MARVEL MASTERWORKS: IRON FIST VOL. 2 (Marvel, 2012; Hardcover)
Collects
Iron
Fist Nos.
3-15 and Marvel
Team-Up
Nos. 63, 64 (cover dates February, 1976- December, 1977)
Writer:
Chris Claremont
Artists:
John Byrne with Inking by Frank Chiaramonte, Dan Adkins, Dan Green,
and Dave Hunt
The
Bronze Age is not looked back on fondly by many comic fans when
compared to the Silver Age or even the Golden Age. While it is true that
there was some subpar material churned out there was also some
exceptionally good stuff, such as Iron Fist.
I
love how Iron Fist gets his ass handed to him by the Wrecking Crew in
#11. Sabretooth is introduced in #14, and I much prefer the earlier
version of the character to the omnipotent immortal that came to be.
Marvel has crapped up so many of their characters over the years,
becoming as bad as DC in that regard. Back in the halcyon days that
these comics were originally published in their continuity was as
tight as a drum.
I
also love how Claremont and Byrne introduce diversity to comics
without pandering or the ridiculous hype that seems to surround such
acts these days. Misty Knight was a strong black female character who
was a love interest of Daniel Rand, a.k.a. Iron First. Talk about
bold for this era! That is how I like my progress and diversity in
comics- done for the sake of the story, not for the sake of a 140
character soundbite. Misty Knight was a good character who happened
to be a black female. Now the quota PC diversity
squad goes out of their way to insert every ethnicity and sexual
orientation into the mix first with characterization second. This is
why everything comes off as lame and laughable in modern comics, and
why I buy next to nothing that Marvel offers today.
This stuff is so good. Chris Claremont and John Byrne are the team supreme. Like Lennon and McCartney or Simon and Garfunkel, everyone wishes that there were more work from them. It's something that I will spend the rest of my days pining away for, since their “reunion” on JLA a decade ago didn't exactly work out. We'll likely never see them collaborate again. Comic books like this makes me realize how much I miss Marvel. Most modern Marvel Comics suck balls. Make mine Marvel THEN!
Junk
Food For Thought rating: 4.75 out of 5.
The
OCD zone- Marvel Masterworks are
my poison of choice. For Masterworks
of this book's vintage, rest assured
that this is the definitive Blu-Ray edition of this material.
DVD-style
Extras included in this book: Introduction
by Bruce Canwell. (4 pages)
Iron
Fist #10, page 11 original art. (1 page)
Iron
Fist #13, page 15 original art. (1 page)
Iron
Fist #15, page 11 original art. (1 page)
Iron
Fist #15, page 14 original art. (1 page)
Marvel
Team-Up #64, page 13
original art. (1 page)
Linework
and Color restoration rating:
Think
of the post-2007 Masterworks
as
definitive Blu-Ray editions, with painstakingly restored linework and
a color palette that is 100% faithful to the source material.
Paper
rating: 5 out of 5. Thick coated semi-glossy stock that has that
sweet, sweet smell that all Chinese manufactured books have. I
theorize that this delectable aroma is caused by the toxic stew of
broken asbestos tiles, lead paint chips, heavy metal industrial
waste, and mercury from recalled thermometers combined with the
blood, sweat, and tears of the Chinese children working the sweatshop
printing presses. The frosting on this delicious cake scent is the
paper which is likely sourced from virgin Amazon rainforests.
Binding
rating: 5 out of 5. Rounded book casing and Smyth sewn binding
(six stitches per signature) allow this book to lay completely flat
in one hand as Godzilla intended.
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