November 29, 2006
Deadly Hands of Kung Fu Covers: Neal Adams
Neal Adams did more covers for Deadly Hands of Kung Fu than any other Marvel magazine. Do ya think that's why it was the most successful? It sure didn't hurt sales any, take a look at these wonders...
The cover to Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #1 was instantly recognized by anyone who had seen Enter the Dragon. This is the first of many covers featuring Bruce Lee.
Shang-Chi, the Master of Kung Fu, was the star of Deadly Hands, even though he had appeared in less than half a dozen tales in the color comics. Deadly Hands #2 cover depicts Shang-Chi, a stranger in a strange city (New York), beatin' down anyone foolish enough to pick on a man in his pajamas.
Deadly Hands #4 was a tribute to ABC's television show Kung Fu, starring David Carridine. I couldn't wait for this show to come on TV when I was a kid. This cover shows Caine in the Old West beatin' down cowboys like I wanted to beat down rednecks!
Raise your hand if you remember Billy Jack! If you remember Billy, I bet you also remember Adrienne Barbeau and Lynda Carter! This here cover to Deadly Hands #11 depicts a scene from The Trial of Billy Jack. A movie that Marvel and Steranko (if I remember correctly from MediaScene) told me was IMPORTANT! But actually, it just sucked. Nevertheless, this cover is good.
Deadly Hands #17 had the last Adams cover, but it was another doozy with Bruce Lee from Enter the Dragon. Kinda makes me wish that Neal Adams had done an adaption of that flick, or better yet, a sequel or ongoing adventures of Bruce Lee. Adams could capture Bruce Lee's likeness perfectly. Nuff said.
Deadly Hands of Kung Fu Covers: White Tiger
Continuin' my blast from the Kung Fu days, the Hector Ayala White Tiger had his moment in the sun with these two covers...
Ken Barr painted this cover to Deadly Hands #22 and it's one of my favorites. The White Tiger, standing on the end of a high-rise girder, has no alternative but to fight that gang waitin' for him with an arsenal of asian weapons. Does he look scared? Nosireee.
Earl Norem painted this cover to Deadly Hands #29. I think this must be the same bar that Turk (from Miller's Daredevil) likes to hang out in--they better have good insurance. Nuff said.
Deadly Hands of Kung Fu Covers: Iron Fist
With the first issues of White Tiger and Iron Fist, it seems like everybody is Kung Fu Fightin' all over again, true believers! Let this old coot take you through some 1970s covers featurin' these dudes, from Deadly Hands of Kung Fu...
Deadly Hands of Kung Fu was a pretty good seller in Marvel's black and white line. They were going to follow this up with an Iron Fist black and white magazine, but somehow it got cancelled. I suspect the cover and story in Deadly Hands #10 were making use of the aborted Iron Fist Magazine #1.
The response to Danny Rand's black and white story must have been pretty good, because he returned in Deadly Hands #19 for a serialized story by Chris Claremont and Rudy Nebres that ran through issue 24.
Naturally, Shang Chi (Master of Kung Fu) couldn't take being replaced by the blonde newcomer. He was forced to fight Iron Fist in Deadly Hands #29.
Howard Chaykin contributed this dynamic Iron Fist pinup, that was also featured in Deadly Hands #29. A skeletal samurai, hot diggity dang! Nuff said.
