When a new movie breaks box office records, that's when fans know they're in for a treat with something special. That has certainly been the case with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. It has received rave reviews from most fans and critics, and it's been bringing in big money too.
But a lot of moviegoers probably aren't as familiar with Shang-Chi's early days in Marvel Comics and how much he's changed since debuting in 1973. The Master of Kung Fu is still one of the best hand-to-hand fighters in any comic book universe, but he's definitely not the same guy he starts out as in the old days.
10 His Look Has Changed A Lot
The most obvious thing that's changed about Shang-Chi over the years is his appearance. When he started out, he definitely had a design that people would consider stereotypical of the entertainment industry in that era.
From his hair to the clothes to the fact that he frequently didn't have a shirt on, Shang-Chi looked like a character straight out of a B-Movie. These days, his look and style are more of his own, and more representative of the caliber of hero he truly is.
9 Fu Manchu Has Faded Away
Much like in the movie, Shang-Chi was trained by his powerful crimelord father to be a relentless killing machine. And on his first mission, Shang-Chi ran off and did his own thing. But in the comics, he directly opposed his father from day one and became his greatest enemy.
In the comics, Shang-Chi's father was Fu Manchu, a controversial character from books and movies predating his appearance in Marvel Comics. Fortunately, he has faded into the background over the years as he would not be acceptable in this day and age, nor should he be.
8 He's No Longer A Spy
After leaving the influence of his father behind, Shang-Chi became a master of espionage as well as kung fu. In most cases, he practiced this craft as part of varied attempts to take his evil father down. But it also brought him into contact with other heroes like Iron Fist.
These days, Shang-Chi is a straight-up hero and has largely left the life of being an international man of mystery behind. It was actually quite a career shift and one that eventually brought him to the forefront of Marvel's roster.
7 He Started Training Other Heroes
The level of skill that Shang-Chi possesses is incredible. He has been training since almost the day he was born to be one of the most dangerous people on Earth. Shang-Chi's abilities in hand-to-hand combat are virtually unparalleled.
He has reached a point where he is training other heroes to be better fighters. When Spider-Man lost his spider-sense, an essential part of his fighting style, Shang-Chi trained him to fight without it. This made Spider-Man even more dangerous in the long run.
6 He Was The Phoenix For A Hot Minute
There was a long time when the Phoenix Force was associated only with Jean Grey. This cosmic entity was drawn to her, blessing the powerful Mutant with abilities beyond her wildest imaginations.
But these days, the Phoenix Force changes partners quite frequently. Seeing Shang-Chi with that level of power was shocking, to say least, but he wore it well. The reality is that he never would have found himself in that kind of position back in the day.
5 He Joined The Avengers
When Shang-Chi first got started, he was pretty much on his own in his battle against his father. He had the support of MI6, which proved to be key in that era. But interactions with the rest of Marvel's heroes were few and far between.
Things have changed rather drastically. Shang-Chi is now a regular member of the Avengers roster, making him part of some recent and absurd missions. Being part of Marvel's top-tier team is exactly where a hero of Shang-Chi's ability belongs.
4 He Frequently Teams Up With Captain America
There was a point when Shang-Chi finally started interacting with the rest of Marvel's heroes. In those early days, he found himself teaming up with the aforementioned Iron Fist as well as other comparable heroes like Daredevil.
But one of the more interesting modern bonds he has formed is with Captain America. The connection they've formed has proven to be important to both of them. It comes down to them both being men of honor and having a strong mutual respect for each other.
3 He Became Part Of Galactic Battles
Shang-Chi's earliest wars were primarily against his father and his criminal empire. As time went on, he was drawn into other aspects of Marvel Comics. At one point, Daredevil actually brought him in as part of a team to help hunt down the Punisher.
Joining the Avengers has put Shang-Chi in some massive confrontations with galactic implications. The time when he was left out of all the major Marvel crossovers wasn't actually that long ago.
2 He Moved Past His Racist Origins
So much of Shang-Chi's early days were openly racist. At the time of his debut, that wasn't seen as the case. The way he was portrayed wasn't abnormal in media as many characters of Asian descent were depicted in minimizing and stereotypical fashions back then.
That was why so many aspects of Shang-Chi's origins, such as his father, were changed for the movie. Those same aspects have been left in the past and rarely come up in his modern comic book appearances.
1 Shang-Chi Is Now An A-List Character
After making his debut in the 1970s, Shang-Chi was, at absolute best, a B-player in Marvel Comics. While he did have his fans, he certainly wasn't in the upper echelon of the comics. Things got worse as he faded further into the background and was rarely used for a long time.
The modern Shang-Chi is definitely an A-list Marvel hero. He has a lot of fans and has been a huge part of some incredible stories. His character growth over the last 10 to 15 years has been absolutely phenomenal and well-deserved.
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