Get ready for fantastically innovative art, death defying kung-fu action, and a whole lot of brooding as Kaare Andrews kicks off “Iron Fist: The Living Weapon.”
Written and Illustrated by Kaare Andrews
High above the city, in a multi-million dollar penthouse, Danny Rand, a.k.a. Iron Fist, “The Living Weapon,” is haunted by the consequences of choosing death over life. A message from Iron Fist’s mystical homeland of K’un-Lun brings Danny back to his blood soaked origin of betrayal and vengeance! Revenge is a weapon that cuts both ways…. Will Danny survive the bloodletting? A one-of-a-kind kung fu action epic directed by the inimitable Kaare Andrews!
There are essentially two kinds of Marvel comics in the “NOW!” era. There’s the core universe titles, carrying on the heavy burden of shared universe continuity with varying levels of aplomb. Then there are those on the margins, carving out their own quirky niche in this imaginary world of costumed crime fighters and cosmic planet eaters. It’s “Avengers” and “All-New X-Men” vs. “Moon Knight” and “She-Hulk,” and comic fans are all the richer for it. The latest title to star Danny Rand, a.k.a. the Iron Fist, definitely falls in the latter group, and is yet another testament to Marvel’s willingness to put their characters outside the box.
In this case, thinking outside of the box consists of handing over the “Iron Fist” reins to artist extraordinaire Kaare Andrews. This one man show (plus letterer Joe Caramagna) steps into the writers chair as well, creating a deadly combination of story-telling that delivers both style and substance.
From the cover, you can tell that Andrews means business. The artist presents Rand’s chi-based powers as stemming from his very bones, his innermost self. It’s one of the most visceral representations ever attributed to the character. Couple that with the issue’s tagline, “When offered life, he chose death,” and it’s quite obvious that Andrews has a darker tone in mind for his take on the Iron Fist.
That dark tone permeates every inch of the issue, from Danny’s repressed and unfulfilling day to day life, to the harrowing recounting of his family’s fateful trek to the city of K’un Lun. The latter is told through crinkled and aging pages as Danny recounts his origin to a vapid young reporter. It’s in this way Andrews retells the earliest chapter of Iron Fist’s origin, without the reader even realizing he’s doing so.
Past weaves directly into the present, as Danny’s relationship with his father plays a major role in the issue. Danny reflects on his father’s descent into obsession in madness, a madness visible in the eyes his father passed on to him. As he does so, he acknowledges that his father still watches over him, in the form of the broken and dilapidated remains of Rand Corp. These two birthrights hang heavy over the issue, but aren’t quite center of Danny’s internal conflict.
In fact, if the book falters on any count, it’s that there’s no clear driving force. Perhaps that is on purpose. Rand, as presented here, is without direction or purpose, simply drifting through life. There’s no indication of just how he got to this point. Of course, there’s not necessarily a need for one; this incarnation exists unto itself, free of any binding continuity other than that which Andrews himself gives to the reader. Still, it’s somewhat difficult to connect with Rand’s dismal state of mind, and the despair threatens to overpower the character’s few instances of levity. However, while Danny’s lack of purpose may give the issue a meandering feel, the stunning climax certainly provides a clear direction for issues to come.
Oh, and ninjas. A clear direction and ninjas.
So far I’ve only hinted at just how wonderful Andrews’ realization of Iron Fist actually is. Nearly every page brings a unique surprise to the table. I already mentioned the aged effect Andrews gives to the flashback scenes; faux-crinkled pages with visible crease-lines indicating a story that has been passed on for many years.
In the present, Andrews’ pages take on a much cleaner tone. There are so many things I could rave about regarding the artist’s work here; the incredible emotive power in each character’s face, the powerful use (or dis-use) of color to highlight a scene or set the tone, the incredibly fluid and kinetic cartooning that captures just what it means to be a “living weapon.” However, the thing that stands out the most is Andrews’ terrific layouts and panelling.
Continued belowIn an early flashback scene, a character fires a flare gun, triggering an avalanche. We see the flare go up through a series of letter shaped panels, spelling out “BLAM.” The “rumble” of the oncoming mass builds across the page, as waves of snow begin to wash over the page.
Throughout the issue, Andrews uses vertical rectangular panels to tell smaller sequential stories amidst the bigger overall picture. The writer displays Danny’s disinterest in his reporter friend through another set of panels blended with lettering. Later, a set of four panels captures a silent post-coital training session. Danny dances across panels, his jumps and kicks have no regard for borders. In another set of panels, Andrews depicts Rand’s chi-based abilities. The first panel is small, focused on Danny’s open palm. Each panel grows larger, drawing the focus in on the hand, which begins to crackle with energy as it closes into a fist. The slow build is like a burning fuse, leading to a page turn that is quite literally explosive.
These are just a few of the many instances that left me slack jawed while reading the issue, pouring over each line and analyzing each style choice. The amount of detail Andrews has packed into this single issue is nothing short of astounding.
“Iron Fist: The Living Weapon” has some pretty large shoes to fill after the extremely well received “Immortal Iron Fist.” However, if this first issue is any indication, the series is set to sore to equal heights, albeit by taking a considerably different path. Rand’s characterization is a little one-dimensional at this point, and the issue primarily stands on its strong visual story-telling. However, there’s a terrific sense of conflict by issue’s end, and perhaps Rand’s newfound purpose will lead to a more fully formed protagonist that readers can get behind. Even with its faults, Andrews’ has definitely created something special for readers to enjoy.
Final Verdict: 8.8 – Buy.
