KARATE KID #7 (1977)
by David Michelinie & Ric Estrada
cover by Mike Grell
We got to the point that even Mike Grell can’t save the cover.
I bet you forgot that last issue Karate Kid was arrested for killing his annoying landlady.
Iris is being detained as a “material witness”, which sounds weird… she wasn’t there when the woman died. Perhaps she’s the one who found the body?
Then without warning something emerges from the ground, heralding the arrival of the villain of this issue: “Gyro-Master”.
Oh how I wish he was just a Mole Man rip-off. He’s far, FAR more ridiculous.
Yes, that IS a functioning propeller on his head.
You decide if he’s also a rip-off of Avengers villain Whirlwind or Flash villain the Top.
His origin is AMAZING. He was a thief hired to steal a “super plastic” for TOYS…
…which was produced by a cyclotron.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we have toys manufactured with PARTICLE ACCELERATORS.
“Fallen into a vat of super-plastic inside a particle accelerator used to make toys” might just be the most Silver Age origin story ever.
Unimpressive Karate Kid Fight #27 begins.
It ends once Gyro-Master employs his gyroscope that shoots tinier gyroscopes.
I couldn’t resist.
And so Gyro-Master gets away with his loot… a gyroscope built by Leonardo da Vinci.
The first known gyroscope was built in 1743; since Leonardo died in 1519, he would’ve been at least 224 years ahead of his time.
For once it DOES sound legit.
Just in case you’re wondering, Karate Kid is not the only incompetent person in this series.
K.K. takes the opportunity to investigate the murder case… remember that, before all the nonsense about gyros?
The investigation is simply asking his TV if it killed the woman.
AND IT DID… kinda.
The mystery of why K.K. is listening to that thing is the longest subplot of this series.
It won’t be revealed this time, but just be ready to be disappointed in future issues.
The thing is called Monitor Globe, if you’re wondering.
Karate Kid goes back to the museum because he figured out how Gyro-Master escaped: he didn’t.
In addition to being able to rotate very fast, Gyro-Master has other abilities… that basically have nothing to do with what his power is SUPPOSED to be.
What is it with this series making Karate Kid fight either A) stereotyped thugs B) animated statues ?
Despite the fact that Gyro-Master is also throwing around tear gas (???), Karate Kid manages to deal with him by throwing random objects.
And so we end with Karate Kid going on a kind-of-date with Iris.
Also there’s some kind of super-sniper ready to assassinate him, but at this point who cares?
Historical significance: 0/10
The story is titled “The Gyro-Master Strikes Twice!”, which is hilarious since he won’t appear again.
Silver Age-ness: 8/10
Gyro-Master’s origin is GLORIOUSLY absurd.
Does it stand the test of time? 0/10
Gyro-Master would fit the Flash rogues gallery just fine, since he’s a rip-off of the Top. Too bad he lacks ANY kind of charisma, or chemistry with his enemy. He runs into Karate Kid by sheer coincidence, and it really shows!