Merideth says: Daniel Rand, a typical Marvel billionaire, is also the immortal Iron Fist, a kung-fu super-hero. His decision not to sell technology to shady Chinese investors leads to a hostile takeover attempt and a fight with HYDRA. Meanwhile, a former Iron Fist is discovered, and travels to New York to share with Danny the secrets of their order and an upcoming battle.

This book was... O.K. I suspect if I had known more about the character to begin with, it might be more compelling. However, as it stands, this felt more than a little generic, like Brubaker and company were working from a standard superhero script. Gobs of money? Check. Daddy issues? Check. Non-specific mystical threat? Check. Overwhelming odds? Check. To be fair, the character was created in the 1970's, a time not noted for innovation in comics. The addition of a more detailed back story for the Iron Fist character was a nice touch, and Orson Randall was an interesting wrinkle. However he seemed to suffer from the same sort of PTSD that many Marvel characters struggle with.

All in all, a solid effort, but nothing really special. (cross-posted from MeriJenBen) ( )

Daniel Rand, a typical Marvel billionaire, is also the immortal Iron Fist, a kung-fu super-hero. His decision not to sell technology to shady Chinese investors leads to a hostile takeover attempt and a fight with HYDRA. Meanwhile, a former Iron Fist is discovered, and travels to New York to share with Danny the secrets of their order and an upcoming battle.

This book was... O.K. I suspect if I had known more about the character to begin with, it might be more compelling. However, as it stands, this felt more than a little generic, like Brubaker and company were working from a standard superhero script. Gobs of money? Check. Daddy issues? Check. Non-specific mystical threat? Check. Overwhelming odds? Check. To be fair, the character was created in the 1970's, a time not noted for innovation in comics. The addition of a more detailed back story for the Iron Fist character was a nice touch, and Orson Randall was an interesting wrinkle. However he seemed to suffer from the same sort of PTSD that many Marvel characters struggle with.

All in all, a solid effort, but nothing really special. ( )

Great adventure superhero comics are coming out fast and furious these days. ( )

http://jmgold.blogspot.com/2008/06/im... ( )

I wanted to read this series in single issues but then got so behind that it made more sense to just wait for the first trade and then pick it up from there. So I'm a bit late to the party on this one.

It was recently announced that Fraction and Brubaker would be leaving this series and there was much fangirl/boy sadness. Warren Ellis pointed out in his blog that nobody is going to marry an industry title and such a departure was inevitable. Gail Simone wrote maybe 80 or 90 issues of “Birds of Prey” (a monthly, 12 issues a year, maybe 7 or 8 years?) but she wasn't the first writer on the series or the last (she left at issue um 112 i think). Unfortunately a series often becomes associated with a particular writer and then when the writer leaves the title, sales drop dramatically. This happened with Simone and BoP. Fraction and Brubaker haven't left yet, so it's too soon to tell if that will happen with Iron Fist, but the fact that it could happen is remarkable as they have been on the series less than 2 years.

Fraction is a fairly "new" writer, having achieved remarkable noteriety only with this title (arguable, Five Fists of Science (2006? 2005?) was amazing, but it was one TPB, not a series, and not nearly as popular as TIIF). David Aja also really broke into fame with this title and at least he's not leaving. Both Fraction and Aja have been nominated for best newcomer in writing and art, respectively.

So why has TIIF gotten so popular? Solid storytelling on Fraction and Brubaker's part as well as a style that is both classical and innovative. I read this TPB and I thought, this is what comics should look like. He reminds me somewhat of John Cassaday, who is, not coincidentally, one of the biggest names in the industry. I adore Ben Templesmith and David McKean, but I adore them because they're so different. I wouldn't want all comics to look like them. I adore Alex Ross, but really as more of a cover artist than anything. David Kelly, Becky Cloonan and Jamie McKelvie are akin to Aja in that classic but innovative feel. All of these artists are people whose work I can immediately recognize.

I came to TIIF not having had much background with the series or character. I don't think this trade is a very good introduction, as it jumps around a lot in time and to a reader who is unfamiliar with the story to begin with, this can be a little disorienting.

Chris Sims, of Chris Sims' Invincible Super Blog, attests on a regular basis his profound love of kicks to the face. It's no wonder then that Sims loves this series but kicks to the face really isn't all there is to recommend this book. Though it would be sorely lacking if there were no kicks to the face. ( )