Marvel Premiere #22
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeMarvel Premiere #22 delivers the first in-continuity appearance of Master Khan — the sorcerer who would become Danny Rand's most persistent supernatural antagonist across the entire Iron Fist and Power Man and Iron Fist runs — introduced here in flashback as the ancient wizard who trained and unleashed the Ninja on K'un-Lun. The issue also deepens the K'un-Lun mythology by dramatizing, through that same flashback, how Lei Kung the Thunderer and Yu-Ti repelled an assault on the hidden city, retroactively enriching the world-building begun in Marvel Premiere #15. Sitting squarely in the middle of the martial arts Bronze Age boom, it represents Tony Isabella's contribution to a character he would hand off — via Len Wein's editorial stewardship — to Chris Claremont and John Byrne, whose celebrated run immediately followed. As one of the final building blocks of Iron Fist's Marvel Premiere tenure before his own solo series launched, the issue helped solidify the supporting cast and villain roster that would define the character for years.
In "Death Is a Ninja," Iron Fist faces a deadly challenge in a mystical realm, where the enigmatic Ninja reveals his dark past and ties to K'un-Lun. Written by Tony Isabella and illustrated by Arvell Jones, with inks by Aubrey Bradford and colors by George Roussos, this 1975 Marvel Premiere standout blends martial arts intrigue with spiritual stakes. The cover by Gil Kane and Al Milgrom captures the tension of a clash between legend and vengeance.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
Marvel Premiere was conceived as a tryout anthology — a proving ground where characters could build readership before earning their own title — and Iron Fist occupied that slot from issue #15 through #25. By issue #22, the book was cycling through writers rapidly: Roy Thomas had originated the character, Doug Moench and then Tony Isabella followed, with Len Wein serving as editor and Arvell Jones providing interior pencils over a Gil Kane cover. The issue went on sale April 22, 1975 with a June 1975 cover date, and the creative handoff to Chris Claremont was already imminent — Claremont would take over with issue #23, piloting the character directly into his own solo series by November of that year.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Story title: 'Death Is a Ninja,' written by Tony Isabella, penciled by Arvell Jones, inked by Aubrey Bradford, with a cover by Gil Kane; edited by Len Wein.
- First in-continuity appearance of Master Khan — the ancient sorcerer and god of K'un-Lun who becomes Iron Fist's primary supernatural villain — depicted in flashback as the Ninja recounts his own origin.
- Master Khan's alias Tyrone King (a New York police detective identity he later assumes) originates with this character, who first appears here in the Iron Fist corner of the Marvel Universe.
- Lei Kung the Thunderer and Yu-Ti (Nu-An) appear in flashback, shown defeating and imprisoning the Ninja who had invaded K'un-Lun under Master Khan's direction — expanding the mythology of the hidden city.
- Colleen Wing and her father Professor Lee Wing appear as supporting characters, continuing their roles from Marvel Premiere #19; Iron Fist defeats the Ninja and is taken in by the Wings afterward.
- The Cult of Kara-Kai and the mystical 'Book of Many Things' (later renamed the Book of Kali by the cult) are central plot elements, tying together the Ninja's history with K'un-Lun's enemies.
- The issue is collected in Marvel Masterworks: Iron Fist Vol. 1 (reprinting Marvel Premiere #15–25 and Iron Fist #1–2), the Epic Collection: Iron Fist Vol. 1 (The Fury of Iron Fist, reprinting Marvel Premiere #15–25 and Iron Fist #1–15), and the 2024 oversize hardcover Iron Fist – Danny Rand: The Early Years.
- Published with a cover date of August 1975 (on-sale April 22, 1975), it is one of the final four issues of Iron Fist's Marvel Premiere run before he graduated to his own solo title in November 1975.
Cast · 7 characters
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Reprints
↩ Reprints [Marvel Hostess Ads] #1 (1975)
Reprinted in Strange #74 (1976), Essential Iron Fist #1 (2004), Marvel Masterworks: Iron Fist #1 (2011), Iron Fist Epic Collection #1 (2015), Iron Fist : L'intégrale #1974-1975 (2017), Iron Fist: Danny Rand - The Early Years Omnibus #[nn] (2024), Mästaren på karate #4/1975
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