IRON FIST (2022) #1/ Story by ALYSSA WONG/ Art by MICHAEL YG/ Color Art by JAY DAVID RAMOS/ Letters by VC’S TRAVIS LANHAM/ Published by MARVEL COMICS

Danny Rand was once the Immortal Iron Fist, who claimed the power of the dragon Shou-Lao as his own. To save the world, he was forced to give up that power. Now Danny Rand is merely one of the world’s greatest martial artists, but without the mystic chi that made him capable of superhuman feats.

Lin Lie was once the Sword Master, wielder of the magic blade of Fu Xi. Alas, the sword was shattered, and the shards became imbedded within his flesh. Left on the verge of death, he would have surely perished… had it not been for the mystic chi of Shou-Lao finding him. Now he wields the power of the Iron Fist, but he also has a sword to reforge.

Two heroes connected by a legacy. One destiny uniting them both. And, hidden in the shadows, one enemy who seeks their doom!

The cover of Iron Fist #1 describes it as “a new chapter in the Iron Fist mythos.” Despite that promise of something new and the delivery of a new Iron Fist in a new costume, one can’t help but feel that we’ve seen this all before. Alyssa Wong’s script does a fine job of introducing the characters for those who don’t know any of the Iron Fist backstory. Unfortunately, Lin Lie is the typical hot-headed young hero who doesn’t think he needs help and Danny Rand is the trickster mentor who will no doubt come to teach Lin everything he needs to know about his new role. I’m not overly fond of martial arts movies, but even I know this trope is a tired one.

The artwork is comparable to the story in that it is competently executed but not outstanding. Michael Yg’s design for the new Iron Fist costume is interesting, being unique yet still recognizable. Unfortunately, many of the fight sequences seem overly posed, with a lot of similar shots of the characters with their mouths open looking stunned. The color art produces some interesting lighting effects, but is otherwise unnoteworthy.

Fans of Iron Fist may find this “new chapter” exciting and martial arts enthusiasts might get a kick out of it as well. Unfortunately, there’s little here to hook newcomers and keep them reading. This book isn’t bad and the effort to establish an Iron Fist legacy is laudable. Unfortunately, it’s not that memorable.