Immortal Iron Fist #14 Review

IMMORTAL IRON FIST #14
Written by Ed Brubaker & Matt Fraction
Art by David Aja

Goddamn, I didn't think it was possible to deliver so much win in one issue. Brubaker and Fraction manage to wrap up everything in one issue. There's no room for filler here. It's just wall to wall kung-fu action. I'm literally giddy as a school girl after having read this issue to the point I don't think I'll be forming coherent sentences by the end of this review.

Quick recap for the fools not reading this book. There's seven mystical cities. Each have a badass warrior in the same vein as Iron Fist. Every so many years they have a martial arts tournament to determine who's more badass. It typically involves kung-fu and wenches. This year, they are having such a tournament and Hydra is determined to invade and destroy K'un Lun with a train through a magic portal.

Suffice to say, the conclusion to such a story involves a lot of kun-fuing and a lot of asskicking. Last issue ended with the seven Immortal Weapons exiting the mystic portal Xao, the Hydra boss, created to invade. Picking up right where we left off, Danny and the other weapons put a royal beat down on Hydra of epic proportions.

How epic is it? Iron Fist channels his chi to align with the magnetic field of a train and becomes a human bullet, destroying the train in an instant and that's just the opening pages! While the Hydra goons are basically cannonfodder for the Immortal Weapons and the Heroes 4 Hire crew, that's even touched upon a bit, citing the Hydra guys are there for a paycheque while the rest are fighting for their homes and survival of their people.

Throughout the issue we see the Immortal Weapons unload their various secret moves and techniques on the wholly unprepared Hydra goons and whoever's responsible for the names of all the Weapons' secret techniques, like Bastard's Black Heartcrusher, Vaulting Mantis Spine Snapper, 88th Son of War and numerous other that litter this book needs a medal. Those are pure gold whenever I see a new one.

This issue isn't just about the Immortal Weapons though. There's also the insurrection in K'un Lun going on and, while the actual overthrowing of Nu-An is a little contrived (he runs down the stairs to try and escape the city without any guards and runs smack dab into the entire Army of Thunder and that's all there is to the rebellion), the Army of Thunder doesn't go to waste as they repel the invading Hydra trying to use the Rand Gate to enter K'un Lun and their bloody battle spills out into the real world as well, with the aid of Davos, of all people.

With most of Hydra on the run, Iron Fist confronts their leader, Xao, and asks him to surrender. Xao had lightning crackling from his eyes in anger earlier in the issue and he opts to jump to his death in lieu of surrender, but not before revealing to Danny that there is an 8th Capital City that no one ever knew about. Did he have power infused by this mythical 8th city to explain the eyes earlier? It's my guess, but it seems like Iron Fist is becoming a team book of sorts as, after the battle, the seven Immortal Weapons all opt to stay in the real world and investigate his claims.

In K'un Lun, the Thunderer becomes the city's new leader and the nameless girl that led his Army of Thunder is poised to take the role of Thunderer. Davos, who the Crane Mother stripped of power, surrenders to his father, the Thunderer, and confesses his sins. He actually seemed to be upset over the things he has done and it could be a real character defining moment for him here.

The end of the issue had the Thunderer putting him in charge of the dragon egg for the dragon each new Iron Fist must fight to gain their title. It seems the dragon is set to be reborn and Davos will guard the door as penance for his crimes. Will he take control of the Iron Fist power once it hatches or is he truely reformed? What happens if it's destroyed before hatching? I wish Brubaker and Fraction were sticking around long enough to deliver on all these plots they've set up!

Verdict - Must Read. I found the art much improved over recent months and the story, as the review shows, was simply amazing. It's rare to be this satisfied over a comic book or how a story turned out and if you haven't been following this book, make the eventual trade your top priority!

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