Master of Kung Fu #105
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeMaster of Kung Fu #105 is the pivotal debut issue for the second and third incarnations of Razor-Fist — the Scott brothers, William and Douglas — whose shared origin as Carlton Velcro's surgically-bladed enforcers is fully revealed here for the first time, making it the definitive character-building chapter in the Razor-Fist legacy that stretches across Marvel history. The issue also resurrects Carlton Velcro, the original crime-lord villain of the series, revealing him to be alive and dependent on cybernetic enhancements — a narrative twist that recontextualized the threat structure of Doug Moench's long-running espionage saga. As a product of Gene Day's peak period as series penciler, the issue sits squarely in the critically praised stretch of the title that earned the book its reputation as one of the most accomplished action comics of the Bronze Age. The Razor-Fist concept — ordinary men transformed into living weapons by a wealthy criminal patron — later found its way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, giving this issue an enduring footprint in the character's multimedia history.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
Issue #105 was written by Doug Moench, who had been the series' primary writer since issue #22 and would remain so through #122. Art duties fell to Gene Day, the Canadian artist who had graduated from inking Mike Zeck's pencils to taking sole penciling responsibility from issue #102 onward; #105 thus falls directly in the heart of Day's celebrated solo run, which Comics Bulletin later ranked among the top Marvel works of its era. The issue was edited under Jim Shooter's tenure as Editor-in-Chief, with Dennis O'Neil serving as the direct book editor, and was released on July 21, 1981, with an October 1981 cover date. The story was later reprinted in the Brazilian anthology Superaventuras Marvel #47 (Editora Abril, May 8, 1986), one of the very few documented reprints of this portion of the run, reflecting the licensing complexities that have historically complicated wider collection of the series.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Title of story: 'The Razor-Fist Connection' (released July 21, 1981; cover-dated October 1981).
- First appearance of the second and third Razor-Fist characters: brothers William Scott and Douglas Scott, both servants of Carlton Velcro who each lost a hand in an accident and received prosthetic steel blade replacements — with William receiving a right-hand blade and Douglas a left-hand blade — allowing them to pose as a single operative.
- The origin of the Scott brothers as Razor-Fist II and III is revealed in this issue's narrative, distinguishing them from the original Razor-Fist (William Young), who first appeared in Master of Kung Fu #29 (1975) and had both hands replaced.
- Carlton Velcro — the heroin-kingpin villain introduced in Master of Kung Fu #29 — is revealed to be alive in this issue, now kept alive through cybernetic enhancements.
- Written by Doug Moench (series writer since #22) and fully penciled and inked by Gene Day, who served as solo series artist from #102 through #120.
- Edited by Dennis O'Neil under Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter; colored by Christie Scheele; lettered by Jim Novak.
- The issue's cast includes Shang-Chi, Leiko Wu, Sir Denis Nayland Smith, Black Jack Tarr, Clive Reston, Shen Kuei (the Cat), Fah Lo Suee, Pavane, and Juliette — nearly the full ensemble of Moench's long-running supporting cast.
- Reprinted in Superaventuras Marvel #47 (Editora Abril, Brazil; May 8, 1986); the Grand Comics Database also notes that the British edition variant was published simultaneously with the direct edition.
Cast · 17 characters
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Reprints
Reprinted in Eks almanah #441 (1985), Superaventuras Marvel #47 (1986), Shang-Chi: Master of Kung Fu Omnibus #4 (2017)
Key issues in Master of Kung Fu
Variants (2)
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