Now that Iron Fist is on Netflix, it’s time to see how the show differs from the comics.
How does it compare to the source material? Is the series faithful? What changes does it make? And how do the characters fare?
Read on, if you must!
Dan The Man
The show’s Danny is very close to the comic books. He can be childlike and earnest at times. Yet this quality can also make him rash and naive at times. Still, Finn Jones does a great job bringing Danny to life.
No Costume?
Fans might be disappointed Danny doesn’t wear his famous costume. However, he does sport the Iron Fist tattoo. Also, he wears clothes of green and yellow through the show. A nice call-back to the source material.
Comics’ Origin
Iron Fist does a good job with Danny’s origin. We have the Rands’ parents’ deaths, the monks, and the martial arts training. However, the comics has Harold Meachum forces Wendell Rand to jump to his death. Heather gets killed by wolves while trying to save Danny. Read on.
Show’s Origin
The Netflix show depicts the Rand parents dying in a plane crash. Despite the changes, Danny remains the lone survivor, and it is still the doings of Harold.
Harold Meachum- The Comics
In the comics, Harold is behind the Rand deaths but loses his legs in the process. Later, Iron Fist has the chance to kill him, only to spare him. Harold is also the brother of Ward and father of Joy.
Harold Meachum – The Show
In the series, Harold is the father of both Ward and Joy. He’s shown to have died of cancer but brought back to by The Hand to serve them.
Ward Meachum – The Comics
In the comics, Ward is Harold’s brother and business partner. He steps up to help run Rand Industries when Harold dies. However, he turns on Iron Fist and tries to bring him down. This causes him to team up with various villains. In the end, his paranoia leads the Skrulls to kill him.
Ward Meachum – The Show
The show depicts Ward as Harold’s son and Joy’s brother. He’s also a childhood friend of Danny Rand, although he views him as a pest. As an adult, Ward isn’t too happy when Danny turns up alive years. After he learns about his father’s activities, he turns on Harold and kills him.
Colleen Wing – The Comics
Jessica Henwick is solid in her portrayal of Colleen. Unlike the comics, she runs a dojo in New York. She has a strong-willed nature and takes training seriously. Nor does she become a token love interest. There’s just one big difference from the comics, though.
Colleen Wing – The Show
The show reveals Colleen has been a secret member of The Hand for quite some time. In the comics, her mother is a former member of the group. As she grows up, Colleen learns martial arts from her grandfather. Later, she creates a splinter group of The Hand called “The Nail.” She also forms The Daughters of the Dragon with Misty Knight. While this isn’t in the show, Colleen jokes about creating her own society- which she calls “The Ear.”
