Paint Monk's Library Referral

Thanks goes out to Paint Monk's Library for promoting The Defenders Fansite as a featured blog on their site. The accolade is much appreciated!

Shrouded Cover Versions

The cover of Marvel Team-Up #94 impressed me with its stylized black-and-white ink to depict the powers of Shroud, Master of Darkness. This is my favorite cover from the series, including all the issues that guest-starred members of the Defenders. A similar artistic treatment appeared five issues later on #99 but with less oomph than before.

Friends of Ol' Defenders

Short for Friends of Ol' Marvel, FOOM ran for five years in the mid-Seventies as a periodical for comic book enthusiasts.

FOOM #19 (Fall 1977) was a special issue devoted to the Defenders. Highlights included a history of the non-team written by Ralph Macchio, along with reflective essays by Roy Thomas, Steve Englehart, Len Wein, Steve Gerber, and David Kraft about their work on the series.

A detailed checklist included publication dates, page counts, and credits for Defenders #1-60 plus the giant-size issues.

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Holiday Grab-Bag

Promoted as a holiday grab-back, Marvel Treasury Edition #13 (1976) reprinted several superhero adventures, while integrating some new material with a Christmas theme.

The reprinted stories included the tumultuous first meeting of the Hulk and Silver Surfer from Tales to Astonish #93. Other reprinted stories showcased Spider-Man, Thing, Daredevil, and the Avengers.

The new material included a vignette with Dr. Strange, Clea, Nighthawk, and Valkyrie wishing Hulk a merry Christmas. The Defenders even gave Hulk a pair of mittens, a present he didn't need on a practical level but recognized as a sign of friendship just the same.