Siskoid and Ryan Daly’s coverage of Marvel Two-in-One continues with issue #29 (July 1977) by Marv Wolfman, Ron Wilson and Sam Grainger, starring the Thing and Shang-Chi, the Master of Kung Fu! It’s “Two Against Hydra”!
Listen to the Team-Up below, or subscribe to FW Team-Up on Apple or Spotify!
Relevant images and further credits at: FW Team-Up Supplemental
This podcast is a proud member of the FIRE AND WATER PODCAST NETWORK!
- Visit our WEBSITE: https://fireandwaterpodcast.com/
- Like our FACEBOOK page: https://www.facebook.com/FWPodcastNetwork
- Use our HASHTAG online: #FWPodcasts
- Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/fwpodcasts
Subscribe via iTunes as part of the FIRE AND WATER PODCAST NETWORK.
And thanks for leaving a comment!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
I have zero recollection of getting a Shang Chi book signed by Gulacy for you Ryan. It is a problem with getting sigs for people is that I worry I have forgotten what I have sent and will send copies! (Did I have the issue or did you send it to me?)
Anyways, I am not a big Shang Chi fan so his adventures always seem new to me.
But I did just visit London so this was a fun book to hear about! Can’t wait to hear the early Spider-Woman adventure coming up.
HYDRA NEVER JOKES !!!!
I wonder if hydra does the twist ?!
Wasn’t there a hydra agent who was a singer ??
Never jokes, eh?
Now I want a HYDRA-like costumed conspiracy that’s dedicated primarily to pranking the Powers That Be and uptight authoritarian superheroes. I’d use C.L.O.W.N. (Cryptic Lunatics Orchestrating Worldwide Nonsense) but Hero Games already took that one for a villain team in the Champions RPG. My anagram’s way better than theirs, though. The costumes should be obvious, but they often operate undercover in drab and respectable business suits – which transform into full clown suits and makeup at the press of a suspiciously large button.
Great episode, gentlemen! I never saw MoKF on the spinner racks as a kid, so Shang-Chi was not on my radar until the launch of Marvel Comics Presents. I liked what I read, but I didnt find a love for the character until the Marvel film. I think it’s the last really good Marvel film…hopefully that will change soon.
I would have gone for song choices dance the kung fu by carol Douglas.
Here’s my team up Shang chi meets the king and I do mean Elvis Presley. This all set during when Elvis is filming in king creole . Shang Chi gets some rare time off and ends up seeing on of Elvis earlier films and enjoying it when MI6 learns that fu man chu plans kill Elvis Shang chi is assigned as the kings new body guard . But when several children and hound dogs are kid napped only the master of martial arts and the king of rock n roll can save them is it real or a deadly trap set by fu man chu .
Count me as another who hadn’t read a lot of Shang-Chi back in the day, but darned if he just isn’t cool when he shows up. When he joined the Secret Avengers, he was a great addition. Sounds like I really need to try that Gulacy run.
As for a team-up, I know this will be on the nose for me, but I’d say Black Lightning because it’d be a pairing of Hong Kong and Blaxploitation characters from the 70s, bringing together those cult genres. Plus, Lightning’s powers varied a lot back then, and his fighting skills were more important. Uh-oh, I just realized I’ve recreated Power Man and Iron Fist! HA!
I was reading Shang-Chi very early – he debuted in Special Marvel Editon in the December 1973 issue and by March 1974 he’d taken over top billing and the cover of my beloved UK Avengers Weekly, and that lasted until it caught up with the US issues. Earth’s Mightiest Heroes got their own comic’s cover back… for about six months, then ruddy Conan did the same trick, Bah.
All of which is to say I wasn’t well disposed towards Shang early on, but by the end of the decade we were getting his ‘all-colour comic’ in newsagents and I became a fan. I was there until the end of the series and I even bought the omnibuses. Modern comic Shang is rubbish but the film was fun.
Anyway, this comic was pretty mediocre, losing points immediately for implying you can walk from The Houses of Parliament to Trafalgar Square in the space of eight word balloons or something. Also, despite my previous praise for Ron Wilson, this looks terribly rushed, and he was trying far too hard to match Galacy’s Shang look. Plus, Hydra are really boring! The only Hydra story I’ve ever enjoyed was Hank Johnson, Agent of Hydra. Next issue, though… now we’re talking!
GREAT EPISODE!!!
Before I became visually disabled, I probably read somewhere around a thousand Marvel comics. Out of those, ONE featured Shang Chi. It was also the only issue of Marvel Team-Up that I ever saw on the spinner rack. It was part of a multiparter where the Black Widow had been brainwashed into forgetting who she was. It featured Spidey, the Black Widow, Shang Chi and Nick Fury.
This is what I want from a team-up book – two characters who don’t fit together and rarely ever interact. I have zero interest in the Thing teaming up with the Silver Surfer, Namor, Black Bolt or any member of the FF because these happen all the time in the FF. The stranger the pairing the better – give me the Thing with Man-Thing, Iron Fist, Shang Chi, Ghost Rider, Dr. Strange or as in the next episode Spider-Woman.
Keep up the great work! I am absolutely loving this podcast.
Absolutely, James! I came into team-up books for the weird, kooky ones, and part of me is disappointed when, say, a Justice Leaguer teams up with another, as they already have a working relationship.
No shade on next month’s episode, but…
I forgot something. If I was going to pick a Donny Osmond song to go with this issue, it would have to be “I’ll Make A Man Out Of You” from Mulan.
A few episodes ago someone mentioned that they were reading the old Kirby/Steranko SHIELD stories for the first time (or in order for the first time– which is definitely different). At the time I was going to recommend as background music “I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night” by The Electric Prunes. People don’t associate Nick Fury with psychedelics but that song syncs up very well with the first Mentallo/Fixer story, the Druid storyline and especially when Steranko revived Jimmy Woo and The Yellow Claw. It would also work well with the Moench/Gulacy MOKF story with Mordillo and Brynocki (#33-35).
Can’t belive Marv Wolfman didn’t do the Big Ben in front of the Big Ben joke. Peter David woud have nailed it.