Sunday, May 30, 2021
Saturday, May 29, 2021
Saturday Showcase: the Hellfire Club
I was passing thoughts through my head to see who my next showcase would be when I saw all these variant covers coming soon that focused on the upcoming Hellfire Gala when I was doing research for Wednesday Night Dudes. That's when the light bulb went off and I knew my showcase would center around the organization known as the Hellfire Club.
The Hellfire Club is a secret society that often comes into confrontation with the mutant superhero team, the X-Men. Although the Club appears to merely be an international social club for wealthy elites, its clandestine Inner Circle seeks to influence world events, in accordance with their own mutant agenda.
Created by the Uncanny X-Men writer/artist duo of Chris Claremont and John Byrne. The name "Hellfire Club" in fact has a historical precedent, having been a popular name for gentlemen's clubs in the 18th century. Additionally, the hierarchy of the Inner Circle is modeled on the pieces of a chess set, with Black and White sets of Kings, Queens, Bishops and Rooks.
The Hellfire Club and its Inner Circle were introduced in "The Dark Phoenix Saga", attempting to subvert the X-Men's Jean Grey. This incarnation, composed most notably of Black King Sebastian Shaw and White Queen Emma Frost, would remain prominent for many years. After their initial confrontations, the Hellfire Club and the X-Men settled into an uneasy alliance. This eventually changed as endless power struggles perpetuated a series of upheavals within the Inner Circle.
The Hellfire Club counts among its members the most famous, wealthy, and influential members of society. Membership is passed on to descendants, and can also be earned through wealth or influence. While many accept the invitation simply for the pleasures that the Club offers, others seek wealth and influence. In fact, the purpose of the Hellfire Club is to obtain and exert power through politics and economic influence instead of outward conquest and domination. Since its foundation, the Hellfire Club has been involved in wars and assassinations to further the agendas of the Club's most powerful members.
The Club has branches in New York City, London, Hong Kong, and Paris; the various branches are all overseen by the Lord Imperial (a position long-held by Sir Gordon Phillips). Unbeknownst to most members is the Club's Inner Circle. Originally known as the Council of the Chosen, this secret group formed around Edward "Ned" Buckman, each member assuming the titles of the major chess pieces. As White King, Buckman financed Stephen Lang's revived Sentinel program with the assistance of probationary member Sebastian Shaw. Shaw, now Black Bishop, began securing allies within the Club, meeting Harry Leland, Emma Frost, and Donald Pierce, as well as his loyal assistant, Tessa. Buckman, no longer having a use for the dangerously-ambitious Shaw, ordered a Sentinel attack on Shaw and his allies, resulting in the death of Shaw's lover, Lourdes Chantel. That night, Shaw and Emma Frost purged the entire Council of the Chosen, remaking it as the Lords Cardinal and appointing themselves Black King and White Queen.
Shaw's Inner Circle soon turned their attentions to the X-Men, kidnapping several of their number. Mastermind, as Jason Wyngarde, was made a probationary member pending his subversion of the X-Men's Jean Grey. Jean Grey was in fact the Phoenix, a god-like cosmic entity who became unstable after Mastermind's psychic manipulations, turning into the Dark Phoenix. The Hellfire Club had failed, and the X-Men had taken their toll: Phoenix had driven Mastermind insane, Colossus had crippled Donald Pierce and Wolverine nearly killed Harry Leland and several guards.
The Hellfire Club has changed members through the years but their goal of World Domination has never changed. I, personally, am a fan of the The Lords Cardinal branch of the Club. Shaw renamed The Council of the Chosen as The Lords Cardinal following his takeover of the New York branch, and appointed a number of allies to key positions. Frost began running the Massachusetts Academy at this time. Jason Wyngarde, also known as Mastermind, later became a probationary member pending his subversion of the X-Men's Jean Grey into the Club's Black Queen.
The Lords Cardinal consisted of the following:
- Sebastian Shaw - Black King
- Emma Frost - White Queen
- Donald Pierce - White Bishop
- Harry Leland - Black Bishop
- Jason Wyngarde (Mastermind) - A probationary member
- Phoenix (posing as Jean Grey) - Black Queen
- Tessa - Shaw's personal aide.
- Warhawk - Associate of the Hellfire Club.
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Derf's Picks of the Week (May 26, 2021)
It's hard to believe it's already the last week of May. This week has some great reads coming out which should satisfy all comic fans. If you are a collector of cool covers, you need to check out the 16th issue of Something is Killing the Children. There are a lot of cool covers for this issue including the Captcan Comics Exclusive done by John Gallagher. Let's get this party started.
BOOM!
Something is Killing the Children #16
Action Comics #1031
Detective Comics #1036
Mister Miracle: The Source of Freedom #1
Strange Adventures #10
Star Wars Adventures: Weapon of a Jedi #1
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin #3
IMAGE
Spawn #318
Alien #3
Beta Ray Bill #3
Heroes Reborn #4
Maestro: War and Pax #5
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #26
New Mutants #18
Star Wars: Darth Vader #12
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #10
Well, that is my list for the last week of May 2021.
Until next time, get you READ on!
Saturday, May 22, 2021
Saturday Showcase: the Mandarin
The Mandarin is a popular villain that debuted in the '60s and fought with such characters as the Hulk, The Avengers, but mainly focused his rage towards Iron Man, We have seen him change costumes, names, and origins. Why do I say origins? Well, Marvel Studios is changing is name to Wenwu and he is now known as Shang-Chi's father in the upcoming film, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. So before the film is released, I wanted to educate you about the true Mandarin because his contribution to the Marvel Universe needs to be known.
The Mandarin was born in China before the Communist revolution to a wealthy Chinese father and an English aristocratic mother, both of whom died when he was very young. He is characterized as a megalomaniac, attempting to conquer the world on several occasions, yet also possessing a strong sense of honor. Though his primary obsession is Iron Man, given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Thor, Hulk and other superheroes in the Marvel Universe.
The Mandarin is portrayed as a genius scientist and a skilled martial artist. However, his primary sources of power are 10 rings that he adapted from the alien technology of a crashed space ship. Each ring has a different power and is worn on a specific finger.
The Mandarin sees technology as the surest means to achieve his goals. Over the years, he frequently attempts to turn the weapons and computers of various nations against them. Among the Mandarin's earliest schemes is the sabotage and theft of American missiles and spy planes built by Tony Stark. To restore public confidence in his workmanship, Stark dons his Iron Man armor and flies to China to investigate. Iron Man soon became the Mandarin's principal obstacle against his plans for world domination.
During three of their early confrontations, the Mandarin manages to take Iron Man (or his alter ego Tony Stark) captive, but fails to kill him. Similarly, Iron Man thwarts the Mandarin's various schemes, but is unable to bring him to justice. Some of the Mandarin's early technological achievements are the launching of a small orbiting satellite whose "death-ray" he aims at Stark Industries, and the building of Ultimo, a 30-foot (9.1 m) humanoid android possessing vast destructive power. The Mandarin would employ Ultimo four times over the years, but it was always defeated by Iron Man.
The Mandarin's teleportation technology enables him to kidnap people at will or teleport himself out of threatening situations. He teleports the Swordsman to his castle just before the Avengers capture him, plotting to use him to destroy the Avengers and adding the technology to his sword to aid him, though the Swordsman betrays him and throws the bomb away. During his fifth encounter with Iron Man, the Mandarin teleports Harold J. "Happy" Hogan, a friend and confidant of Iron Man, to his castle in China half a world away. Hogan is wearing the Iron Man armor at the time to help protect his employer's secret identity, and the Mandarin mistakes him for his foe. In rescuing Hogan, Iron Man physically bests the Mandarin in personal combat for the first time. Iron Man redirected the missiles that the Mandarin had launched so that they hit the Mandarin's castle, destroying it. The Mandarin escaped by means of his teleportation machinery and he materialized aboard his orbiting satellite.
The Mandarin then establishes a base in China's Gobi Desert, and turns his attention to the Hulk for a time, hoping to make the dull-witted brute into an accomplice. Two attempts at controlling the Hulk proved futile. First he places a device on the Hulk's neck, hoping to use him to start a war which will allow the Mandarin to take over the world. However, Nick Fury foils this scheme. Next, the Mandarin allies himself with the American criminal the Sandman, who had just been beaten by the Hulk earlier. The Hulk destroys the Mandarin's desert base and the Mandarin sends the Sandman into a hot vat, turning him to glass. The glass later shatters, and the Sandman has to recover slowly in the Mandarin's satellite den. When the Mandarin next attacks Iron Man, he employs an android in the Hulk's likeness rather than the real Hulk. The Mandarin sets up a makeshift base of operations in the United States, and attempts to discredit Tony Stark publicly. Holding Iron Man captive for the fourth time, the Mandarin tries to learn if Iron Man is actually Stark, but Stark fools him with a rubber mask over his own features. His plans thwarted, the Mandarin tries to kill Stark's then-girlfriend, Janice Cord, but the Mandarin's betrothed Mei Ling saves her at the cost of her own life.
These are just some examples of how vital it is to remember the true Mandarin. You cannot just hope people will forget the classic battles that took place in the comics.
Publication Information
Publisher: Marvel Comics
First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #50 (Feb. 1964)
Created by Stan Lee (writer) & Don Heck (artist)
Team Affiliations:
- Mandarin's Minions
- Hand
- Tong
Notable Aliases:
- Gene Khan
- Zhang Tong
- Tem Borjigin
Abilities:
Superb Athlete
Superhumanly Skilled Martial Artist
Brilliant and Brutal Tactician
Gifted Strategist
Genius Level Intellect
Wears Ten Rings that grant various Powers
For Marvel Movie Fans, they will argue that Wenwu is not the first time that Marvel Studios changed the Mandarin's name or origin and they would be correct. In the film Iron Man 3,we found Sir Ben Kingsley portraying the leader of the Terrorist Group known as the Ten Rings. We later found out he was just merely an actor, a pawn if you will, to distract the true agenda of the Ten Rings. I, myself, am looking forward to the new role that the Mandarin will play in the Marvel Universe. I just think it's important to know where the villain the Mandarin got his start and why Marvel Fans are excited to see what role he will have in the next phase from Marvel Studios.
Until next time, get your READ on!
Tuesday, May 18, 2021
Derf's Picks of the Week (May 19, 2021)
DC Comics
Catwoman #31
The Flash #770
Justice League #61
Nightwing #80
Superman: Red and Blue #3
Wonder Girl #1
IDW
TMNT Best of Splinter #1
The Transformers #29
Transformers: Escape #3
Transformers: Beast Wars #4
MARVEL
The Amazing Spider-Man #66
Black Knight: Curse of the Ebony Blade #3
Daredevil #30
Fantastic Four: Life Story #1
Heroes Reborn #3
The Immortal Hulk: Time of Monsters #1
Shang-Chi #1
Star Wars: Bounty Hunters #12
Way of X #2
Wolverine #12
Until next time, get your READ on!
Saturday, May 15, 2021
Eternal Comics Grab Bag Reveal (May 2021)
Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Derf's Picks of the Week (May 12, 2021)
Monday, May 10, 2021
Classic Cover of the Day - MARVELous Monday Edition
Saturday, May 8, 2021
Saturday Showcase: Shang-Chi, the Master of Kung Fu
My past few post have featured characters from the upcoming Shang-Chi film. Today, I decided to showcase Shang-Chi himself. Sit back, relax, and enjoy today's Saturday Showcase.
Shang-Chi, also known as the Master of Kung Fu and Brother Hand,nwas created by writer Steve Englehart and artist Jim Starlin, first appearing in Special Marvel Edition #15 (December 1973).
Shang-Chi is proficient in numerous unarmed and weaponry-based wushu styles, including the use of the gùn, nunchaku, and jian.
Interesting Fact:
The character of Shang-Chi was conceived in late 1972. Marvel had wished to acquire the rights to adapt the Kung Fu television program, but were denied permission by the show's owner, Warner Communications, owner of Marvel's primary rival, DC Comics. Instead, Marvel acquired the comic book rights to Sax Rohmer's pulp villain Dr. Fu Manchu. They developed Shang-Chi, a master of kung fu, who was introduced as a previously unknown son of Fu Manchu.
Shang-Chi was born in the Honan province of China, and is the son of Fu Manchu, the Chinese mastermind who has repeatedly attempted world conquest and had a thirst for blood. His mother was a white American woman genetically selected by his father.
Shang-Chi was raised and trained from infancy in the martial arts by his father and his tutors. Believing his father was a benevolent humanitarian, Shang-Chi was sent on a mission to London to murder Dr. James Petrie, who his father claimed was evil and a threat to peace. After successfully assassinating Petrie, he encountered Fu Manchu's archenemy, Sir Denis Nayland Smith, who revealed to Shang-Chi his father's true nature.
After confronting his mother in New York City for the truth, Shang-Chi realized that Fu Manchu was evil. Shang-Chi fought his way past Fu Manchu's Si-Fan assassins at his Manhattan headquarters, telling his father that they were now enemies and vowing to put an end to his evil schemes.
After several encounters and coming to trust one another, Shang-Chi eventually became an ally of Sir Denis Nayland Smith and MI-6. Together with Smith, Tarr, fellow MI-6 agents Clive Reston and Leiko Wu, and Dr Petrie, who was revealed to still be alive.
Shang-Chi went on many adventures and missions, usually thwarting his father's numerous plans for world domination. Shang-Chi would occasionally encounter his half-sister Fah Lo Suee who led her own faction of the Si-Fan, but opposed her attempts to make him a pawn in her own schemes to usurp their father’s criminal empire.
As I have said in my Fu Manchu post, Marvel is tweaking Shang-Chi's background including the name of his father. So I am interested in seeing what leaves and what remains the same.
Publication Information
Publisher: Marvel Comics
First Appearance: Special Marvel Edition #15 (December 1973)
Created By: Steve Englehart & Jim Starlin
Team Affiliations:
Five Weapons Society
Avengers
Agents of Atlas
MI-6
Freelance Restorations
Marvel Knights
Heroes for Hire
Secret Avengers
Protectors
Underground
Partnerships:
Clive Reston
Black Jack Tarr
Leiko Wu
Iron Fist
Sword Master
Spider-Man
Notable Aliases: Master of Kung-Fu
Brother Hand
Commander Hand
Abilities:
Master Martial Artist
Mastery of Chi
Until next time, get your READ on!
Tuesday, May 4, 2021
Derf's Picks of the Week (May 5, 2021)
New Month + New Week = New Comics
Dark Horse:
God of War: Fallen God #3
DC Comics:
Batman #108
Green Lantern #2
Man-Bat #4
The Next Batman: Second Son #2
Suicide Squad #3
The Swamp Thing #3
IDW:
Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures #4
Transformers: Escape #3
MARVEL:
The Amazing Spider-Man #65
Carnage: Black, White & Blood #3
Hellions #11
Heroes Reborn #1
Iron Fist: Heart of the Dragon #5
Marauders #20
Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters Alpha #1
Thanos Quest: Marvel Tales #1
X-Men: Curse of the Man-Thing #1
Until next time, get your READ on!
Saturday, May 1, 2021
Saturday Showcase: Zheng Zu (Fu Manchu)
With the teaser trailer to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings breaking the internet a few weeks ago, I have decided to let my next few Showcases center around characters from the film. Last week I showcased Death Dealer and back in February of 2020, I showcased Razor-Fist. This week is a controversial showcase. You see, in the comics Shang-Chi's father is Zheng Zu, but in the upcoming film his father is Wenwu. Why the change? It is simple. The character of Fu Manchu can be seen as a negative stereo type and not a correct representation of the Chinese culture. That is why Marvel Studios went the route of Wenwu being Shang-Chi's father. Which is cool on another level because Wenwu is a Marvel villain that needs to be in the MCU. (not the Iron Man 3 version Jay) Since I see myself as a Comic Historian, I decided to showcase Shang-Chi's original father first so you can get a feel of Shang-Chi's true origin. Don't worry, I will showcase Wenwu one day as well.
BIO:
Born during the early Qing Dynasty, 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.
Zu was a powerful sorcerer along with his younger brother Zheng Yi. The brothers and their five disciples, the Deadly Warriors, formed the Five Weapons Society to protect China. On one such mission, the Sorcerer Brothers and the Deadly Warriors protected the Tianjin Prefecture from Fin Fang Foom. The Ancient One, a fellow sorcerer and friend, provided the brothers the Eyes of the Dragon, a pair of stones that granted longevity and vigor while requiring the sacrifice of another. By 1860, the brothers had aged decades beyond their natural lifespans through the use of longevity spells and had grown weaker as a result.
During the Second Opium War, the Society fought against British forces, but were defeated by Dormammu and the Mindless Ones summoned by the British sorcerer Baron Harkness, resulting in the death of the Deadly Warriors. Zu attempted to use the Eyes of the Dragon to save the fatally wounded Yi at the cost of his own life, but not wanting to rule the Society alone, Yi reversed the spell, granting Zu immortality and restoring his youth, giving him the power to defeat the combined British forces.
Following the death of his brother and the Deadly Warriors, Zu led the Society alone, establishing five houses in their honor. Without his brother's guidance, Zu lost his way, becoming increasingly bitter and ruthless. After losing one of the houses during the Boxer Rebellion, Zu renounced his country and followers for their perceived weakness and lied about his brother's death, claiming he killed him for being weak as well and stole his spirit energy to augment his own.
Fu Manchu approached a "scientifically perfect" American woman to be the mother of his progeny. Enticed by his power, she agreed, resulting in the birth of a son, Shang-Chi and a daughter, Zheng Shi-Hua. During their childhood, Shang-Chi and Shi-Hua accidentally discovered one of their father's secret laboratories in his Hunan retreat. As punishment, their father told Shang-Chi that he gave Shi-Hua a merciful death, explaining that the luxury of human bonds was weakness. In truth, he secretly sent Shi-Hua to the House of the Deadly Hammer in Russia. Shang-Chi would continue to be raised in isolation in his father's Hunan retreat; unbeknownst to Shang-Chi, the Hunan retreat was the House of the Deadly Hand, with Shang-Chi chosen to be its champion. Like with Shang-Chi and Shi-Hua, their father selected several of his other children to be raised in the Society's other Houses as their respective champions, with an unnamed son at the House of the Deadly Staff in Britain, son Takeshi at the House of the Deadly Sabre in Japan and daughter Esme at the House of the Deadly Dagger in France.
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 enemies.
- Fu Manchu is a master of disguise and can pass for any member of the human race, while speaking in their languages without any discernable accent.
- Fu Manchu is a master of unarmed combat.
- He can hypnotize people with his eyes to the point where few men could gaze into his eyes without falling under his control.
- With the revelation of his true identity as the ancient sorcerer Zheng Zu, he is a master in the mystic arts and has discovered the means to immortality.
