Real Name: Thomas Arn
Identity/Class: Normal human, unconventional weapon user
Occupation: Would-be crimelord; martial arts teacher
Group Membership: Golden Tigers
Affiliations: None
Enemies: Kevin Chang, William Hao, Iron Fist (Daniel Rand), Power Man (Luke Cage)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: New York, USA
First Appearance: Power Man and Iron Fist#72 (August, 1981)
Powers/Abilities: Thomas Arn was a skilled martial artist. He used classical oriental weapons like shuriken and high-tech weapons like a triple-iron electro-blasting nunchaku.
History:
(Power Man and Iron Fist#72 - BTS) - Thomas Arn was a teacher in a judo school. Several years after Robert Hao, the original Chaka Khan, was arrested, Arn took his place using Hao's costume and favorite weapon. He also rebuilt the street band of the Golden Tigers, probably choosing some of his best students as members.
(Power Man and Iron Fist#72) - The repeated crimes and extortions of the Golden Tigers forced the Lindon Street Company to send Power Man and Iron Fist to protect its businesses in the Chinatown area. The investigations and interferences from the Heroes for Hire caused a lot of trouble for the Golden Tigers.
Arn knew that the investigations of William Hao, Robert's brother, could be a problem for the Golden Tigers' activities and so he dispatched a squad of warriors to torture Hao before killing him. Arn wanted him to become an example for the people who stood against the Golden Tigers. When he saw that his gang members had to fight Iron Fist and Power Man too, Chaka intervened. His energized nunchaku knocked down Power Man, but the potential outcome of the battle was too uncertain, so he withdrew with his Golden Tigers and promised that there would be a reckoning.
However, the Golden Tigers' illegal activities
kept getting spoiled by
Power Man, who was following the gang as they committed crimes. Meanwhile, Daniel Rand enrolled in Ting So
Ling school, as well as several other martial arts schools. While attending the
training,
he tried to guess who among teachers and students could be Chaka.
Rand also
visited Arn's school but he could not recognize anyone, but no-one recognized him either.
Later, a pack of Golden Tigers attacked Rand and Kevin Chang, and the fight escalated with the arrival of Power Man. Chaka then intervened to defeat his enemies. He managed to put Luke Cage out of the fight with his energized nunchaku, but, even using trickery, when he confronted Iron Fist in a man-to-man fight, he was easily defeated. Kevin Chang accused Arn to be a man without honor and witnessed against him. Arn was arrested and many victims of the Golden Tigers also attested to the gang's crimes.
Comments: Created by Mary Jo Duffy (writer), Kerry Gammill (pencils) and Ricardo Villamonte (inks).
Nowhere in the issue is Arn called Chaka Khan; he is only called Chaka, including on the cover. As far as I know, a "Khan" is a leader, a chief, a lord. Chaka was the Khan of the Golden Tigers, so an alias of Chaka Khan would not be so wrong.
How did Arn come in possession of Chaka Khan's triple-iron energized nunchaku? Did Robert Hao tell him of this while in prison? Could it be that some members of the original Golden Tigers found it in one of Robert Hao's hideouts? Perhaps Thomas Arn was once a member of the Golden Tigers before taking control.
Profile by Spidermay.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Chaka should not be confused with:
and has no known connections to:
Kevin Chang is probably a relative of:
and has no known connections to:
Kevin was a normal boy who was well-trained in the martial arts as were many of his friends. He studied martial arts at Thomas Arn's school, and also knew many members of the Golden Tigers, but he was not an active member of the gang. As student, he looked up to his master and believed he was a honorable man. However, one day, Chang met Daniel Rand during a lesson at Arn's school. Outside, a dozen of Golden Tigers tried to rob Daniel. Chang tried to defend him, but he soon realized that Daniel could do it by himself. Chang was amazed by Daniel's abilities and considered him to be the best martial artist that he had ever seen. The fight escalated with the arrival of Power Man and Chaka. Kevin noticed that Chaka didn't fight with honor, as a real warrior should do, and so he no longer respected his master. When Iron Fist defeated Chaka, Kevin accused Arn and the villain was arrested. His example was followed by other victims of the Golden Tigers' crimes.
--Power Man and Iron Fist#72
images:
(without ads)
Power Man and Iron Fist#72, cover ("Chaka" title)
Appearances:
Power Man and Iron Fist#72 (August, 1981) - Mary Jo Duffy (writer),
Kerry Gammill (pencils), Ricardo Villamonte (inks), Dennis O'Neil
(editor)
First Posted: 03/24/2008
Last updated: 03/22/2008
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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