The exciting first trailer for Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings recently dropped, giving fans the first glimpse at the next big MCU hero. Comic book readers have been familiar with Shang-Chi since his debut in the Bronze Age of Comics, when he first appeared in Special Marvel Edition #15 in December 1973.
The new Shang-Chi movie could drastically change the MCU, and that has a lot to do with the many new elements the film could introduce to the franchise from the original comics. Shang-Chi occupies a unique space in the Marvel Universe but has deep ties to many other major Marvel comic book heroes and teams.
Son Of A Villain
Shang-Chi was co-created by writer Steve Englehart and artist Jim Starlin (the co-creator of major Marvel villain Thanos) and was actually something of a spin-off of a franchise outside of Marvel Comics. Shang-Chi was introduced as the son of the supervillain Fu Manchu, who Marvel licensed from novelist Sax Rohmer.
Rights issues forced Marvel to move away from the Fu Manchu mythos, and his father was later renamed Zheng Zu. Shang-Chi was part of his father's criminal organization but didn't know the full truth of his evil ways. He turned on him and committed to fighting him and joined the British spy agency MI-6 for a time.
Master Martial Artist
Shang-Chi was raised from birth in martial arts. His father and his associates trained him in a variety of martial arts and weapons styles, making him one of the best hand-to-hand fighters in the world. Though he has no superpowers, he has mastered the art of chi, which allows him to exceed human limits in terms of skill and stamina.
His skills have been very useful against numerous Marvel supervillains, and he has trained many other Marvel heroes in the martial arts, as well.
Trained Spider-Man In Martial Arts
In a storyline that has a lot of potential for the MCU in the future, Shang-Chi trained Spider-Man in martial arts. In Amazing Spider-Man: Infested #1 in 2011, Spider-Man has temporarily lost his Spidey-Sense. To make up for it, he trains with Shang-Chi to develop a new fighting style that builds off of his superpowers.
This comes in handy during the Spider-Island storyline, in which many regular people in New York city develop spider-powers as well. This somewhat unlikely Spider-Man friendship has continued into the present, with both heroes serving off and on as Avengers.
Deadly Hands Of Kung Fu
Shang-Chi's early adventures took him all over the world. He first intersected with other Marvel superheroes in a big way in Deadly Hands Of Kung Fu #31 in 1976. He then teamed up with other prominent Marvel martial artists Iron Fist and White Tiger to take on the villainous Corporation.
The Corporation is an international business heavily invested in illegal activities. It's notable in the comics for being run by a cadre of villains, including Curtiss Jackson, The Power Broker, who is the so-far unrevealed villain of The Falcon And The Winter Soldier.
Marvel Knights
Shang-Chi made sporadic appearances in the comics after the rights became complicated for many of the characters he had been associated with, like Fu Manchu. Things began to change for Shang-Chi in the early 2000s. He became a prominent member of Marvel Knights, a group led by Daredevil.
Shang-Chi joined Daredevil, Black Widow, and Dagger to apprehend The Punisher, who was wanted for breaking the law. The Punisher would himself become part of the team in short order, but it didn't stay together for very long.
Heroes For Hire
Shang-Chi has been associated with a few Marvel teams, including Heroes For Hire. This iteration of the team was run by the Daughters Of The Dragon, Misty Knight and Colleen Wing. Shang-Chi joined them in the wake of the Superhuman Registration Act, which set off the consequential Civil War storyline in the comics.
This period ended in tragedy for Shang-Chi when he murdered his teammate, Humbug, after Humbug tried to sacrifice another friend, Tarantula, to the alien Brood invading the Earth.
The Five Weapons Society
In recent years, Shang-Chi discovered more about his past and family. He learned the truth behind his father's criminal organization, which was actually the Five Weapons Society. His father, Zheng Zu, created the secret society many centuries before.
Shang-Chi's half-brother and half-sister, Brother Sabre and Sister Dagger, reveal all of this to him, as well as the fact that he is intended to take over the society. Shang-Chi eventually takes his place as the Supreme Commander of the Five Weapons Society.
Member Of The Avengers
Shang-Chi became one of the most powerful members of the Avengers in the aftermath of the Avengers Vs. X-Men event in 2012. Iron Man sought him out, seeking to improve the power of the team, which had been revealed to be not exactly what was expected in the cataclysmic fight with the mutants.
Shang-Chi fought in many critical battles with the Avengers, including fighting alongside Wolverine against the gigantic dragon that the fictional Marvel country of Madripoor is built on top of.
The Protectors
Another major Marvel superhero team that Shang-Chi has been a part of is The Protectors. This team was composed of Asian-American superheroes including Hulk (Amadeus Cho), Silk, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Jimmy Woo, and Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan.
The team was abducted, along with numerous civilians from New York City, to an alien planet called Seknarf Seven. The Protectors had to fight their way to freedom against the Imperial Guard there, who sought to use their human captives as food.
Host Of The Phoenix Force
In the most current Avengers comics, Shang-Chi has become one of the many hosts of the all-powerful Phoenix Force, which returns to Earth seeking a new host and proceeds to audition each of the Avengers in turn, including Shang-Chi. This audition took the form of a trial by combat.
Though Shang-Chi was uniquely suited to win this tournament, he was encouraged by Captain America to "defeat" him, as Steve Rogers believed that Shang-Chi possessed the right qualities to be the host of the cosmic power. The Phoenix Force made Shang-Chi more angry and reckless, however, forcing him to reject using it.