Lots this issue. Well, kind of lots. It seems like lots.

But as it turns out, the titular Iron Fist isn’t Danny Rand this issue, it’s Orson Randall. Danny spends some of the issue being funny, then having a really great scene with Luke Cage–the way Brubaker and Fraction characterize the two of them, it feels perfect. Even if the reader only vaguely knows about the Power Man and Iron Fist days, it’s enough.

The issue is really all Randall, though. It’s like if Obi-Wan Kenobi were a badass in Star Wars, the way Randall Jedi mind tricks his way through security, then has his big fight scene. It’s just fantastic–the John Severin illustrated flashback is a little jarring, but it works beautifully.

Aja has some beautiful panels–Randall’s fight scene shows a great mix of art and design.

Interesting how Fraction’s Star Wars influences appear here.

CREDITS

The Last Iron Fist Story, Part 2; writers, Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction; pencillers, David Aja, Travel Foreman and John Severin; inkers, Aja, Derek Fridolfs and Severin; colorists, Matt Hollingsworth and Dean White; letterer, Dave Lanphear; editors, Alejandro Arbona and Warren Simons; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Fraction and Brubaker do a nice double cliffhanger here. The first one isn’t really a cliffhanger because it’s just Danny Rand falling off a roof. We know he’s not going to die. Well, presumably, he’s not going to (he doesn’t).

But it provides a nice close to his part of the issue, while being able to tie it in to the opening of the issue. Brubaker and Fraction do this origin in motion of Danny–and the Iron Fist in general (which is important for the second cliffhanger)–to catch the reader up.

The present action of the issue is pretty small; the writers try to conceal it with flashbacks and flash forwards. Basically, Danny objects to something during a meeting, investigates it as Iron Fist, gets in a fight. They do a great job establishing Danny in the meeting and the fight’s fun.

And Aja’s art is a delight.

CREDITS

The Last Iron Fist Story, Part 1; writers, Ed Brubaker and Matt Fraction; pencillers, David Aja and Travel Foreman; inkers, Aja and Derek Fridolfs; colorist, Matt Hollingsworth; letterer, Dave Lanphear; editors, Alejandro Arbona and Warren Simons; publisher, Marvel Comics.