Fu Manchu (comics)
| Fu Manchu | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Special Marvel Edition #15 (December 1973) |
| Created by |
Sax Rohmer Adapted By: Steve Englehart Al Milgrom Jim Starlin |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Zheng Zu |
| Team affiliations |
Si-Fan Shadow Council |
| Abilities |
Genius-Level Intellect Hypnosis Martial Arts Expert Medical Practitioner |
Fu Manchu is the name of a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is based on the character of the same name and is the father of Shang-Chi.
Publication history
Fu Manchu first appeared in Special Marvel Edition #15 (December 1973). He was created by Sax Rohmer and adapted into Marvel Comics by Steve Englehart, Al Milgrom, and Jim Starlin. As the result of Marvel Comics later losing the rights to the Fu Manchu name, his later appearances give him the real name of Zheng Zu.
Fictional character biography
Zheng Zu gained his education at the Tibetan monastery of Rach where he learned martial arts, arcane knowledge, and every known discipline of science. Becoming highly regarded in his monastery, Zheng Zu was considered part of their brotherhood until the day he left to share his gifts with the world as Fu Manchu.[1]
When his daughter Fah Loo Suee was a child, Fu Manchu showed her the Moon where he told her that he would one day move the world so that he would rule another world.[2]
Fu Manchu was revealed to have the knowledge of Jack the Ripper's methodology.[3]
Fu Manchu later took the woman Mara Ling to be his wife as part of an arranged marriage despite the fact that she loved a blind archer named Li.[4]
Tony McKay and Nayland Smith later launched an attack on the Si-Fan where Fu Manchu had killed McKay and used his sumo servant Tak torture Smith by crushing his legs. Fu Manchu later introduced schizophrenia to a gorilla which was used as the final guardian of his New York headquarters.[5] Fu Manchu's African base was struck by the British where many of his followers there were slain. Upon finding a disfigured infant named M'Nai after finding his parents dead, Fu Manchu decided that he can shape M'Nai into a powerful servant and was raised alongside Fu Manchu's other son Shang-Chi.[6]
When Shang-Chi was a boy, he heard from K'uei Meng that Fu Manchu had plans to rule the world. When Shang-Chi confronted his father, Fu Manchu dismissed it as slander and Shang-Chi never saw K'uei Meng again.[7] Another event in Shang-Chi's childhood is that he saw his father thank a Dacoit for saving his life. Years later, the same Dacoit was killed by Fu Manchu for failing his mission.[8] When Shang-Chi bested his fellow student Ah Lung in combat, Fu Manchu demanded that Shang-Chi kill him. Due to Shang-Chi hestitating, Fu Manchu had his guards kill Ah Lung.[9] When Fu Manchu had his pupil Sho Teng seemingly betray Shang-Chi to M16 Agents that were secretly on Fu Manchu's side, Fu Manchu "rescued" Shang-Chi and killed their leader Death-Dragon to earn Shang-Chi's trust.[10]
When Shang-Chi was 19, Fu Manchu dispatched Shang-Chi to kill "Petrie" who was said to be a threat to peace. Shang-Chi was successful in killing "Petrie" and was confronted by Nayland Smith who told Shang-Chi the truth about his father. Afterwards, Shang-Chi fought his way past Fu Manchu's guards at his New York base where he tells his father that they are now enemies.[5] Fu Manchu later dispatched Midnight to fight Shang-Chi only for Midnight to perish upon falling off a crane and his cape snagging onto a hook.<ref="Special Marvel Edition #16"/>
Fu Manchu sent his Si-Fan assassin Chow Loo to kill Shang-Chi only to fail in his mission. When he tried to cover it up, Fu Manchu had him transformed into a gorilla-like creature to fight Shang-Chi in Los Angeles where he was killed in battle.[11]
Under the alias of "Wang Yu-Seng," Fu Manchu planned to kidnap Fah Lo Suee and Shang-Chi to jump-start the Elixir Vitae which needed the blood of his own children to make him back to full vigor. With the help of Death-Dealer, Fu Manchu captured Shang-Chi and held him hostage in order to get his blood only for Shang-Chi to escape. Fu Manchu brought Fah Lo Suee to Honan to have her blood as they are pursued by Shang-Chi. To combat Shang-Chi, Fu Manchu unleashed a clone of Shang-Chi to fight Shang-Chi which ended up bested by Shang-Chi and killed. When Fu Manchu attempted to lap up the clone's blood to save his life, the fortress began to crumble around him as Shang-Chi left his father to meet his doom.[12]
Determined to rid the world of his father's stain, Shang-Chi traveled to AIM Island to determine what his father's connections with A.I.M. were. His findings were inconclusive.[13]
Fu Manchu employed Zaran to retrieve a chemical from A.I.M. and later directed him to kill Shang-Chi for him.[14]
Fu Manchu later sent his Dracoits to aid Zaran against Shang-Chi and his allies. Although they succeeded in destroying the building that Shang-Chi was in, Zaran had failed to slay[15]
Using the alias of Comte de St. Germain and "The Ghost," Fu Manchu employed his son Moving Shadow as he prepared the Hellfire weapon. He was opposed again by MI-6 and Shang-Chi with the resulting battle destroying the Hellfire weapon.[16]
Under the alias of Han, Fu Manchu offered his daughter Kwai Far to Black Panther as a prospective bride. Black Panther refused this offer and drove him off with the assistance of Luke Cage and Shang-Chi[17]
Aloysius Thorndrake of the Shadow Council has somehow partially resurrected Shang-Chi's father Zheng Zu (who used the alias of Fu Manchu) as the Shadow Council agents are digging for the Eyes of the Dragon. Max Fury (a rogue Life Model Decoy of Nick Fury) then reports to Aloysius that they have found the Eyes of the Dragon. Aloysius and Max then move on to the next part of the plan that involves capturing Shang-Chi and using him to restore Zheng Zu to life.[18] Prince of Orphans and Valkyrie arrive at Zheng Zu's grave where they find a few Shadow Council agents on guard knowing that someone would come to the grave. They defeat the Shadow Council agents and take one of them prisoner and taken to an unknown location. Meanwhile, Max Fury informs Aloysius Thorndrake about the two unfortunate mishaps. Zheng Zu is not pleased for there is only two days left to complete the ritual needed to restore himself to life. Aloysius promises to Zheng Zu that Max Fury and John Steele will handle this.[19] Zheng Zu prepares the ritual that will enable him to use Shang-Chi's life-force to resurrect himself. Disguised as a Shadow Council agent, Moon Knight gives the signal and the Secret Avengers drop in on the Shadow Council. Captain Steve Rogers fights Max Fury while Valkyrie fights John Steele. Prince of Orphans disrupts the ritual causing Zheng Zu to turn to stone which Prince of Orphans shatters.[20]
Powers and abilities
Fu Manchu is a genius in every field of knowledge. He is a skilled medical practitioner and surgeon where he has cultivated various diseases and viruses to use against his allies.
Despite being Asian, Fu Manchu is a master of disguise and can pass for any member of the human race while speaking in their languages without his Asian accent.
Fu Manchu is a master of unarmed combat.
He can hypnotize people with his eyes where few men could gaze into him without falling into his spell.
References
- ↑ Master of Kung Fu #124
- ↑ Master of Kung Fu #48
- ↑ Master of Kung Fu #100
- ↑ Master of Kung Fu #114
- 1 2 Special Marvel Edition #15
- ↑ "Special Marvel Edition #16">Special Marvel Edition #16
- ↑ Master of Kung Fu #19
- ↑ Master of Kung Fu #25
- ↑ Marvel Comics Presents #158
- ↑ Master of Kung Fu #64
- ↑ Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #4
- ↑ Master of Kung Fu #115–118
- ↑ Captain America #412
- ↑ Marvel Knights #4
- ↑ Marvel Knights #11–14
- ↑ Masters of Kung Fu Vol. 2 #1–6
- ↑ Black Panther Vol. 4 #11
- ↑ Secret Avengers #6
- ↑ Secret Avengers #7
- ↑ Secret Avengers #10
External links
- Fu Manchu at Marvel Wiki
- Fu Manchu at Comic Vine
- Fu Manchu at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe