please help me find a comic from my childhood
October 22, 2016 3:37 PM Subscribe
As a child, I dimly remember reading a specific comic book, and (after all this time) I'd like to find it again.
The story had Iron Fist fighting Fu Manchu in a frozen or icy place.
There was also a friend of Iron Fist (Nick Fury? Luke Cage; don't think so? Someone else?) who Fu Manchu defeated. The internet tells me Iron Fist started in 1974, when I was 8, and I'm sure I was younger than 14 when I read it, so that's between '74 and '81. I'm pretty sure I would have bought it in a wrapped 3-pak at the grocery store in Texas.
I recall very distinctly that the artist had a very stylized way of drawing the characters' breath in the cold air. I'm fuzzy about a lot of this memory, but I'm also pretty sure the protagonist was Iron Fist.
I'd just like to reconnect with this very dim memory in my past. If you can help, thank you!
There was also a friend of Iron Fist (Nick Fury? Luke Cage; don't think so? Someone else?) who Fu Manchu defeated. The internet tells me Iron Fist started in 1974, when I was 8, and I'm sure I was younger than 14 when I read it, so that's between '74 and '81. I'm pretty sure I would have bought it in a wrapped 3-pak at the grocery store in Texas.
I recall very distinctly that the artist had a very stylized way of drawing the characters' breath in the cold air. I'm fuzzy about a lot of this memory, but I'm also pretty sure the protagonist was Iron Fist.
I'd just like to reconnect with this very dim memory in my past. If you can help, thank you!
Response by poster: I know, and agree. And my memory of so long ago could be just that faulty. But Iron Fist or Shang-Chi, I'd still like to read that comic again. :)
posted by Techbear at 4:56 PM on October 22, 2016
posted by Techbear at 4:56 PM on October 22, 2016
They were in the same books at least a few times, Iron Fist and Shang that is. See here and here. Perhaps you are conflating stories, or hell, it was Marvel in the seventies. Dracula was lurking around!
posted by vrakatar at 5:56 PM on October 22, 2016
posted by vrakatar at 5:56 PM on October 22, 2016
Best answer: Master of Kung Fu #47, December 1976, seems like a likely candidate.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 6:05 PM on October 22, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by 1970s Antihero at 6:05 PM on October 22, 2016 [1 favorite]
Meanwhile, Fu Manchu begins the resurrection of his ancestor, the mighty warlord Shaka Kharn.
Shaka Kharn. Shaka Kharn. Shaka Kharn let me rock you let me rock you Shaka Kharn.
Nine years and five bucks later it has been well worth it.
posted by vrakatar at 6:10 PM on October 22, 2016 [3 favorites]
Shaka Kharn. Shaka Kharn. Shaka Kharn let me rock you let me rock you Shaka Kharn.
Nine years and five bucks later it has been well worth it.
posted by vrakatar at 6:10 PM on October 22, 2016 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks for the help, everyone. I agree, MoKF #47 sounds like my best bet. I've ordered the MoKF Omnibus #2 from Amazon; when I get it I can see if anything is familiar.
I've looked at the covers for all the MoKF around that time, and none of them give me that spark of familiarity. But the breath depicted on the #47 cover does seem like what I remember.
and thank you, WCityMike, for helping out with the subreddit.
posted by Techbear at 4:19 PM on October 23, 2016
I've looked at the covers for all the MoKF around that time, and none of them give me that spark of familiarity. But the breath depicted on the #47 cover does seem like what I remember.
and thank you, WCityMike, for helping out with the subreddit.
posted by Techbear at 4:19 PM on October 23, 2016
Response by poster: I got the MoKF Omnibus #2 today, and eagerly leaved through it.
It was INDEED part of my memories. Which is to say, the candidate comic turned out to be correct. At least, I was able to remember scenes and situations that were actually in the comic. Curiously, I was more able to identify the scenes by situation; the art itself didn't spark as much memory as I'd thought. I don't remember the art looking that way. And the protagonist himself was not in my memories at all.
I still remember Iron Fist, still remember the distinctive way cold breath was drawn, and I couldn't find several other memories I haven't written about. So it's very possible I ALSO read some Iron Fist, and the two memories became entangled.
Interesting. And thank all of you for your help!
posted by Techbear at 3:51 PM on October 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
It was INDEED part of my memories. Which is to say, the candidate comic turned out to be correct. At least, I was able to remember scenes and situations that were actually in the comic. Curiously, I was more able to identify the scenes by situation; the art itself didn't spark as much memory as I'd thought. I don't remember the art looking that way. And the protagonist himself was not in my memories at all.
I still remember Iron Fist, still remember the distinctive way cold breath was drawn, and I couldn't find several other memories I haven't written about. So it's very possible I ALSO read some Iron Fist, and the two memories became entangled.
Interesting. And thank all of you for your help!
posted by Techbear at 3:51 PM on October 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
Marvel reprinted their kung-fu stories a lot in the 70s, in titles such as The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu and The Savage Fists of Kung Fu. The book you read could have had separate Shang-Chi and Iron Fist stories in them, which you conflated.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 4:35 PM on October 25, 2016
posted by 1970s Antihero at 4:35 PM on October 25, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 4:17 PM on October 22, 2016