Iron Fist (Character)

Real Name: Danny Rand

First Appearance: Marvel Premiere #15 (1974)

Powers: Master of K’un-Lun’s Martial Arts, Can focus his chi into his hand using Shao Lao energy, Healing powers

Affiliation: Heroes for Hire, Defenders, New Avengers

Love Interests: Misty Knight

Enemies: Master Khan, Sabretooth, Steel Serpent, The Hand

Did You Know: The name Iron Fist character was inspired by a martial arts movie.

A Little History

Originally created by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane, Iron Fist has gone on to become a staple in the Marvel Universe. Iron Fist was created in response to the Kung-Fu craze in the 1970s. Iron Fist, or Danny Rand, commands control over all forms of Martial Arts and has the ability to call upon his secret weapon, his Chi. Through intense focus, he can harness his own energy and channel it into a weapon. This weapon has the power to cut through just about anything he desires.

Danny’s story picks up as four people are on a journey to find K’un L’un, the land of immortals. The party consists of Wendell Rand (his father), Harold Meachum (his father’s business partner), Heather Rand (his mother), and, of course, Danny Rand. What the party didn’t know was that Meachum had an intense jealousy of Wendell because of his marriage to Heather. Above that, Meachum wanted nothing more than to be with Heather. As a consequence, when the time was right, he sent Wendell to his grave. When Heather refused to go along with Meachum, he abandoned her and her son, Danny, on the mountainside.

As Heather and Danny continue to make their way to K’un L’un, they are surrounded and attacked by a pack of wolves. To ensure that her son is able to escape, Heather gives her life while fighting the wolves.

K’un L’un

Now in K’un L’un, Danny is adopted by its citizens. It is here that he is taught to be a fighter by Lei Kung, the Thunderer. He quickly becomes one of the best fighters in K’un L’un and elects to fight Shou-Loa, the Dragon. Upon beating the dragon, Danny thrusts his hands into its heart and gains the power of the Iron Fist.

Danny would use this power to prove that he was the mightiest of all the warriors in K’un L’un and, eventually, earn the right to eat from the tree of immortality. He would not follow the path of the other warriors of K’un L’un. Instead, Danny would go home to satisfy his thirst for vengeance.

Sadly, as he approached a now wheelchair-bound Meachum, he began to feel sorry for him. Meachum told him that he had lost his legs due to frostbite and that he knew Danny was being trained in K’un L’un. On top of that, he had lived in pain for his entire life and wanted nothing more than for Danny to kill him. Danny refused to give in to his desires.