This short run comic series ran about 10 issues during the early 70’s at the height of the Kung Fu movie boom. Not much is known about them, but I was told by various comic artists (who are familiar with that time), that Mexico and S. America were translating the Shang Chi comics into Spanish and there was a high demand for them. They decided to publish weekly (while the series ran monthly in the US). Soon they ran out of stories to translate. Marvel gace them permission to create their own stories and characters to help fill the demand. So this is how La Chika de Kung Fu was created. These issues are getting more and more difficult to find these days.

I still treasure this issue, which I first bought as a kid when it hit the newsstands. I was always drawn to the beautiful covers from this series drawn by the legendary Neal Adams.

Magazines and comics like this, combined with my weekly dose of Kung Fu and Black Exploitation films at Washington DC and NYC's Grindhouse theaters, fueled my childhood dreams of becoming a martial artist and creating heart-pumping fight scenes.

Those early inspirations led me to earn black belts in Tang Soo Do and Japanese Jujitsu. Later, I worked as a stuntman, stunt coordinator, and 2nd unit director, collaborating with legends like Jet Li, Tsui Hark, Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Yuen Cheung Yen, Roger Corman, and David Carradine.

My journey proves that imagination, willpower, and a willingness to chase the impossible can take you to unimaginable heights. Follow your bliss in life, everyone!

“Judo Joe” is the nickname of Joseph Smith, a student at Mid City High School & is a practitioner of martial arts. He often works with the police in an unofficial capacity.

Only 3 issues of JUDO JOE were ever published by the Jay-Jay Corporation. The first issue was dated August, 1953; the third and final issue was dated December, 1953. JUDO JOE was the Jay-Jay Corporation’s only title.

Written Dr. Bernard “Barney” J. Cosneck, who, during World War II, served as a judo instructor in the armed forces, during which he co-authored HOW TO FIGHT TOUGH with Jack Dempsey. In 1944, he wrote AMERICAN COMBAT JUDO, a best seller, which combined the best of Japanese ju jitsu, French foot fighting, Chinese boxing and American wrestling to produce simple but effective techniques for defense and counterattack. It promised that "you can be a bombshell in any tough spot" and that his book would help you to learn to how to protect yourself "against bullies, hoodlums, roughnecks and the like."

In October, 1987, A.C.E. Comics printed a single issue of JUDO JOE that consisted of reprints from the series’ original 1953 run.