Issue(s): Master of Kung Fu #18
Cover Date: Jun 74
Title: "Attack!"
Credits:
Steve Englehart - Writer
Paul Gulacy - Penciler
Al Milgrom - Inker

Review/plot:
Jim Starlin's art was a big part of the appeal of this book, and he's gone with this issue, but don't worry, because Paul Gulacy is here.

Shang-Chi has decided to take the fight back to his father, Fu Manchu. He starts with an attack on one of Fu Manchu's guards, and leaves a note declaring war. A coloring error makes the sequence a little confusing.

Shang-Chi is then contacted by Wayland Smith and Black Jack. They agree to work together, although Shang-Chi doesn't work directly for Smith, since it would be too similar to the way he was used as a weapon by his father. It's a distinction without a difference so far, because Smith tells Shang-Chi about Fu Manchu activity in Florida, and Shang-Chi heads there to stop him (although he does refuse help with transportation).

Smith's past racism is explained as being a product of the times.

Fu Manchu has a plot to contaminate the US's gasoline supply with mimosa, which is not orange juice mixed with champagne, but instead a gas that dulls the senses to make people susceptible to Fu Manchu's mind control. Shang-Chi is surprised by the presence of mimosa...

...and has a nice hallucination.

He's then forced to re-fight the guard that he beat earlier, except this time Fu Manchu injects the guard with a different chemical that turns him into a powerful fighter but will kill him after nine minutes.

Shang-Chi manages to survive long enough for the poison to finish the guard, and then he blows up Fu Manchu's gasoline and escapes.

Gulacy's art is pretty damn awesome and the subdued narration continues to be welcome. The worst thing about the book is the coloring; we'll talk about that in future entries when the letters start coming in. Gulacy has a way of making people look a little twisted and ugly which i've come to accept but i can understand that it turns some people off, especially since we are seeing a higher quantity of Asian people here than in most books, although Gulacy exaggerates the features of all his characters.

Quality Rating: B

Historical Significance Rating: 3 - first Paul Gulacy on Master of Kung Fu.

Chronological Placement Considerations: Shang-Chi will still be on the run from Fu Manchu in Florida at the start of next issue.

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A