>Daniel Rand is a Caucasian blond male with looks to die for, and is presently The Iron Fist, one of the Earth's greatest martial artists within the Marvel Comics Universe.
>His first appearance was in 1974's "Marvel Premiere" #15 from Marvel Comics. Since then, Iron Fist has appeared in multiple volumes of his own series, and various Marvel Comics titles.
>In 2016, the "Power Man and Iron Fist" series will return, and Daniel will be one half of the cast, along with Luke Cage, a Black, bulletproof superhuman.
>Luke Cage is one of the Marvel characters to appear in his own upcoming television show produced by Marvel Studios and Netflix, and soon after, the same will be said for Iron Fist.
>On December 7, news broke that Scott Buck, an alum of "Dexter" and "Six Feet Under" will be the Executive Producer/Showrunner for "Iron Fist." It is rumored that Buck has chosen the actor who will portray Daniel Rand, and that said actor is White.
>Therein lies a part of the perceived problem, because even though Daniel Rand is Caucasian, he represents the savior from a society ruled by Asians. A society based in the mythical martial arts, which have become embedded in popular culture in every area of media one can immediately consider.
>Daniel Rand is considered to be a reflection of a less progressive time in popular culture. A Caucasian hero empowered by an Asian society at a time when Asian representation is both marginalized and generalized in popular media is considered an obsolete icon.
>Keith Chow, Editor-in-Chief of the pop culture blog The Nerds of Color, and co-editor of the Asian American Comics Anthologies "Secret Identities" and "Shattered," has shared his view on this at great length in various blogs and appearances.
>The character was created in a different time, one that feels very different than the world we live in today
Chow has been the most vocal advocate for Asian representation for the Iron Fist character. He put forth a detailed argument for why Iron Fist should be Asian-American. His argument has become a rallying cry for many who agree, culminating around the #AAIronFist hashtag seen on Twitter.
>This site's Managing Editor, Albert Ching, wrote an editorial on why Iron Fist could be Black or Latino, just as easily as Asian or Caucasian, and was both criticized and supported for his opinion as a result.
>Both men represent websites which are considered influencers, so a difference of philosophies took on a greater magnitude as the #AAIronFist hashtag generated even more discussion with creators from Marjorie Liu to Jon Tsuei to Lexi Alexander weighing in and stating their opinions.
>Everyone who advocates for diversity should have an opinion on this, because anything which is not Caucasian, heterosexual male with full mobility and good looks is The Other. Fighting different battles which lead to the same destination. Quite frankly, I don't want an Asian-American Daniel Rand. While his narrative was born from a less progressive time, the story of Daniel Rand has been informed a great deal, and is less of the savior narrative than it was put forth to be. Hell, Danny doesn't even have his own life together, at this point.
>But I do want an Asian Iron Fist. Asian-American or Asian. Unfortunately, I don't think Marvel Studios is going to give us that today. I don't think Marvel Comics is publicly ready to give us that today. Because Marvel Comics is getting poised to make a lot of money from the backlist of Iron Fist books.
>All those stories being produced within the last 41 years, and the ones just on the horizon, are going to be reprinted, repackaged, rejiggered, remade and reborn for every consumer with a dollar and a willing mind to purchase.
>Just as your favorite stores are full of "Alias" product right now starring Jessica Jones from the Netflix show of the same name, Iron Fist-related product will be the same.
>Except there'll be tons more.
>All of that product, with the Caucasian, blond-haired Daniel Rand, will not align with an Asian-American Iron Fist from a marketing perspective. Sure, some of it would still sell, but not as much as possible, and Marvel Comics is not interested in selling less than "as much as possible."
>While various people feel that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is the pimp, forcing Marvel Comics to put on a dress and some nice pumps to bring more customers to the promised land, that's not a fair assessment across the board. Granted, that kind of profit may be peanuts to Marvel Studios and parent company Disney, but the comic book industry is one with serious, frequent ebb and flow in sales, so it is set up to exploit opportunities for such. Neither Marvel Studios nor Disney seem to be taking any action which would get in the way of Marvel Comics getting people to buy books.
If they got an Asian actor these same people would just complain about how it's problematic to portray Asian people as mystic kung-fu warriors.
Clickbait is clickbait and I hope some day we can line these people up against a wall and put a bullet through their heads.
>I want an Asian-American Iron Fist, but I want it for more than a television show. I want it for the source material. I want it soon.
>I want us to be able to look back ten, twenty, forty years from now and see a body of work with an Asian Iron Fist that is greater in volume and impact than the Daniel Rand Iron Fist.
>The "Iron Fist" show would be more distinctive and daring with an Asian lead, Asian writers and producers, showing a culture that is not distilled through iconography which does not reflect its uniqueness and legacy.
>But problems start at home, and sometimes we forget that. We go after the messengers, and not the caretakers, the core influencers, the people at home or headquarters making the donuts.
>If you want an Asian-American Iron Fist today, fight for it.
>If you want an Asian-America Iron Fist for the next forty years or more, fight just as hard for the source material to follow us into the 21st Century.
>Dan Buckley is the President of Marvel Comics. Axel Alonso is the E-I-C of Marvel Comics. Write to them, not around them or away from them. Take it to them. Lay out the argument. Why it must be. What it means. The impact.
>If the volume of mail and correspondence to both of those men comes close to the volume of users of the #AAIronFist hashtag, it will not go without notice.
>While you're at it, write Jim Lee and Dan Didio, the Co-Publishers of DC Comics. Ask for more Asian characters. They have more than you're seeing in print. Ask for some of them to be tackled by Asian creators.
>Once you're done with Marvel and DC Comics, get started on making the new Asian character. Write it. Draw it. Publish it. Promote it. Make it better than good, better than damn good.
>Find quality work with Asian characters and buy it. Not out of an obligation, but because you believe in it enough that you'll support it.
>I grew up on Daniel Rand, and I love the character, but the power of The Iron Fist has been passed down through the centuries, to men and women from different cultural backgrounds. Forty-plus years is a good enough run.
>Give me an Asian, female Iron Fist. Yes, female. After all, why should one of the greatest warriors in the Marvel Comics universe remain a man?
>>78187436
>It is rumored that Buck has chosen the actor who will portray Daniel Rand, and that said actor is White.
Good.
So I guess Shang Chi doesn't count for shit.
Oh wait, that's right, they don't read comics.
>>78187476
>>But I do want an Asian Iron Fist. Asian-American or Asian. Unfortunately, I don't think Marvel Studios is going to give us that today.
But Marvel Comics gave you that.
>>78187517
>Please be Dan Stevens. Please be Dan Stevens. Please be Dan Stevens.
>>78187560
Well, if we see the legacy, and the Immortal Weapons they'll see a whole host of them. Have they ever read an Iron Fist comic post-70's?
>The character was created in a different time, one that feels very different than the world we live in today
Yeah, no. He was created in probably the most socially conscious era of comics ever, literally the entire point of the book was to have the dichotomy of a rich white guy and a poor black guy who both have things to teach each other.
This shit is hilarious, picking out Iron Fist as the character that "needs" to be Asian is really fuckin' racist in itself. Besides, there's already Shang-Chi. How about a black Iron Fist with a white partner? How about literally any other thing besides making the kung fu tao character Asian? What about partnering Iron Fist with an angry Asian youth from a rough neighborhood, and Iron Fist helps him get in touch with his roots?
>>78187634
They have never read an Iron Fist comic, period. Danny is ALREADY half asian. His dad is born and raised Kun'Lun
>While you're at it, write Jim Lee and Dan Didio, the Co-Publishers of DC Comics. Ask for more Asian characters. They have more than you're seeing in print. Ask for some of them to be tackled by Asian creators.
Oh fuck off with that. DC makes earnest efforts to diversify both their staff and characters and people only but batman. This is the future we chose.
>>78187675
i've all ways had the notion that danny was a bit of a reverse twinke
i'd like to see him go full weeaboo and luke cage secretly liking all this too but he's too cool fo' school
>>78187721
>His dad is born and raised Kun'Lun
Unless there's some retcon I haven't read Danny's dad was only raised in K'un Lun
This is about as funny as when they were calling for Scott Lang to be black because he did time in jail.
>>78187436
>he represents the savior from a society ruled by Asians. A society based in the mythical martial arts
What the fuck? I'm pretty sure not all asians (asians is also a really fucking broad term, most of the famous mystic martial arts are from china and japan, with like 2 from korea 1 from thailand, afaik the rest are all very recent, this is a very poor representation even if we shrink the area to SEA instead of the entirety of asia) are not all mystic ancient martial arts warriors using their chakra to do their salarymen jobs better. Just because something is an export product and something a nation is famous for, does not mean that it's 'a society based' on it.
Besides, if these societies are based on it, why the FUCK should the actor be asian american instead of just fucking asian? Asian americans are usually 2nd or 3rd generation immigrants who have fuck all to do with the society 'based in the mythical martial arts', wouldn't it make more sense to have a fresh new immigrant that's full fucking chinese?
It's ridiculous how racist these people can get without realizing it themselves
>>78187836
That was a thing?
They SHOULD get an Asian to play Danny.In an unrelated note, did you know that technically India is a part of Asia?
>>78187901
Yep.
>>78187901
Only on like one website. I saw it posted on /co/ a few times. It read like a satirical piece, but, y'know, Poe's law.
I'd look it up and link it, but if it is genuine I'd rather not contribute to it with outrage clicks.
>>78187898
When you make race so important you are destined to become racist. When you say "race defines these things about an individual" it will only lead to racist ideas.
>>78187912
Technically Saudi arabia, the majority of turkey and huge landmasses with only bears and bears wearing clothes belonging to Russia also belong to Asia, but asian has become synonymous with SEA
>Still bitter about no latino Daredevil
>Now no latino Iron Fist
Why not use the concept of seven immortal weapons? most of them are Asian and half of them are as good or better than the white blonde American.
>>78188048
I wouldn't mind a latino Danny, even if just to piss off these twats whining about how he should be Asian.
>>78188048
nah man save the latino for if they do a ghost rider then they can do Robbie
>>78187436
>make Iron Fist white
THIS IS CULTURAL APPROPRIATION HE CANNOT BE AN EVIL WHITE MALE HE NEEDS TO BE A POC!
>make him black
NO THAT'S NOT IT HOW IS A BLACK GUY SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT ASIAN MARTIAL ARTS!
>make him Asian
UGH WHAT ARE YOU DOING THIS IS STEREOTYPING ALL ASIANS AS KUNG FU STEREOTYPES!
I'm sick of this. I don't mean this to be funny or in some "hurr durr ebil sjws" sense. I'm just sick of faggots whose only familiarity with comics is movies or TV shows constantly whining how everything, EVERYTHING, has to conform to their world view. I'm tired of people who don't play video games wanting everything to conform to their world view. What the fuck happened to creating the things you want to see? What happened to ignoring what it is you don't?
It speaks to a larger societal problem too: the arrested development of Millennials. My generation has spent so much time being coddled and protected, given participation ribbons and being told constantly that they're a special and unique snowflake that it's completely retarded any sense of growing up. Everyone just stays at home until they're 30+, has to be protected from bad feelings and think that the most important thing is whether or not Carol Danvers properly defies gender norms. They put their entire sense of being into comic books, video games, cartoons... CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT. To them whether or not Kamala Khan is appropriately muslim (or is even Kamala Khan at all) is more important than fighting for the rights of women who have acid thrown on them in actual Muslims countries.
This shit is pathetic. I wish all of this stuff was for losers that nobody else would touch with a football stadium-sized pole.
>>78187513
But they already did stories of an asian female Iron Fist.
These people don't read comics at all.
>>78188370
I'd love for Robbie to get pushed but everyone knows that wouldn't happen
Every episode you show a scene of a past Iron Fist doing something that will relate on what's going on in the episode.
There, you have your Asian Iron Fist(s) and you can still keep the character as he was created, Everybody shut the fuck up and find something else to whine about.
>>78187513
DC actually has a bunch of Asian creators, now that I think about it
>>78187950
IIRC it was by the same guy as this article, Joseph Illidge. He's obviously a moron.
>>78188650
Oh well there you go.
If they want an Asian martial arts show/movie why don't they watch the ten billion actual good ones out there made by actual Asian people rather than condescending white people who think they know better how to represent others so they can get brownie points with their liberal friends?
>>78187513
Has this person read ANY Iron Fist comics?
>>78188743
You know the answer to that.
>>78187513
>write the asian american publisher of DC about how his company isn't focused on asians enough
Kind of ironic
>>78188484
It'll pass once this nerd culture phase is over
>>78188687
Ewww, those movies are too violent.
>>78188484
>buddies girlfriend complains that bikinis are sexist
>women buy them so there is obvious demand
>burkas are sexist because they are forced upon women
>'oh that's just cultural'
>doesn't see irony
>>78188797
It says he knows it's a legacy, he just doesn't want Danny to be the Iron Fist, I'm guessing because of his race.
There is something very US-Centric about wanting Danny Rand not to be white, in K'un-Lun.
Can someone summarize all this clickbait or post a link so those of us without autism can get triggered too?
>>78188881
Somehow we've gotten to the point (actually I know how it's because these people tend to be absolutists) where the fact that some american muslims are being fucked with because of current events surrounding jihadists, we now have to think every part of islamic culture is good otherwise it's disrespectful.
Fucking retarded.
>>78187513
>Give me an Asian, female Iron Fist
Uhhhhh
> SJWs want to remove cultural appropriation by making the kung-fu fighting guy Asian
>>78189001
Shhhh, don't disrupt the narrative.
>>78189001
Was this any good?
>>78188936
White people have massive guilt complexes and treat minorities like pets.
There, all summed up for you.
>>78189100
Fraction's Iron Fist is pretty good for the K'un-Lun stuff and flash backs but past the tournament it's pretty boring
>>78189074
It's kind of a weird sort of double-speak isn't it?
>>78188244
>half
i could see an arguement for a specific two, but im curious which three you mean
>>78187436
>>78187476
>>78187488
>>78187502
>>78187513
Someone PLEASE fucking put me out of my misery. I can't take this anymore, PLEASE
>>78189263
Probably The Bride.
>>78189518
>punch the spiders daniel rand
>punch them harder
and then danny died because Lei Kung never taught him how to fight bugs
>>>r/AsianMasculinity/
>>78189001
I REALLY hope we get a Wu Aoi-Shi stand-a-lone episode.
>>78188881
These people are really fucking stupid. I don't mean that in a "they believe differently from me, grrr..." way. I mean they are genuinely dumb.
>>78187436
Imagine if they got Donny Yen or Tony Jaa. Shit would be amazing. It would be way better than if they pick some random UFC faggot.
kind of bait
it's interesting that a long-running superhero should no longer exist because some blog says he shouldn't. if that happened, should we try to stamp out fancomics, too?
hardly anyone would support them with this, social bloggers just don't criticize each other.
>>78188048
That's called White Tiger, nigga.
>>78190951
Do they bring their fight choreographers with them?
>>78188370
I would rather them racechange Danny or Johnny than have the worst Ghost Rider be the one in the MCU.
>>78187490
>If they got an Asian actor these same people would just complain about how it's problematic to portray Asian people as mystic kung-fu warriors.
It is problematic, though. There's a discussion to be had about Asian representation in comics, but making Iron Fist Asian is sort of a step backwards in a way.
>>78187532
So glad you brought that up; I was about to mention Shang Chi as well.
>>78193475
Yeah, race-bending a white martial arts, Asian, because Kung-Fu, is...yeah.
>>78187769
>if they created Danny Rand today he'd be full /a/
Where's my money Quesadilla this shit writes itself
>>78187769
He's a reverse-banana. He was raised in K'un-Lun since he was a wee lad. When he comes back to America he is culturally K'un-Lunian.
>>78187532
This.
Why give attention to glorified editorial pieces by "bloggers"? These idiots haven't flipped a single page of a comic but want everything to be different because "diversity".
I'm so very tired of this SJW idiocy. I'm not the only black guy who feels this way, either.
>>78199254
>I'm so very tired of this SJW idiocy. I'm not the only black guy who feels this way, either.
Silly anon, don't you know you just have internalized racism and they're trying to make it better for you?
Friendly reminder that reverse racism is still racism.
>>78187436
Just make him a white woman and most Muh Representation People will shut up.
>>78199254
do something or fuck off
you haven't even avenged the murder of Luther King
start lopping heads you failure of an american
>>78192766
>worst rider
Oh fuck you.
>>78187950
Does anyone know what Cho thinks about this?
>Trying to race bend probably THE WHITEST character in comics, then getting pissed when it won't happen.
>Poisoning people towards him as a character.
SMDH.
Man, if Marvel sorted the rights, I would fullly be on board an Asian Namor.
>>78204985
I honestly thought Namor was Japanese.
I was a bit disappointed he wasn't, the idea of a Half Japanese dude sinking U-boats during WW2 seemed pretty badass.
>>78200327
Maybe their brain shut down, powered by hate for Alejandra when they saw implications of latino? Or maybe they're faggots.
>>78204985
>>78205092
Dude, looks straight up Eurasian.
>MFW SJWs imply I'm racist, because I think Danny's whiteness is relevant to his character. Meanwhile, I would fucking LOVE for someone like Daniel Henney or Ian Anthony Dale as Namor.
I hate how GamerGate has pushed people to either extreme side, context is important, yo.
>>78199617
I love how white women get a pass in media as minorities. I don't care that Tilda is the Ancient One; to be fair I always saw her as intersex and would work as this bizarro magic caster elder.
>>78205092
>>78205697
Mutants can have the physical appearances of various groups. Storm in the 80's was described and drawn as having Asian and Caucasian features along with her African looks.
So Sub-Mariner looking vaguely Mongoloid can be explained to his status as an Atlantaen/Homo Superior hybrid
>>78189100
I loved it, also she is a Pirate queen so thats bretty badass
>tfw Iron Fist has not only been my favorite superhero since I was young, but it is a huge deal to me and my little sister who has just recently gotten into comics through her love for his character.
>But she is getting into it just in time for all this strife to happen around his name, and has a small but menacing chance to ruin him.
Guilty White people once again ruin everything for everyone.
