Bru and fraction leaving Iron Fist

[ragernok2002]

It’s official—Marvel Comics has announced that Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, and David Aja are leaving The Immortal Iron Fist after issue #16, to be replaced by the team of Cable writer Duane Swierczynski, who will be joined by artist Travel Foreman. Swierczynski and Foreman will kick off their run starting with issue #17 in July.

Newsarama got in touch with Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, Duane Swierczynski, and Iron Fist editor Warren Simon to discuss the changing of the guard as well as a number of creative dynamics involved with the critically acclaimed Immortal Iron Fist series.

Newsarama: When the Immortal Iron Fist title was starting up--Ed and Matt, you guys basically came up with a modernized take on a somewhat 2-Dimensional character in terms of his history as a "buddy character" to Luke Cage and a somewhat muddied death/ rebirth at the hands of John Byrne in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Now that there is a definite source/ mythos to Iron Fist, what has become the challenge with handling the substance of the character to the two of you?

Ed Brubaker: I don't think Matt and I really did that much that changed Danny at all. We just looked at the good Iron Fist stuff and got to the core of it. I had always wanted to do Iron Fist, and had always thought that there were Iron Fists as long as there was Kun Lun, basically, and we just started from there and ran with it. Matt had some crazy ideas about mag-lev trains and what Danny should do with his company's money, and then we just started rolling forward getting as much into each issue as we could.

Matt Fraction: I don't think the challenge was any different at the end of our run than it was at the beginning—reduce the character down to his core components, and then crush him to see what happens. The problem was never Iron Fist, it was all the crap that wasn’t Iron Fist—does that make sense? All we did was try to remind people that, hey, Kung Fu Billionaire is a good idea for a comic character.

EB: I also think Matt and I both really wanted the book to feel more like an old Pulp-era thing and less like a superhero comic—more Shadow/Doc Savage inspired. And there are ties to that era, in that Iron Fist was inspired by an old Bill Everett character who was inspired in some ways by the Shadow.

Danny, though, was always well-established as a character. We just made him a bit cooler and more powerful, and gave him a bunch of new costumes because David Aja is a genius and wouldn't keep him in one outfit at a time.

NRAMA: Duane, how are you planning to add to the storied history of the Immortal Iron Fist or are you just going to work with some of the previous incarnations established in the Brubaker/ Fraction run for now?

Duane Swierczynski: What’s great about the Iron Fist universe that Ed and Matt set up is that it’s ever-expanding. It’s basically one big, weird, pulpy story machine, and I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to be handed the keys to the thing. I will be telling more stories about the existing incarnations of Iron Fist, but you’ll see a few new faces pop up, too—and in (hopefully) surprising time periods.

NRAMA: Should Danny Rand/ Iron Fist have a more predominant role in the Marvel Universe of the 21st century? In your minds, how does the Iron Fist stand out amongst other characters like Daredevil or Spider-Man who seem to reach a similar audience but have a more tenured stay in the Marvel Universe?

MF: Danny/IF should have a role that makes sense. Right now it makes perfect sense that he's plugged into the Avengers. Would it have made sense ten years ago? Not at all. Did it make sense when he was from an alien city fighting giant asparagus? Not so much.

And he stands out because there's no one else like him. He's an international, pan-generational hero. He's human, he's American, and yet so much of him is of another culture and another world.

EB: He stands out because he's a Kung-Fu billionaire from a mystical city in the Himalayas. It's really simple. He stands out the same way that Dr. Strange does. That's what's cool about Iron Fist. He's otherworldly in some ways, but street-level in others. You can literally do anything with him, and now we've opened the door to stories about the Iron Fists of the past, so there are a lot of different angles to approach the character from.

NRAMA: With the evolution of this character, do you think readers could see a new Iron Fist down the road or has Marvel barely scratched the surface of Rand as the Iron Fist?

EB: I hope Danny stays around for a while, but Iron Fists do tend to die young, for the most part, so I guess anything is possible.

MF: Well, since ours is the first time an Iron Fist book has had more than 15 issues, I think it's safe to say there's miles to go with Danny.

That said, Duane kills him off in #19. Spoilers!

NRAMA: Is the Iron Fist a better character when Luke Cage is present? Does the character need a foil to balance him out?

MF: I think they both need each other as foils, honestly. It's not a flaw of character, but rather they team up so beautifully and each enhances the other. I know it was probably a marketing decision to team the two big exploitation characters together but man, when it works, it really, really works. It's not about balance—it's about complimenting.

NRAMA: Matt and Ed, are there aspects of this character that you wished you could've explored further?

EB: I think we touched on almost all the stuff I wanted us to at the beginning. It took us a bit longer than I thought it would to do it, but then, I had no idea that the second storyline would involve a Kung Fu tournament. It was originally just going to be a Kun Lun rebellion story, but then we were talking and I was staring at my wife's Enter the Dragon poster, and things just started clicking, and I'm saying, what if there are 6 other cities and they have a tournament, and Matt's saying, and they each have different immortal champions with cool names and... and... and...

And suddenly there was all this other stuff that made the book so much more fun and new and interesting, and that tied directly into the tragic story of Orson Randall, the lost Iron Fist from WWI.

MF: I can't answer this without blowing our last issue, so let me just say that there's a particular relationship dynamic that takes a turn in #16 I would've loved to have written more.

NRAMA: Duane, how do you want to take what Ed and Matt have created and move it forward, yet bring your own unique creative voice to the project?

DS: I’m not so much worried about bringing my own voice to Iron Fist, because I feel like this book is already speaking my language (as it no doubt does with every other Iron Fist fan). It’s the place you go when you want a white hot dose of pulp action, epic adventure, and mystical freakiness. It’s what I love to read, and love to write.

NRAMA: What do the three of you think are some of the flaws of Rand/ Iron Fist that make him an archetypal character in the Marvel Universe?

EB: He's not of the world that he lives in, completely, and he has a mission that he knows will someday get him killed, most likely. And he was born out of tragedy, having watched his parents die when he was like 9 years old.

MF: He comes from a place of tremendous pain and loss-- which if you think about the revelations in Immortal Iron Fist #14, will become even more painful as they come to light. He's the permanent outsider, in both the worlds in which he walks. In K'un Lun, he's a white outworlder from another culture, and in NYC he's a spacey billionaire into Yin-Yang symbols and karate... and that's just the tip of the eccentricities. There's nowhere Danny has ever fit... except with the other misfits that made up the Heroes for Hire.

DS: Also—to build on what Ed said about Danny not being of this world—I think his weird childhood makes him like a big kid, even though he’s in his early 30s. This came into sharp relief in Ed and Matt’s first arc, when he’s interacting with Orson Randall, and it’s very cool gruff dad/clueless son kind of situation. There’s also a father-son thing going on with Jeryn, and a big brother/little brother thing with Luke Cage. Danny seems to have gathered around him a surrogate family to replace the one that was stolen from him.

NRAMA: Were there any stories that the two of you mulled over but simply didn't have the time to tell?

MF: I remembered an idea that Ed had last night that I think he should do as an Iron Fist graphic novel that Jon J. Muth should paint. It was going to be a stand-alone Tales Of The Iron Fist issue, but the idea is so good it really could be something special.

NRAMA: Duane, how does your first story arc start out? What can readers expect once you've taken over the book?

DS: Matt cues up something really devastating in Iron Fist #16, and my story picks up literally a second later. (And then, 10 years later.)

NRAMA: When working with properties owned by a company like Marvel, what do the three of you think is the most important factor when creative teams change like this?

MF: A good editor, which we had a thousand times over in Warren Simons. Because, look, at the start of the day, there were four people that cared about this book-- me, Ed, David, and Warren-- and only one of them worked every day at Marvel and could fight for it every day. And that guy was Warren. A book like this could've so easily been killed at #8 without someone taking the time and energy to protect it, nurture it, defend it, and champion it. To say nothing of organizing the thing and coordinating the amazing array of artists we've had. It's great to know that Duane and Travel are taking over, and god knows it'll be great, but that Warren's still editing the thing means it truly is in the hands of someone who loves it.

EB: That it should feel like the same book that readers were already into, so it doesn't lose whatever its ineffable appeal is, but at the same time, that the new team establish their own voice as soon as possible.

DS: Yeah, I think making sure the readers aren’t confused—or saying, “What the hell happened to the Iron Fist I loved?”—is vital.

NRAMA: Speaking of editors, Warren, when Ed and Matt leave and Duane comes onto the title—how crucial of a role does the editor play when it comes to holding together the framework of the title's status quo? Are there instances where certain nuances can be discarded or downplayed? Or, with books like Immortal Iron Fist, where the lineage of the character plays such an active role, are there certain things new writers like Duane have to be made aware of--like rules or guidelines?

Warren Simons: I won't delve too far into the day-to-day minutia of editorial, but my goal as the editor of Iron Fist is the same as it's been for the last 18 months: to make this book a great read that our fans will enjoy. Duane and Travel's first issue picks up right where Matt and David leave the book with issue # 16, and I'm really excited about where we're headed. I love our Iron Fist fans, and I honestly wouldn't have wanted the title to continue if I felt like we were offering a comic that didn't have the potential to match the great work that Matt and Ed and David have put together.

Issue # 17 opens 10 years in the future—with a mysterious little boy asking Misty Knight how his father died—and the script just takes off from there. We'll be introducing a few new Iron Fists, as well as some kick-ass villains. If you've enjoyed the book to date, stick around: We're just getting started

NRAMA: Matt and Ed, what was the biggest challenge for the two of you as you capped your run on this series?

MF: For me, I really really, really, really wanted the last one to be #16 and not #15 so we could be the team that broke the old record. And with my workload that was a dumb, arrogant, and exhausting decision to make.

EB: I think the biggest challenge for us was being willing to let it go, but we personally recommended Duane for the gig, so knowing it was going to be someone I'm a fan of was a big plus. Also, Matt wrote the final issue himself (except for one scene that I rewrote, actually) and I think it's my favorite thing that he's ever written at Marvel. I wrote him a fan letter after I read the script for that one.

NRAMA: Are there any crucial threads that have been established that readers should consider in the upcoming months, post-Secret Invasion--or do Skrulls figure prominently into the Iron Fist's future (or past for that matter...) as well?

MF: Fat Cobra's a fat Skrull.

NRAMA: Duane, what do you think your biggest challenge is going to be following Matt and Ed's run? It's one of Marvel's most recent books to get a great deal of critical acclaim--no pressure, right?

DS: Um, yeah, geez, no pressure at all, following such a critic and fan favorite… ahem… er…

Seriously, though, my goal is to someday look back from, say, issue #25, #35 or even #50 and be able to say, Yeah, this story grew organically, all from seeds planted in that first arc, and it never jumped the shark. Or the undying dragon as it were.

Bru and fraction leaving

God dammit, This was one of my favourites

[Missy]

No time to read the full interview now, but I will say this: good! These guys have been treading water since the end of the first storyline. A new vision will be a nice change of pace. And, hey, at lease Marvel hasn't canceled the book!

[Guest]

Awesome. That book seriously needs a new team.

I think Brubaker is great, but this wasn't the book for him.

[Dan]

You know what I was thinking Iron Fist needs? A baby strapped to his chest.

[Guest]

He lacks the upper body development to pull off the baby chest.

[Koete]

Awesome. That book seriously needs a new team.

I think Brubaker is great, but this wasn't the book for him.

Really? I can't imagine anyone doing a better job than the Brubaker/Fraction/Aja team.

[Guest]

Like I said, Brubaker is great, but the book was running in place and there is so much more that could be done with the character.

I'm frankly amazed that they got the concept of "kick-ass martial arts book" and turned it into something so bland.

[Missy]

I can't imagine anyone doing a better job than the Brubaker/Fraction/Aja team.

When was the last time Aja drew more than half an issue? Granted, I don't read Iron Fist monthly anymore, but I still see issues. And I can't recall Aja drawing more than a few pages here and there during this "tournament" storyline.

[Missy]

I did a little digging, and this is what I came up with. During the way-too-long "The Capital Cities of Heaven" storyline, Aja has drawn:

#8: 15 pages

#9: 16 pages

#10: 16 pages

#11: 16 pages

#12: 8 pages

#13: 3 pages

So though he's drawn more of the storyline than I had given him credit for, he's been practically absent during the last two issues.

[Malpractice]

You guys are nuts! Brubaker and Fraction's Immortal Iron Fist is a consistently amazing book, month in and month out. This is terrible news that this team is leaving.

I dig Duane Swierczynski's crime books, but his comic work has been severly lacking so far. I also do not think he's the right person for this book, and will most likely be dropping the book after the original team leaves. This is a very sad day for brilliant and creative mainstream superhero comics.

[Dread]

You guys are nuts! Brubaker and Fraction's Immortal Iron Fist is a consistently amazing book, month in and month out. This is terrible news that this team is leaving.

I dig Duane Swierczynski's crime books, but his comic work has been severly lacking so far. I also do not think he's the right person for this book, and will most likely be dropping the book after the original team leaves. This is a very sad day for brilliant and creative mainstream superhero comics.

I've only read two IIF books and they were both below mediocre. This coming from a Bru/Frac fanboy.

[Koete]

I did a little digging, and this is what I came up with. During the way-too-long "The Capital Cities of Heaven" storyline, Aja has drawn:

#8: 15 pages

#9: 16 pages

#10: 16 pages

#11: 16 pages

#12: 8 pages

#13: 3 pages

So though he's drawn more of the storyline than I had given him credit for, he's been practically absent during the last two issues.

The reason he's drawn fewer pages for the past two issues is that he was focusing on the next issue, which will be double sized and entirely drawn by him.

[Missy]

Is Aja typically a slower artist? What I mean is, since he was only drawing two-thirds of each of the "Capital Cities" issues, he shouldn't have needed the extra time to finish the finale.

[Koete]

I'm assuming he is, as it may explain why the flashback art is usually done by other artists along with the different art signifying the time shift.

[Missy]

The reason he's drawn fewer pages for the past two issues is that he was focusing on the next issue, which will be double sized and entirely drawn by him.

Well, I'm looking at Immortal Iron Fist #14 (the 48-page conclusion to "The Seven Capital Cities of Heaven," on sale next Wednesday), and according to the credits David Aja is nowhere to be found:

Penciler: Tonci Zonjic

Penciler (24-28): Clay Mann

Artist (1-3, 29-30): Kano

Inker: Stefano Gaudiano

[Koete]

That's very interesting, because I pulled my copy of Marvel Previews from February and David Aja is listed as the penciller, so...I don't know what's going on with his art.