Publishers / Marvel / Kung Fu Special (1974) / #1
1[September] 1974
$1.00; 1.00 CAD

Kung Fu Special #1

Marvel · [September] 1974 · on sale July 23, 1974

First appearance: Bob DiamondFirst appearance: Abe BrownFirst appearance: Lin Sun
How to read this file
  • Every claim on this page traces to a public bibliographic record; the sources are listed at the bottom of the file.
  • A first-appearance badge means this is the earliest non-flashback appearance on record in this database.
  • Buy links are eBay affiliate links. They never change what the record says.

Identification plate

Series
Kung Fu Special (Marvel, 1974 series)
Issue
#1
Publication date
[September] 1974
Key date
September 1974
On-sale date
July 23, 1974
Indicia publisher
Magazine Management Co. Inc.
Price
$1.00; 1.00 CAD
Pages
84

Match the book in your hand against this plate before paying an edition-specific price.

Why this issue matters

First appearance of Bob Diamond - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Abe Brown - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Lin Sun - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

The evidence

Claims here come from the story records for this issue, listed under Sources at the bottom of the file. Character hubs with full evidence tables are coming to this site.

Contents

SeqStoryTypePagesCreditsCharacters
0Special Album Edition: The Deadly Hands of Kung Fucover1pencils: Harold Shull; inks: Harold Shull; colors: Harold ShullIron Fist; Shang Chi; Abe Brown
1-illustration1pencils: ?; ? (photograph); inks: ?; ? (photograph)Iron Fist; Shang Chi; David Carradine (as Kwai Chang Caine)
2The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu Special Album Editiontable of contents1pencils: John Buscema, Herb Trimpe, Mike Vosburg; inks: Dan Adkins, The Crusty BunkersSons of the Tiger; Iron Fist; Shang Chi
3The Rising and Advancing of a Spirittext article3script: Tony IsabellaLee (photograph of Bruce Lee); Roper (photograph of John Saxon); Williams (photograph of Jim Kelly); Bolo (photograph of Bolo Yeung); Han (photograph of Shih Kien)
4The Master Plan of Fu Manchucomic story1script: Tony Isabella; pencils: John Buscema; inks: John Buscema; letters: Annette KaweckiAbe Brown First, Bob Diamond First, Fu Manchu, Iron Fist, Danny Rand, Shang-Chi, Lin Sun First, Zheng Zu
5[The Master Plan of Fu Manchu] Chapter 1: Iron Fistcomic story10script: Doug Moench; pencils: Frank McLaughlin; inks: The Crusty Bunkers; letters: Annette KaweckiFu Manchu, Iron Fist, Danny Rand, Zheng Zu
6Kaii-Yaaahhh!text article10script: Mary Skrenes, J. David Warner
7-promo (ad from the publisher)1letters: typesetShang-Chi
8Fu Manchu, Sax Rohmer and Shang-Chitext article5script: David Kraft; pencils: Jim StarlinSax Rohmer (photograph); Fu Manchu (photograph of Boris Karloff); Fu Manchu (photograph of Warner Oland); Fu Manchu (photograph of Henry Brandon)
9A Non-Paid Commercial That Will Drive You CRAZYpromo (ad from the publisher)1pencils: ? (photograph); inks: ? (photograph); letters: typesetStan Lee
10Under the Pagodatext article3script: J. David Warner
11-promo (ad from the publisher)1pencils: Paul Gulacy
12[The Master Plan of Fu Manchu] Chapter 2: The Sons of the Tigercomic story11script: Chris Claremont; pencils: Herb Trimpe; inks: Herb Trimpe; letters: Charlotte JetterAbe Brown First, Bob Diamond First, Lin Sun First
13The Chinese Mechanictext article6script: J. David Warner
14-promo (ad from the publisher)1pencils: Gil Kane, John Romita; inks: Dick Giordano, John Romita
15Shaolin Flashbacktext article6script: Malachi RoninKwai Chang Caine (photograph of David Carradine); Master Po (photograph of Keye Luke)
16[The Master Plan of Fu Manchu] Chapter 3: The Hands of Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fucomic story11script: Doug Moench; pencils: Mike Vosburg; inks: Dan Adkins; letters: Tom OrzechowskiFu Manchu, Shang-Chi, Denis Nayland Smith, Black Jack Tarr, Zheng Zu
17[The Master Plan of Fu Manchu] Epilog:comic story1script: Tony Isabella; pencils: John Buscema; inks: John Buscema; letters: Annette KaweckiAbe Brown First, Bob Diamond First, Iron Fist, Danny Rand, Lin Sun First
19-promo (ad from the publisher)0.5pencils: Rich BucklerGabriel, Devil-Hunter
20Dracula Lives!promo (ad from the publisher)1letters: typesetDracula
22Missed Any Marvel Masterpieces Lately?promo (ad from the publisher)2pencils: various; inks: various; letters: typeset
23-promo (ad from the publisher)0.5letters: typesetSimon Garth
25The U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfarepublic service announcement0.75pencils: ? (photograph); inks: ? (photograph); letters: typeset

Plus 5.25 pages of advertisements and other matter across 7 sequences, as published.

Where to read it

CollectionYear
Special Collector's Edition Featuring Savage Fists of Kung Fu #11975On eBay ›
Iron Fist: Deadly Hands of Kung Fu - The Complete Collection #[nn]
ISBN 978-1-302-91627-5
2019On eBay ›
Deadly Hands of Kung Fu Omnibus #1
ISBN 978-1-302-90133-2
2016On eBay ›
Iron Fist: Danny Rand - The Early Years Omnibus #[nn]
ISBN 978-1-302-95485-7
2024On eBay ›

Reading the story costs a fraction of owning the issue. Both routes are on every file.

Before you buy

  • Canadian and Whitman editions exist for many bronze books; match the barcode area to the plate.
  • Look for Mark Jewelers inserts and date stamps - they affect collector preference, not authenticity.

Series context

1 of 1

Sources

  • Grand Comics Database, issue record (CC BY-SA 4.0)
  • Wikidata, Q66193683 (Abe Brown), first-appearance property (CC0)

Found an error in this file? corrections@comicrecord.com