Simu Liu won’t sign certain Shang-Chi comics at events due to their offensive nature

Simu Liu is attending an upcoming comic book convention in Washington D.C. to celebrate Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings but he has made it clear that he will not sign certain issues from Shang-Chi’s comic history due to their offensive nature.

According to the Ace Experience webpage for the Awesome Con website, Simu Liu has decided to not sign certain comics in Shang-Chi’s publication history. The issues in question belong to the original “Master of Kung Fu” series that first introduced the character and the infamous villain Dr. Fu Manchu. The comic was very popular upon its release but it also has left a racist stain on the character’s brand. Fu Manchu’s xenophobic traits remained with the character for years, even though Marvel Comics did eventually change his name to Zheng Zu. When the character was expected to join the MCU, Marvel boss Kevin Feige and director Destin Daniel Cretton had to discuss the issues with the character and it was decided, in the film, Zheng Zu would be replaced by the Mandarin, known as Wenwu in the MCU.

Shang-Chi was introduced to Marvel Comics in 1973 and made his debut in “Special Marvel Edition #15”, later titled “Master of Kung Fu. Also introduced at the time were Fah Lo Suee, Sir Dennis Nayland Smith, and Dr. Fu Manchu. The character of Fu Manchu originated in Sax Rohmer’s 1913 book series “The Mystery of Dr. Fu Manchu” and it was clear then that the character exhibited the xenophobic metaphor of “yellow peril”, which was an irrational racist fear that East Asian cultures were a threat to the Western world. In other words, it was something that was very problematic so I can see why Simu Liu wouldn’t want to celebrate those particular issues.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was released last September to solid reviews and stellar box office. The film holds a solid 91% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and it went on to gross $432.2 million at the worldwide box office. Not bad for a film featuring not as well-known to most moviegoers and a movie that had to deal with a box office that was recovering from the pandemic.

Do YOU agree with Simu Liu not signing certain issues of Shang-Chi?