Chao Sima

Born into the shadowy world of Marvel's Bronze Age martial arts boom, Chao Sima made their debut in Master of Kung Fu #62 in 1978, conjured by the prolific creative team of Doug Moench and Jim Craig during one of the most atmospheric runs in the House of Ideas. Over a surprisingly durable span stretching nearly four decades to 2017, this figure has surfaced across the rich landscape of Marvel's kung fu titles — Master of Kung Fu, Deadly Hands of Kung Fu, and the sweeping omnibus collections that have introduced new generations to this corner of the Marvel Universe. With only a dozen catalog appearances, Chao Sima is a rare and intriguing presence, the kind of character who haunts the margins of stories featuring Shang-Chi, Leiko Wu, Clive Reston, and Black Jack Tarr — a compelling reason for dedicated collectors to dig deep into one of Bronze Age Marvel's most distinctive and underappreciated genres.