MELISSA GREVILLE

Real Name: Melissa Greville

Identity/Class: Human

Occupation: Former secretary for Sir Denis Nayland Smith

Group Membership: Freelance Restorations, MI-6

Affiliations: former lover of Clive Reston

Enemies: Kogar, Leopard Cultists, Mad Slayer, Oriental Expediters, Ward Sarsfield, Maximillian Zaran

Known Relatives: Amanda "Mandy" Greville (younger sister), Shan Greville (uncle), Rima Barton Greville (aunt), Robert Greville (cousin, deceased), Sir Lionel Barton (great uncle)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: London, formerly Stormhaven Castle in Scotland

First Appearance: Master of Kung Fu I#42 (July, 1976)

Powers/Abilities: None

History: (MOKF I#42)- Melissa was called by Sir Denis Nayland Smith, to hear if she had located Dr. Petrie. She told him that she hadn’t found him yet, but that Shang-Chi was there to see him. She told Shang-Chi to go into to Sir Denis' office. Later she heard an explosion coming from Sir Denis’ office, and was shocked to see the office blown to pieces. Still later she was asked again by Sir Denis if she had located Dr. Petrie, but she told him that she still hadn’t been able to locate him.

(MOKF I#43)- Melissa told Sir Denis that Black Jack Tarr, Clive Reston and James Larner had arrived.

(MOKF I#45)- James Larner came to the MI-6 headquarters, met Melissa and learned that Sir Denis had been shot. He asked her where he was.

(MOKF I#47)- Seen walking in the MI-6 headquarters

(MOKF I#51)- Alongside Shang-Chi, Sir Denis, Black Jack Tarr, Leiko Wu, Dr. Petrie, Clive Reston and a few other MI-6 agents, Melissa was present at the funeral of James Larner. Later after the funeral Sir Denis told Melissa to bring in the cat, who she had taken care of since the bombing of Shang-Chi’s apartment. Suddenly the Oriental Expediters attacked. Melissa was shot in the stomach. After the Expediters were defeated, Melissa was hurried to a hospital.

(MOKF I#56 (BTS))- Miss Carstairs, Melissa’s temporary replacement as Sir Denis’ secretary, informed Sir Denis that Melissa was still in stable condition.

(MOKF I#61)- Sir Denis came to the hospital to pay Miss Greville a visit. Melissa was glad to see her boss, but also said he didn’t have to come: She was being released from the hospital that day, and Clive Reston was coming to escort her home. Sir Denis was glad to hear that she was doing fine, and gave her some work she could go over on the weekend, since he claimed that her temporary replacement Miss Carstairs wasn’t an efficient substitute, but rather that Miss Greville had a rather unique filing system. Later Clive Reston came to pick up Miss Greville. Melissa told him that he should stop calling her Miss Greville, and use her first name Melissa instead. Reston invited her home to a home cooked meal. Melissa said that she wasn’t aware secret agents could cook, but Reston answered that he picked up the talent from his father who was quite a gourmet, where to Melissa said “Yes, my mother mentioned that”, revealing that Melissa’s mother knew Reston’s father.

(MOKF I#63)- Melissa, who had never been outside of England, suddenly found herself in Hong Kong alongside Clive Reston. They went to the Jade Peacock, and found the place trashed, and the Hong Kong police arrived to arrest them both.

(MOKF I#65)- Both Reston and Melissa were taken in by the police. Reston claimed it was a set-up, and they knew that he and Melissa had nothing to do with the explosion at the Jade Peacock. While in the police car, one of the police men revealed that he knew Reston’s name. When the police car passed the police station without stopping, Reston knew something was wrong, and both he and Melissa tried to escape while being shot at by the false policemen.

(MOKF I#66)- Alongside Clive Reston, still on the run from the false police, Melissa tried to get to the Hong Kong branch of MI-6. They arrived there and learned that Leiko Wu had just left the building.

(MOKF I#67)- Melissa was told by the Hong Kong MI-6 agent that he believed that the false policemen might be Chinese government agents. Later alongside Reston, Melissa succeeded in finding Kogar's secret base. Still outside the base, they were attacked by Kogar’s men and shot one of them. Inside the base they were reunited with Leiko. When they were discovered, she escaped alongside Leiko and Reston.

(MOKF I#68)- Alongside Leiko and Reston, Melissa hid from Kogar’s men. She saw Shang-Chi talking with Kogar, and watched as Shang-Chi fought Shen Kuei.

(MOKF I#68/MOKF I#71 (fb))- Alongside Shang-Chi, Black Jack, Leiko Wu, Clive Reston and Juliette, Melissa fought Kogar.

(MOKF I#68)- Melissa tried to make Leiko feel better when Shang-Chi left her to go after Juliette.

(MOKF I#71 (fb))- Melissa was present when Shang-Chi came back from defeating Skullcrusher, and she returned to London with Leiko, Reston, Black Jack and Shang-Chi.

(MOKF I#72)- Melissa was walking in the streets alongside Clive Reston when a man stopped them, and was revealed to be Shockwave. Melissa tried to make him stop beating Reston. Reston told her to run for help. Melissa arrived at Sir Denis’ office, and yelled that Reston needed help. After Shang-Chi jumped outside the window to fight Shockwave, she was told by Leiko to barricade the door. She tried to make Leiko call the police, but Leiko and Sir Denis wouldn’t call the police since the police probably wouldn’t believe that the MI-6 was out to kill some of it’s former agents.

(MOKF I#73)- To try escaping the MI-6 agents--who were out to get Sir Denis and the rest of the former MI-6 agents--Clive Reston drove a car containing himself, Sir Denis and Melissa to an estate in Scotland, which had been in Smith’s family’s possession for centuries. While in the castle, Melissa thought to herself that she was not the right kind of woman for field agent work. Suddenly she was attacked by strange-looking men, robots controlled by Ward Sarsfield. She threatened them with a gun, but failed because she couldn’t shoot them in cold blood.

(MOKF I#74)- After Sir Denis was captured by the strange-looking men, he was brought to the same room, where they were keeping Melissa. Not long afterwards, Clive Reston found them, but was himself captured by the men, just as the man behind the kidnaping was revealed as MI-6's chief Ward Sarsfield.

(MOKF I#75)- Alongside Reston and Sir Denis, Melissa listened to Sarsfield's tale about why MI-6 wanted them.

(MOKF I#77)- Black Jack arrived at Sir Denis’ estate to find Melissa, Sir Denis and Reston all unconscious.

(MOKF I#78)- Melissa slowly regained consciousness.

(MOKF I#79)- Melissa listened to Zaran, and heard that Zaran had gained a new employer who considered them all to be enemies. She was freed when Shang-Chi cames to their rescue.

(MOKF I#80)- Melissa listened to Sir Denis’ theory as to whether Fu Manchu might still be alive, and learned that Sir Denis had had a man named Lyman Leeks stationed in South America for years, and that Leeks had contacted Sir Denis.

(MOKF I#81)- At Sir Denis' estate in Scotland alongside Leiko and Sir Denis, Melissa listened as Sir Denis telephoned Clive Reston.

(MOKF I#82)- After Leiko had left to go back to London, Melissa told Sir Denis that she was tired of being a helpless female, she wanted Leiko to train her in martial arts. Sir Denis tried to comfort her; the conversation was stopped when Fu Manchu’s Leopard-Cultists attacked the two. Melissa tried to escape in Sir Denis’ car, and suddenly Shang-Chi and his friends arrived to help Melissa. After they defeated the Leopard-cultists, Melissa told them she had failed, she had let the Leopard-cultists kidnap Sir Denis.

(MOKF I#83)- Melissa remained angry at herself for letting the Leopard Cultists kidnap Sir Denis.

(MOKF I#84)- Melissa saw Lyman Leeks threaten one of the captured Leopard-cultists with a gun to the man’s head. When the rest of the gang goes to Casablanca, Morocco, Black Jack told Melissa to stay home with Mrs. Haversman and Lyman Leeks.

(MOKF I#93 (BTS))- Black Jack told Shang-Chi and Leiko that Melissa had told him that her younger sister Mandy had been kidnaped.

(MOKF I#94)- Melissa was reunited with sister Mandy, who refused to recognize her as her sister. Melissa was hurt by that. Later Melissa ran a check on the computer about Samisdat and “The Dawning Light”. She learned that Samisdat had relations with the KGB.

(MOKF I#95)- Melissa listened to Mandy’s story about the time when she joined “The Dawning Cult”.

(MOKF I#96)- Melissa listened while Reston talked with Leiko on the phone, and heard him talk about Oryx. After Reston’s conversation was finished, she helped him check for eventual information on Oryx. After having learned the identity of Oryx she called Leiko to tell her that Oryx was Jeremiah Winston.

(MOKF I#98 (fb))- Melissa helped Mandy in making things ready for the new students who were to arrive at Stormhaven.

(MOKF I#100)- Melissa listened to Shang-Chi’s reading of Sir Denis’ journal. She decided she wanted to help Leiko, Shang-Chi and Reston in getting the new “Jack the Ripper”, aka the Mad Slayer. She visited Leiko at the hospital after she had been wounded by “Jack the Ripper”. She volunteered to serve as a decoy for trapping “Jack the Ripper”, and was attacked by him, but saved by Reston. Reston protected her, sending Shang-Chi after “Jack the Ripper”. Melissa arrived later after “Jack the Ripper” was dead, and heard the words of Fah Lo Suee about her hope that Fu Manchu was truly dead, before she left.

(MOKF I#101)- Alongside Clive Reston and Shang-Chi, Melissa visited Leiko Wu at the hospital. Clive and Melissa left her room while Shang-Chi stayed with her for a while.

(MOKF I#109)- Melissa helped her sister pack her things to move her school for blind kids. Clive Reston wanted a word with her, and told her that their relationship is off. She cried and told him that they came from different worlds, and when he some day wanted to retire from his world, he might want to be a part of her world, and maybe she would still be around for him, but he shouldn’t hold his breath. She said her farewell to her friends, although Sir Denis tried to convince her to stay another day, and left for London in a car alongside her sister.

(MOKF I#115)- Melissa came with some info on Li Ching-Lin that Fah Lo Suee had requested, revealing her to now be an employee of MI-6. She said that Li Ching-Lin reminded her of Shang-Chi and Fah Lo Suee agrees. When she leaves Fah Lo Suee she sees Sir Denis, and revealed to him that she was now working for MI-6. Sir Denis asked her if he could do anything for her, but she didn’t answer his question. After Sir Denis' meeting with Fah Lo Suee, Melissa asked about Clive Reston. Sir Denis asked if she was still in love with Reston, and she answered “not much anyway....”

(MOKF I#116): At MI-6 headquarters, Melissa had a short conversation with Mia Lessing a.k.a. Dark Angel

Comments: Created by Doug Moench & Paul Gulacy.

In the original Master of Kung Fu series, Doug Moench liked to plant references hinting that Clive Reston's father was actually James Bond. If Melissa's mother knew Clive's father well, it's pretty likely that Moench intended her to be Mary Goodnight, Bond's secretary at MI6 in the Bond novels written by Ian Fleming. (Notice they share the initials M.G.).
--Continental Op

Profile by: The Beetle

Clarifications:
Dark Angel, aka Mia Lessing, is not to be confused with:

Appearances:
Master of Kung Fu#43 (August, 1976) - Doug Moench (writer), Paul Gulacy (pencils), Jack Abel (inks), Marv Wolfman (editor)
Master of Kung Fu#45 (October, 1976) - Doug Moench (writer), Paul Gulacy (pencils), Pablo Marcos (inks), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Master of Kung Fu#47 (December, 1976) - Doug Moench (writer), Paul Gulacy (pencils), Pablo Marcos (inks), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Master of Kung Fu#51 (April, 1977) - Doug Moench (writer), Jim Craig (pencils), Pablo Marcos (inks), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Master of Kung Fu#56 (September, 1977) - Doug Moench (writer), Jim Craig (pencils), John Tartaglione (inks), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Master of Kung Fu#61 (February, 1978) - Doug Moench (writer), Jim Craig (pencils), John Tartaglione (inks), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Master of Kung Fu#63 (April, 1978) - Doug Moench (writer), Jim Craig (artist), Archie Goodwin (editor)
Master of Kung Fu#65 (June, 1978) - Doug Moench (writer), Jim Craig (pencils), Ricardo Villamonte & John Tartaglione (inks), Jim Shooter (editor)
Master of Kung Fu#66 (July, 1978) - Doug Moench (writer), Jim Craig & Mike Zeck (pencils), Many Hands (inks), Jim Shooter (editor)
Master of Kung Fu#67 (August, 1978) - Doug Moench (writer), Mike Zeck (pencils), Fred Kida (inks), Roger Stern (editor)
Master of Kung Fu#68 (September, 1978) - Doug Moench (writer), Mike Zeck (pencils), Bruce Patterson (inks), Roger Stern (editor)
Master of Kung Fu#71-75 (December, 1978 - April, 1979) - Doug Moench (writer), Mike Zeck (pencils), Bruce Patterson (inks), Roger Stern (editor)
Master of Kung Fu#77-84 (June, 1979 - January, 1980) - Doug Moench (writer), Mike Zeck (pencils), Gene Day (#77, #79-84) & Al Gordon (#78) (inks), Roger Stern (editor)
Master of Kung Fu#93-96 (October, 1980 - January, 1981) - Doug Moench (writer), Mike Zeck (pencils), Gene Day (inks), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Master of Kung Fu#98 (March, 1981) - Doug Moench (writer), Mike Zeck (pencils), Gene Day (inks), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Master of Kung Fu#100 (May, 1981) - Doug Moench (writer), Gene Day & Mike Zeck (pencils), Gene Day, Mike Zeck, John Beatty & Bob McLeod (inks), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Master of Kung Fu#101 (June, 1981) - Doug Moench (writer), Mike Zeck (pencils), Gene Day (inks), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Master of Kung Fu#109 (February, 1982) - Doug Moench (writer), Gene Day (pencils), Jack Abel (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Master of Kung Fu#115-116 (August-September, 1982) - Doug Moench (writer), Gene Day (artist), Ralph Macchio (editor)

Last updated: 08/24/13

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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