I'm Still In Love With Leiko Wu

Just a reminder...

Damn, I love Leiko Wu. Get your hands off her, Reston!

Clive earns a future beat down from Shang-Chi in Master of Kung-Fu #86 (1980), obviously by Moench and Zeck and Day.

Oh, wait, you want to see the beat down? I live to serve!

That punch was Rick Blaine approved!! Here's looking at you, Clive!

Sucker punch from MOKF #87.

Friday Night Fights--Zeck Style!!

Dear Shen Kuei,

I hope you weren't planning on using that skull. Love, Shang-Chi.

Spacebooger can probably patch Shen Kuei up...

Brain-bashing from Master of Kung Fu #68 (1978), by Moench, Mike Zeck, and Bruce Patterson.

I Can Lick Thirty Leopard-Cultists Today

I Can Lick Thirty Leopard-Cultists Today, definitely not by Dr. Seuss:

I can lick thirty leopard-cultists today
But you two not a peep
As I put you to sleep
I can lick twenty-eight leopard-cultists today.

I can lick twenty-eight leopard-cultists today
Hey! No fair with the knife
You could end someone's life
I can lick twenty-seven leopard-cultists today.

I can lick twenty-seven leopard-cultists today
Have a nice tryst
With my rock-solid fist
I can lick twenty-six leopard-cultists today.


I can lick twenty-six leopard-cultists today
It's kind of a goof
as we fight on the roof
I can lick twenty-four leopard-cultists today.

I can lick twenty-four leopard-cultists today
Watch out by the door!
Now they're on the floor
I can lick twenty-two leopard-cultists today.

I can lick twenty-two leopard-cultists today
You've fought to a standstill
Now it's OUT! of the windmill
I can lick twenty-one leopard-cultists today.

I can lick twenty-one leopard-cultists today
They just can't evade
When Chi's riding the blade
I can lick twenty leopard-cultists today.

I can lick twenty leopard-cultists today
It does you no good
To go "CHUD" on the hood
I can lick nineteen leopard-cultists today

I can lick nineteen leopard-cultists today.
You won't get too far
Chi's defending the car
I can lick eighteen leopard-cultists today.

I can lick eighteen leopard-cultists today
This one won''t go far
When shot by Black Jack Tarr
I can lick seventeen leopard-cultists today.

I can lick seventeen leopard-cultists today
These two must shiver
When tossed in the river
I can lick fifteen leopard-cultists today.

I can lick fifteen leopard-cultists today
I'll come back later
After feeding the gator
I can lick fourteen leopard-cultists today.

I can lick fourteen leopard-cultists today
Over the shoulder
As the water gets colder
I can lick thirteen leopard-cultists today.

I can lick thirteen leopard-cultists today
I'll count this as two
From this violent milieu
I can lick eleven leopard-cultists today.

I can lick eleven leopard-cultists today
Stay out of Shang's space
Or you'll get a foot to the face
I can lick ten leopard-cultists today.

I can lick ten leopard-cultists today
This trio's in shock
When attacked by a croc
I can lick seven leopard-cultists today.

I can lick seven leopard-cultists today
They shouldn't get stuck
between the heroes and the truck
I can lick six leopard-cultists today.

I can lick six leopard-cultists today
How would you react
To Shang's deadly "HWAKT!"
I can lick five leopard-cultists today.


I can lick five leopard-cultists today
These two get the heck out
When Rick sticks his neck out
I can lick three leopard-cultists today.

[Yes, that's Rick. In Casablanca. That's MOKF for you].


I can lick three leopard-cultists today
Their leader Maru
Is looking for you...
Can I lick three leopard-cultists today?


I can lick three leopard-cultists today
Is Shang fighting in vain
When his foe can't feel pain
Can I get past this leopard-cultist today?

I can lick three leopard-cultists today
Maru was tough, you see
So I'll count him as three
I have licked thirty leopard-cultists today!!

Phew. Panels from Master of Kung Fu #80-#88 (1979-1980), art by Zeck and Day. This was the "Warriors of the Golden Dawn" epic, wherein Fu Manchu takes over the Amazon and uses UFO's, genetically engineered monsters, and electronically-controlled government officials to try and set off a nuclear bomb beneath the World Trade Center. That's just how Fu rolls. So once again, Doctor Doom, you're a rank amateur next to Fu. Eat his dust.

And I promise to never do this again. Probably.

Rufus "One Eye" "Super Midnight" Carter

Ladies and gentleman--presenting the most egregiously underused supporting character of all time--Rufus "One Eye" "Super Midnight" Carter!!

What's so great about him? Well, first of all, he was named after a brand of carbon paper (really--ask Doug Moench!!)

Secondly, he has two nicknames--two!!

Thirdly, he is an American expatriate who just happens to be the English heavyweight full-contact karate champion, and is also a great sportsman:

Sadly, his opponent isn't so noble.

Which turns out to be a huge mistake!


Carter knows a lot about Zen physiology and binocular vision:






...or maybe he's just full of jive:

And by the way, he owns an antique shop, and needs help against mobsters running a protection racket:

He knows how to deal with the lowlife:

Oh, and he doesn't really run an antique shop, he works for the CIA, and it was all a cover to steal of bunch of French intelligence files from the Yugoslavs, but it turned out they were all about some cat Shang-Chi had already offed last issue, so it was all for nothing...there you go, that's how things rolled in MOKF.

Rufus "One Eye" "Super Midnight" Carter is so badass, he smokes stogies in his hospital bed, and uses the cigar to burn up his CIA ID card as a particularly badass way to resign:


Of course, then his former masters want to kill him because he "knows too much," so he ends up going to Shang for help. And they've got a great buddy act going:


And his ex-boss finds out the hard way: you DO NOT betray Rufus "One Eye" "Super Midnight" Carter. Ever.


And that's it. After 3 meager appearances, Rufus Carter hasn't been heard from again since 1983. Nada. Zilch.

How is that possible?!?

How can it be that this man hasn't made zillions of guest appearances, and had his own limited series? Hell, a continuing series?!? Where the hell is Ed Brubaker when you need him--Rufus Carter is right up his alley!!

And why in Zod's name hasn't somebody optioned him for a film?!? For heaven's sake, movie studios will pay big bucks to buy an option on one of Mark Millar's cocktail napkin scribblings before a single issue is even published, and no one wants to make Super-Midnight: The Rufus Carter Story?!?!?! Who wouldn't want to see a film about a one-eyed American English karate champ who runs an antique shop but is really a CIA operative but is now a man on the run from his own government while going freelance to help those in need? What's wrong with this country?!?!?!

OK...gotta calm down...all I'm sayin' is, there's a hell of an opportunity to do something with one hell of a great character who's been neglected for 2 and a half decades.

So hop to it, Marvel.

PS. Nobody draws better moustaches than Mike Zeck. I'm just sayin'.

Rufus "One Eye" "Super Midnight" Carter appears in Master of Kung Fu #96 & 99 (1981) by Doug Moench and Mike Zeck and Gene Day, as well as #120 (not pictured here because it's Zeck Week) by Moench and Day. C'mon, Brubaker? Van Lente? Somebody??? Use this guy!!

I'm In Love With Leiko Wu

There, I said it. I don't care who knows.

Leiko is going to London to stop Jack The Ripper (seriously!) in Master of Kung Fu #99 (1981). Mike Zeck sure draws her purty, huh?