When Duane Swierczynski took over this book, he had some big shoes to fill as it had been previously written by the amazing team of Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction. I must admit, his first story arc, while technically well-done, left me a little dry. However this latest storyline - Escape from the Eighth City has started off with a bang!
If you don't know, Iron Fist is about billionaire kung-fu master Danny Rand who (among other things) has the ability to channel his Chi into his fist to make it "like unto a thing of iron" (truly one of the best schticks in comics). This latest incarnation of this book has revealed that he is just one in a long line of Iron Fists and that he is one of the Immortal Weapons (cue cheesy Shaw Bros. music) who fight for the glory of their otherworldly home city, K'un-Lun. Hence the title (abbreviated above): The Immortal Iron Fist.
In this issue the Immortal Weapons (Tiger's Beautiful Daughter, Dog Brother #1, etc...) have been trapped in the ancient and forbidden eighth city (!) where all the other seven heavenly cities have been dumping demons, criminals, and any undesirables who they wanted to do away with. Needless to say, since the previous incarnations of the Immortal Weapons did the dumping, the occupants of the city are less than welcoming when this new batch shows up through the somewhat inconvenient one-way portal. Therefore, their ruler Changming, decrees that they will fight non-stop against all comers in the arena and that their only rest will be while one of the other Immortal Weapons is fighting.
What follows throughout the story is a rollicking, rolling good time which is part Big Trouble in Little China, part The Great Escape, and part mixed martial arts competition. I have to say my favorite part of the issue occurs when Iron Fist is put up against a little whirly-gig type creature that doubles in size everytime it is hit. Iron Fist's method for dispatching this creepily drawn critter takes a few pages right from Fist of the Northstar and is a blast to read. The artwork is quirky but well suited to the story material throughout and some of the creatures exiled to the hell city are downright disturbing.
I won't ruin it, but the twist ending is also pretty nifty and will leave long-time Iron Fist fans wondering how much of this story is true and how much is a trick by the villainous Changming. So if you have even a passing interest in Chinese mythology, crappy kung-fu movies, or just good comics, check out The Immortal Iron Fist.
It will hit you like a Poison Clan (rocks the world!) cyclone-cutting kick to the neck and leave you begging for the Sand Palm finisher until next issue!
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The mechanical critter is dope. Like Bubo on Zeus' personal bland of god-crack. It's ability reminds me of a Zelda boss or something.
ReplyDeleteThe eighth city sounds like Glen Burnie.
So he punches things? That's his skill? And he's immortal in the sense that he's a Ghola? Does he have his previous lives' memories?
Yep. Bubo was what I thought as well and he makes Chinese symbol noises to show his displeasure. I didn't show it but he gets mega huge during that sparring bout. The mortal combat style "Finish Him" move is also most dope.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the city goes, well most of the things in the Eighth City went there against their will. Glen Burnie is like a magnet/breeding pond for such things.
On the Marvel scale his rating for fighting skill is a 7 which is the top and badass. However, that doesn't tell you much. He can impersonate Spider-Man and Daredevil easily so I would say he's one of the top fighters in the Marvel U.
He does not have the previous Iron Fist memories but he does have a magic book (really) which has the complete tales of their lives and is kind of like a jedi holocron in that some of their spirit energy resides in it and them. Each Iron Fist is different and they all have the ability to focus their chi to make things super destructive. Some use their fists, Orson Randall (the Iron Fist before Danny) used .45s, one used a bow and arrows. Pretty cool concept Brubaker and Fraction developed from a 3rd string character.
Also, while having superhuman powers, he is a plain old vanilla human with developed/mystical abilities. No mutants, radiation, or secret formulas here. He can go toe to toe with 50 foot Hydra robots, super baddies of all types and sizes, and stuff which honestly should wreck him instantly so take it all with a small grain of salt. Plus he was Luke Cage's partner in the awesome chain belt years.
ReplyDeleteThis book was definitely my pick for the week. Editor Warren Simons did an excellent job with handling the artists involved in this great book. He assigned artists Travel Foreman and Tonci Zonjic on the part of the story that happens outside of the Eighth City, giving the story a more down to Earth realistic type style. Timothy Green handles the amazing Eighth City part of the story. Many of the demons in this issue and last remind me of the ones which appear in another artists work, Wayne Barlowe's Inferno book. Which is awesome if you happen to love evil critters!
ReplyDeleteThe transition between writers on Iron Fist has been seamless and I can't wait to see what happens next. I love the Immortal Weapons as they remind me of all the crazy characters in the manga video, Ninja Scroll, that or watching the Samurai Shodown video game.
Readers who enjoy this book should definitely pick-up Ghost Rider, written by Jason Aaron. He has developed a similar storyline based on past Ghost Riders throughout history all over the world. There have been some pretty cool versions of Ghost Rider and how their powers individually manifest. The book has just switched artists, as Tony Moore takes the reins. Those familiar with the book Fear Agent will know his style.
Tony Moore is one of my (invoke Jack Palance) Number ahhhh one ahhhh a guyssss. His Walking Dead stuff in the 1st few issues sold me on Walking Dead. And y'all know how unabashedly in love I am with fucking Fear Agent.
ReplyDeleteGhost Rider never appealed to me though. I'll look at it, but it just seems too over the top goofy/serious for my brain.
Iron Fist is sounding cooler though.