Shang Chi’s solo book was earning merit based solely on well-written and exceptionally well drawn stories. He didn’t need the main Marvel Universe’s help.
But in this annual, he gets it anyway.
Keith Pollard, who had done a few fill-ins for the genius art of Paul Gulacy on the regular series, draws an issue by series writer Doug Moench where Shang Chi meets Marvel’s other big karate expert: Iron Fist.
The story is a holdover intended for Giant-Size #5 (G-S was cancelled with #4), so it takes place outside of the continuity of the regular series–which is just as well. It enables readers to take it as a standalone.
Sadly, it’s almost all about Fist. It’s a magical mystery tour through another dimension that seems centered around kung fu.
This is fine for what it is, but it really should have been an Iron Fist comic with Shag Chi as guest, not the other way around.