Marvel is bringing the original Iron Fist back to life (and back to comics) in September’s The Undead Iron Fist

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Like all good comic book characters, Marvel’s original Iron Fist Danny Rand died. But, like all good comic book characters, it wasn’t a permanent thing and he’s okay now – in fact, he’s set to become The Undead Iron Fist in a new mini-series from creators Jason Loo and Fran Galán this fall. 

Readers who remember Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, Travel Foreman, and David Aja’s absolute banger of a series from the 2000s, The Immortal Iron Fist, already know that there’s this ancient text called The Book of the Iron Fist in the Marvel Universe. It stipulates that all Iron Fists will die by age 33. So, when Danny died on his 33rd birthday in 2024’s Iron Fist 50th Anniversary Special #1, it wasn’t the biggest surprise, as tragic as it may have been to fans.

As someone with Chinese heritage, 33 is a pretty arbitrary number. In Chinese culture, 4 is an unlucky number because it’s a homonym to the word “death,” so you’d think every Iron Fist would die at age 44, but no. That said, 33 being the death knell for every Iron Fist means that Jesus Christ could have been an Iron Fist. 

Speaking of resurrections, Danny Rand is back this September as the Undead Iron Fist to find out why these martial artists die by age 33, and, according to Marvel, “expose K’un-Lun’s darkest secret and enlighten him and readers alike to the Iron Fist’s greatest legends.” Personally, if I were Danny, I would want to find out the truth just to spare his successor Lin Lie from a premature death. Bruce Lee died at age 32, we can’t also lose Lin Lie so soon. There’s so much more I want to learn about his family of archaeologists! 

Talking about the decision to kill Danny only to bring him back, writer Jason Loo said, “I was so relieved to not encounter any fan backlash or outrage when I killed off Danny Rand. Because there wasalways a plan to bring him back, but we wanted to make the fans wait.” I don’t recall my reaction when I saw Danny’s death in the Iron Fist 50th Anniversary Special #1, but I probably took a sip of tea and said, “about time.” Anyways, happy trails to Danny. 

The Undead Iron Fist #1 will hit comic shops on September 10, 2025.