I don’t think there’s any superhero with an origin more metal than that of Iron Fist. This is a man, who spent most of his life being turned into a human martial arts weapon and then used those gifts to punch a dragon dead and receive the power of to make his fist into something akin to iron. And other cool chi-related powers.
That’s an awesome origin, and the perfect setup for Marvel to showcase more madness in the underworld of secret societies and kung-fu mastery. And that’s just what’ll be happening when Iron Fist returns next year,a s Danny Rand gets to work on his rebuilding his reputation as one of the most dangerous men in the Marvel universe.
With Kun’Lun in ashes and his powers on the fritz, Rand will travel to a mysterious island called Liu-Shi, home to seven deadly Kung-Fu masters who’ll put him through a gauntlet of challenges. “Danny’s whole identity is wrapped up in being Iron Fist, so we’ll be following him as he fights to hold on to something that’s slipping away, desperately trying to figure out how to hold on to it,” Iron Fist writer Ed Brisson said to Marvel.
For the most part, Danny is going to be going up against fresh faces. A whole new set of challenges and opponents that will push him as he’s never been pushed before. While nearly everyone he faces will be new to the Marvel U, there will be a certain amount of…familiarity.
Without spoiling too much, Danny is going to be going up against seven masters who all seem to have a personal vendetta against Danny. Even those who don’t, they’ve got their own reasons for wanting to see Danny fail. Each is a master of Kung Fu, though they’ve each brought in other influences. Some have dabbled in mystical enhancements or elemental powers. Danny has never faced off against so many skilled combatants.
But a book like Iron Fist needs a dynamic artist to help handle all of that action, which is where Mike Perkins comes into the story. “It’s a whole different dynamic of action, a difficult one which I’m ready to truly embrace,” Perkins said of the art.
The problem with any fight scene – and particularly a martial arts one – is that it can look stiffly posed. To avoid this problem it all comes down to technique and effects, the flow of movement and how you utilize the tools that you have to emphasize that flow. To accentuate the power of the impact. Iron Fist’s chi and the design of the Gauntlet Fighters also help to provide that dynamism.
There’s also the challenge of Iron Fist being one of my favourite Marvel heroes and following in the footsteps of some truly wonderful runs on the character. I’ll have to try and awaken my own inner illustration chi!
Iron Fist returns in March. If you’re looking for some sweet Kun’Lun action before then however, do yourself a favour and check out Matt Fraction’s The Immortal Iron Fist as a fantastic primer of Rand’s current place in the MCU.
Last Updated: December 9, 2016
