Iron Fist: The Living Weapon #7

A three-month difference between issues—some title fancies itself a Saga, does it? Jokes aside, these kinds of breaks really do affect your attachment to a series, or more accurately, they reveal what your attachment to a series is. They’re like long-distance relationships in that sense.* If you really care, you spend those three months wondering what the other person is up to and looking forward to the reunion. But if three months pass and you hardly think about them at all (and you’re actually kind of pleasantly surprised at how much time has passed), your feelings probably aren’t as deep.

For me, I was surprised that it’s been so long since the last issue. To be totally honest, I’d almost forgotten that Iron Fist is a thing. This is less a reflection on the quality of Andrews’ storytelling than it is on how, despite everything Danny has gone through, I still feel a bit distant from him. It could just be his attitude; he started off this series not seeming to care much about anything, and even now, he’s still kind of just going through the motions.

That may be the reason why he lost against Davos’ boss (whose name and nature remains a mystery), and it’ll certainly spell disaster in their next bout unless he can push himself to truly give a crap. To do that, he may have to give up the only thing he’s cherished all along: the Iron Fist. That’s what Sparrow suggests, anyway: “Flesh may bleed, but iron can only be dead. You want to live? To truly become a living weapon? Let go of iron… Hold on to flesh, Danny. And show me you’re a man.”

She’s speaking metaphorically (and somewhat from desire), but the Fooh makes it clear that Danny has taken the Iron Fist too literally, something he can’t afford to do now that his fist is crippled. The Fooh pitches even more radical changes than Sparrow, putting down Danny’s entire fighting philosophy as “useless against modern opponents, Blondie.” But is he right? It’s true that K’un L’un is much more technologically driven than its self-imposed feudal, agrarian society made it seem, but in the Challenge of the One, Danny’s opponent was a machine built by the Fooh himself, and it’s clear who won that battle. Davos has already taken the more modern route; it’s hard to think that Danny will win by following the same path.

As to Davos and his strange ally, it’s still not clear what their plans are after a business meeting involving both business professionals and creepy ghouls. Your best guess, given the renovations to the Rand building, is to re-establish K’un L’un on Earth as an empire of both the contemporary and spiritual worlds. In terms of tech, the building is everything cutting-edge, but as Brenda and Officer Li discover, it’s powered by somewhat supernatural means. If immortality is the gift of the former, more spiritual K’un L’un, the new K’un L’un may be sustaining its life by more ingenious means.

All this is well and good, but for real enjoyment, you’ll have to relish the flashbacks to Danny’s childhood in K’un L’un. It’s the one area where he shows some actual personality by really reacting to what’s going on around him—although it’s pretty hard not to react when Sparrow uses the “forbidden kick” (to the nuts) on him during their secret training. Iron Fish has felt like a doom affair, and these flashbacks are the only things that make you feel there’s something worth fighting for.

It’s fairly amazing that Andrews can pull off cute so well when the rest of the issue looks so raw and grim. You might say that contrast between Danny and Sparrow’s relatively fun, exuberant childhood (you know, for an orphan and slave) and their tribulations as adults is what gives the issue its tragic overtones. Ultimately, you do feel sympathetic for the two of them, though mostly for the sweetly sincere kids they used to be.

Some Musings:

* Is there cause for concern that so many of my comics-related metaphors are based on romantic relationships? I’m sure a psychologist would think so!

– The Fooh plans to send Danny to meet someone else before going back to confront Davos, and that someone is referred to as “she”. Let’s hope it’s his mom, so he can finally get over some legitimate mommy issues.