I Don't Want an Asian-American Iron Fist

[CBR News]

CBR Managing Editor Albert Ching explains why he'd prefer it if Marvel and Netflix's Iron Fist wasn't played by an Asian-American actor.


Full article here.

[Double 0]

I'm cool with this argument. I see where it's coming from, and see why the "asians as marital artists" thing would be a problem.

But it rides on the idea that creators of the show would be willing to subvert Danny Rand like Brubabker did. That they would be willing to show the IF legacy or the Immortal weapons.


I'm not sure they would, despite that being the most successful IF run, it's a lot to work with. I personally hope that IF is neither Asian-American (or if he is, not East Asian) nor white.

[Aaron Stack]

Personally, I'd rather Marvel cast an Asian Shang-Chi. Making Iron Fist Asian would mean less of a chance for Shang-Chi to happen. But that's just my opinion as well. Good read.

[Of Atlantis]

Interesting opinion given the writer of the article is Asian American. Would be interesting to hear his opinion on the MCU potentially introducing Shang-Chi.

[Nite-Wing]

Iron Fist is on his base level a white stereotype character
The fact that a character like Shang Chi exists in the same niche but with almost none of the acclaim makes the idea of Iron Fist being Asian in the netflix series irrelevant.
Daniel Rand is a white man, fine
Almost all the Iron Fists before him were asian. Why did this change? because Danny Rand needs to be a rich white man instead of an asian man apparently

[Derek Metaltron]

Would agree with this. Hopefully Doctor Strange is going to have Wong and have him be a significant character, and Shang Chi could easily be a part of the Iron Fist series, maybe even spin into his own series like Punisher might well do with DD. And with any luck in the coming years Amadeus Cho will appear somewhere, whether as Hulk or himself.

[Gryphon]

Im just glad that shang chi is finally getting reprinted

[3Dspiderbat]

Very well-written argument.

[Kenn-El]

Agent May is actually the first Marvel character who is Asian, is she not? Or is it just that characters previously depicted one way must be portrayed as something else onscreen in order to be considered valid?

[Attila Kiss]

Wait.
Does this meant Iron Fist is not going to be a Hungarian?
When will we get a superhero to look up to?

[Vakanai]

Agent May is actually the first Marvel character who is Asian, is she not? Or is it just that characters previously depicted one way must be portrayed as something else onscreen in order to be considered valid?

Skye/Daisy is also half-Asian.

[Thor-El]

I grew up reading Shang Chi Master of Kung Fu, I would also read Iron Fist and although I liked Iron Fist and I am Caucasian like him, I was fascinated with the adventures of Shang Chi and the great visuals by Jim Starlin first and later Paul Gulacy. The cast of Shang Chi was much more interesting, the stories were more interesting, the main villain Fu-Manchu was much more interesting. I honestly don't understand why Marvel would prefer Iron Fist to Shang Chi. I also would be interested in reading the writer's opinion on Shang-Chi. Certainly hope the actor cast as Iron Fist is not oriental also because it might mean chances of a Shang-Chi series might be diminished.

[boscoe]

Agent May is actually the first Marvel character who is Asian, is she not? Or is it just that characters previously depicted one way must be portrayed as something else onscreen in order to be considered valid?

I think Hogun in the Thor movies is the first Asian actor cast in a Marvel role.

[whatthewhereis]

They cast an Asian American actress as Elektra who started out as Greek descent? Personally to deal with all this sensitivity on either side of the argument, I think they should cast an Asian American, but then actually play with many of the stereotypes by acknowledging them and breaking them down. Subvert expectation. Could make for interesting TV.

[robotrooster]

I think it would be great if Danny was part Asian. His father is the rich white guy and Danny would be the American kid who never got in touch with his Asian roots. Then he's still the outsider who has distant connections to the east and still learns martial arts. It would give the character a bit richer of a backstory and gets away from the white savior thing I really hate.