Release: December 2025 | Writer: Jason Loo | Artist: Fran Galán | Colorists: Jim Campbell II | Letterer: Travis Lanham
Danny Rand is BACK FROM THE DEAD!
We end the year of 2025 with a Crow-like story, Danny Rand has been sent back from the underworld by the God Osiris as his hand of justice to take down and get revenge on the Immortal Supreme Quan Yaozu. Meeting up with the other Iron Fist Orson Randall in the underworld, Danny is given the temporary ability to go back to Earth. The timeframe of this is determined by a banner that is slowly burning which works as a clock. But he first must go through Yaozu's possessed "Wraithlins", or creatures that have taken over the bodies of normal people in order to stop him.
Through this all, only Danny can see the true demonic beings that are in front of him as he beats them down one by one to get to his goal. To anyone else he's been a masked man beating down on civilians for no reason. Which leads to him running into some familiar heroes in New York City along the way.
This is the culmination of 3 other issues in this mini-series, so keep that in mind as we go through this.
*SPOILER WARNING AHEAD!*
THE FINAL SHOWDOWN
Issue #4 begins as the Wraithlin-possessed Luke Cage begins hand-to-hand combat with Iron Fist. In recent issues, Danny has been called "Ghost Fist" due to the ghostly abilities that he possesses. As we have seen over the past three issues, Danny throws down with the Wraithlin in front of him. However, this time is different. This time it is not just any person; it is his former Heroes for Hire partner, Luke Cage. Because of this, Danny actually holds back his strikes.
They battle throughout the streets in the most extreme combat you have ever seen. Danny is trying to handle a mixture of Luke Cage and other possessed police officers who are trying to overtake him and stop his mission. No matter what, Danny keeps on fighting even though he is on borrowed time.
During this fight, we see Osiris and Orson Randall watching as Danny Rand is knocked out by Luke Cage. The burning banner is getting close to the end as Orson Randall seems to try and calm Osiris. Danny is dragged by his arm by Luke Cage and brought to the feet of Quan Yaozu, who is waiting for him at the top of Rand Enterprises. Quan Yaozu monologues to Danny about his goals and how being sent to K'un-Lun only made him stronger. Not only that, but when he returned, he took over the empire of Danny at Rand Enterprises.
He grabs Danny by his armor-covered arm that was crafted for him by Osiris. Danny elbows the large Wraithlin that was controlling Luke Cage's body.
But his time is fleeting, he needs to make a big move next and he does. He calls upon T'an Long to put an end to Quan Yaozu's evil ways.
We get a fun little appearance by Daredevil, who has finished the fight that was started back in issue #3 on the streets of New York. You can see the formerly possessed New Yorkers behind him. He is curious how Danny is here and what his goal is.
T'an Long is able to rid the body of Luke Cage of the Wraithlin controlling him, while Danny hits Quan Yaozu with an Osiris Fury strike. This blow leaves him falling from the top of the building down to the streets below. T'an Long is able to pull his body from this realm and punish him accordingly, we suspect.
Daredevil runs in and tries to catch up with Luke Cage, who is trying to get his bearings together. Back at the cemetery, Luke Cage is standing where Danny Rand is buried as we see the banner turn to dust. The time of Danny on Earth is complete.
At last, after battling through New York, Danny finally gets a chance to relax in the underworld with T'an Long. Osiris and Orson Randall tell him that he can comfortably rest until the next time he's called upon.
CONCLUSION
The art in this was phenomenal. It is the highlight of this entire book to me personally. Every panel on every page is super dynamic and really sticks out when compared to other books on a shelf. That being said, I personally just was not into the story that was being told. That is okay, as some comics just are not made for everybody, and that is how it goes. At the end of the day, this story was not bad, per se.
I believe it had pieces and concepts that could make for a longer and more fleshed-out story. It just fell into a portion of my brain that really loved the visuals, but the rest was not for me. That is my conclusion after completing all four parts of this story, even as an Iron Fist fan. Some cool cameos show up at least, especially if you like Miles Morales, Luke Cage, and Daredevil.