August 22, 2007 Arts » Comics

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The Immortal Iron Fist No. 8

Published by Marvel Comics. Plot and script by Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction. Pencils and inks by David Aja and Matt Hollingsworth.

The Deal: The Immortal Iron Fist chronicles the adventures of the superhero known as Iron Fist -- aka Daniel Rand (that's his secret identity). For all intents and purposes, this is a kung fu comic book. The character Iron Fist was created in the 1970s during the height of America's kung fu mania. He starred in his own short-lived series for a bit and years later became the co-star of Power-Man and Iron Fist, which was cancelled after 125 issues. After that book ended, Iron Fist bounced around the Marvel Universe for a while, starring in a few lackluster series here and there. No one seemed to know how to make the character work. This current comic -- The Immortal Iron Fist -- is the latest incarnation of an Iron Fist solo series.

The Good: Remember how I said, "No one seemed to know how to make the character work"? Well, that was true ... until now. Matt Fraction and Ed Brubaker understand the appeal and unique qualities of Iron Fist. They've transformed a poor-man's Bruce Lee into a complex, interesting and multilayered character. In past Iron Fist series, the writers seemed content to take a pretty undeveloped hero and just throw him in stories where he's drop-kicking a bunch of generic bad guys. Fraction and Brubaker, however, have created a rich mythology surrounding the character and his powers. They've also added a ton of old and new supporting characters to the mix. So, this ain't some comic about a stoic fighter walking the earth alone. When you read this comic, you're immediately immersed in a giant tapestry of ideas. The art by David Aja (sort of from the Michael Lark school of drawing) possesses a scratchy quality and uses a ton of shadows -- which perfectly fits the gritty and mysterious tone of the story.

The Bad: For a comic starring a kung fu fighter, The Immortal Iron Fist sure doesn't feature much, well, fighting. I personally don't mind the dialogue, but a few more punches and kicks wouldn't hurt.

The Verdict: Even if you hate Bruce Lee movies, pick up The Immortal Iron Fist. The writers understand the cool things about the character, and they've created an engrossing world around him.

Booster Gold No. 1

Published by DC Comics. Plot and script by Geoff Johns and Jeff Katz. Layouts by Dan Jurgens. Finishes by Norm Rapmund.

The Deal: Booster Gold originally debuted in a self-titled, 1980s-era comic book series. At the time, the character -- who fought against evil in order to gain money and fame -- was pretty damn unique. Since then, a ton of books that deal with similar themes have graced comic book shops. Well, now Booster Gold is back. But instead of having him hunt for dollars, this time around the hero is on a mission to repair time itself.

The Good: Booster Gold is considered a B-list hero by many fans, but I have a soft spot in my heart for the guy. I was a big fan of the old series -- which was written and drawn by Dan Jurgens -- so, yes, I'm happy to see the character return to his own book. This latest series, however, is written by Geoff Johns -- who knows a thing or two about resurrecting B-list heroes (JSA, Hawkman, etc.) -- and Jeff Katz. And the art in the series is done by (drum roll please) Dan Jurgens! So, yes, the fanboy in me is excited ... if only because of the creative team.

The Bad: As much as I love the idea of Jurgens being involved with the series, his art seems a little rushed and -- in some panels -- unfinished. Checking the credits, I see that he drew the layouts for the issue and Rapmund did the "finishes" ... which means that Rapmund did more to Jurgens' art than just ink it. If Jurgens actually did full pencils, the finished product would probably be tighter. Now, when it comes to the writing, I must admit that I'm not the biggest fan of time travel stories. It's kind of difficult to bring something new to this type of speculative fiction. I mean, unless Booster's going to actually change history (or even current DC continuity), the comic can only stay interesting for so long.

The Verdict: The art seems a little rushed, and I'm not exactly stoked about time travel stories, but -- dammit -- I'm a sentimental guy. I used to love the old Booster Gold series, and I'll give Johns and Co. a shot at winning my heart again.

Some reviewed materials furnished by Heroes Aren't Hard To Find: www.heroesonline.com.

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