Zaran

This article is about the Marvel Comics character Zaran the Weapons Master. For the Marvel Comics Eternal character, see Zarin. For the villages in Iran, see Zaran, Iran.

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Zaran is the name of two separate supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

## Maximillian Zaran

[edit]

Comics character

Zaran

Publication information
Publisher| Marvel Comics
First appearance| Master of Kung Fu (2nd series) #77 (June 1979)[1]
Created by| Mike Zeck
In-story information
Alter ego| Maximillian Zaran
Team affiliations| Thunderbolts
Batroc's Brigade
MI-6
Notable aliases| The Weapons Master
Abilities| Expert armed/unarmed combatant
Extensive knowledge of weapons

### Fictional character biography

[edit]

Maximillian Zaran was born in Great Britain. Early in his life, he was an agent of the British Secret Service: MI-6, but soon chose to become a mercenary and assassin. Training himself thoroughly in martial arts and the use of various kinds of weapons, he became known as a super-villain as well. He was first employed by Sarsfield and then Fah Lo Suee, and his first battle against a super-hero was against Shang-Chi, the Master of Kung-Fu, who easily defeated him.[2] He later battled and defeated Shang-Chi.[3] Zaran then joined Batroc's Brigade, and was employed by Obadiah Stane to steal Captain America's shield.[4]

In his next attempt to defeat super-heroes, Zaran joined forces with Razor Fist and Shockwave and fought the West Coast Avengers Hawkeye, Mockingbird, and Iron Man.[5] He battled Hawkeye again alongside Batroc's Brigade.[6]

During the Bloodstone Hunt, Zaran became good friends with fellow mercenary Batroc. Batroc's Brigade was employed by Baron Zemo to acquire the fragments of the Bloodstone, and Zaran fought Captain America and Diamondback but lost once more.[7] The brigade was later hired by Maelstrom to help him build a device that could destroy the universe and battled the Great Lakes Avengers, during which he killed the newly initiated G.L.A. member Grasshopper.[8]

Zaran met Shang-Chi again in the Game of Rings, being defeated by him and the Cat.[9]

### Powers and abilities

[edit]

Zaran is an athletic man with no superhuman powers. He received British Secret Service training, and has knowledge of all forms of armed and unarmed combat, and extensive knowledge of ancient and modern weapons, including knives, bows, staffs, maces, spears, nunchakus, shuriken, and guns. He wears a leather outfitted with a variety of specialized clips, loops, and pockets for carrying weapons. He usually carries small sais (three pronged daggers) attached to his gauntlets, collar and codpiece, a bo staff/spear/blow gun, and a wide variety of weapons as needed.

## Zhou Man She

[edit]

Comics character

Zaran II

Publication information
Publisher| Marvel Comics
First appearance| Master of Kung Fu: Bleeding Black #1 (1990)
Created by| Doug Moench
Paul Gulacy
In-story information
Alter ego| Zhou Man She
Notable aliases| Master of the Staff and Sais
Abilities| Possesses various weapons

### Fictional character biography

[edit]

The second Zaran is Zhou Man She, he was trained by the original Zaran to become a mercenary.[10] He was defeated by Shang-Chi in battle.[11]

Zaran was hired by Shadow-Hand (Li Chun) to retrieve Fu Manchu's reliquary, an artifact that supposedly contained a map to the Elixir Vitae. During this mission, he faced Clive Reston, Black Jack Tarr, and Shang-Chi.[11] Later, a revived Fu Manchu sent his dacoits to aid Zaran against Shang-Chi and the Marvel Knights. Although they succeeded in destroying the building that Shang-Chi was in, Zaran failed to slay him.[12][13]

During the events of Secret Wars, Zaran was captured by Emila Vachon and brainwashed into assuming the identity of Mr. Muscatel. He was freed when Misty Knight and Colleen Wing deactivated the mind control.[14]

## Other versions

[edit]

An alternate universe variant of Zaran from Earth-58163 appears in House of M as a member of Shang-Chi's Dragons criminal organization who is later killed by Bullseye.[15][16]

## In other media

[edit]

* Maximilian Zaran appears in The Amazing Spider-Man and Captain America in Dr. Doom's Revenge!.[citation needed]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Rovin, Jeff (1987). The Encyclopedia of Super-Villains. New York: Facts on File. p. 380\. ISBN 0-8160-1356-X.[1]
2. ^ Master of Kung Fu #77-79
3. ^ Master of Kung Fu #87
4. ^ Captain America #302-303
5. ^ West Coast Avengers #11
6. ^ Solo Avengers #3
7. ^ Captain America #357-362
8. ^ GLA: Misassembled #1-4 (2005)
9. ^ Shang-Chi and the Ten Rings #3. Marvel Comics.
10. ^ "Zaran (Zhou Man She, Shang-Chi/Marvel Knights foe)". www.marvunapp.com. Retrieved 2025-03-05.
11. ^ a b Master of Kung Fu: Bleeding Black #1 (1990)
12. ^ Marvel Knights #11–14. Marvel Comics.
13. ^ "Zaran (Zhou Man She, Shang-Chi/Marvel Knights foe)". www.marvunapp.com. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
14. ^ Daughters of the Dragon - Marvel Digital Original #3
15. ^ House of M: Avengers #2
16. ^ House of M: Avengers #4

## External links

[edit]

* Zaran (Zhou Man She) at The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe

* v
* t
* e

Shang-Chi

* Steve Englehart
* Jim Starlin

Supporting characters|

* Black Jack Tarr
* Clive Reston
* Leiko Wu
* Iron Fist
* Denis Nayland Smith
* Shen Kuei
* Sister Dagger

Teams|

* Agents of Atlas
* Avengers
* New
* Secret
* Five Weapons Society
* Heroes for Hire
* Marvel Knights
* Thunderbolts

Enemies|

* Death Dealer
* Dweller-in-Darkness
* Mandarin
* Midnight Sun
* Moving Shadow
* Razor Fist
* Shockwave
* Zaran
* Zheng Bao Yu (Fah Lo Suee)
* Zheng Zu (Fu Manchu)

Publications|

* Master of Kung Fu
* The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu

In other media|

* Marvel: Future Fight
* Marvel Duel
* Marvel Contest of Champions
* Marvel Puzzle Quest
* Marvel Super War
* Fortnite Battle Royale
* Legendary: A Marvel Deck Building Game
* Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game

| Marvel Cinematic Universe|

* Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
* soundtrack
* Shang-Chi
* Ten Rings (organization)

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Related articles|

* Ta-Lo
* Mandarin's rings
* Gang War

* Category

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