Immortal Iron Fist

Immortal Iron Fist 7-16

The rest of the Matt Fraction run is frankly a disappointment after the promise of the first arc.  What makes even more of a letdown is that he introduces so many sweet ideas without really capitalizing on them.  The Seven Immortal Weapons, one for each of the Capital Cities of Heaven, are an inspired group of characters. 

Showcasing them in a tournament is a no-brainer, but Fraction devotes only a fraction (originally unintentional, but I’m keeping it now) of the seven issue arc to those battles; the rest is spent on conspiracies and a Hydra plot that’s way less interesting.  I get what he’s doing in theory; devoting that much time on nothing but mindless fighting is risky.  But Akira Toriyama proves that it can be done and done magnificently with Dragonball Z, and if there’s any title that should be able to match that, shouldn’t it be Iron Fist?

Even worse, David Aja teases us with what kind of stunning martial arts fighting he can execute:

What Fraction gives us instead, with its multiple story threads, lacks energy.  The interruption of the annuals (I really don’t care about Orson Randall, the previous Iron Fist) doesn’t help the already sluggish pace either.  

I get my wish with a full story for Wu Ao-Shi!

I'm the only one amused by Luke's coldness.

I like that Danny's doing what he can to help the community.

Aja's Misty is gorgeous.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice (Pretty good for 7-9)

Immortal Iron Fist Annual 1

Immortal Iron Fist: Orson Randall and the Green Mist of Death 1

Immortal Iron Fist: Orson Randall and the Death Queen of California 1

Meh.  I wish Fraction and Duane Swierczynski had spent their spare cycles focusing on a previous Iron Fist more interesting than Orson Randall.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Fine

Immortal Iron Fist 17-27

Swierczynski takes over as series writer with Travel Foreman as primary penciller (with a ton of other people on flashback scenes and fill-in help).  The first arc isn’t that interesting (something about the killer of Iron Fists), but the second, set in the hellish Eighth City of Heaven, brings a little bit more.  Swierczynski does a great job of setting up the hopelessness of the situation, making the heroes’ inevitable victory all the more satisfying.  

Yeah, things suck for them right now.

He ends his run with Misty Knight pregnant and engaged to Danny Rand (both of which are apparently summarily dismissed by the next writer).  Not a bad stint, but I was expecting something with a little more oomph.

The 24-Year Punch is SO martial arts story.  Love it.

Not surprised Hydra doesn't get it.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes (No for 17-20)

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice

Immortal Weapons 1-5

A variety of creators tell stories of the non-Danny or Davos Weapons.  Fat Cobra’s is the only one that stands out, which makes sense when Jason Aaron turns out to be the writer.  

Heh.  All-girls college in Switzerland.

A martial arts comic from Michael Lark immediately, please.

It felt inevitable that a writer would take martial arts fighting styles there.

Back to their original purpose.  The Solomon one's clever.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes for 1, 3, 4.  No for 2, 5

Rating: Pretty good (1), Boring (2), Nice (3, 4), Didn’t suck (5)