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Doug Moench did not create Shang-Chi (Steve Englehart and Jim Starlin did), but when he took over the book, he ran with it, creating an epic 100-issue run on Marvel Comics' Master Of Kung-Fu that remains, I think, unsurpassed in its 1970s-1980s greatness.
Shang-Chi is the son of the legendary villain Fu Manchu. And the cast of characters that Moench added to the book include elderly Fu Manchu-hunter Sir Denis Nayland Smith and his muscle, Black Jack Tarr, Clive Reston (who is alleged to be the son of James Bond and a nephew of Sherlock Holmes), Leiko Wu, and a pair of recurring characters based on Groucho Marx and W.C. Fields.
Issue #120, January 1983, “Dweller By The Dark Stream,” is a stand-alone story, not part of some giant conspiracy-laden arc. All of the series’ regular cast is tied up with the exception of Shang-Chi. His planned meditation is interrupted by Rufus Carter, a former CIA agent (and former kickboxing champ) who some call “the ebony Bond.” Carter’s a one-eyed freelance private eye who persuades Shang-Chi to be his back-up man on his first case.
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“If you have a certain point of view and reasons that you think are valid, then whether it’s pro or anti, you can only and should only express those views you honestly hold.”
- Steve Ditko in a letter to the fanzine Fanzation #3, 1969
Be sure to check out our other notable quotes!
[Artwork: The World of Steve Ditko by Blake Bell]
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| Kleefeld On Comics
Quote Of The Day: Jim Starlin on The Avengers
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Marvel Comics
"How weird is this? The Thanos Quest, a comic Ron Lim and I did more than two decades ago, is this past month's #1 best selling comic. All it takes is a little film exposure, apparently."
- Jim Starlin, writing on his Facebook Timeline
Be sure to check out our other notable quotes!
[Artwork: The Thanos Quest]
Weekend Reading: Stephen Bissette, Jack Kirby, Stephan Pastis & Stan Lee
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, DC Comics, Marvel Comics
What ho, weekenders! And happy Canadian Thanksgiving to our hockeyless neighbors to the north!
Stephen Bissette’s Center For Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, VT has teamed up with the esteemed site Slate (via The Slate Book Review”) to launch the annual Cartoonist Studio Prize, with some real money attached for the winners. This looks like a heckuva good thing and thanks to all involved for putting it together.
Over the years, some of my favorite comics have disappeared from the newspaper as creators retired for various reasons. One of my favorites these days is Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis. Here’s Michael Cavna’s interview with him.
Quote Of The Day: Alex Pappademas on Stan Lee
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Marvel Comics
"If Stan suing Marvel 10 years ago was like Colonel Sanders suing Kentucky Fried Chicken, confronting Stan in 2012 about the injustice done to Jack Kirby by Marvel would be like grilling Mr. Peanut about the business practices of Kraft Foods."
- Alex Pappademas, writing about "The Inquisition of Mr. Marvel: On The (Surprisingly Complicated) Legacy Of Stan Lee"
Be sure to check out our other notable quotes!
[Artwork: Stan Lee]
Grantland has put up a two-part excerpt from Sean Howe’s highly-anticipated new book: Marvel Comics: The Untold Story.
If you have any interest in Marvel Comics, especially its inner workings, then this appears to be must-reading. In the excerpt, here’s how various Marvel folks from the 1970s era are described:
Don McGregor: “... diminutive, fast-talking, aspiring filmmaker from Rhode Island.”
Steve Gerber: “...a chain-smoking Camus obsessive from St. Louis.”
Gerry Conway: “...the Brooklyn-born prodigy who'd started writing DC Comics when he was 16.”
Steve Englehart: “...a bearded and bespectacled conscientious objector from Indianapolis.”
Joss Whedon has announced some of the SHIELD agents that will be appearing in his adaptation of Marvel's favorite spy comic (created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby).
Kimberly Roots at TV Line has the rundown and it includes: Agent Grant Ward, Agent Althea Rice, Agent Leo Fitz and Agent Jemma Simmons, along with a female character called Skye who's described as "fun, smart, caring and confident" which makes her a TW, Total Whedon.
But now that some of the characters have been made public, there's only one thing left to do: make up your own deadpool.
Which male character will die in the first season, and will it happen in the first episode, or will the sacrifice be made later, like, say, the season-ending cliffhanger?
Your move, Whedon fans. I've already made my chart.
[Artwork: Nick Fury]
Weekend Reading: Jack Kirby, Alex Toth, Harlan Ellison & Argo
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Marvel Comics
I am shocked - shocked, I tell you - to discover that the movie Argo (about how Jack Kirby’s designs for a screenplay based on a Roger Zelazny novel helped rescue hostages in Iran for the CIA) is playing fast and loose with history.
Michael Sporn has a long post with some nice artwork by Playboy cartoonist Rowland B. Wilson and some rare artwork by Alex Toth.
Down The Tubes interviews Paul Scoones, author of the new Doctor Who book: The Comic Strip Companion: The Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to Doctor Who in Comics: 1964 — 1979.
Do you love dogs?Weekend Reading: Chaykin, Kubert, Harrison and Harlan
Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Site Features, DC Comics, Marvel Comics
You know how you can tell that Summer's over? There aren't any more big budget super-hero movies coming out. Fortunately, there's all kinds of stuff on the internets to keep us occupied.
Beau Smith writes about the late Joe Kubert.
Tom Spurgeon writes about Harry Harrison.
I would’ve watched the heck out of any Daredevil movie that was done like this trailer:
Comic Strip of the Day talks about Richard Thompson and his decision to retire from Cul de Sac because of illness.
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