KARATE KID #10 (1977)
by David Michelinie & Ric Estrada
cover by Al Milgrom
We have only 2 issues written by Michelinie, and appropriately this one concludes a long-running subplot.
It’s also the first issue to be set entirely in the 30th century, specifically on Princess Projectra’s planet. Which means, funnily enough, that the only time we’re in the future we’re actually in the Middle Ages.
They’re immediately ambushed by some, uhm, questionably colored henchmen, and conveniently her powers aren’t working.
As you saw on the cover, the bad guy is Black Dragon, and I would say “who you might remember from Superboy #210”… but nobody remembers that story.
He’s the leader of a criminal organization that focuses on martial arts in a science-fiction universe, so of course he has means to negate Projectra’s magical powers.
Time for Disappointing Karate Kid Fight #27!
Despite the coloring Black Dragon is supposed to be an Asian human and not an orange-skinned alien, so he’s contractually obligated to focus on honor.
Of course we can’t have two men fighting each other to determine who is right.
We’ll have to follow the local custom of… two men fighting each other to determine who is right.
But now with sexism!
Now it’s a good time to finally conclude the subplot of Karate Kid receiving instructions from the future; as we saw a few issues ago, Projectra’s father was behind everything.
I told you many times that the real reason behind Karate Kid’s time travel shenanigans would be disappointing, and here it is:
Yep. Projectra’s father is a dick.
Also: “his planet’s barbarous past”?
Dude, YOU LIVE IN THE MIDDLE AGES!!!
Yes everything Karate Kid has been doing in this series, EVERYTHING, was to prove himself to marry the princess.
He’s fu##ed.
I’ll give the comic this much: the alien setting is the source of SOME creativity.
Another nice scene: while KK has his duel, Projectra manages to escape the prison by duping one of the guards and using her Flight Ring.
Which results in her calling the Legion.
The duel is complicated by someone sabotaging Black Dragon’s plan.
Will Karate Kid and Villain We Don’t Care About put aside their differences and work together?
Of course they will, but not without making it weird.
But who was behind the sabotage, as well as helping Black Dragon take over the planet?
Why, Secret Admirer We’ve Never Met And We Don’t Care About!
I should’ve known!
I told you Projectra’s father is a dick, but you have no idea how much.
And so we get to the end of the love triangle that nobody cared about.
Aww, that’s sweet.
WHY AREN’T YOU SAYING ANYTHING TO YOUR FATHER!?!??
Slightly better than usual by the thinnest of margins, but still too awful to deserve words.
Historical significance: 0/10
Silver Age-ness: 8/10
Does it stand the test of time? 1/10
