I was there for Marvel Premiere #15 (May 1974), when Roy Thomas and Gil Kane introduced you to the world. I can't remember how long I stuck with you back then . . . it wasn't easy to get consecutive issues of comic books back in the 70s . . . but I know that I bought every issue I could find, and that when The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu magazine #10 came out in March 1975 with your picture on the cover, I was down for that, as well . . . even at the outrageous price of 75¢ for an issue.
And I dropped in and out of the other books: Power Man and Iron Fist, The Immortal Iron Fist, Iron Fist: The Living Weapon. Even though Marvel and I pretty much parted ways some time ago. And of course I bought the Epic Collection The Fury of Iron Fist (Volume 1: 1974 - 1977).
And I even thought . . . and am thinking . . . about getting this tattoo
I mean, if I'm going to have a dragon on my chest, it might as well be an Iron Fist dragon, right? (That tattoo is contingent upon me having a much better looking chest than I have at this moment, however. I do not want an ironic tattoo.)
And I bought an Iron Fist t-shirt.
So I was definitely up for an Iron Fist television series.
It came out Friday morning, and I will probably finish it up today (Monday), so not quite as unrestrained as I've been in the past with these things, but 13 episodes, about 50 minutes each . . . that's about 11 hours of tv time, which is an enormous amount for me. (It's Joe driven, of course.) And I've enjoyed the series quite a bit, actually. Read some comments about it that said it was "the worst Netflix-Marvel show," "boring," "uninteresting" . . . and many have complained about a white dude being the greatest martial arts champion in the world.
Hmpf.
Well, letting the last be first, I have two things to say about the complaints reference not casting an Asian in the role of the world's greatest martial arts fighter: (1) That's the story that was told in the comic book, so what's the beef? Smells like Political Correctness to me. (2) Um . . . isn't it actually racist to assume that an Asian would have to be the world's greatest etc.?*
As for the other complaints, well, it's a matter of personal taste, obviously, but I did not find the show boring or uninteresting at all. Quite the opposite, actually. With some very nice little flourishes along the way . . . such as a pan across a white surface (I think it was a bedspread, but it was about eight hours ago) which then becomes a field of snow and Danny's memory of the crash landing in China. And so far as I'm concerned, this show is much better than Jessica Jones or Luke Cage. I'd still rank Daredevil as the best of these shows, though . . . but not by that much.
Got to say that I think Netflix's Iron Fist is a pretty good way to waste eleven hours. I give it two Smashing Punches up.
BTW, I just saw a listing for Marvel Premiere #15 at $724.95. Sigh. Mine's gone, of course.
* In case you're wondering, YES, IT IS.
2 comments:
I like your drawing.
Thank ye. In the comic book (& in the tv show as well), it's burned onto Danny's chest when he hugs a dragon. Way cool.
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