Shang-Chi Was Born From Marvel’s Failed Plan To Adapt The Kung Fu Television Series
There’s an old saying that goes, “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” and within those proverbial words of wisdom lies the origin of Shang-Chi. Before the iconic comic book character came to be, Marvel Comics wanted to adapt the television series Kung Fu as a comic book, but with WarnerMedia (then Warner Communications), the property’s owner, also owning Marvel’s rival DC Comics, that was never going to happen.
Instead of adapting the ABC action series, Marvel instead bought the rights to Sax Rohmer’s Dr. Fu Manchu character, which gave them the ability to use the villain and various scenarios that would eventually lead to the creation of Shang-Chi, but also a number of other issues down the road, as Marvel writer Jim Starlin revealed in an interview with Universo HQ years after the fact.