Published May 30, 2026, 8:01 PM EDT
Shaun Corley is a Staff Writer for ScreenRant, a position he has held for five years. While he enjoys many types of comics and graphic novels, he has a particular interest in the licensed Star Trek titles.
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Warning: contains spoilers for The Ultimates #24!
Marvel officially revamps Shang-Chi’s powers, taking him virtually to god level. Shang-Chi has been one of the most inspiring success stories to come out of Marvel this decade. After nearly 50 years as a cult favorite working on the fringes of the Marvel Universe, Shang-Chi leaped into the mainstream with the MCU-set Legend of the Ten Rings, and the character is set to return in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday.
Created by comic book legends Steve Englehart and Jim Starlin, and debuting in Special Marvel Edition #15, Shang-Chi, like Iron Fist, was designed to cash in on the martial arts craze of the 1970s. Films such as Enter the Dragon and television shows such as Kung Fu captured the imagination of the American movie going public. According to legend, Englehart and Starlin wanted to adapt Kung Fu to comics, and in time this pitch morphed into Shang-Chi. Shang-Chi starred in his own solo title, the bulk of it written by Doug Moench and drawn by Paul Gulacy, until 1983.
Recently, a new version of the venerable character appeared in Marvel’s current Ultimate line. In the hellish new Ultimate universe, the Maker tampers with the histories of many of Earth’s heroes, either robbing them of their destinies or bringing them under his thumb. One team, the Ultimates, dares oppose him, and a new Shang-Chi is counted among their ranks. In The Ultimates #24, he gets a god-level upgrade.
The Ultimates #24 was written by Deniz Camp and drawn by Juan Frigeri. The Ultimates are making their final stand against the Hulk, who in this universe is a brutal dictator who has enslaved most of Asia and appropriated its customs and traditions. He is also this universe’s Iron Fist, making the lumbering giant also one of its best fighters.
That is, until he meets Shang-Chi, here called Shen Qi. Still a child in this universe, Shen Qi fights the Hulk, staying one step ahead of him all the way. Shen uses a variety of martial arts moves against the Hulk, and the monster is shocked the child is beating him. Shen Qi then drops a bombshell: he can recall all of his past lives, including all the martial arts styles he learned, and even some of which he developed. The Hulk is no match for him, and Shen’s attack contributes to Banner’s downfall.
For most of his career, Shang-Chi relied primarily on his expertise in martial arts and hand-to-hand combat to defeat his opponents. He is considered one of the best fighters in Marvel history, and he has even beat superhuman opponents before. In recent years, Shang-Chi developed psionic powers, and in a bit of synergy with the MCU, he acquired the Ten Rings, giving him a fantastic suite of powers, complimenting his fighting prowess.
Yet the Ultimate incarnation of Shang-Chi has his 616 counterpart easily beat. On Earth-616, Shang-Chi is an undisputed master of martial arts, but on the Ultimate Earth, he actually developed some of them throughout his tens of thousands of years of reincarnation, a fact he reminds Hulk of. The Hulk should have been able to crush Shang-Chi easily, but instead the child holds his own, even delivering a blow that severely injures Banner. Shen Qi’s attack weakens the Hulk, setting the stage for She-Hulk to kill Banner at the end of the issue.
Being able to hold off the Hulk is an impressive feat, one that has taxed everyone in the Marvel Universe, ranging from other heroes to the gods themselves.
Being able to hold off the Hulk is an impressive feat, one that has taxed everyone in the Marvel Universe, ranging from other heroes to the gods themselves. Shang-Chi was not only able to get some serious attacks on the Hulk, but also avoid the monster’s powerful chops and kicks. In essence, Shang-Chi wore the Hulk down, to the point where he could execute the critical attack.
The ability to recall past lives, and the fighting styles and meditations one has developed over them, elevates Shang-Chi to god-like levels. Marvel’s current Ultimate universe is winding down, potentially depriving fans of learning more about Shang-Chi’s remarkable new powers. It is unlikely the revisions the Ultimate universe introduced can be applied to the 616 incarnation of Shang-Chi. Nonetheless, he is still considered a powerful fighter.
*The Ultimates *#24 is on sale now from Marvel Comics!