Duane Swierczynski is a Philadelphia-based crime writer who has an incredibly hard name to spell. I’ve read his crime novels and enjoyed them a lot. Lately, though, he’s taken up the reins of Marvel Comics superheroes Iron Fist and Cable. His first issues of Iron Fist have been collected in a hardcover trade edition called The Mortal Iron Fist.
Danny Rand, also known as Iron Fist, has an incredible legacy to draw from. For centuries, the Iron Fists were known as fierce warriors. Yet most of them, as it turns out, never lived past their 33rd birthday. Danny has recently turned 33 and is now aware of the cruel fate awaiting him. If he can’t somehow circumvent it.
Swierczynski does a good job portraying the ancillary characters of the Iron Fist series. Danny Rand has been paired with Luke Cage for years. They first starred in Heroes For Hire and were a major sensation in the 1980s. Luke Cage has undergone several changes in his life as well over the years, but is essentially the same character he was.
Danny still struggles with his relationship with Misty Knight, one of the founding members of the Daughters of the Dragon, another group of superheroes for hire. Several other issues continue to loom largely in Danny’s life, including the Rand Corporation, his father’s international business.
Since Iron Fist got a reboot in the Marvel Universe, much of the stories have revolved around the mystical background of the warriors. Readers have gotten a better look at the city and land where young Danny Rand was given shelter after his parents were ruthlessly murdered. I’ve enjoyed the ongoing story threads from the previous incarnations of Iron Fist, but the addition of this mythology has been terrific. These stories have allowed recent writers to explore and create much more of the tapestry of Danny Rand’s life, adding a lot of depth and potential growth.
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