Shang-Chi Appreciation 2022

[Tien Long]

Hi all. Here is the June solicitation for Shang-Chi. Is he returning to the spy game? Again, we've been discussing how we'd like to see Shang more street level:

SHANG-CHI #13
GENE LUEN YANG (W) • MARCUS TO (A) • Cover by LEINIL FRANCIS YU
Variant cover by Jim Cheung • Hellfire Gala Variant COVER by Chris BACHALO
VARIANT COVER BY STANLEY "ARTGERM" LAU
VIRGIN VARIANT COVER BY STANLEY "ARTGERM" LAU
SHANG-CHI – THE WORLD'S GREATEST SPY!
• Shang-Chi goes undercover after a brutal terrorist attack involves a Five Weapons Society agent.
• But he may have some competition, as a rival spy tries to beat him to the punch!
• Who is this woman? Who does she work for? And why does she seem like the perfect romantic fit for Shang-Chi?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

[Hypestyle]

the series continues? not canceled? cool.

[Tien Long]

the series continues? not canceled? cool.

Very cool. Looking at the image, I'm noticing certain details. First off, nice to see Lenil Francis Yu put his name on the car. Secondly, I'm liking that Shang-Chi is sporting the rings.

[Tien Long]

Hi all. Wanted to post my thoughts on Shang-Chi #9. Overall, it felt great. Actually, it reminded me of a good Marvel story. There were various plots going around the same time that eventually converged towards the end. We saw some inner conflict with Shang regarding freeing his brother or not. Seeing Shi-Hua as a logger made a lot of sense and there were definitely shocking moments during the attack on her. Plus, there were shout out's to prior Marvel history. Honestly, didn't realize that the Vault and the green Guardsmen was still up and running. I love it.

Additionally, the art is top notch. Marcus To's art is always a pleasure. We get to see lots of Shang-Chi's skills on display here.

The story is shaping up nicely. Looking forward to the next issue.

[Frontier]

Do you think Shang would've beaten Xialing in the movie if he'd actually fought her seriously?

[Tien Long]

Do you think Shang would've beaten Xialing in the movie if he'd actually fought her seriously?

I think so. Mainly it's due to the fact that Xialing wasn't properly trained. In the movie she just watched her brother and learned that way. Shang was countering her a lot during the pit fit scene as well.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I think Yang's run is a perfect jumping on point for the films. So if you need a ideal run to get your friends hooked, I'd start there.

[phonogram12]

Do you think Shang would've beaten Xialing in the movie if he'd actually fought her seriously?

It's a tougher call for me. To me, it seems pretty clear that she continued to train and spar with people since she left her father's side. While more formally trained, we really don't know if Shang got a chance to train or spar at all. About all we saw were those fancy pushups he apparently did every morning.

Which brings me to a minor gripe I have re picking up and maintaining fight skills in the MCU. While it's still relatively unclear whether or nor Daredevil is a part of the MCU, he maybe trained with Stick 2-3 years while also attending school at the time. After Stick left, they made it clear that he continued to train on his own. While I do like the fact that crimefighting didn't necessarily come naturally at first, the idea of Matt being as good as he was without any further training and (presumably) no one else to really spar with seems kind of far fetched to me (and I actually really love the show, too).

Same kind of applies to Shang-Chi. While I kind of understand that martial arts are treated as sort of a super power in these projects, this kind of pushes it for me (I'm also a huge Shang-Chi fan as well, keep in mind).

[Hypestyle]

Per Bleeding Cool:

Simu Liu won't be signing MOKF-era comics, signing modern comics only:

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/simu...ng-chi-comics/

The show states that "Simu Liu will not sign any Master of Kung Fu comics or other comics deemed offensive. All autographs from Simu will be signed in English only." Shang-Chi first appeared in the Master Of Kung-Fu comic books that were published by Marvel Comics from the seventies through to the eighties, 125 issues all in, a considerable run. Shang Chi first appeared in Special Marvel Edition #15 in 1973, created by Steve Englehart and Jim Starlin, and the title was changed to The Hands of Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu two issues later. The vast majority of Shang Chi appearances were in those issues, and Simu Liu has made it clear he won't sign any of them.

Why might they be considered offensive? Well, the phrase bandied about these days is that the comics are "of their time". While they have an East Asian protagonist, and admired creative runs by Doug Moench, Paul Gulacy and Mike Zeck, the comic books are steeped in "Yellow Peril" tropes of the day, with Shang-Chi's father actually being the embodiment of such, Fu Manchu, when Marvel had the licensed rights to the character. Indeed, Jim Starlin left the series after he was made aware by fellow comic book creator Larry Hama of the racist nature of the Fu Manchu novels.

The current Marvel comic books featuring Shang-Chi, now simply called Shang-Chi, written by Gene Luen Yang and drawn by Dike Ruan and Marcus To are more acceptable to be signed by Simu Liu. And here's the thing, it's not like he actually owes anyone a signature, anyone is clearly free to set boundaries over what they will or will not sign, this way people know in advance to avoid disappointment on the day.

[phonogram12]

Per Bleeding Cool:

Simu Liu won't be signing MOKF-era comics, signing modern comics only:

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/simu...ng-chi-comics/

As an Asian man, I am completely okay with this.

[Tien Long]

Per Bleeding Cool:

Simu Liu won't be signing MOKF-era comics, signing modern comics only:

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/simu...ng-chi-comics/

Read this article as well. I contextualize those old issues. There are great elements within them, some that I still feel are progressive. However, I understand where Simu is coming from.

Pretty cool that members of the Shang-Chi film are heading to a comic-con. Been way too long without having physical cons.

[Frontier]

I think so. Mainly it's due to the fact that Xialing wasn't properly trained. In the movie she just watched her brother and learned that way. Shang was countering her a lot during the pit fit scene as well.

Yeah, and the moment when he was about to punch her while they were grappling and pulled back told me he probably could've done way worse to her if he had gone all out.

It's a tougher call for me. To me, it seems pretty clear that she continued to train and spar with people since she left her father's side. While more formally trained, we really don't know if Shang got a chance to train or spar at all. About all we saw were those fancy pushups he apparently did every morning.

Which brings me to a minor gripe I have re picking up and maintaining fight skills in the MCU. While it's still relatively unclear whether or nor Daredevil is a part of the MCU, he maybe trained with Stick 2-3 years while also attending school at the time. After Stick left, they made it clear that he continued to train on his own. While I do like the fact that crimefighting didn't necessarily come naturally at first, the idea of Matt being as good as he was without any further training and (presumably) no one else to really spar with seems kind of far fetched to me (and I actually really love the show, too).

Same kind of applies to Shang-Chi. While I kind of understand that martial arts are treated as sort of a super power in these projects, this kind of pushes it for me (I'm also a huge Shang-Chi fan as well, keep in mind).

I think they imply that Xialing was so "amazing" because she was able to become "better" because she was basically self-taught, versus all the training that Wenwu gave Shang, although the movie never seemed to imply that Shang was at all rusty when he finally started fighting again on the bus.

A part of me thinks they just needed to give Xialing a win against Shang in the movie to promote her character while giving enough leeway that it doesn't completely detract from the protagonist.

I only ask because without a clear winner I'm wondering who the true MCU Master of Kung-Fu is.

Per Bleeding Cool:

Simu Liu won't be signing MOKF-era comics, signing modern comics only:

https://bleedingcool.com/comics/simu...ng-chi-comics/

I understand it in principle even if I feel like those comics were majorly important foundationally for the character.

[Sutekh]

I felt like Shang was continuing to work out at least, and quite possibly train in some local gym, since he was a bit more fit than Katy, which suggests that she didn't spend as much time in the gym as he did (and wouldn't have noticed him sparring).

But yeah, movies do tend to assume that skills don't atrophy. If someone was a super-sniper or agent or spy or whatever twenty years ago, the hot second they need those skills again, they are suddenly just as deadly as they ever were (the movie Red, for instance, being a fine example of a dude whose been retired and 'out of the game' for at least a decade inexplicably being better at fighty stuff than all the current active agents sent up against him).

[Agent Z]

It's a tougher call for me. To me, it seems pretty clear that she continued to train and spar with people since she left her father's side. While more formally trained, we really don't know if Shang got a chance to train or spar at all. About all we saw were those fancy pushups he apparently did every morning.

Which brings me to a minor gripe I have re picking up and maintaining fight skills in the MCU. While it's still relatively unclear whether or nor Daredevil is a part of the MCU, he maybe trained with Stick 2-3 years while also attending school at the time. After Stick left, they made it clear that he continued to train on his own. While I do like the fact that crimefighting didn't necessarily come naturally at first, the idea of Matt being as good as he was without any further training and (presumably) no one else to really spar with seems kind of far fetched to me (and I actually really love the show, too).

Same kind of applies to Shang-Chi. While I kind of understand that martial arts are treated as sort of a super power in these projects, this kind of pushes it for me (I'm also a huge Shang-Chi fan as well, keep in mind).

It's possible Matt trained with other tutors after Stick.

[Bolo]

I'm extremely shocked by Simu reaction, to have a problem with some elements from the past comics, that okay (and that true for every comics), but to ban them like that, I really don't understand him, I have seen nothing in these comics that deserve to have such extremist reaction; Simu shouldn't have taken this role if everything about the character is bad or deserve to change completly, the movie is already barely recognizable and have left imho the best part of the comics because of the so-called "racism" of these olds comics, in this case every old HK kungfu movies are racists; I'm shocked how little respect Simu but also Marvel have to the character but also the artists who have worked so hard in this title.

Also Simu about what he want for the sequel:



Honestly I'm not sure if he joke or not.