Identity/Class: Human
Occupation: Assassin
Group Membership: Si-Fan
Affiliations: Batroc the Leaper (Georges Batroc), Rufus Carter, Cat (Shen Kuei), Daughters of the Dragon (Misty Knight & Colleen Wing), Death-Hand (Simon Bretnor), Fu Manchu, Jade Claw (Suwan), Midnight Sun (M'Nai), Pavane, Razor-Fist (Douglas Scott), Celia Ricadonna, Winner Rutherford, Shockwave (Lancaster Sneed), Spider-Bandit, Black Jack Tarr, Tiger-Claw, Zaran (Zhou Man She)
Enemies: Domino (Neena Thurman), Fah Lo Suee, Clive Reston, Shang-Chi, Sir Denis Nayland Smith, Black Jack Tarr, Emila Vachon
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: Mr. Chianti, Shadow Stalker
Base of Operations: Mobile at Fu Manchu's London bases
First Appearance: Giant-Size Master of Kung Fu#3 (March, 1975)
Powers/Abilities: The Shadow-Stalker is an accomplished martial artist, able to hold his own against Shang-Chi. He is particularly renowned for his ability to hide within shadows. He occasionally wears a twin mace in his hair which he can swing as a weapon.
History:
(Giant-Size Master of Kung Fu#3)- Considering the Shadow-Stalker to be his most trusted and highly regarded agent among the Si-Fan, Fu Manchu dispatched him to kidnap Sir Denis Nayland Smith of MI-6. Using one of Fu Manchu's Phansigars to blow out the tire of Smith's car, and provide a distraction for Shang-Chi, Shadow-Stalker swooped down as soon as Shang was gone, and quickly struck Black Jack Tarr, Clive Reston and Sir Denis Nayland Smith unconscious. He then carried Smith's body back to Fu Manchu's base hidden beneath Buckingham Palace.
When Shang-Chi came to Buckingham Palace in pursuit of Smith, Fu Manchu had him and Shadow-Stalker chained to a post in a concrete pit, and informed Shang that if he defeated Shadow-Stalker, Smith would be immediately slain by one of the Phansigars. Shang grappled with Shadow-Stalker, and managed to maneuver himself so that Shadow-Stalker's mace would break the chain holding him to the post. Shang then shattered the post with a powerful kick, knocking Shadow-Stalker unconscious.
(Master of Kung Fu I#28)- When Fah Lo Suee broke away from the Si-Fan to oppose Fu Manchu, Shadow-Stalker pretended to defect to her side, but only so that he could ruin her schemes. When Shang-Chi came to Fah Lo Suee's fortress in Honan, Shadow-Stalker revealed his true allegiances in order to assist Shang-Chi against Fah Lo Suee's forces. The two enemies fought side-by-side against Fah Lo Suee's men, defeating them with ease. Shadow-Stalker suggested to Shang-Chi that the two of them join forces and overthrow both Fu Manchu and Fah Lo Suee so that they could rule the Si-Fan themselves, but Shang refused his offer. Shadow-Stalker informed him that when they met next, they would again be enemies.
(Heroes for Hire II#4 (fb) - BTS) - Shadow-Stalker was hired by Ricadonna to take out Shang-Chi.
(Heroes for Hire II#4) - Shadow-Stalker attacked Shang-Chi in a restaurant in Chinatown, New York. He was able to injure Shang-Chi, but in the end the mace on his head got stuck in a wooden column and Shang-Chi knocked him out.
SECRET WARS III HAPPENED
(Daughters of the Dragon: Deep Cuts#1/5 (fb) - BTS) - Shadow-Stalker was caught by Emila Vachon and placed in her collection on her ship (she called it the Wine Cellar). His weapon was placed in her office while Shadow-Stalker was kept on board, kept docile in programmed behavior loops created by S.Q.U.I.D. technology (a high-tech collar around his neck) as Mr. Chianti.
(Daughters of the Dragon: Deep Cuts#1/5) - As part of his daily loop Mr. Chianti played tennis doubles with fellow captives. Mr. Tokay (Rufus Carter) was his partner and they played against Ms. Chardonnay (Colleen Wing) and Ms. Pinot (Misty Knight). When Colleen talked about a dream, Shadow-Stalker's loop got corrupted and he wasn't sure anymore if this was all just a dream or if they were all dead. Guards took Shadow-Stalker away. This loop repeated itself for several days.
(Daughters of the Dragon: Deep Cuts#1/6) - Shadow-Stalker was freed from the S.Q.U.I.D. collar's control when Colleen Wing, after breaking free herself upon seeing her sword, deactivated the mind-control system. Shadow-Stalker reacquired his double mace from Emila's office and put it back on his head. He took out two guards.
(Daughters of the Dragon: Deep Cuts#1/6 - BTS) - He was rescued from the ship.
(Domino III#5 (fb) - BTS) - Topaz (Cynthia Rossini) hired former enemies of Shang-Chi, including Cat, Death Hand, Jade Claw, Midnight Sun, Razor-Fist, Shadow-Stalker, Shockwave, Spider-Bandit, Black Jack Tarr, Tiger-Claw and others. They had orders not to kill Domino, but to hurt her by killing Shang-Chi.
(Domino III#5) - They all surrounded Shang-Chi and Domino at the Jett Club in Hong Kong where Shang-Chi had gone out for a dance with Domino.
Domino aided Shang-Chi against Shadow-Stalker and his allies. During the fight Domino jumped out of the way when Shadow-Stalker and Shockwave charged at her. Shadow-Stalker got electrocuted by Shockwave. Back on his feet Shadow-Stalker joined the others to go after Domino. Shang-Chi encouraged Domino to trust her powers and she walked right past Shockwave and Shadow-Stalker, who was hit by another electrical blast when Domino ducked to pick up a plate. She then tossed the plate in the air and it reflected Shadow-Slasher's in such a way that it hit Shockwave in the head, knocking him out as well. After seeing this and more the rest of the fighters decided to take a step back when Domino walked past them with two drinks she had made for herself and Shang-Chi.
Comments: Created by Doug Moench, Paul Gulacy and Vince Colletta.
Dr. Doom employed a robot duplicate of the Shadow-Stalker in Master of Kung Fu I#60.
Shadow-Stalker was included in the pin-up of Shang-Chi's foes found in Master of Kung Fu I#102.
In his first appearance, Shadow-Stalker only wore his hair-mace during his clash with Shang, but in his second appearance, he wore it all the time.
Shang has a few foes with unusual weapons attached to their bodies such as Razor-Fist and Shadow-Hand, but Shadow-Stalker has them both beat-- he can remove his mace!
One of Doug Moench's most avid readers of Master of Kung Fu was Bill Wu, who often took the creators to task over the colours chosen to colour Asian characters' skin. He was particularly offended by the banana-yellow colour used for the Shadow-Stalker. Moench later named Leiko Wu after Bill, as she was the first Asian character in Master of Kung Fu with a sensible skin colour. So, a request to all you Marvel creators out there planning to use Shadow-Stalker to jazz up your stories-- please don't use the banana-yellow skin tone!
Daughters of the Dragon: Deep Cuts was originally published as a digital series. Chapter 5-6 were published in January, 2019. I placed it before Domino because Shadow-Stalker had gained a lot of weight in Domino (see main image) and in Daughters of the Dragon he looked as lean as he did in the past.
--Markus Raymond
Profile by Prime Eternal. Update by Markus Raymond (Domino, Daughters of the Dragon).
CLARIFICATIONS: images:
Shadow-Stalker should not be confused with:
Domino III#6, Domino's Notes (main)
Giant-Size Master of Kung Fu#3, p30, pan1 (flying kick)
Giant-Size Master of Kung Fu#3, p47, pan1 (head mace)
Daughters of the Dragon: Deep Cuts#1/6, p14, pan2 (reunited with head mace)
Appearances:
Giant-Size Master of Kung Fu#3 (March, 1975) - Doug Moench (writer), Paul Gulacy (pencils), Vince Colletta (inks), Len Wein (editor)
Master of Kung Fu I#28 (May, 1975) - Doug Moench (writer), Ron Wilson, Ed Hannigan & Aubrey Bradford (pencils), Sal Trapani (inks), Len Wein (editor)
Heroes for Hire II#4 (January, 2007) - Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti (writers), Francis Portela & Billy Tucci (pencils), Tom Palmer & Terry Pallot (inks), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Domino III#5 (October, 2018) - Gail Simone (writer), David Baldeón (artist), Chris Robinson (editor)
Daughters of the Dragon: Deep Cuts - Chapter 5 (March, 2019) - Jed MacKay (writer), Travel Foreman (pencils), Joe Silver (inks), Nick Lowe (editor)
Daughters of the Dragon: Deep Cuts - Chapter 6 (March, 2019) - Jed MacKay (writer), Travel Foreman (artist), Nick Lowe (editor)
First Posted: 09/12/2004 Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
Last updated: 11/30/2021
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