Marvel's mysterious new Iron Fist will be an Asian superhero, according to series writer Alyssa Wong.
"I am so excited to be writing an Asian Iron Fist!" Wong told IGN ahead of hers and Michael YG's five-issue miniseries. "That’s something that a lot of people have wanted to see for a long time, myself included, and it feels special to be entrusted with that opportunity. We have seen Iron Fists of Asian descent before, like Wu Ao-Shi and Pei, but as supporting characters in Danny Rand’s story (and in the case of past Immortal Iron Fists, all long dead). Having a new Iron Fist take the lead represents a new chapter for the Iron Fist legacy--not erasing decades of comics history, but building on it."
Despite her excitement, Wong refused to offer up details to who would be wearing the mask of the Iron Fist, but she did tease that the character's unorthodox path towards becoming a hero will be an important part of the story.
Earlier this year, longtime Iron Fist Danny Rand transferred the power of Shou-Lao the Undying into a new host, dropping the mantle in the process. Though he won't be reclaiming the role anytime soon, Danny will remain involved in the next champion's opening chapter. "I hope that this story will speak to those who have loved Danny for years, as well as folks who have never read an Iron Fist comic but are aching to see a character they can relate to," Wong explained. "I do think Danny is in a unique position to mentor the new Iron Fist… if he can catch him first!"
Wong acknowledged that Rand's controversial history was also taken into consideration when crafting this new story. When he first appeared in Marvel Premiere #15 in 1974, Iron Fist was intended to capitalize on the popularity of kung-fu films and embraced the tropes of the genre, even though the character wasn't of Asian descent. Many criticized Rand for being a "white savior," a criticism that only grew louder in the wake of the poorly received Iron Fist series on Netflix, which exposed the character to a wider audience without doing much to address these unsavory elements of his origin. In the wake of that show, many have wanted to see an Asian Iron Fist in the Marvel Cinematic Universe instead.
Whoever Danny Rand's replacement is, the character already has fans buzzing. Marvel's announcement for the series helped get Iron Fist trending on Twitter, with many fans expressing immediate interest in seeing an Asian superhero take on the mantle. Anybody interested in this new direction can look forward to the release of Iron Fist #1 on Feb. 16, 2022.
Source: IGN