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You are here: Home / Featured / Iron Fist Reading Order – Where to Start With Iron Fist?

Iron Fist Reading Order – Where to Start With Iron Fist?

September 4, 2016 by Dave 2 Comments

Iron Fist is a fascinating Marvel Comics character, born during the height of 70’s Kung Fu obsession, smoothly transitioning into the best partnership in Marvel with Luke Cage, and punching his way back into relevance with a delightfully supernatural reinvention of Kung Fu for the 2000’s.

Due to his “fringe” status, and later creation (compared to the major Marvel heroes of the 1960’s) reading through Iron Fist appearances is reasonably palatable endeavor. Most fans today will point you straight to Immortal Iron Fist (and with good reason), but that approach will miss out on Chris Claremont and John Byrne comics (the creative team responsible for the X-Men’s Dark Phoenix saga, among other greats), as well as a perpetually underappreciated Heroes for Hire run during the 80’s.

Iron Fist Reading Order

Index:

I) Origins and Early Days

II) Power Man & Iron Fist: Heroes for Hire

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III) Iron Fist in the 90’s

IV) The Immortal Iron Fist (2000’s)

V) Iron Fist: Heroic Age to Marvel NOW! (2010 to 2013)

VI) Marvel NOW! Iron Fist (2013 to Present)

Bonus: Related Characters

I) Iron Fist Origins and Early Days

Iron Fist Epic Collection: The Fury of Iron Fist




I’ll admit one of the major surprises for me reading every year of Marvel Comics in order (as part of My Marvelous Year!) was finding Chris Claremont and John Byrne Iron Fist stories!

While I’m well-versed in the duo’s X-Men output (some of the best Marvel Comics of all time!), I had no idea the duo was crafting Danny Rand as early as 1975. Credit where it’s due of course to creators Roy Thomas and Gil Kane for launching Iron Fist in the pages of Marvel Premiere.

The Claremont and Byrne era extends for issues #1 through #15 of Iron Fist, and shockingly includes the very first appearance of Wolverine villain Sabretooth!

Collects: Marvel Premiere #15 to #25, Iron Fist #1 to #15, Marvel Team-Up #63 to #64

Deadly Hands of Kung Fu Omnibus Vol. 1

If you’re a true Iron Fist completist, you’ll also want to include Iron Fist’s appearances in The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu, all of which can be read prior to Iron Fist #1.

Issues: Deadly Hands of Kung Fu Special Edition #1, Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #10, Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #18 to #24

Luke Cage and Iron Fist

II) Power Man & Iron Fist: Heroes for Hire

Power Man & Iron Fist Epic Collection: Heroes for Hire

Luke Cage and Iron Fist team-up for the first time, naturally in the hands of creators Chris Claremont and John Byrne.

Collects: Power Man #48 to #49, Power Man & Iron Fist #50 to #70

Power Man & Iron Fist Epic Collection: Revenge!

Collects: Power Man & Iron Fist #71 to #72, Daredevil #178, Power Man & Iron Fist #74 to #89

Power Man & Iron Fist (Marvel Essentials, Vol. 2)

For a good long while, the middle stretch of the Power Man and Iron Fist run was only collected in black and white essential editions. This is beginning to change as Luke Cage and Iron Fist make their way to Netflix, as evidenced above.

Collects: Daredevil #178, Power Man and Iron Fist #76 to #100

Power Man & Iron Fist #101 to #125

These issues (uncollected at present) will take you from 1984 to 1986.

III) Iron Fist in the 90’s

Namor Visionaries by John Byrne – Volume 2

A minor stretch, but John Byrne’s early 90’s Namor includes a good deal of Iron Fist for those looking to continue the conclusion of Power Man & Iron Fist #125.

Issues: Namor the Sub-Mariner #10 to #18 (series continues to issue #34 with Iron Fist relevance).

Luke Cage: Second Chances Vol. 1

As you’d expect, this is a more closely connected part of the Luke Cage reading order, but beginning with issue #9 of Cage, Iron Fist makes a slight return.

Maximum Carnage

Is Maximum Carnage an Iron Fist story? Nope, certainly not. Nonetheless, Danny Rand makes several regular appearances in the back half of the most 90’s Spidey event comic.

Collects: Maximum Carnage reading order

Iron Fist: The Book of Changes

Sometimes Marvel Comics Presents “Iron Fist and Ghost Rider!” and sometimes that’s enough.

Collects: Marvel Comics Presents #111, #113 to #118, #125 to #137, #140 to #141

Luke Cage, Iron Fist, & The Heroes For Hire Vol. 1

In 1997, Marvel got Suicide Squad co-creator John Ostrander to write another concept-oriented team, the Heroes for Hire.

While Ostrander’s Suicide Squad is far superior, the late 90’s Heroes for Hire represents some of the most Iron Fist focused comics of the decade.

Collects: Marvel Fanfare #6, Heroes for Hire #1 to #9

Luke Cage, Iron Fist & The Heroes For Hire Vol. 2

Note the 5 part tie-in crossover with Quicksilver, and yes, note that Quicksilver indeed had his own series in the late 90’s.

Collects: Heroes for Hire #10 to #15, Quicksilver #11, Heroes for Hire #16, Quicksilver #12, Heroes for Hire/Quicksilver Annual ’98 #1, Heroes for Hire #17 to #19

Iron Fist: The Return of K’un Lun

Marvel testing the waters with a whole bunch of Iron Fist minis.

Collects: Iron Fist (1996) #1 to #2, Iron Fist (1998) #1 to #3, Iron Fist/Wolverine #1 to #4, Iron Fist (2004) #1 to #6

The immortal iron fist comic book art

IV) The Immortal Iron Fist (2000’s)

Brian Michael Bendis & Alex Maleev’s Daredevil

Another highly recommended read that works best (as you’d expect) in the Daredevil reading order.

Nonetheless, there are a handful of cool “Luke tells Daredevil what’s up” scenes, such as in Daredevil #38 (the start of the “Trial of the Century” story arc). It’s a strong series overall, but this issue helps put Luke, Danny and Matt’s interactions into context.

Issues: Daredevil #38 to #40, #59 to #60

Daughters of the Dragon

Guest starring Iron Fist!

Issues: Daughters of the Dragon #1 to #6

Daredevil: The Devil, Inside and Out, Vol. 1

Again, this will all add up a lot more clearly as part of the full Daredevil reading order, but the first arc from Ed Brubaker and Michael Lark on Daredevil is important to Iron Fist, and explains his involvement (as Dannydevil) in Civil War.

Issues: Daredevil #82 to #87

Civil War

Iron Fist is not a major player in Civil War, but it’s worth noting the event occurs here, and sets the stage for much of Danny’s involvement with the New Avengers to come.

New Avengers: Revolution

Following Civil War, Danny joins the New Avengers.

Issues: New Avengers #27 to #37

The Immortal Iron Fist

Many comic book readers will tell you that if you read one Iron Fist story, it should be Immortal Iron Fist, and they’d be right. This is easily the best starting place for new readers, with a knockout creative team of Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, David Aja, and Matt Hollingsworth.

Immortal Iron Fist is one of my 100 favorite Marvel Comics from 1998 to 2015, and frankly it’s towards the top of the list.

Issues: Immortal Iron Fist #1 to #16, Immortal Iron Fist Annual #1, Immortal Iron Fist: Orson Randall and the Green Mist of Death #1, Immortal Iron Fist: The Origin of Danny Rand

Immortal Iron Fist by Brubaker, Fraction, and Aja Reading Order:

Immortal Iron Fist #1 to #9

Immortal Iron Fist Annual #1

Immortal Iron Fist #10 to #12

Immortal Iron Fist: Orson Randall and the Green Mist of Death #1

Immortal Iron Fist #13 to #16

Immortal Iron Fist: The Origin of Danny Rand

Immortal Iron Fist: The Complete Collection Volume 2

The follow-up to the Brubaker, Fraction and Aja years is significantly underrated, and maintains a very consistent level of quality to the preceding books.

Issues: Immortal Iron Fist #16 to #20, Immortal Iron Fist: Orson Randall and the Death Queen of California, Immortal Iron Fist #21 to #27, Immortal Weapons #1 to #5

Secret Invasion

Danny Rand’s in and out of the New Avengers tie-ins during Secret Invasion (full reading order linked above).

Daredevil: Lady Bullseye

Issues: Daredevil #111 to #115

V) Iron Fist: Heroic Age to Marvel NOW! (2010 to 2013)

New Avengers

Iron Fist is a full-fledged New Avengers during Marvel’s Heroic Age. The below issues #14 to #16 will take you through the Fear Itself event.

Issues: New Avengers #1 to #16

Shadowland

Another Daredevil event with a healthy dose of Iron Fist mixed in. Focus on the “Power Man” tie-ins in the reading order linked above.

Heroes for Hire: Control

Issues: Heroes for Hire #1 to #5

Heroes for Hire: Fear Itself

As mentioned during New Avengers, you can find the full Fear Itself reading order here.

Issues: #6 to #12

Power Man and Iron Fist: The Comedy of Death

Danny trains a new Power Man, from writer Fred Van Lente.

Issues: Power Man & Iron Fist #1 to #5 (2011)

Defenders by Matt Fraction – Volume 1

Defenders by Matt Fraction – Volume 2

Iron Fist joins the Defenders for Matt Fraction and Terry Dodson’s 12 issue run on an all-new Defenders lineup.

Issues: Defenders #1 to #12 (2011)

Avengers vs. X-Men

Danny and K’un Lun play a reasonably significant role in A v X – Danny Rand is most prominent in the New Avengers and Avengers tie-ins referenced in the Avengers vs X-Men reading order linked above.

Danny Rand and Luke Cage

VI) Marvel NOW! Iron Fist (2013 to Present)

Iron Fist: The Living Weapon Volume 1: Rage

Issues: Iron Fist: The Living Weapon #1 to #6

Iron Fist: The Living Weapon Volume 2: Redemption

Issues: Iron Fist: The Living Weapon #7 to #12

Kaare Andrews wrote and drew this 12 issue run on Iron Fist as part of All-New Marvel Now!

Power Man and Iron Fist Vol. 1: The Boys are Back in Town

Issues: Power Man and Iron Fist #1 to #5

Power Man and Iron Fist Vol. 2: Civil War II

As you’d expect, this takes place during the Civil War 2 reading order.

Issues: Power Man and Iron Fist #6 to #9

Bonus) Related Characters

Luke Cage

Jessica Jones

Daredevil

Filed Under: Featured, Marvel Characters Tagged With: Iron Fist, Luke Cage

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About Dave

Dave is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Comic Book Herald, and also the Boss of assigning himself fancy titles. He's a long-time comic book fan, and can be seen most evenings in Batman pajama pants. Contact Dave @comicbookherald on Twitter or via email at dave@comicbookherald.com.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Malek says

    September 21, 2019 at 1:02 pm

    Perfect guide, sir!
    I’ve just been reading through Claremont’s X-Men and I’ve just reached #110 where Wolvie references Claremont’s Iron Fist. So I was wondering if his 1975 run of the character is a good start. Do I have to read the 10 Marvel Premiere issues first?

    Reply
    • Dave says

      September 24, 2019 at 1:26 pm

      Thanks, glad you enjoyed! Yeah, I’m actually jumping back to the Claremont/Byrne run on Iron Fist as part of our My Marvelous Year reading club right now. It’s well worth it, and a good start for IF and the supporting cast. I’d argue you can jump in with Iron Fist #1.

      Reply

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