Deadly Hands Of Kung Fu

''The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu'' is an American black-and-white martial arts comics magazine published by Magazine Management, a corporate sibling of Marvel Comics. A total of 33 issues were published from 1974 to 1977, plus one special edition. Additionally, a color Marvel comic titled simply ''Deadly Hands of Kung Fu'' was published as a 2014 miniseries.

Publishing history

''The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu'' was published in the mid-to-late 1970s by Magazine Management, a corporate sibling of Marvel Comics, amid the martial arts movie fad of the time. Launched in 1974 as part of Magazine Management's line of black-and-white comics magazines, it ran 33 issues through 1977.''The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu''
at the Grand Comics Database. Recurring characters included:
* The Sons of the Tiger: Three men and one woman linked by mystical amulets.
* The White Tiger: Heir to the amulets of the Sons of the Tiger.
* Shang Chi, Master of Kung Fu (from Marvel Comics), incorporating characters and concepts licensed from the Sax Rohmer estate.
* Iron Fist the Living Weapon (from Marvel Comics)
* The Daughters of the Dragon: Colleen Wing and Misty Knight (characters derived from Marvel Comics' ''Iron Fist'' series).

Each issue had comics stories featuring these characters, both single-issue stories and multi-issue story arcs. Most issues also included a review of a recent martial arts film. Other issues had interviews with martial arts instructors, while others had interviews with film or television celebrities related to martial arts.

Early issues had a martial arts instructional section which described some elementary fighting techniques. These were provided by comics illustrator/martial artist Frank McLaughlin. The magazine was in black-and-white except for the cover. The cost of the magazine was 75 cents for issues #1–14. Issue #15 was a ''Super Annual'' (all reprints) issue and cost $1.25. Issues #16–33 were $1.00, as well as the 1974 ''Kung Fu Special'' (summer 1974); cover-titled ''Special Album Edition: The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu''. Issue #28 (Sept. 1976) was an all-Bruce Lee special, including a 35-page comic book format biography written by Martin Sands, and drawn by Joe Staton and Tony DeZuniga.

Some stories were set in feudal Japan and starring samurai-type characters, including a four-part story arc called "Sword Quest", illustrated by Sanho Kim (first manhwa artist working to be published regularly in the United States) and Tony DeZuniga. The Sons of the Tiger/White Tiger feature ran until the penultimate issue.

In 2009, the black and white one-shot ''Shang-Chi: Master of Kung'' Fu was released, with stories written by Jonathan Hickman, Mike Benson, Charlie Huston and Robin Furth and illustrated by Tomm Coker, C.P. Smith, Enrique Romero and Paul Gulacy.

In 2014, the miniseries ''Deadly Hands of Kung Fu'' was released, written by Mike Benson and illustrated by Tan Eng Huat.

In 2023, Shang-Chi appeared in a ''Deadly Hands of Kung Fu'' revival titled ''Deadly Hands of Kung Fu: Gang War'', a three issue miniseries written by Greg Pak and illustrated by Caio Majado, which is part of the " Gang War" crossover event.

Editors

Source:
* Roy Thomas: #1, 2
* Tony Isabella: #3–6 and ''Special Album Edition''
* David Anthony Kraft: #9, 10 (co-edited with Don McGregor)
* Don McGregor: #7, 8, 10 (co-edited with David Anthony Kraft), 11, 16, 17
* Archie Goodwin: #12–15, 18–25
* John Warner: #26–33

''The Deadliest Heroes of Kung Fu''

Magazine Management also published one issue of an offshoot magazine, ''The Deadliest Heroes of Kung Fu'', in 1975. It contained no comics elements, but featured a lengthy article reprinted from ''Deadly Hands'' as well as instructional features by Frank McLaughlin. Editor John Warner explained that ''The Deadliest Heroes of Kung Fu'' was a trial balloon for an all-articles companion to ''Deadly Hands''.

Collected editions

* ''The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu Omnibus'' Vol. 1 collects ''The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu'' #1-18, ''The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu Special Album Edition'', and ''The Deadliest Heroes of Kung Fu'', 1,152 pages, November 15, 2016,
* ''The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu Omnibus'' Vol. 2 collects ''The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu'' #19-33 and material from ''Bizarre Adventures'' #25, 1,000 pages, June 20, 2017,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Deadly Hands of Kung Fu, The
1974 comics debuts
Action-adventure comics
Comics magazines published in the United States
Monthly magazines published in the United States
Comics by Don McGregor
Comics by George Pérez
Comics by Gerry Conway
Comics by Steve Englehart
Defunct American comics
Defunct magazines published in the United States
Magazines established in 1974
Magazines disestablished in 1977
Marvel Comics titles
Martial arts magazines
Shang-Chi titles
Martial arts comics