Line #65 ComicBook/ShangChi


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5	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shang_chi_vol_1_1_textless.jpg]]
6	[[caption-width-right:350:Franchise/MarvelUniverse's [[BruceLeeClone equivalent]] of Creator/BruceLee]]
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8	->''My throne suits you, my son, for you are destined to become like me. Just. Like. Me.''
9	-->-- '''[[ArchNemesisDad Zheng Zu]]''', ''Shang-Chi (2020)'' #5
10
11	Shang-Chi (which literally translates as "the rising of the spirit" in Chinese) is a Creator/MarvelComics character, first conceived in 1972 by Steve Englehart and Creator/JimStarlin, and first appearing in ''Marvel Special Edition'' #15 (1973). That story was well received, so ''Marvel Special Edition'' was swiftly retitled ''ComicBook/MasterOfKungFu'', with Shang-Chi as its protagonist and star, and ran until issue #125 in 1983.
12
13	Originally, he was the renegade son of the infamous Literature/FuManchu, a Chinese crime lord from Sax Rohmer's novels. However, Marvel later lost the rights to that character (who was also considered problematic due to the YellowPeril elements of Rohmer's stories), and a SoftReboot reestablished Shang-Chi as son of Zheng Zu, a Chinese hero whose centuries-long life had seen him harden into a WellIntentionedExtremist and then, eventually, an outright villain.
14
15	Shang-Chi's earlier adventures see him allied with the British security service [=MI6=], initially against his father's empire but increasingly against other threats as well. The USA, the UK and Hong Kong (which was under British rule at the time) are recurring settings for those stories.
16
17	These mix with other tales (especially in the more episodic ''[[ComicBook/DeadlyHandsOfKungFu1974 Deadly Hands of Kung Fu]]''), where Shang-Chi is simply WalkingTheEarth, mostly within the USA - in some of these he's actively targeted by villains because of his father, in others he simply encounters mundane criminals and assists innocents.
18
19	Although part of the wider Franchise/MarvelUniverse, these early Shang-Chi stories are generally much closer to SpyFiction action adventures in style. They have very few guest stars or references to Marvel's costumed heroes and the antagonists are largely elite martial artists or humans slightly enhanced by technology, with no actual superpowers. Even the spy elements are limited to real agencies such as [=MI6=] and the CIA, with no mention of ComicBook/{{SHIELD}} or other fictional organisations.
20
21	Shang-Chi swiftly becomes disillusioned by the pragmatism, dishonesty and BlackAndGreyMorality associated with espionage, frequently referring to "games of deceit and death", and eventually trying to leave all of this behind and severing his connections to [=MI6=]. However, his skills mean that he rarely gets away from the action for long - there's always another sinister plot that needs to be foiled.
22
23	Following the end of his original titles, Shang-Chi fell into relative obscurity. A story was serialised in ''ComicBook/MarvelComicsPresents'', followed by a one-shot and two limited series, but he remained largely isolated from the rest of Marvel’s characters and continuity.
24
25	Some years later, he became part of the ''ComicBook/HeroesForHire'', then reappeared in the ''ComicBook/SpiderIsland'' event. He then became both a member of the ''ComicBook/SecretAvengers'' and ''ComicBook/TheAvengersJonathanHickman'', also getting an AlternateUniverse treatment in a miniseries accompanying Hickman's ''Avengers'' grand finale ''ComicBook/SecretWars2015''.
26
27	In December 2018, Creator/MarvelStudios hired David Callaham to write the screenplay for a Shang-Chi film as part of the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, which eventually became ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings''. The film was released on September 3, 2021, with Creator/SimuLiu portraying the eponymous character.
28
29	In parallel with this, Creator/GeneLuenYang wrote a relaunch of the comics, a SoftReboot that further distanced Zheng Zu from the original Fu Manchu concept, introduced more of Shang-Chi's extended family, and firmly embedded his adventures into the Marvel Universe. With the launch of ''ComicBook/ShangChiAndTheTenRings'', this also takes him beyond his usual comic book role as an elite martial artist, arming him with [[{{Retcanon}} a version of the Ten Rings]] wielded by his film counterpart. Yang also reconfigured the hero's origin, having an Asian mother as in the film, Jiang Li, this name had been used in licensed products and marketing, but changed to Ying Li, after the film's release, Yang drew parallels between Zheng Zu and [[Characters/MCUTheMandarin Wenwu]], he met Li after invading Ta-Lo, they both couldn't live in Ta-Lo and moved to Earth, they had two children and Zu seemed to be happy, but unlike Wenwu, Zheng Zu didn't abandon his organization and Li didn't die, just banished to the Negative Zone, Zu planned to steal the Ten Rings from Ta-Lo, but failed.
30
31	The RealLife story of his creation is unusual. Jim Starlin and Steve Englehart were fans of the, then-popular, TV series ''Series/KungFu1972'' and wanted to adapt the series to comics; however, the series belonged to Warner Communications, owner of Marvel's main rival, DC Comics. (Coincidentally, a [[Series/KungFu2021 remake of]] ''Series/{{Kung Fu\|2021}}'' would premiere the same year as the release of ''Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings''.) Marvel had also acquired the rights to publish comics based on Sax Rohmer's Fu Manchu books. Rather than do a straight adaptation of either series, they combined the concepts and made the evil Fu Manchu's heroic opponent his own son, based loosely on Kwai-Chang Caine from ''Kung Fu.''
32
33	----
34	!!Shang-Chi has appeared in the following works:
35
36	[[AC:Shang-Chi Comic Books]]
37	[[index]]
38	* ''[[ComicBook/MasterOfKungFu Special Marvel Edition]]'' (1973) #15-16 (first appearance)
39	* ''ComicBook/MasterOfKungFu'' (1974-1983, 2017) #17-126
40	* ''ComicBook/DeadlyHandsOfKungFu1974'' #1-33
41	* ''[[ComicBook/MasterOfKungFu Giant-Size Master of Kung Fu]]'' (1974-1975) #1-4
42	* ''Master of Kung Fu: Crossing Lines'' (serialised in the anthology ''ComicBook/MarvelComicsPresents'' #1-8)
43	* ''Master of Kung Fu: Bleeding Black'' (1990) - one-shot
44	* ''ComicBook/ShangChiMasterOfKungFu2002'' #1-6 - miniseries
45	* ''Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu'' (2009) - one-shot
46	* ''Spider-Island: Deadly Hands of Kung Fu'' (2011) #1-3 - miniseries (''ComicBook/SpiderIsland'' tie-in)
47	* ''Deadly Hands of Kung Fu'' (2014) #1-4 - miniseries
48	* ''ComicBook/MasterOfKungFu2015'' #1-4 - miniseries (an alternate universe story, a ''ComicBook/SecretWars2015'' tie-in)
49	* ''ComicBook/ShangChi2020'' #1-5 - miniseries
50	* ''Legend of Shang-Chi'' (2021) #1 - one-shot
51	* ''What Is vs. What If'' (published in the anthology ''[[ComicBook/MarvelsVoices Marvel's Voices: Identity]]'' #1) (2021) - one-shot
52	* ''ComicBook/ShangChi2021'' #1-12
53	* ''Shang-Chi Infinity Comic'' (2021) #1-4 - digital miniseries
54	* ''Secrets'' (published in the anthology ''[[ComicBook/MarvelsVoices Marvel's Voices: Identity]]'' #1) (2022) - one-shot
55	* ''Fool Me Twice'' (published in the anthology ''Marvel's Voices: Identity'' #1) (2022) - one-shot
56	* ''ComicBook/ShangChiAndTheTenRings'' (2022) #1-6
57	* ''Shang-Chi: Master of the Ten Rings'' (2023) #1 - one-shot
58	* ''ComicBook/ShangChiAndTheQuestForImmortality'' (2023): A graphic novel aimed at younger readers.
59	* ''Deadly Hands of Kung Fu: Gang War'' (2023) #1-3 - miniseries (''ComicBook/GangWar2023'' tie-in)
60
61
62	[[AC:Video Games]]
63	* ''VideoGame/MarvelFutureFight''
64	* ''Marvel Duel''
65	* ''VideoGame/MarvelContestOfChampions''
66	* ''VideoGame/MarvelStrikeForce''
67	* ''VideoGame/MarvelSuperWar''
68	* ''VideoGame/MarvelPuzzleQuest''
69
70	[[AC:Films]]
71	* ''Film/ShangChiAndTheLegendOfTheTenRings''
72	[[/index]]
73
74	----
75	!!Shang-Chi’s comic appearances contain the following tropes:
76
77	[[foldercontrol]]
78	[[folder:Tropes not specific to a particular series]]
79	* AncientConspiracy: The Five Weapons Society was formed by Zheng Zu and Zheng Yi to protect China back during the 18th century. They protected China against beings like Dormammu until Yi died and, without his kindhearted brother, Zu twisted the Society into something more sinister.
80	* AnimeHair: Dike Ruan at times draws Shang-Chi's hair almost exactly like [[Manga/DragonBall Son Gohan's]].
81	* BrotherSisterTeam: Takeshi and Esme work really well together.
82	* BulletCatch: In early stories, Shang-Chi was fast enough to catch thrown weapons, but not bullets. In the 21st century stories, that's no longer the case - he’s fast enough to catch bullets with his hands and, on one occasion, between his teeth.
83	* LongLostRelative:
84	** It turns out that Shang-Chi has a bunch of siblings, since Zheng Zu wanted a lot of heirs. Takeshi and Esme side with Shang, while Shi-Hua wants to take over the Society for herself. Shang even meets his uncle, Zheng Yi, for the first time.
85	** In the ongoing series, Shang finds out that he has ''another'' half-sister, Zhilan, who is a mutant. He is also reunited with his real mother, Jiang Li.
86	* MythologyGag: There are five Houses in the Five Weapons Society: the House of the Deadly Staff, House of the Deadly Sabre, House of the Deadly Dagger, House of the Deadly Hammer, and House of the Deadly Hand. Shang-Chi is supposed to be the head of the House of the Deadly Hand and thus referred to as "Brother Hand." Shang-Chi's first comic was called ''The Hands of Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu'' and he later headlined a comic called ''The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu''.
87	* RememberTheNewGuy: Many of Zheng Zu's other children has never appeared before the 2020 series, most notably Shi-Hua, who in flashbacks is shown to have a friendship with Shang-Chi throughout childhood.
88	[[/folder]]
89
90	[[folder:''Special Marvel Edition'' (1973) and the original ''Master of Kung-Fu'' series (1974)]]
91	See [[ComicBook/MasterOfKungFu here]]
92	[[/folder]]
93
94	[[folder:''Deadly Hands of Kung Fu'' (1974)]]
95	See [[ComicBook/DeadlyHandsOfKungFu1974 here]]
96	[[/folder]]
97
98	[[folder:Shang-Chi: Crossing Lines (''Marvel Comics Presents'', 1988)]]
99	[[/folder]]
100
101	[[folder:''Master of Kung Fu: Bleeding Black'' (1990)]]
102	* AnArmAndALeg: Shadow-Hand is missing both hands.
103	* BattleHarem: Shadow-Hand's female attendants are both his lovers and his elite guards.
104	* BigBad: Li Chun, also known as Shadow-Hand.
105	* EpicFlail: Shadow-Hand has replaced both of his missing hands with ball-and-chain flails.
106	* FakeArmDisarm: Shang-Chi eventually breaks both of Shadow-Hand's flails.
107	[[/folder]]
108
109	[[folder: ''Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu'' (2002)]]
110	See [[ComicBook/ShangChiMasterOfKungFu2002 here]]
111	[[/folder]]
112
113	[[folder:''Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu'' (2009)]]
114	[[/folder]]
115
116	[[folder: ''Spider-Island: Deadly Hands of Kung Fu'' (2011)]]
117	[[/folder]]
118
119	[[folder: ''Deadly Hands of Kung Fu'' (2014)]]
120	[[/folder]]
121
122	[[folder: ''Master of Kung Fu'' (2015)]]
123	An AlternateUniverse story with a very different version of Shang-Chi. See [[ComicBook/MasterOfKungFu2015 here]] for tropes.
124	[[/folder]]
125
126	[[folder:''Shang-Chi'' (2020)]]
127	See [[ComicBook/ShangChi2020 here]]
128	[[/folder]]
129
130	[[folder:''The Legend of Shang-Chi'' (2021)]]
131	* BigBad: Lady Deathstrike, more often seen as a Wolverine villain.
132	* CouldHaveBeenMessy: The main fight is bloodless, as are the offscreen attacks. Justified in that the soul-stealing Equinox Blade cuts objects but leaves no mark on flesh. However, it’s also true of the last phase of the battle, when Lady Deathstrike's using her claws against Shang-Chi.
133	* TheEndOrIsIt: Lady Deathstrike's escaped and, although neither Shang-Chi nor Leiko realises it, she has a fragment of the Equinox Blade that still seems to have its power.
134	* EverybodyLives: All of the British Museum staff were cut down by the Equinox Blade, not Lady Deathstrike's claws, and wake up again as soon as it's shattered.
135	* HeistClash: Shang-Chi and Lady Deathstrike try to steal the Equinox Blade on the same night.
136	* LaserHallway: The British Museum has one once the security system's reactivated.
137	* MissionControl: Leiko Wu guides Shang-Chi via a lapel camera and earpiece.
138	* PowerGlows: The Equinox Blade shines with an ominous red light after striking someone.
139	* SoulCuttingBlade: The Equinox Blade steals the souls of anyone it cuts, but doesn't seem to leave a physical wound.
140	* TheUnreveal: [=MI6=] and Lady Deathstrike are both trying to steal the blade before it's sent to a private buyer the next day. The buyer's identity is never revealed.
141	* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Lady Deathstrike wasn't expecting Shang-Chi and doesn’t initially recognise him. But she ''did'' somehow know Leiko Wu and [=MI6=] were involved, and casts doubt on their motives. The background to this is never explained.
142	[[/folder]]
143	[[folder:''What Is vs. What If'' (''Marvel's Voices: Identity'', 2021)]]
144	* EvilCounterpart: As a result of asking WhatIf, the coin makes Shang-Chi fight a version of himself who never defied his father and did not become a hero.
145	* MirrorMatch: Played with. The coin sets up a match between Shang-Chi vs. a version of him who became a villain, since the two of them are both expert martial artists. However, Shang-Chi beats him by utilizing moves learned from his allies.
146	* WhatIf: Directly invoked. The monk guarding the coin Shang-Chi wants tells him to look inwards and asks "what if?". Shang-Chi wonders what would have happened if he had not defied his father.
147	[[/folder]]
148
149	[[folder:''Shang-Chi Infinity Comic'' (2021)]]
150
151	[[/folder]]
152
153	[[folder:''Shang-Chi'' (2021)]]
154	See [[ComicBook/ShangChi2021 here]]
155	[[/folder]]
156
157	[[folder:''Secrets'' (''Marvel's Voices: Identity'', 2022)]]
158
159	[[/folder]]
160
161	[[folder:''Fool Me Twice'' (''Marvel's Voices: Identity'', 2022)]]
162
163	[[/folder]]
164
165	[[folder:''Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings'' (2022)]]
166	See [[ComicBook/ShangChiAndTheTenRings here]]
167	[[/folder]]
168

Context ComicBook / ShangChi