Chronic Toys: Eaglemoss Shang Chi lead figure

Shang Chi: Master of Kung Fu
Eaglemoss lead figure # 111
Comes with 15 page magazine
Suggested Retail: 5.99 pounds


I just wanted to document the fact that I have this, and you don't. These Eaglemoss figures are one of those things I probably shouldn't enjoy as much as I do. But I do.

Shang Chi has always been cool. The name means "rising and advancing of a spirit". (they usually reminded you of this at least three times an issue - who was writing those damn things, Gregg Hurwitz?) He was the best there was in the world at Kung Fu.

The problem was, his dad was the nefarious Fu Manchu. That guy was a pain in the ass back then, and I'm pretty sure he's the reason Marvel can't reprint Master of Kung Fu today. They lost the rights. Doh! His father's curse continues into the 21st Century!

Jim Starlin was writing this book back in the day. I think when most people think Starlin, they think Thanos and epic space action. I think Dreadstar. But he was good at philosopher ass-kickers as well. It was the Doug Moench stuff that really got me hooked, though. It was ground level human drama and a lot of punching people in their face.

And that's how Shang Chi got his spirit rising and advancing. He would run around trying to dispense justice with vicious round house kicks. For me, Kate Beckinsale is usually enough to get the spiritual compass pointing north. We're different people, is what I'm saying.

Every one of these Eaglemoss lead figures comes with a full color magazine, usually with a shockingly cogent and useful history of the character, and also completely beat to crap. They wrap the mag and the figure in a plastic bag that has no choice to but warp, bend, and ding the book during shipping. Here's how sick I am. It's not enough that I have a lead figure of a fictional karate guy displayed in my bedroom. I've actually considered the fact that someday somebody is going to find a pristine Eaglemoss magazine, get it graded by CGC, and their 9.8 book is going to net them about $1,200. You need to be a higher caliber nerd for those synapses to fire.

Incidentally, these things are supposed to cost 6 pounds, but since we deal in dollars here in The City That God Forgot, you can expect to pay about $12.00, and that's not too terrible. My Shang Chi is a bargain at any price.

- Ryan