WILHELM BUCHER

Real Name: Wilhelm Bucher

Identity/Class: Human, would-be world conqueror

Occupation: Leader of own “Fourth Reich” organization, former Gestapo-chief

Group Membership: Leader of own “Fourth Reich” organization

Affiliations: “Fourth Reich”

Enemies: Fu Manchu and the Si-Fan; Shang-Chi, Sir Denis Nayland Smith, and Black Jack Tarr

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Raymond Strawn

Base of Operations: Amazon jungle, formerly Germany

First Appearance: Master of Kung-Fu#23 (December, 1974)

Powers: None. He has military training and significant experience with armed (bladed and ballistic weapons) and unarmed combat. He was served by an army of neo-nazi warriors armed with conventional weapons. In addition, he had a nuclear missile, with a great big swastika painted on the side of it.

History: (MoKF#23(fb)) - Wilhelm Bucher was perhaps the most loyal officer in the entire “Third Reich”, as well as a foremost and fanatical adherent to the Führer’s abhorrent “Master Race” program. His hatred of the so-called inferior races may have been even greater than the Führer himself. He was even against the alliance with the Japanese, and only a personal order from the Führer himself could have forced Bucher to work with a Japanese as his sole assistant in an undercover mission. The mission went awry and Bucher was trapped under a beam dislodged in an underground bunker. Bucher pleaded for help, but his japanese assistant ran away refusing to help Bucher (as told by Sir Denis Nayland Smith). This exacerbated Bucher's hatred of Asian people to a pathological level.

(MoKF#24(fb)) - The same story with the running japanese and the pleading nazist (this time told by Bucher himself)

(MoKF#23) - Sir Denis Nayland Smith, Black Jack Tarr and Shang-Chi travel to the Amazon jungle, to break up a potential union between Bucher and Fu Manchu, which involved the possession of a nuclear warhead. They are to meet their liaison agent Raymond Strawn who shall bring them to Fu Manchu’s secret hideout. When Strawn sees Shang-Chi he refuses to let an Asian onboard his boat. After learning that Shang-Chi is the son of Fu Manchu he gets all the “ammunition” he needs in his fight to not have Shang-Chi onboard his boat. Black Jack Tarr and Sir Denis Nayland Smith insists that they have Shang-Chi onboard, but before they can have him, Shang-Chi is gone. Sir Denis tells Black Jack the story of Wilhelm Bucher when they are attacked by Si-Fan assassins. The attack is ended shortly because Raymond Strawn is successfull in shooting all of the Si-Fan with his gun.

Continuing up the river to get to Fu Manchu’s boat, Shang-Chi reaches the boat first, learning that Fu Manchu has never been on the boat. When Strawn, Smith and Tarr catches up, Strawn gets very angry learning that Fu Manchu has never been on the boat, he pulls off his mask revealing himself to be Wilhelm Bucher and tries to shoot and kill Shang-Chi. After that he forces Tarr and Smith off his boat and continues alone up the river.

(MoKF#24) - Bucher reached his destination, his own hideout in the jungle, where the rest of his “Fourth Reich” soldiers are present. His men tell him that Fu Manchu is on his way, and Bucher orders them to take their positions, since he wants Fu Manchu dead the instant he sets foot on the compound. When Fu Manchu gets to his destination, Bucher and his men attacks Fu Manchu and his Si-Fan assassins. Fu Manchu outsmarts the “Fourth Reich” soldiers by attacking them on two fronts and most of the soldiers are killed. The rest of the men catch some of the Si-Fan assassins in a crossfire, while Shang-Chi and Wilhelm Bucher start their final showdown. Shang-Chi is wounded when he is hit in the chest by Bucher’s knife. Bucher runs into his control room, about to detonate his “doomsday’” bomb, only to learn it doesn’t work. Shang-Chi follows, telling Bucher that it was him who deactivated it. Bucher is astounded that he has been defeated by an Asian, as well as by the fact that anymay could stand with a knife in his chest. While trying to back away from Shang-Chi, Bucher falls into the deep missile silo and seemingly dies.

Comments: Created by Doug Moench, Al Milgrom and Klaus Janson

Profile by the Beetle

Clarifications: None


images: (without ads)


Other appearances:
Master of Kung Fu#24 (January, 1975) - Doug Moench (writer), Al Milgrom, Jim Starlin & Walt Simonson (pencils), Sal Trapani (inks), Roy Thomas (editor)


Last updated: 08/02/02

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