The second season of "Iron Fist" drops Sept. 8 on Netflix, and advance word is that the addition of new villain Typhoid Mary and the return of Davos are reasons for excitement. If you're not convinced, here are some of the best Iron Fist collections to remind you of what an awesome character he (and his friends) can be:
THE ORIGIN
Iron Fist launched in the kung fu craze of the early '70s, but even so, most of those stories hold up pretty well. Lucky for us, the character's first six years are included in a single trade paperback.
"Iron Fist Epic Collection: The Fury of Iron Fist" ($39.99) starts with the character's debut in 1972, and collects Danny's first two series. A "Marvel Team-Up" two-parter from 1978, where Iron Fist first meets Spider-Man, rounds out the collection.
Two of Marvel's finest _ writer Roy Thomas and artist Gil Kane _ launched the character with a tight, two-issue origin story that laid the groundwork still in use today. "The Fury of Iron Fist" and "Heart of the Dragon" showed Danny's parents dying in the Himalayas, Danny's training by Lei Kung the Thunderer in the mystical, other-dimensional city of K'un-Lun, the untrustworthiness of Yu-Ti (the August Personage in Jade) and Danny's betrayal by the Meachum family.
We also got the introduction of a certain titular super-power. And that holds up pretty well, too.
"You call silently, inwardly, upon the invincible will which forms the very core of your being," reads a caption at the end of the first Iron Fist story. "Unfathomed reserves of concentration and resolve flow from your brain, your shoulders, your legs, from every part of a body honed for 10 long year _ flow, meld and merge into one place _ into your hand _ until it begins to smolder and glow _ until it becomes like unto _ a thing of IRON!"
Yeah, that's the stuff! Thomas could really turn a phrase, couldn't he?
This book also includes:
_ The first appearance of Colleen Wing, and the second appearance of Misty Knight (although the first time she was named).
_ The Search for Colleen Wing: Written and drawn by the X-Men team supreme, Chris Claremont and John Byrne, this seven-issue story has Danny hot on the trail of his kidnapped colleague. And Iron Fist battles Iron Man, because that gave Marvel a chance to use the title "A Duel of Iron!"
_ "Snowfire!" While most people consider Sabretooth a Wolverine foe, he fought Danny Rand first in this story by Claremont and Byrne.
_ "Enter the X-Men!" guest stars ... oh, you guessed, did you? It's a great story, written and drawn by the most famous X-creators (Claremont and Byrne) and involving Misty Knight as well. This story leads directly into ...
_ "Night of the Dragon!" and "If Death Be My Destiny!", this story from "Marvel Team-Up" features Spidey and Iron Fist battling Davos, Danny's rival for the iron fist. Consumed with jealousy and calling himself Steel Serpent, Davos actually steals Shou-Lao's power for a while. Since Davos is a big player in "Iron Fist" Season 2, that makes this an important story. And yes, it's by Claremont-Byrne.
THE BEST FRIEND
While "Iron Fist" was born of the kung fu craze, "Luke Cage, Power Man" got its start from blaxploitation. When both fads faded, both books began to fail _ so, to avoid cancellation, Marvel just threw Iron Fist and his supporting cast into "Power Man." Voila! The oddest of odd couples was born.
The in-story origin of the bromance can be found in "Power Man" (soon to be renamed "Power Man and Iron Fist") No. 48-50. Once again, Claremont-Byrne set the show in motion, although they left at the end of No. 50. That issue, titled "Freedom!", saw Luke cleared of the frame that sent him to jail back in the first issue of "Luke Cage."
Those stories _ and 20 more! _ can be found in the "Power Man and Iron Fist Epic Collection" ($39.99). Unfortunately, some of the best stories from the original "Power Man and Iron Fist" _ which ran to issue No. 125 _ haven't all been collected. Maybe someday. But for now, this book will give you a taste of how and why this unlikely team-up succeeded.
THE EXPANDED ORIGIN
While the basics of Danny Rand's origin have remained unchanged, writers Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction expanded it far beyond its original brief _ and blew a lot of minds in the process.
A 2007 series titled "Immortal Iron Fist" revealed in short order that 1) there have been many Iron Fists throughout history, with Danny just being the latest, and 2) K'un-Lun is but one of seven mystical, other-dimensional "Cities of Heaven," each of which has their own bizarre martial artist as a protector. All of these protectors, including Iron Fist, are called "immortal," because when one dies they are immediately replaced.
In the first six issues ("The Last Iron Fist Story"), Danny is given the "Book of Iron Fist" by his immediate predecessor, Orson Randall _ the only Iron Fist to leave the job alive (because he quit). Davos and Hydra both want the book, so Danny and Orson go on the run _ giving us time to learn a bit about Iron Fist history (Iron Fistory?).
In issues No. 8-14 ("The Seven Capital Cities of Heaven"), Danny is drafted into a tournament between the Seven Cities; the "Immortal Weapons" like Iron Fist have to fight their counterparts, with the winner determining which city gets to appear on Earth next. Naturally, there are double-crosses, surprise reveals and martial arts a-plenty.
The art, primarily by David Aja, is mesmerizing. We are also treated to several standalone stories and one-shots that help expand this cosmology, all contained in "Immortal Iron Fist: The Complete Collection Vol. 1" ($39.99).
"Immortal Iron Fist" continued after the Fraction/Brubaker era for 11 more issues, in which Danny finds out that all Iron Fists (except Orson) die at age 33. He discovers this, of course, on his 33rd birthday, and the four-part "Mortal Iron Fist" story is devoted to his efforts to avoid his fate. Written by Duane Swierczynski, with art primarily by Travel Foreman, it's is a worthy successor to its predecessors.
"Mortal" is followed by a variety of stories too complicated to describe here, except for one where Danny goes to Hell. (Don't worry, he comes back.) They are all collected in "Immortal Iron Fist: The Complete Collection Vol. 2," which also includes a variety of Orson Randall one-shots.
Another highlight of the second collection is the five-issue miniseries "Immortal Weapons" (2009), which devoted one issue each to five of the seven protectors of the Cities of Heaven. (The sixth is Iron Fist, who doesn't need a standalone issue, and the seventh is Davos, who got kicked out.) Those five are named "Fat Cobra," "Bride of Nine Spiders," "Dog Brother No. 1," "Tiger's Beautiful Daughter" and "Prince of Orphans." Their stories are just as fascinating as their names, with art by an all-star lineup, including Aja and Foreman.
THE GALS
Lastly we come to Misty Knight, cyber-armed ex-cop, and Colleen Wing, ninja warrior, who are sometimes called the Daughters of the Dragon. They are last not because they are women, nor because they aren't interesting, but because they have had so much less "screen time" than their male colleagues. As interesting as they are _ and usually they're more interesting than the boys _ they're usually relegated to supporting-character roles.
So, yeah, if you read virtually any book starring Luke Cage and Danny Rand, or one with "Heroes for Hire" in the title, you'll generally find Colleen and Misty, or their detective agency-cum-bounty hunting firm Knightwing Restorations. Ditto just about any issue of Marvel's 1970s B&W magazine, "Deadly Hands of Kung Fu." But solo series? Not so much.
There was one six-issue miniseries, though, that was collected as "Daughters of the Dragon: Samurai Bullets." It's out of print now and hard to find, but well worth the search. In it, Knightwing Restorations is tasked with finding four D-level supervillains who have jumped bail _ but naturally, it turns out not to be as easy as it sounds. Which means we get to see Colleen and Misty with their backs against the wall, when they are at their best.
But first, let's see what "Iron Fist" Season 2 has in store. Chances are that'll send us scurrying back to the bookstore for more about Danny, Colleen, Misty, Davos and the whole K'un-Lun gang.
