Posted in: Comics, Recent Updates | Tagged: Comics, entertainment, iron fist, power man, Seven Seas Entertainment, superhero films, teen titans

Elevator Pitch: What Superheroes Do You Want To See On The Silver Screen? Power Man & Iron Fist!

Published Tue, 22 Apr 2014 16:00:00 -0500

by Hannah Means Shannon

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By Gary Turner

Sounded like most people were feeling the Teen Titans pitch last week. And yeah, not all the actors are teens. But it wouldn't be the first time an actor was cast to play a part younger.

Believe it or not I was a big reader of Power Man & Iron Fist back in the 80's. It had been so long it was kinda cool to wonder back down that lane. Would be interesting to see how they'd craft their appearances for today. Power Man could easily be updated sans the chains and headband, but Iron Fist would need to lose the Doctor Strange flared collar.

I also think a LOT of people would turn out for this oddly paired buddy action movie. Only this is not Chris Tucker & Jackie Chan.

THE TEASER

Title GFX:

Framed. Incarcerated. Forgotten.

Open on Carl Lucas, inmate #61972, head hung low in a Seagate cell.

Title GFX:

Trustee. Volunteer. Guinea Pig.

We see the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo flash, and for a brief moment the Hydra logo. Once the scientists were confident of their experiment's results a particularly twisted one thought he'd erase the subject from the records by overdosing and electrically scorching him to ash. Only this super soldier serum worked even better than they'd planned.

Nick Fury voice over:

Not everyone Shield swept up was necessarily…a villain.

Fade in on a classic private eye's office in mid-town Manhattan.

Misty Knight:

Nick got you out of there before everything went to hell in a hand-basket. Told you to stay low. Gave you a new identity. Ya know what? You've done even better at that than I ever expected. But it been months since we heard anything. Now I know why.

She shows a photo of Nick Fury's headstone.

It's time you start earning your keep Luke. I've a colleague coming in from Japan. She's sheparding in some guy from mainland Asia, China, Tibet or some sorta place. Said an agent from the west coast wants to make a Crock Dundee reality show about this guy in Hell's Kitchen. I need you to show him around the neighborhood. Take 'em for some Nathan dogs. But mostly keep their "star" from being knocked into the dirt.

Luke Cage:

Some fish-outta-water needs a body guard? Christmas Misty, didn't think you saw me as a babysitter. (half muttered under his breath) Never could stomach raw fish either.

Cut to a flash montage at JFK International as a pre-arranged media spectacle is standing by ushered by a slimy Hollywood agent. Luke is standing off sides out of the way. A slender attractive Japanese woman with auburn hair comes up beside him. At first she's proud of herself to distract Luke as her companion slips past the crowd. Then she realizes how her companion has been pestering her about wanting to try driving. Luke looks over and sees a blond surfer looking dude slide into the limo's driver seat.

During the brief chase Luke disables the limo. He comes to discover this tourist is not only not Asian, he's nothing like a surfer dude either. He sports tabi shoes, and speaks with a weird mixed accent. Daniel Rand has an odd curiosity about everything, but without losing any of his inner calmness. Turns out while he was born in the States, he's spent the better part of the last twenty years not in China or Tibet, but some strange place that exists in between called K'un-L'un.

As the plot unwinds we come to discover Coleen Tsubasa needed the cover story of a reality show to not only glean entry into the US, but to also sneak him past other political leaders desperate to find the entrance to the realm he returns from. Iron Fist has returned to achieve the last stage in his quest of fulfillment by avenging his parents deaths. Their killer, Master Khan, is here in New York with his own plans.

THE TWEAKS

Most of the changes would be costumes, and eliminating ye olde 70's catch phrases. But of course we'd keep Luke's signature superlative. Also change Coleen Wing to Coleen Tsubasa (Japanese for wing).

With Master Khan, I'd make his powers a bit less about sorcery, and more about chi. Similar to Iron Fists, but used differently. He'd use his chi to bend and warp the vicinity at his leisure. This would throw off both heroes when Khan could mess with their perceptions.

WHO'S GOT THE POWER?

For me this is a no brainer. I don't think anyone can bring the charisma and biceps better than Terry Crews. No he's not 25 years old, but not every part has to star a young up-and-comer. Besides, if Iron Fist is in his mid-to-late twenties it'll give some contrast. And on that subject, Iron Fist is just too hard to cast!!! What the part requires is a handsome Caucasian guy, that's also a top martial artist. I'd actually turn to a big talent search for that part.

What's also cool about this pitch is we know the Netflix series for both Power Man & Iron Fist will be coming out soon. Let's see how things stack up then.

WHAT'S NEXT?

I'm gonna take Darth Lukecash's advice. While I would love to one day see Batman as a true Dark Knight Detective, Superman return to inspirational heights, and the X-Men be the badass team of my Byrne(ing) desires, let's focus instead on properties that haven't been developed yet.

BUT I need your feedback. So give me ONE hero from the list, plus any others you'd like to be added in the comments, FB message, or email. If you really want to participate then give us your insights on what makes that character one you love, or how you'd like to see them treated.

All votes from previous weeks still add up going forward.

Wonder Woman
Black Panther
Green Lantern: John Stewart
She-Hulk
Blue Beetle
Gen 13

Gary Turner, creator of d20 comic Technically Magi, spends his days languishing in the middle of the Pacific (to be specific…Hawaii). If not for his day job of television production & animation he'd be off doing something completely frivolous. Rollin' with the RPGers, and making mad sequential plots is how his nights are lost.