Issue(s): Master of Kung Fu #123, Master of Kung Fu #124, Master of Kung Fu #125
Cover Date: Apr-Jun 83
Title: "The sins of the son" / "Retribution" / "Atonement"
Credits:
Alan Zelenetz - Writer
William Johnson / William Johnson & Alan Kupperberg - Penciler
Mike Mignola / Mike Mignola & Alan Kupperberg - Inker
Denny O'Neil - Editor

Review/plot:
Alan Zelenetz takes over this book after Doug Moench's departure (as he did with Thor) and wraps up the series. Zelenetz finds a nice subject for these last three issues that provide some closure for Shang-Chi. One of the things that struck me about the Death of Fu Manchu storyline was that it really brought out the worst in Shang-Chi. He smacked his sister (i know she used to be a bad guy but it was still surprising for Shang-Chi) and he was pretty brutal about his father's death as well. These issues take the position that even though Fu Manchu was evil, he was still Shang-Chi's father, and Shang-Chi has to atone for disobeying him and killing him.

The first leg of this story has Shang-Chi meeting his mother. As Michael notes, she appeared once before, in Special Marvel Edition #15. He expects a happy encounter...

...but it turns out that she respected Fu Manchu and was looking forward to seeing her offspring be part of his world conquering scheme. Fu Manchu's Si-Fan have flocked to her with his death.

Jim Shooter may have gotten his ninjas after all.

Getting called a "false son" strikes Shang-Chi deeply...

...and it brings out the side of him that i thought i saw in the Death of Fu Manchu storyline.

The next issue has Shang-Chi traveling to Mongolia...

...to seek wisdom at a remote temple.

In a scenario identical to the situation with his mother, though, it turns out that Fu Manchu was respected at the temple...

...and they are none to pleased at Shang-Chi's betrayal.

Shang-Chi is hypnotized and sent to his death. Luckily for him, he had earlier encountered yet another species of yeti in the Marvel universe...

...and the yeti prevents him from killing himself and sends him to a cave above the temple, where Shang-Chi learns he must atone for the death of his father.

And so that's what he's doing at the start of #125.

That, and fighting a giant turtle.

The actual ceremonial atonement is only part of the story. Shang-Chi then spends some time wondering China, meeting an acting troupe performing a play about a a father disowned by his son, and other scenes that help Shang-Chi come to grips with himself. The middle of #125 is drawn by Alan Kupperberg, in a decidedly different style, both for Kupperberg and for this series. Obviously very influenced by Asian art.

Shang-Chi is also attacked by a Noh Master, sent by his mother. He says that it's his mother's last attempt to bother with him. Either the Noh Master will kill him or she'll just ignore him for now on. The Master attacks Shang-Chi through a bunch of illusions...

...but Shang-Chi prevails.

After the fight, he drinks from his father's cup.

And this may be just thanks to the art, but it seems to me that Shang-Chi is literally rejuvenated by that action (which i hope isn't meant to imply that Shang-Chi has taken his father's Elixer of Life, and i don't think so).

In any event, he has clearly abandoned his old life. This is meant as a positive development, an end to the constant violence of his life, but we're also reminded a few times through these issues that in doing all of this, Shang-Chi is abandoning Leiko.

All in all these are good issues; much better than one would expect by a guy just brought in to wrap up a series after the guy who's been writing the book for about 100 issues left abruptly. A nice coda to the Death of Fu Manchu storyline. And i like the Johnson/Mignola art, and Kupperberg's part is interesting as well.

Quality Rating: B

Historical Significance Rating: 2 - end of Master of Kung Fu

Chronological Placement Considerations: Time passes between the three issues here, but they are thematically part of the same story and Shang-Chi and friends don't have any obligations elsewhere, so i've place them in a single entry. Inconsequential cameo from Luke Cage in issue #123...

...which the MCP places between Power Man & Iron Fist #91-92.

References:

• There are no footnotes in these issues, but Fu Manchu died in Master of Kung Fu #118.
  
• Among the Noh Master's illusions is Midnight, who died in Special Marvel Edition #16.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A