Kung (comics)

Comics character

Kung

Kung as depicted in Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #13 (March 1986). Art by Denys Cowan (penciler) and Dick Giordano (inker).

Publication information
Publisher| DC Comics
First appearance| Wonder Woman #237 (November 1977)
Created by| Gerry Conway
José Delbo
In-story information
Alter ego| Thomas Morita
Notable aliases| Assassin of a Thousand Claws
Abilities| Ability to transform into animals

Kung, Assassin of a Thousand Claws is a fictional character appearing in DC Comics publications and related media, commonly as a recurring foil of the superhero Wonder Woman.[1] A Japanese-American mercenary with the magical ability to transform into animals, he first appeared in 1977's Wonder Woman #237,[2] written by Gerry Conway and illustrated by José Delbo. He would reappear several years later in both All-Star Squadron and Who's Who in the DC Universe, as well as in Crisis on Infinite Earths, the 1985 company-wide publication event that rebooted DC Comics' continuity. After the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Wonder Woman and her supporting characters and foes were re-imagined. Though originally absent from this revised mythos, Kung was reintroduced for the Modern Age in 1998's Guns of the Dragon, a four-issue DC Comics limited series by Tim Truman. An updated version of the character, a shape-shifting martial arts master, would emerge to once again confront Wonder Woman in 2007's Wonder Woman (vol. 3) Annual #1, written by Allan Heinberg and illustrated by Terry Dodson and Rachel Dodson.

## Fictional character biography

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### Thomas Morita

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Thomas Morita is a Japanese-American man whose parents die during the Great Depression. Afterward, he becomes a samurai and undergoes a mystical process that gives him the ability to transform into animals.[3][4]

In Wonder Woman #237, Kung is killed while saving his sister Nancy from a teetering battleship.[5] The Monitor later retrieves him, among other heroes, to battle the Anti-Monitor in Crisis on Infinite Earths.[6][7]

In post-Crisis continuity, Kung is killed during the bombing of Hiroshima, but returns as a spirit to battle the Justice Society of America.

### Kung II

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A second unidentified Kung appears in Wonder Woman (vol. 3) Annual #1 (2007).

## Powers and abilities

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Kung can transform himself into animal forms through concentration. His animal forms are larger than their normal counterparts and maintain his human mind. He is also a skilled samurai and martial artist.

## See also

[edit]

* List of Wonder Woman enemies

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Jimenez, Phil; Wells, John (2010). The Essential Wonder Woman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. p. 234\. ISBN 978-0345501073.
2. ^ Rovin, Jeff (1987). The Encyclopedia of Supervillains. New York: Facts on File. p. 183\. ISBN 0-8160-1356-X.
3. ^ All-Star Squadron #8 (April 1982)
4. ^ All-Star Squadron #42-43 (February–March 1985)
5. ^ Wonder Woman #237-238 (November–December 1977)
6. ^ Crisis on Infinite Earths #5 (August 1985)
7. ^ Crisis on Infinite Earths #9 (December 1985)

* v
* t
* e

Justice Society of America

* Gardner Fox
* Sheldon Mayer

Initial members|

* Atom (Al Pratt)
* Doctor Fate (Kent Nelson)
* Flash (Jay Garrick)
* Green Lantern (Alan Scott)
* Hawkman (Carter Hall)
* Hourman (Rex Tyler)
* Sandman (Wesley Dodds)
* Spectre
* Johnny Thunder and Thunderbolt

Other members|

* Amazing-Man (Markus Clay)
* Atom Smasher
* Batman
* Black Adam
* Black Canary
* Dinah Drake
* Dinah Laurel Lance
* Captain Marvel
* Citizen Steel
* Crimson Avenger
* Cyclone
* Damage
* Doctor Fate (Hector Hall • Kent V. Nelson • Khalid Nassour)
* Doctor Mid-Nite
* Charles McNider
* Beth Chapel
* Pieter Cross
* Dyna-Mite
* Hawkgirl
* Kendra Saunders
* Shiera Sanders Hall
* Hourman
* Matthew Tyler
* Rick Tyler
* Huntress (Helena Wayne)
* Jade
* Jakeem Thunder
* Jesse Quick/Liberty Belle
* Judomaster (Sonia Sato)
* King Chimera
* Liberty Belle
* Lightning
* Magog
* Manhunter (Kate Spencer)
* Miss America
* Mister America (Jeffrey Graves)
* Mister Terrific
* Michael Holt
* Terry Sloane
* Obsidian
* Power Girl
* Red Tornado
* John Smith
* Ma Hunkel
* Robin
* Sandman (Sandy Hawkins)
* Star-Spangled Kid (Sylvester Pemberton)
* Stargirl
* Starman
* Jack Knight
* Ted Knight
* Thom Kallor
* S.T.R.I.P.E.
* Superman
* Kal-El of Earth-22
* Kal-L of Earth-2
* Wildcat
* Ted Grant
* Yolanda Montez
* Tom Bronson
* Wonder Woman
* Diana of Earth-2
* Hippolyta

Enemies|

| Golden Age|

* Black Dragon Society
* Evil Star
* Injustice Society of the World
* Brain Wave
* Fiddler
* Gambler
* Harlequin
* Huntress
* Icicle
* Per Degaton
* Shade
* Solomon Grundy
* Sportsmaster
* Thinker
* Vandal Savage
* Wizard
* Psycho-Pirate
* Ultra-Humanite
* Wotan

|

Silver and Bronze Ages|

* Baron Blitzkrieg
* Darkseid
* Crime Syndicate of America
* Epoch
* Eclipso
* King Kull
* Kobra
* Kung
* Mordru
* Nebula Man
* Secret Society of Super Villains
* Spirit King
* Stalker
* T. O. Morrow

Modern Age|

* Anti-Monitor
* Atomic Skull
* Axis Amerika
* Black Adam
* Blackbriar Thorn
* Cheetah
* Crime Doctor
* Doctor Destiny
* Doctor Polaris
* Extant
* Felix Faust
* General Wade Eiling
* Gentleman Ghost
* Gog
* Hugo Danner
* Isis
* Kulak
* Major Force
* Mammoth
* Mekanique
* Mirror Master
* Roulette
* Sabbac
* Zoom

Related teams|

* All-Star Squadron
* Freedom Fighters
* Infinity, Inc.
* Justice League
* Seven Soldiers of Victory
* Squadron of Justice
* Young All-Stars

Storylines|

* America vs. the Justice Society
* The Justice Society Returns
* The Lightning Saga
* Brightest Day

Publications|

* All Star Comics
* America vs. the Justice Society
* Last Days of the Justice Society of America
* DC Comics Two Thousand
* Earth 2
* The New Golden Age

Related articles|

* Earth-Two
* List of Justice Society titles

In other media|

* Justice League: The New Frontier
* Smallville
* Absolute Justice
* Young Justice
* Legends of Tomorrow
* Stargirl
* Justice Society: World War II
* Black Adam

* v
* t
* e

Wonder Woman

* William Moulton Marston
* Elizabeth Holloway Marston
* Olive Byrne
* H. G. Peter
* Other contributors

Characters|

| Wonder Women|

* Diana Prince
* Orana
* Artemis of Bana-Mighdall
* Hippolyta
* Nubia
* Wonder Girls
* Cassie Sandsmark
* Donna Troy
* Yara Flor

|

Supporting
characters|

* Antiope
* Etta Candy
* Fury
* Hephaestus
* Heracles/Hercules
* Hermes
* I Ching
* Julia and Vanessa Kapatelis
* Justice League
* Mala
* Nemesis (Thomas Tresser)
* The Olympian
* Paula von Gunther
* Philippus
* Poseidon
* Queen Desira
* Helena Sandsmark
* Sarge Steel
* Steve Trevor
* Wonder Man
* Zeus
* Zola

Enemies|

* Ares
* Baron Blitzkrieg
* Baroness Paula von Gunther
* Blue Snowman
* Veronica Cale
* Cheetah
* Circe
* Dark Angel
* Decay
* Doctor Cyber
* Doctor Poison
* Doctor Psycho
* Duke of Deception
* Egg Fu
* Eviless
* First Born
* Genocide
* Giganta
* Hades
* Hypnota
* Kung
* Mask
* Maxwell Lord
* Medusa
* Minister Blizzard
* Osira
* Queen Clea
* Silver Swan
* Superwoman
* Tezcatlipoca
* Zara

Factions|

* Amazons of Themyscira
* Amazons of Bana-Mighdall
* Children of Ares
* Godwatch
* Olympian Gods
* THEM!
* Titans of Myth
* Villainy Inc.

Locations|

* Aeaea
* Themyscira (The Paradise Islands)

Publications|

* Absolute Wonder Woman
* All Star Comics
* Wonder Woman
* Amazonia
* Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman: Trinity
* Comic Cavalcade
* Crossover
* The Legend of Wonder Woman
* Sensation Comics
* Superman and Wonder Woman: The Hidden Killer
* Superman/Wonder Woman
* Wonder Woman '77
* The Wonder Woman Chronicles
* Wonder Woman: Earth One
* Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons
* The World's Greatest Superheroes

Storylines|

* “Introducing Wonder Woman” (1941)
* Gods and Mortals (1987)
* Challenge of the Gods (1987–88)
* War of the Gods (1991)
* The Contest (1994)
* The Challenge of Artemis (1995)
* Paradise Island Lost (2001)
* Our Worlds at War (2001)
* The Hiketeia (2002)
* Down to Earth (2003–04)
* Who Is Wonder Woman? (2006–07)
* Amazons Attack! (2007)
* The Circle (2008)
* Ends of the Earth (2008)
* Rise of the Olympian (2009)
* Flashpoint (2011)
* The Lies (2016)
* Year One (2016)
* The Truth (2017)
* Godwatch (2017)
* Trial of the Amazons (2022)

Technology|

* Golden Girdle of Gaea
* Lasso of Truth
* Wonder Woman's bracelets

In other media|

| Film|

* Wonder Woman (1974 film)
* Wonder Woman (2009 film)
* Wonder Woman: Bloodlines
* DC Extended Universe
* Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
* Wonder Woman (2017 film)
* soundtrack
* Justice League
* Zack Snyder's Justice League
* Wonder Woman 1984
* soundtrack
* Peacemaker: It's Cow or Never
* Shazam! Fury of the Gods
* The Flash

|

Television|

* Wonder Woman
* episodes
* Wonder Woman (2011 TV pilot)

Miscellaneous|

* Alternative versions
* Earth-Two
* Bizarra
* Superwoman
* Cultural impact
* Professor Marston and the Wonder Women
* Literature
* Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines

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