The Fang (Captain America foe)

THE FANG

Real Name: Unrevealed

Identity/Class: Human (Chinese) (World War II Era)

Occupation: Leader of a secret society of murderers

Group Membership: A secret society of murderers

Affiliations: Baron Nushima, Wong, Chu Yin

Enemies: Bucky (James Buchanan Barnes), Captain America (Steve Rogers), Chan, the FBI, Liang, Betty Ross

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: "Arch Fiend of the Orient" (in story blurb), the Great Fang, Powerful One

Base of Operations: (at time of death) Hiroshima, Japan;
formerly Lotus Street, San Francisco, California, USA

First Appearance: Captain America Comics I#6 (September, 1941)

Powers/Abilities: Although the Fang had access to numerous weapons, he was never depicted using them, instead preferring that his subordinates perform physical feats.

He was shown to be a poor hand-to-hand combatant.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 5'9")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 175 lbs.)
Eyes: Black
Hair: Black

History:
(Captain America Comics I#6/2) - The Fang was in his Chinatown lair when he received a visit from Baron Nushima of Japan. The Baron informed the Fang that Chinese representatives Chan and Liang were on their way to Washington D.C. to plead for a money loan for China. Baron Nushima asked the Fang to ensure they did not receive the loan. He also informed the Fang that the two men would be guarded by a soldier named Steve Rogers but the Fang was sure he had nothing to fear from someone "with such a simple name."

The Fang and a small mob of his hatchet men released gas into the room where Steve Rogers and his friend Bucky were standing guard. The gas caused Rogers to immediately blackout, leaving Bucky alone to face the hatchet men. Hearing the tumult, Liang arose with a gun to aid Bucky but the Fang ordered one of his men to throw a hatchet at Liang, striking him in the back and killing him. However, the Fang decided to leave Bucky and Chan alive so that he could torture them in his base before putting them to death.

As the Fang was preparing Chan for torture, his men discovered Secret Service agent Betty Ross trying to break into his home. The Fang decided he would not only torture Betty but also would now execute Bucky and Chan. He ordered his men to give Bucky a swift decapitation but to remove Chan's head very slowly. However, Captain America burst into the room to save Bucky and, together, the costumed duo defeated all of the Fang's gang. Captain America then attacked the Fang and beat him repeatedly then told Betty Ross she could turn him over to the FBI.

(Tales of Suspense I#82/2 (fb) - BTS) - On August 6, 1945, the Fang was in Hiroshima, Japan when the Allied forces dropped an atomic bomb on the city. The Fang was killed in the atomic explosion.

(Sunfire and Big Hero Six I#3 (fb) - BTS) - The Fang's soul (presumably) merged with the souls of other victims of the explosion, creating Everwraith.

Comments: Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

In Tales of Suspense I#82/2, Captain America was drugged by the Adaptoid and suffered hallucinations of his old enemies. Among them was a hallucination of the Fang which, as of this date, remains the Fang's only post-World War II appearance.

I like to think that Fang ended up in Japan because he was a wanted man in the USA and saw that China was besieged so he figured he'd settle down with his allies in Japan. "I will find rest in this peaceful town they call Hiroshima -- a serene place where nothing ever happens..."

Steve and Bucky were said to be at Camp Lehigh during this story but I believe this is before Camp Lehigh was definitively based in Virginia - it seems very unlikely that everyone commuted between San Francisco's Chinatown and an army camp in Virginia!

The whole business of Chinese men wielding hatchets came from real world 19th century Manhattan but it got a heckova lot more mileage in fiction with everyone from Nick Carter to the Shadow to Buster Keaton (see the film The Cameraman).

No one show this comic to Gene Luen Yang - it'd give him apoplexy.

This profile was completed 12/15/2022 but its publication was delayed, as it was intended for the Appendix's 25th anniversary celebratory event.

Profile by Prime Eternal.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Fang should not be confused with:

Fang - Asian assassin--Astonishing I#17
Fang - identity used by several Lupaks who served in the Imperial Guard--X-Men I#107
Fang - of the Lilin--Morbius I#1
Fang - an addictive narcotic--Spider-Man vs. Vampires I#1
General Fang - Hulk foe--Incredible Hulk I#5
or any other "Fang" characters or anyone else

Chan

Chan was a representative of China who came to the USA with Liang to obtain a money loan for his nation from the U.S. Government. While being guarded by Steve Rogers, Chan and Liang were attacked by the Fang's men, who killed Liang. The Fang took Chan back to his lair so that he could enjoy torturing Chan to death but Captain America came to Chan's rescue and set him free. Chan was delighted to observe the Fang's defeat at Captain America's hands.