ZARAN
Real Name: Zhou Man She
Identity/Class: Human;
citizen of Hong Kong
Occupation: Assassin, mercenary
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Batroc the Leaper (Georges Batroc), Rufus Carter, Cat (Shen Kuei), Dacoits, Daughters of the Dragon (Misty Knight & Colleen Wing), Fu Manchu, Mr. Lu, Pavane, Winner Rutherford, Shadow-Stalker, Zingh;
formerly Raoul Bushman (see comments), One-Eye, Shadow-Hand (Li Chun) & his three unidentified handmaidens, Si-Fan
Enemies: "Marvel Knights" (Luke Cage, Daredevil/Matt Murdock, Moon Knight/Marc Spector, Shang-Chi), NYPD, Clive Reston, Shang-Chi, Si-Fan, Black Jack Tarr, Emila Vachon, Yeti
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: Mr. Muscatel
Base of Operations: Mobile in New York City;
formerly 23 Dragonsgate Street, Hong Kong;
formerly an apartment somewhere in Hong Kong
First Appearance: Master of Kung Fu: Bleeding Black#1 (February, 1991)
Powers/Abilities: Zhou Man She was trained by in all forms of armed and unarmed combat. He used a wide variety of weapons including katanas, kunai, kusarigama, manriki-kusari, nunchakus, sais, shotel, shuriken and numerous other bladed weapons. He is also capable of turning pretty much any item into a deadly weapon.
Height: Unrevealed (6'3"; by approximation)
Weight: Unrevealed (240 lbs.; by approximation)
Eyes: Unrevealed (possibly brown)
Hair: Black
History:
(Master of Kung Fu: Bleeding Black#1 (fb) - BTS) - Zhou Man She was trained by Maximillian Zaran. He left his master when he believed that he had learned everything he could from him and had actually surpassed him. Zhou Man She took on the mantle of Zaran because he liked the look and the weapons and started his own career as a masked mercenary.
(Marvel Knights I#13 (fb) - BTS) - Zaran (Zhou Man She) ran one General Bushman's death squads during the civil war in Burunda. (see comments)
(Master of Kung Fu: Bleeding Black#1 (fb) - BTS) - Zaran was hired by the immensely rich Shadow-Hand (Li Chun), a former servant of Fu Manchu, who sought the Elixir Vitae and paid Zaran $100,000 to deliver Fu Manchu's reliquary to him. Zaran was secretly also paid by the Si-Fan to aid them in the same cause. After learning about a courier delivering Fu Manchu's reliquary to MI-6 members Clive Reston and Black Jack Tarr, who sought the Elixir Vitae to save their friend Shang-Chi from a long-acting poison given to him by the arms dealer Argus, Shadow-Hand sent Zaran after the courier to steal it.
(Master of Kung Fu: Bleeding Black#1) - Zaran stabbed the courier and stole the reliquary, but before the man died he could tell Reston and Tarr, who found him, that Zaran was behind the theft.
Zaran delivered the reliquary to Shadow-Hand in his mansion in Hong Kong and assured him that the map leading to the Elixir Vitae and every other secret of Fu Manchu could be found inside the reliquary.
While Shang-Chi, Reston and Tarr learned Zaran's address from known criminal One-Eye by threatening him, Shadow-Hand thanked Zaran for his services and asked him if Shang-Chi was the son of Fu Manchu, which Zaran confirmed. Zaran assured Shadow-Hand that he would soon meet Shang-Chi and Shadow-Hand could hardly await it because he planned to kill him by himself. Zaran asked Shadow-Hand if he could live at his place, alongside Shadow-Hand's handmaiden, because he hardly went home anyway at this point. Meanwhile Shang-Chi found in Zaran's apartment a check issued by Li Chun. Shang-Chi made his way to Li Chun's mansion, took out the guard dogs and solved the reliquary puzzle to learn the location of the Elixir Vitae in a hidden temple on an island. After escaping the mansion unnoticed by Shadow-Hand he was caught outside by Zaran, who tossed one of the guard dogs in Shang-Chi's direction, killing the dog in the process. Shang-Chi quickly realized that this was not the same man he had previously known as Zaran, but the new Zaran told him that he was even better. Zaran gained the upper hand in the fight, but was distracted by incoming guards, which allowed Shang-Chi to escape over the fence. Zaran was afraid to report what had happened, but Shadow-Hand had observed the fight and was already aware that Shang-Chi had outperformed Zaran, which Zaran would not accept as a fact. Though Shadow-Hand was glad the reliquary had not been stolen because Zaran had intervened, but Zaran revealed that Shang-Chi would interfere again because he had stolen the whereabouts of the Elixir Vitae from the reliquary. Zaran gave Shadow-Hand a map Shang-Chi had dropped. Shadow-Hand ordered Zaran to get ready to get to this island that night.
The next morning Shadow-Hand arrived with Zaran on the island where Zaran demanded from the Si-Fan to lower their weapons. Shadow-Hand declared himself the Si-Fan's new leader, but they got mad at him when Zaran showed them Fu Manchu's reliquary. The Si-Fan decided to rather take the stolen reliquary back than accept Shadow-Hand as their leader, but Shadow-Hand fought them off. When one of the Si-Fan asked Zaran to aid them, Zaran killed him with a spear. Shadow-Hand now knew that Zaran would eventually turn on him, which Zaran kind of confirmed, but he promised to be loyal to Shadow-Hand for now. Zaran and some of the Si-Fan followed Shadow-Hand to an inactive volcano. On their way there Zaran asked Shadow-Hand if he had been on this island before, which he was. He only needed the reliquary Zaran was carrying as a key to unlock the entrance to Fu Manchu's hidden base. Arriving at a door inside the volcano Shadow-Hand ordered Zaran to put on Fu Manchu's ring and hold it up five feet away from the firebird on the door. Zaran was shocked when the door suddenly opened. Inside the found a temple that looked exactly like the reliquary. Zaran left because he had felt someone was following them the whole time. Shadow-Hand knew it was the Yeti, but he didn't tell Zaran. A short time later in the woods Zaran found Shang-Chi fighting the Yeti in the woods and, while hiding in a tree, hit the Yeti with a throwing knife in the back. He continued using throwing knives at his enemies, but Shang-Chi hit Zaran with a blow dart in the hand and the mercenary fell out of the tree and down a cliff. Shang-Chi broke his spear and tossed it down to Zaran's unconscious body.
(Marvel Knights I#4 (fb) - BTS) - Fu Manchu hired Zaran to acquire the Z99 chemical agent from A.I.M. without leaving behind any witnesses.
(Marvel Knights I#4) - Zaran went through the sewers to break in to an A.I.M. base. After killing four agents he went to their biological weapons lab.
Zaran continued to make his way through the facility. Four armed guards were sent after him when he was spotted on the cameras, but he slew them all before going deeper into the facility. Zaran killed four more agents before opening a level 4 decon unit wherein he found A.I.M. operatives wearing hazmat suits. He slew two while one of them launched for a lever only to be killed as well. Zaran then stole a cylinder containing the Z99 chemical agent. He took a secret elevator to the top and ended up in a house on Pleasant Lane, which A.I.M. used as a front. The Thomas family living in 1212 Pleasant Lane was actually robots, which Zaran destroyed.
Zaran delivered the chemical agent to Fu Manchu and assured him that he had left behind no witnesses. Fu Manchu was proud of him and gave him another assignment, killing Fu Manchu's son Shang-Chi, which Zaran had previously faced.
(Marvel Knights I#6 (fb) - BTS) - Fu Manchu promised Zaran his own kingdom for Shang-Chi's head.
(Marvel Knights I#5 (fb) - BTS) - Zaran slew the family Shang-Chi lived with at the time.
(Marvel Knights I#5) - Shang-Chi was shocked when he found Aunt Mui and her husband dead on the ground floor. Zaran then confronted him.
(Marvel Knights I#6) - Zaran attacked Shang-Chi in the name of Fu Manchu. Zaran was impressed by Shang-Chi's skills, but knew that Shang-Chi's ongoing existence dishonored Fu Manchu. Shang-Chi jumped through a window to Canal Street where the lengthy battle ensued between the two martial artists. During the battle Zaran not only seemingly killed two cops with throwing knives, but also destroyed an innocent bystander's camera. It ended when Shang-Chi bound Zaran to a car with Zaran's own chain whip. Zaran was arrested by the police.
(Marvel Knights I#7 - BTS) - The police found a wide variety of weapons on Zaran, who revealed his name to them, but surprisingly didn't ask for a lawyer even though they had arrested him for murder.
(Marvel Knights I#7) - Zaran was sitting in the interrogation room handcuffed to a chair while two detectives discussed to start the paperwork. When they left he spit out a dart and opened his handcuffs. When the detectives returned Zaran was already gone.
(Marvel Knights I#11 (fb) - BTS) - Zaran somehow escaped custody.
(Marvel Knights I#11) - Fu Manchu sent Mr. Lu and Zingh after Zaran to punish him for his failure to kill Shang-Chi. Lu ordered Zingh to remove Zaran's head, but Zaran broke the window of the Maylay Trading Company store to arm himself with several knives. Zaran threw the knives at Zingh, but none of them could even crack his skin. Zingh tossed Zaran through the window, which Lu considered a mistake. Inside the store Zaran armed himself with hammers and ultimately knocked Zingh out with a jackhammer only to be knocked out himself by an electrical blast from Lu's walking stick.
When Zaran regained consciousness his head was about to be squashed by Zingh. Fu Manchu, using a holographic device, was merciful that day and gave Zaran another chance to kill Shang-Chi, which Zaran gladly took even it.
(Marvel Knights I#12) - Zaran led Lu and Zingh to the headquarter of the "Marvel Knights," a team Shang-Chi had joined. Lu informed Fu Manchu about the situation, and Fu Manchu sent out the Dacoits and asked Zaran to lead them into battle against Shang-Chi and his allies.
(Marvel Knights I#13) - Zaran and group of Dacoits walked up the side of the building the "Marvel Knights" had their HQ inside while other Dacoits planted explosives on a column in the sub-basement and others attacked the HQ from the inside. Fu Manchu gave Zaran ten minutes to kill Shang-Chi or else he would do it himself. Zaran crashed through the window and immediately recognized Marc Spector, a mercenary like himself, among Shang-Chi's allies. Zaran revealed to Spector that they had nearly met before in Burunda while Zaran was part of one of the president's Death Squads, which, looking back, Zaran considered unrewarding work. Spector managed to disarm Zaran and swipe him off his feet, but Zaran had still a few throwing daggers, which hit Spector all over his body. Shang-Chi and Daredevil then took over the attack on Zaran, who eventually went down after a kick to the head from Shang-Chi. With blood dripping from his nose and mouth Zaran revealed that they would now all be punished by Fu Manchu. Moments later a massive explosion rocked the building.
(Marvel Knights I#14) - Moments before the whole building collapsed the "Marvel Knights" escaped in Moon Knight's Moonwing. Zaran jumped on to the place and held on to it by ramming two blades, attached to a chain, into the hull. Zaran soon jumped off the Moonwing and tried to make it to a nearby building, but he tumbled down the side of the building and once again used the blades and chain to stop his fall by ramming the blades into the wall and holding on to the chain.
SECRET WARS III HAPPENED
(Daughters of the Dragon: Deep Cuts#1/5 (fb) - BTS) - Zaran was caught by Emila Vachon and placed in her collection on her ship (she called it the Wine Cellar). His mask was placed in her office while Zaran 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. Muscatel.
(Daughters of the Dragon: Deep Cuts#1/5) - As part of his daily loop Mr. Muscatel attended a each evening. One night Zaran told Ms. Pinot (Misty Knight) that Mr. Shiraz had been invited to dine with the director. Misty Knight was still struggling to accept the loop, but was told by Zaran and Pavane that they were on holiday, which was the reason why every day pretty much felt the same.
Each night at the party Zaran reminded Misty that they were on holiday.
(Daughters of the Dragon: Deep Cuts#1/6) - Zaran 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. Zaran used a broom to fight three guards.
(Daughters of the Dragon: Deep Cuts#1/6 - BTS) - He was rescued from the ship.
Comments: Created by Doug Moench, Dan & David Day.
In Marvel Knights I#13 Zaran mentioned he nearly encountered Marc Spector in the past during the civil war in Urundu. This is probably a typo and should actually be Burunda, which was ruled by Raoul Bushman at the time of a civil war. Zhou Man She was probably active during Marc Spector: Moon Knight#11-14 (February-May, 1990) or earlier during events not seen in the comics.
His real name was revealed in Zaran's profile in All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Update#4 (December, 2007).
Daughters of the Dragon: Deep Cuts was originally published as a digital series. Chapter 5-6 were published in January, 2019. Zaran was seen without his mask in this series and he was bald and looked like Zhou.
--Markus Raymond
Profile by Markus Raymond.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Zaran (Zhou Man She) should not be confused with:
images (without ads)
Marvel Knights I#6, p1 (main)
Marvel Knights I#7, p13, pan4 (head shot)
Master of Kung Fu: Bleeding Black#1, p27, pan4 (first appearance)
Marvel Knights I#4, p1 (through the sewer)
Appearances:
Master of Kung Fu: Bleeding Black#1 (February, 1991) - Doug Moench (writer), Dan & David Day (pencils/inks), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Marvel Knights I#4-6 (October-December, 2000) - Chuck Dixon (writer), Ed Barreto (pencils), Klaus Janson (inks), Joe Quesada & Nanci Dakesian (editors)
Marvel Knights I#7 (January, 2001) - Chuck Dixon (writer), Ed Barreto (pencils), Nelson DeCastro (inks), Nanci Dakesian (editor)
Marvel Knights I#11-13 (May-July, 2001) - Chuck Dixon (writer), Ed Barreta (pencils), Nelson DeCastro (inks), Stuart Moore & Nanci Dakesian (editors)
Marvel Knights I#14 (August, 2001) - Chuck Dixon (writer), Mike Lilly (pencils), Nelson DeCastro (inks), Stuart Moore & Nanci Dakesian (editors)
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: 06/03/2021
Last updated: 12/28/2023
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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