... Do you think Doug or Gene was on a diet? Chi was told to head to Segretti's and speak to a mermaid, but doesn't see one there. meanwhile, a patron of the bar decideds to discuss Sino-Prosthetic Relations... Chi mops the bar with him and his friends and then meets a mad with a mermaid tattoo. He is to take Chi to meet Dark Angel, a Soviet assassin who wants to defect. The man is chowing down on spaghetti, but offers none to Chi. Chi is directed to a boat and finds a frightened man. They go to find his daughter, before Sata shows up, whoever he is. the man is killed and Chi didn't even get a slice of bread from him. Chi meets Sata. They move into the Colosseum, where Chi learns that Sata was a Si-Fan assassin... Sata suckers him with a statue in the shadows, then presses his attack on the fast-weakened Chi. Chi starts hallucinating that he is a gladiator... Chi gets past it and finds his zen and starts kicking ass... Chi defeats Sata, then smashes a window at a butcher shop, when Dark Angel turns up... Thoughts: Okay, somebody's on a diet; that's all there is to it. Doug is in another weird period; but, it lets Gene strut his stuff, with his unique layouts and staging of scenes, plus Doug's weird metaphors. We will see if Dark Angel is a Soviet Emma Peel of just another femme fatale, though she mostly looks liek Nick Fury's girldfriend, Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine... Hope this doesn't continue on a food theme.
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Post by berkley on Jul 15, 2020 19:50:26 GMT -5
The Contessa had a better costume.
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 16, 2020 19:59:39 GMT -5
She also looks rather like the character Domino, created during the Mark Evanier and Dan Spiegle Blackhawk run...
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 22, 2020 14:15:48 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #108If Chi is really thirsty throughout this issue, I quit! (see previous review). Creative Team: Doug Moench-writer, Gene Day-artist, Janice Chiang-letters, Christy Scheele-colors, Denny O'Neil-editor Gene is back to inking his work. Synopsis: So, Chis daydreaming about dragons, who look suspiciously like chameleons and then he is snapped out of it, and we see he is staring at one, in a terrarium, in Dark Angel's new flat. Chi has been watching over her, though why they aren't at a safe house I have no idea. Didn't these guys ever read John Le Carre? Leiko turns up and the women have a pose off to determine who can be more bitchy to the other... Leiko wins then wraps herself around Chi like an anaconda. They then proceed to Smith's Mayfair townhouse, where he and Tar are reliving seeing naked women who were the victims of a sex trafficking ring, but it made for quite a laugh. Clive Reston starts macking on Dark Angel, who is given the new cover identity of Mia Lessing. She then details a planned exchange of missile secrets which is to take place at a gothic cathedral, which allows Gene to go to town on the architectural rendering... He follows this with a two-page spread of the exchange going sour, as Dark Angel is grabbed by KGB goons and the cathedral set ablaze. Jim Shooter must have gone into fits.... The goons drag her onto a double-decker bus and Clive gives chase and Chi goes all Jackie Chan, 3 years before Jackie did it... They shoot the driver and bail out of the bus to a waiting lorry (truck). DA is dragged inside, but fights loose, as Clive draws a bead, then Leiko crashes the car. The goons get away, but DA is saved, though hoarse from being choked. They return to the townhouse and Chi gets some shuteye, but is disturbed by something. He see DA poking through files and confronts her, which leads to literal thrown daggers. She escapes, but Reston catches up with Chi and they take his car to check out the pet shop where she got her chameleon. It's a front for the KGB operation and Chi fights DA, while KGB goons fire at Reston. Chi pulls his shots, because she is a woman and nearly gets his head torn off. He likens her to Pavane and Leiko, so no more Mr Nice Chi.... He feints her in than sucker punches her and it's lights out. Clive finishes the rest of the goons, then a terrarium is knocked over, revealing the real Dark Angel bound and gagged, like a somewhat less stunning Emma Peel. She is freed, Reston molests her and they move on... Plenty of plotholes in this one, though some are deliberate. MI-6 and Smith are rather trusting of a KGB defector, to start with. Also, they are putting her up in her own flat, rather than debriefing her at a safehouse, under guard? They just accept what she says at face value and go to the cathedral. No wonder they were faked out so easily (except Chi, who knew something wasn't halal, let alone kosher. The double is a bit much, so soon after the Razorfists. Doug even trots out conspiracy theory nonsense about Oswald doubles to justify it ( and Doug loves his conspiracies, as witnessed by The Big Book of Conspiracies. Nice to see gene inking himself and he goes to town on his rendering and layouts. The cathedral fight is stunning, though the progression doesn't completely flow smoothly, which is a point in Shooter's favor. Still, it gives greater substance and unique appeal to the story, which is the problem with the Shooter theory of storytelling homogenization. No one layout is the end all, be all for a visual story. Structure is merely a foundation for art to develop; it is not art in and of itself. Dark Angel really isn't that memorable a character, over these past two issues. She's decked out like a KGB Emma Peel, but lacks the personality that would bring the character to life. Also, the action suit is rather generic. Gene also isn't exactly doing much with her features. She isn't classically beautiful, like Leiko or Juliette, nor is she an exotic type, like Pavane. She does have a sort of world weariness in her face; but, Gene doesn't really give it much character or expression, other than anger, during the fights. I've never read this arc; but, I can see one possible outcome developing from this; but, I'm curious if Doug will go the more cliched route. We'll have to see.
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 23, 2020 21:15:55 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #109Zaran is back. Good, because I want to see Shang Chi grab him by the pony tale and do some of this.... Creative Team: Doug Moench-writer, Gene Day-artist, Jack Abel-inks, Jim Novak-letters, Christy Scheele-colors, Ralph Macchio-editor. Hey, the Karate Kid is editing The Master of Kung Fu!!! I would expect a style clash.... Synopsis: Gene Day does his best Gulacy, for the splash page... There are movers at the castle to transport Mandy Greville's school for the blind out of there (which at last count was one student; but, Doug pretty much let that subplot go) and Clive is busy breaking up with Melissa, who has also been absent for quite a while. Man, Doug got bored with her, too? Meanwhile, Zaran is busy target practicing, when Fah Lo Suee interrupts and he starts macking on her... Wow, it isn't just a decoration on his hood; he actually has a ponytail! Must be where Shooter got the inspiration for his 90s look (the man could not pull it off!). FLS blows him off, literally, as he gets a face full of mimosa and a pink slip, from MI-6... Stupid pony tail and double-crossed by his girl and boss; sucks to be Zaran! He even gets beat up by two MI-6 goons. He vows to kill Dark Angel for stealing the attention of FLS (her debriefing). Doug gives us some bad soap opera with Clive and Melissa, which Gene tries to dress up; but, Jack Abel isn't really in sync with his pencils... No sooner does Melissa leave and Clive is making out with Dark Angel, while Leiko gets catty and Nayland Smith pines for Fah Lo Suee. Then, Zaran calls up the KGB head of station, at the Soviet Embassy and cuts a deal. This being comics, the Soviets do all of this over non-secure phone lines, with someone they have never met. Seriously Doug, read some Le Carre. This being a comic book, with cliches abounding, Nayland Smith and the rest go on a traditional fox hunt, while Chi tries to commune with nature. He then hears Zaran and intercepts him, after he has knocked Dark Angel off her horse. She fights KGB goons, while Chi and Zaran have an equestrian chase of their own, which ends up in a cemetery, where Chi gets the better of Zaran, with a bolo. Then a two-page fight spread.... A grave collapses under Chi and a monument stuns him, but, he kicks ass using a pair of bones as kali sticks and whoops Zran, while the fox escapes the hunt via some tree limbs(I thought this was nuts but the American grey fox can do this, though the British and European red fox cannot). Doug has his species wrong. The ending makes it sound like the Greville girls are targets for trouble... Thoughts: Um......this is a pretty mediocre issue, taken as a whole. Doug is dispensing with supporting characters, left and right, without much in the way of closure. The Zaran plot is pretty thin, as he has no real justification to go after Dark Angel. It seems really out of left field, based solely on Fah Lo Suee's comment that she is off to debrief her, which why she would even mention that makes no sense. The fox metaphor is beat into the ground and not particularly effective. Nayland Smith is suddenly longing for Fah Lo Suee, when he hasn't given her a second thought since the Fu epic. Clive is acting like a total Richard and Dark Angel continues to be unimpressive. For being the KGB's deadliest assassin, she's not much in a fight. I still have a theory where this subplot is going; so I won't spoil things. The art is really off. I don't know if Gene ran into deadline issues and Jack Abel worked with breakdowns or what (Day is credited as "illustrator, not just breakdowns, and Abel as inker, not finishes). It doesn't gel very well at all. Armando Gil looked much better on it; don't know if they were more in sync of if Day provided him more finished pencils. Some of this looks pretty bad, while other part s look a bit more the Gene we know, though still a step down. I have a bad feeling that the Velcro story was our swan song for the memorable stuff; but, maybe Doug and Gene will pull something out of their hat. As I said, I have never read the issues past the Velcro conclusion, until now.
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Post by Roquefort Raider on Jul 24, 2020 18:33:16 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #109There are movers at the castle to transport Mandy Greville's school for the blind out of there (which at last count was one student; but, Doug pretty much let that subplot go) and Clive is busy breaking up with Melissa, who has also been absent for quite a while. Man, Doug got bored with her, too? That sort of happened suddenly, didn'it? I had missed the previous issue and had no idea how Clive and Mia could suddenly be an item. He and Melissa had seemed to get along so well just a few issues prior! It really felt like he had suddenly found a Leiko facsimile and dumped his girlfriend to be with a memory. I summon the Steranko swipe!!! It'll get worse... many years later, in the Bleeding Black MoKF special, we will learn that Zaran was eventually replaced (off-screen) by a pupil he had trained while we weren't looking. Such indignity! I did enjoy the numerous statues seen in the graveyard, but you're right..This wasn't one of the best issues. I just enjoyed seeing Zaran get beaten up; that's definitely one character who was suffering from a bad case of Dunning-Krueger effect. I would have liked an issue in which Zaran realized he just wasn't an A-lister, and would never be...
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Post by berkley on Jul 24, 2020 19:49:52 GMT -5
It's been many years since I re-read MoKF but I know there is at least one issue left that I'd rank up with the best of the entire series. I think thre are actually several good issues to come but I remember that one specifically.
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 24, 2020 22:53:01 GMT -5
Master of Kung Fu #110Oh, cripes; more pseudo-ninjas! A Brownie Troop can kick the crap out of a ninja. Creative Team: Doug Moench-script & plot, Gene Day-pencils & plot, Jack Abel-inks, Jim Novak-letters, Christy Scheele-colors, Ralph Macchio-editor. Synopsis: While Chi is busy hitting girls, Dark Angel tells Nayland Smith of a rogue KGB operation... It turns out our "ninja" is Grigori Sovchenko, aka Ghost Maker, who was trained by two exchange assassin trainers, from China. The Chinese got two babushkas who would beat you to death with borscht. It was a fair trade. Oh, Doug has apparently never heard of sambo, nor of the racial prejudices that plagued the Soviet Union, especially the Army, KGB and government. Ghost Maker is after a weapon buried in Sussex (probably under the pier, in Brighton). Reston munches on DA's face, while Leiko kick's Chi's butt for patronizing her and storms off. LKater, they drive through the rain to the base, where we see SH-3 helicopters flying around and someone needs to clue Gene in that the British Army dumped the "tommy" helmets by the end of the war (the introduced the Mk III "turtle in 1944, and had a Mk IV by the post-War period). Ghost Maker orders a rocket attack, with some taking out helos and others dumping sleep gas, which probably wouldn't disperse very well in the pouring rain we see. He sends in his cannon fodder and Chi and the rest go to grab gas masks, to fight back. The go to the command center and watch as the defenses are deployed against the assault troops, while they seal off the ventilation against the gas. Ghost Maker uses up a lot of pawns to take down the defenses (think of the Army of the Dead, in the attack on Winterfell, in the last season of GOT). Grappling hooks are fired and troops climb the walls and are attacked by door gunners on the helos, but they get spears through the torso for their trouble. The helo is blown up and crashing, smashing through the castle wall. The invaders enter and Chi faces Ghost Maker... Ghost Maker has a jet pack and leaves Chi behind. he climbs, while Leiko is wounded and Tarr nearly falls through a burning floor. Chi has to rescue Tarr, while Leiko goes after Ghost Maker. She grabs hold of his ankle as he takes flight with the jetpack, having found the secret weapon. Chi jumps to a rescue helo with an unconscious Tarr, somehow. he is told the weapon seeds clouds with acid rain, which is more corrosive than the real stuff. Thoughts: The beginning is a bit weak; but, once they get to the base, the action makes up for it. Gene is in better form and Abel's inks aren't as jarring. There is some good stuff in there, like the helos and Day's fight layouts. Still wish Day was doing his own inks; but, he and Abel are more in tune here. Maybe it was down to Day's pencils last issue. Doug knows squat about the KGB; but, then again, he knows squat about MI-6. Ghost Maker is supposed to be part Mongol. Racism was prevalent in the Soviet System, despite the Communist ideal. The Asian populations were treated as backwards and below the Soviets of Russia, Belorussia and the Ukraine. Ignorance and stupidity trumps political philosophies every time. The Soviet Army was known for the bullying of Asian soldiers and higher ranks int he Army and the KGB were filled only with the "right" people. Sambo is a Soviet martial art that combined judo and submission wrestling and was taught in the army for hand-to-hand combat. It dates from the 1920s, with the founders having trained in judo and jujitsu in Japan, mixing it with native catch wrestling techniques and military hand-to-hand combat. The KGB had their own assassins, but it would make more sense if Ghost Maker was from the GRU, which was military intelligence. They operated Soviet special forces, like SPETSNAZ, who were some of their best fighters. I doubt Doug had any idea and most, outside of military circles, would be a bit ignorant of their role in Soviet intelligence work, as Hollywood always talked up the KGB. The KGB and GRU were major rivals, with both spending as much time spying on the other. Dark Angel is still feeding a lot of info to Smith, but still hasn't gotten her hands dirty. So far, she is just a Soviet rat, not a Svetlana Peel. I preferred this gal... Olga Vilovski (Anna Quayle, the Russian agent who aids Steed, in "The Correct Way to Kill," where he teams up with her and Emma partners Ivan Pepitoparoff (Phillip Madoc), as ordered by Steed's opposite number, Nutski (Michael "Alfred" Gough). She kicked borscht! Too bad she never made a return visit, as she could have been a great recurring character.
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