The Defenders Fansite

Exiled

2012-01-28T12:04:00.010-06:00

With the ability to mimic the powers of mutants, Calvin Rankin served as both an ally and an enemy to the original X-Men.

Although he never joined the Defenders in the mainstream Marvel Universe, the version of Mimic who joined the dimension-hopping Exiles told how he had been a member of the Defenders in the a parallel universe he called home (Exiles #3).

Mimic: Yes, not my finest hour. You should have seen my costume…

It's unclear if the costume Mimic wore with the Defenders was the same costume worn during his original X-Men appearances.

When the Exiles journeyed to an alternate timeline where the X-Men prepared to fight the Imperial Guard to save Jean Grey/Dark Phoenix (mirroring X-Men #137), that world's version of Wolverine was surprised to see Mimic.

Wolverine: So what's up, bub? Ain't you supposed to be running around with Doc Strange and Iceman?

That line of dialogue revealed that the Iceman of this alternate reality was already a member of the Defenders during the historic Dark Phoenix saga, whereas the Iceman of the mainstream Marvel Universe was away at college at that point—and joined the Defenders only later, as the non-team transitioned into the New Defenders.

We can only imagine what other ways the Defenders of this world might have been different.

Exiles. Vol. 1. No. 3. October 2001. "Old Wounds, New Battles: Part 1 of 2." Judd Winick (writer), Mike McKone (pencils), McKenna w/Cannon (inks), Transparency Digital (colors), Sharpefont's Paul Tutrone (letters), Mike Raicht (assistant editor), Mike Marts (the editor), Joe Quesada (the watcher), Bill Jemas (the beyonder).

Secret Prices

2012-01-23T23:20:00.014-06:00

I stopped collecting comic books during much of the 1990s and only recently began to buy back issues from that decade.

In the process, I decided to take a look at the cover prices for a series that was a secret to me during my time away from collecting.

Sporting a foil cover, The Secret Defenders #1 (March 1993) sold for $2.50. On the one-year mark, #12 (Feb. 1994) sold for that same price, with a prismatic foil cover to boot.

The cover price for a standard issue in the series was $1.75 for #2 through #11, and again for #13-14.

The price of a standard issue rose to $1.95 with #15 (June 1994) and continued through #24.

The Secret Defenders ended with #25 (March 1995), a double-sized issue with a cover price of $2.50.

Strange Heroes

2011-12-24T09:31:00.044-06:00

Timed to coincide with the relaunch of the Defenders series, The Defenders: Strange Heroes works as a partial companion guide to the non-team.

Following the encyclopedia-style format of The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, this 64-page volume provides an historical overview of the various incarnations of the Defenders, with updated individual entries on Doctor Strange, Iron Fist, Namor, Red She-Hulk, and Silver Surfer.

Rather than showcasing other prominent heroes, The Defenders: Strange Heroes tends to focus on lesser-known villains and supporting characters. Case in point: The entry on Nighthawk describes the Earth-S counterpart who briefly assisted the Defenders, not the longtime member of the team.

While the end result might feel more like a grab bag than an exhaustive resource, I was particularly happy to find entries on the Chorus, the land of Here (and There), and Gargantua (called Leviathan when he battled the New Defenders).

Full entries also appear on the following:
Aleta, Andromeda Attumasen, Ardina, Belathauzer, Cyrus Black, Cloud, Doctor Spectrum (Squadron Sinister), Dollar Bill, Dolly Donahue, Eel (Stryke), Foolkiller (Salinger), Jake Fury, Gamma Spores, Geatar, Lorelei (Asgardian), Mad-Dog, Manslaughter, Jerry Morgan ("Shrunken Bones"), Nebulon, Jack Norriss, Richard Rory, Rose of Purity/Wasteland, Sea Urchin, Seraph (Tolsky), Slorioth, Solarr, Star of Capistan, Trish Starr, Torpedo (Jones), and Zusommin (viral swarm).

These characters receive half-page entries:
Blowtorth Brand, Dafydd ap Iowerth, Ludberdites, Papa Hagg, Sunshine Gross, and Tapping Tommy.

How I Spent My Summer Hiatus

2011-12-13T21:32:00.021-06:00

During my time away from blogging this summer, I finished the manuscript for my latest Villains & Vigilantes adventure module for Fantasy Games Unlimited. Titled Always Outnumbered, the PDF went on sale this morning.

Always Outnumbered contains three core adventures, each designed for use with a solo hero within the game:

No Crime Like the Present

Survival of the Fittest

True Believer

A follow-up scenario called Photo Opportunity appears as an epilogue.

Earlier this month, I had the privilege of reading sections of Always Outnumbered at the annual Readings from Rivendell event for fantasy and science-fiction authors in Minneapolis.

Here at Last!

2011-12-10T11:15:00.026-06:00

The closing pages of the seven-issue Fear Itself limited series worked as a segue, with Hulk heading to the home of Stephen Strange.

When Wong greeted him at the door, Hulk pushed the servant out of the way and barged inside. The green goliath requested that Dr. Strange come to his aid to defeat Nul, a being best understood as rage incarnate.

The story continued in the highly anticipated debut of the latest Defenders series. To proceed on the quest, Dr. Strange in turn requested the aid of Namor, Silver Surfer, Red She-Hulk, and Iron Fist—all featured prominently on the cover of Defenders #1

As the adventure moved forward, the heroes ventured to Wundagore Mountain, which Dr. Strange aptly compared to The Island of Doctor Moreau. The issue ended on a suspenseful note, as one of the mountain inhabitants introduced himself as the legendary Prester John.

I certainly like the refreshing approach that the creative team is taking in both the writing and the artwork. I hope this new series has a long life ahead of it.

Defenders. No. 1. February 2012. "Breaker of Worlds Part 1: I Hate Myself and Want to Die." Matt Fraction (writer), Terry Dodson (penciler), Rachel Dodson (inker), Sonia Oback (colorist), VC's Clayton Cowles (letterer).

The top image comes from Epilogue 4 of Fear Itself. No. 7. December 2011.

Calling All Defenders

2011-12-01T21:45:00.015-06:00

When Sub-Mariner sought revenge against the warlord Attuma for overthrowing New Atlantis, Dr. Strange offered his assistance. But with only the young mutant Loa at their side, the master of the mystic arts called for reinforcements (Fear Itself: The Deep #1).

Casting a spell initially designed to gather alchemical ingredients, Dr. Strange intended to summon core members of the Defenders. To everyone's surprise, the magic summoned Lyra (a.k.a. the Savage She-Hulk), even though she had never fought with the team. Her mother was Thundra, a 23rd-century amazon—and her "father" was genetically engineered DNA from the Hulk, which explained why the magic inadvertently brought Lyra instead.

Silver Surfer soon joined the fray as well, more or less rounding out this grouping of Defenders.

Yet against the armies of Attuma, Dr. Strange tried widening the scope of the earlier spell to summon even more allies. This time, to everyone's amazement, the magic summoned 11 more heroes who previously called themselves Defenders or accompanied the Defenders at least once (Fear Itself: The Deep #4).

Roll call:
(Top) Stingray, Cloak, Devil-Slayer.

(Middle) Daimon Hellstrom, Dagger, Blazing Skull, Black Panther, Hellcat.

(Bottom) Cloud, Moon Knight, Gargoyle.

Cullen Bunn wrote Fear Itself: The Deep, one of several Fear Itself limited series published in 2011.

Comics Economics

2011-11-26T22:16:00.017-06:00

Comic books allotted me an early opportunity to track inflation, as I observed prices increase gradually during the 1970s and 1980s.

Here's an overview of how cover prices increased during the original run of the Defenders series.

The first 12 issues of the Defenders originally sold for 20¢ apiece.

Prices rose to 25¢ on #13 (May 1974). A yellow burst saying STILL ONLY 25¢ appeared on the covers of #35 and #37.

Notice how 25¢ then appeared inside a circle on the cover of #38.

Prices increased to 30¢ with #39 (Sept. 1976), and then to 35¢ with #53 (Nov. 1977).

Issues #64 to #70 included a white burst saying STILL ONLY 35¢. Note how 35¢ appeared in red on #68, instead of the usual black type.

Prices for standard-size issues continued to rise by a nickel or dime every one to three years.

40¢ beginning with #71 (May 1979).

50¢ beginning with #87 (Sept. 1980).

60¢ beginning with #103 (Jan. 1982).

65¢ beginning with #142 (April 1985).

Each issue of Giant-Size Defenders sold for 50¢ on stands in the 1970s. Afterward, double-sized issues of the Defenders increased incrementally in price by a quarter.

75¢ for double-sized #100 (Oct. 1981).

$1.00 for double-sized #125 (Nov. 1983).

$1.25 for double-sized New Defenders #150 (Dec. 1985) and again for #152 (Feb. 1986), when the series ended.

The Defenders Yet to Come

2011-11-14T00:52:00.015-06:00

This promotional image for Point One tipped off fans that an upcoming cast of Defenders would factor into the 64-page one-shot.

Framed as a series of possible realities observed from the Watcher's home on the moon, each story within the issue held together on its own—while setting the stage for comics slated to release in 2012.

A tale of particular interest found Stephen Strange in uncharacteristically good spirits, at home in his role as "The Shaman of Greenwich Village."

But Dr. Strange fell sullen as he tried to help a man named Joe Mitchell who was trapped in a state of waking-sleep. Entering Joe's mind, Dr. Strange saw a one-panel vision of Silver Surfer, Red She-Hulk, Sub-Mariner, Ant-Man, Nick Fury, and Iron Fist, who delivered a word of warning.

Iron Fist: We either shut the engines down, or the universe will break. Doc. The impossible is everywhere now…

Certain that the vision came from the future, Dr. Strange set out to decipher stacks of notebooks that Joe had kept over the years while writing "The Compleat History of Greenwich Village."

Point One. November 2011. The Defenders tie-in occurs in "The Shaman of Greenwich Village." Matt Fraction (writer), Terry Dodson (penciler), Rachel Dodson (inker), Sonia Oback (colorist), VC's Clayton Cowles (letterer), John Denning (asst. editor), Arbona & Brevoort (editors).

Six other stories foreshadowing comic books of 2012 also appear in Point One.

Introducing the Secret Defenders

2011-11-12T22:32:00.017-06:00

Well after the original Defenders disbanded, Dr. Strange recruited Ghost Rider, Hulk, and Silver Surfer to do battle against the dreaded Dormammu. In a thought balloon at the end of that adventure, the master of the mystic arts first used the term "Secret Defenders" Dr. Strange #50 (Feb. 1993).

The phrase took hold one month later, with "Suddenly: The Secret Defenders" appearing on the cover of Fantastic Four #374 (featuring Spider-Man, Hulk, Ghost Rider, and Wolverine) and the launch of a new series with The Secret Defenders #1 (starring Wolverine, Nomad, Darkhawk, and Spider-Woman). Much in the way that episodes of Mission: Impossible opened with photos of the secret agents, these two issues each began with Dr. Strange perusing Tarot cards while deciding whose help to enlist.

Far more a non-team that the original Defenders had been, the Secret Defenders boasted a different combination of heroes each mission. The Secret Defenders ended at #25.

Fantastic Four #374 and Secret Defenders #1 both had cover dates of March 1993.

Listening to the Lunatik

2011-11-10T00:01:00.013-06:00

Of all the opponents the Defenders faced, Lunatik was the most insufferable. As if being a serial killer wasn't bad enough, Lunatik persistently littered his speech with popular song lyrics and catch-phrases of the 1970s.

Growing up in that era, I got some satisfaction in recognizing when Lunatik was quoting the cuckoo bird from Cocoa Puffs or Mick Jagger from the Rolling Stones. But identifying the Lunatik's source material was no guarantee that he was making much sense. The Defenders, in fact, tried their hardest to tune him out.

Lunatik turned out to be not one man but several—each a splintered version of an extra-dimensional tyrant named Arisen Tyrk. The truth came out after drama professor Harrison Turk revealed that he too was one of the fragmented selves.

Reading between the lines, I now see the distracting use of quoted material in the Lunatik stories as an indirect indictment against popular culture.

The above image comes from Defenders #70, the issue when Professor Turk revealed he had a connection to Lunatik.

Alpha Flight and the Defenders

2011-11-01T00:02:00.010-05:00

Sure, they might have been introduced in a battle with the X-Men, but the members of Alpha Flight soon had more in common with the Defenders. After losing their ties to the Canadian government in X-Men #140, Alpha Flight worked largely as a non-team throughout most of their original series, with a different combination of heroes taking part in each adventure.

As a physician turned medicine man, Michael Twoyoungmen had a career path that paralleled that of Stephen Strange. Though Shaman's magic concentrated largely around nature, his medicine pouch also gave him the ability to transport the team to other dimensions—a hallmark power of Dr. Strange.

A back story in Alpha Flight #11 told how Bruce Banner's transformation into the Hulk inspired Walter Langkowski to experiment with gamma rays, leading to his own transformation into Sasquatch. At a point when Sasquatch began to succumb to Hulk-like rage, Shaman bound him with vegetation (Alpha Flight #12), reminiscent of the Crimson Bands that Dr. Strange used at times to immobilize the Hulk.

Of all the heroes in Alpha Flight, Northstar was arguably the least content, yet Dr. Strange once enlisted his help on a mission with the Secret Defenders. The Canadian mutant accompanied Hulk and Nova in Secret Defenders #11.

The above illustrations by John Byrne come from X-Men #120 and Alpha Flight #12.

Coming of Age

2011-10-16T00:04:00.002-05:00

The end of Defenders #16 left five members of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants transformed into infants. Yet when the evil mutant Blob next faced the Defenders (#63), he was an adult again. What happened to the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in the time in between?

Following his transformation into an infant, Magneto went in captivity at the mutant-research facility on Muir Island, off the coast of Scotland. When the villain Eric the Red used an energy ray to restore him to adulthood, the master of magnetism broke free (X-Men #104).

Held inside a neighboring cell, other members of the Brotherhood inadvertently returned to adulthood as well. But they did not rejoin Magneto. Instead, Blob, Lorelei, and Unus teamed up with Vanisher, who concocted a plot to keep them free (Champions #17).

Chased by a trio of mutant-hunting Sentinels (secretly controlled by Vanisher), the escaped members of the Brotherhood sought refuge in headquarters of the Champions. Since Angel and Iceman of the original X-Men were members of the Los Angeles super-team, Vanisher gambled that the Champions would sympathize with their fellow mutants and agree to harbor them.

The first part of the plan paid off beautifully, as Black Widow, Hercules, Ghost Rider, Angel, Iceman, and Darkstar trounced the Sentinel robots. But instead of taking in the evil mutants, the Champions captured the band of criminals.

Mastermind, a founding member of the Brotherhood who too became an infant in Defenders #16, did not regroup with his teammates in Champions #17. But the master of illusions must have returned to his true age with the others, as he would become the lynchpin in the Dark Phoenix saga in the pages of the X-Men.

Champions. Vol. 1. No. 17. January 1978. Bill Mantlo (writer), George Tuska (artist), John Byrne (embellisher), John Costanza (letterer), Phil Rachelson (colorist), Archie Goodwin (editor). This was the last issue of the Champions series.

Defenders Dialogue: Lost Souls

2011-10-13T00:14:00.009-05:00

What made the Defenders a team was always fodder for debate. This letter from Defenders #31 nicely summed up why four of the earliest members stayed together.

Dear Defenders Dynamoes,

I hate to tell you this, but the Defenders aren't going to work. The original idea of a group that is a non-team and doesn't really exist isn't going to last because as long as the four main Defenders (Hulk, Dr. Strange, Valkyrie, and Nighthawk) live and fight together, they will become a team in almost every sense of the word, and not a non team.

In FOOM #7; the Avengers' butler Jarvis states that there is no interdependency which binds the Avengers together as a team. But there is an interdependency which holds the Defenders together. There must be. All the Defenders are really "lost souls" (Dr. Strange might be the exception to the rule) who have found their place in life as Defenders.

Hulk and the Valkyrie are most obvious as "lost souls" because of their pasts. The Hulk has been tortured and persecuted his entire life, with only a few friendships, none of which have lasted. He has finally found friends and he realizes it, so why should he leave? Who would?

Valkyrie is really a lost soul. She was, as we all know, created by the Enchantress into the body of Barbara Denton Norriss. She has managed to scrape up Barbara's past, including an unwanted husband, but she has no real past of her own to build on. So she stays with the Defenders, where she belongs, and where she has friends who care about her. Let us not forget the relationships that she has built with the other Defenders. With Dr. Strange I see a sister and brother relationship. She is carrying on a troubled romance with Kyle. The most interesting of these relationships is that which I see has developed between herself and the Hulk. I would say that the Hulk almost has a crush, of sorts, on Val. And Val has grown quite found of this greenskinned goliath with the mind of a small child. Nighthawk has gone from an aimless millionaire to an aimless villain. He has finally found his aim in life and his fulfillment as a Defender. What more can be said?

Dr. Strange is almost the exception. He has fulfillment and aim elsewhere. He has a past, he has a future. For all of these years he has been operating very well, he does not need steam.

Except, he is a loner of sorts. Even though he saved humanity, he has remained apart from it. Very few humans even know of his existence. His relationship with Wong is strictly business. Clea is a loner. Other than those two, and besides the Defenders, he has no other human relations. Now perhaps, isn't he remaining with the Defenders because he needs other people? Because he can't exist as an island any longer? The others need their individual forms of fulfillment; he needs other people.

So there is an interdependency which holds the Defenders together. I say fine. Let their relationships grow and evolve as they must. It will be these relationships which decide who comes and who leaves the Defenders. But let it be natural. Don't foresee anything because you think so-and-so would look nice in this magazine.

I would like to see one or two new members though. Four isn't a very big group. Especially when two of the characters have their series and can't do much developing here. Let Steve Gerber create a new female character. I'm very much in favor of that.

Larry (Fooman Torch) Twiss
King of Prussia, PA

Holy Halloween Hijinks

2011-10-11T12:16:00.020-05:00

As the real-life organizer of the Rutland Halloween Parade, Tom Fagan made recurring appearances in comic books that referenced the annual event. The trend began with Avengers #83, which marked the 11th year of the parade and pictured him wearing a Nighthawk costume.

On the parade's 12th year, Tom Fagan appeared not only in Marvel Feature #2 (wearing street clothes before the Halloween festivities) but also in Batman #237—making his DC Comics debut dressed as the Caped Crusader. The parallelism was fitting, given how the creation of Nighthawk in the Squadron Sinister was an homage to Batman of the Justice League.

The next Halloween was a particular treat. With Glynis Wein the colorist on Amazing Adventures #16, and husband Len Wein the writer of Justice League of America #103, the couple appeared with Gerry Conway and Steve Englehart in a subplot that drove through the Halloween issues at both Marvel and DC as the foursome headed to Tom Fagan's Halloween party. Appropriately enough, he went as Nighthawk in Amazing Adventures #16 yet wore a Batman costume for the Justice League.

JLA #103 gave an additional nod to Marvel Comics in a humorously haunting way, when villain Felix Faust transformed ordinary people in Halloween costumes into super-powered foes. These included a Web-Slinger, the shield-carrying Commando America, and the Norse Thundergod (who was particularly apt seeing how Thor's series at Marvel also referenced the Rutland subplot).

The above image of Tom Fagan comes from Justice League of America. Vol. 1. No. 103. December 1972. "A Stranger Walks Among Us!" Len Wein (writer), Dick Dillin & Giordano (artists), Julius Schwartz (editor).

Where Walks the Juggernaut?

2011-10-04T11:48:00.024-05:00

Following a tradition in the 1970s of tying comic books stories to the Rutland Halloween Parade, Amazing Adventures #16 brought Beast to Vermont just in time for the annual event. The tale began on a comedic note, with cameo appearances by members of Marvel's creative staff. But the story turned tragic after the arrival of Juggernaut.

A mystical side effect of the Ruby of Cyttorak, which gave him superhuman powers, trapped Juggernaut in Crimson Cosmos since X-Men #33. Inside another dimension, Juggernaut encountered Dr. Strange, who too was imprisoned at the time but managed to escape (Dr. Strange #182).

As Juggernaut remained trapped, he acquired a prescient knowledge of events on Earth. He knew that exactly one year after an abduction of Dr. Strange (Marvel Feature #2), Beast would be in Rutland on October 31. That degree of symmetry would allow Juggernaut to magically escape.

Unlike the other opponents Beast faced during his run on Amazing Adventures, Juggernaut already knew that the hero had grown fur since his days with the original X-Men. Through experience, Beast knew he could disempower Juggernaut by removing his helmet. But when he finally succeeded, Beast was astounded to witness Juggernaut age rapidly—yet another side effect of the villain's magical origins. To escape death, Juggernaut returned to the Crimson Cosmos.

There was unintentional subtext to the storyline. By stating explicitly that one year had passed between the Rutland Halloween adventures, the tales situated the characters in real time—a storytelling trope best ignored under scrutiny since comic book characters routinely age much more slowly than real people.

When Juggernaut next returned to Earth, magic forces of the other dimension restored him to his normal age (Incredible Hulk #172).

Amazing Adventures. Vol. 2. No. 16. January 1973. "… And the Juggernaut Will Get You … If You Don't Watch Out!" This message brought to you as a public service by the titanic team of Steve Englehart (writer), Bob Brown (artist), Frank McLaughlin (inker), and Charlotte Jettter (letterer); in cooperation with Marie Severin (caricaturist), Glynis Wein (colorist), and Roy Thomas (editor).

A Fistful of Fury

2011-10-02T14:46:00.012-05:00

A supporting character at various times throughout Defenders history, agent Nick Fury starred in his own back-up adventure in Defenders #54.

Taking place within S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, the solo story found Nick Fury under attack by a group of his own Life Model Decoys, now dubbed the LMDs of Doom!

After battling several of the androids, Nick Fury discovered that the hooded figure commanding the LMDs was in fact yet another decoy of himself. Having apparently developed the capacity for independent thought, the malevolent android intended to kill the real Nick Fury, then take his place as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.*

* Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division.

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 54. December 1977. "Fury Times Five!" Scott Edelman (writer), Juan Ortiz (penciler), Bruce Patterson (inker), Howard Bender (letterer), Ken Klaczak (colorist), Archie Goodwin (editor).

The main story that issue, "A Study in Survival" by David Anthony Kraft, continued an ongoing saga against the Presence.

Full Circle

2011-10-01T00:03:00.005-05:00

Following New Defenders #152, Valkyrie led an unlikely band of adventurers in battle on another plane of existence. Through the borderlands between life and death, her teammates consisted of Andromeda, the once-treacherous Manslaughter, and the extra-dimensional Interloper.

But they would not stay trapped forever; the cover of Strange Tales #5 promised the return of the New Defenders.

On an expedition to the Himalayas, Stephen Strange and his apprentice Rintrah sought to journey to the remote location where Dr. Strange had learned the mystic arts. When evil forces prevented the duo from magically transporting into the hidden lamasery, they enlisted the help of a mountain guide named Jigme, who recalled pointing Stephen Strange in the direction of the Ancient One years before.

Jigme: And I remember an American surgeon with whiskey-breath who gave me the last of his money to take him to the Ancient One so that his shaking hands could be cured.

Dr. Strange explained that he was now the sorcerer supreme, and the seasoned guide agreed to assist. While leading Dr. Strange and Rintrah through the snow and toward their destination, Jigme slipped down the mountainside and lay critically wounded.

In her mythic role as guide to fallen heroes, Valkyrie then appeared to deliver disheartening news.

If Dr. Strange used his magic to prevent Jigme from dying, he and Rintrah would not be strong enough to battle the evil forces awaiting them ahead.
If Dr. Strange allowed Jigme to die, a magical balancing act could allow the four Defenders to return to the land of the living—giving the two sorcerers the backup they needed.

The two heroes did not mince words while debating the dilemma.

Dr. Strange: What you're asking me to perform is a blood sacrifice! The foulest of all rites of black magic! I won't do it! I can't do it!

Valkyrie: Stephen, it's exactly the type of sacrifice that ages ago first bound the evils you now fight! He's dying anyway! And we're no ghastly undead--we are the Defenders! Manslaughter--Interloper--Andromeda--and me! Let us help you, Stephen!

In a morally dubious decision, Dr. Strange followed Valkyrie's pragmatic advice and did not intervene as Jigme died. The Defenders accompanied Dr. Strange and Rintrah through Strange Tales #7, in a crossover storyline with Cloak and Dagger against the entity Nightmare.

Strange Tales. Vol. 2. No. 5. August 1987. "The Snows of Yesteryear." Peter Gillis (script), Larry Alexander (pencils), Randy Emberlin (inks), Janice Chiang (letters), Bob Sharen (colors), Carl Potts (editor), Jim Shooter (editor in chief).

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

2011-09-22T19:30:00.019-05:00

The collective being called Over-Mind seemed intent on staying with the Defenders as it transitioned from a non-team into a "new" group. Yet the character inexplicably vanished from the series after Defenders #122 … just before the debut of Cloud in #123.

Not until #149-150 did the New Defenders learn of the intertwining events that transpired between those two earlier issues.

When stars in an area of space began to disappear, a cloud of mass from a sentient nebula journeyed to Earth in search of help. Over-Mind sensed the nebula's thoughts and traveled into the void of space to investigate the phenomenon on his own.

New to Earth, the sentient Cloud tried making contact with a young couple, Carol Faber and Danny Milligan—only to witness their automobile skid off the road and crash. The accident left them both comatose. Psychically traumatized, Cloud acquired the paranormal ability to assume the appearance of the two humans (alternating between female and male forms), while forgetting its own true nature.

This image of Over-Mind appeared in The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.

The Andromeda Strain

2011-09-17T12:04:00.013-05:00

For all his complaints about helping the Defenders, Prince Namor's exploits with the team made a lasting impression on at least one citizen of Atlantis.

When sexism within the Atlantean military prevented a female commander from gaining further promotions, she circumvented the glass ceiling by heading to the United States. Taking the heroic name Andromeda, she sought to follow in Namor's steps and become a Defender. After joining the heroes in battle at the end of New Defenders #146, Andromeda became a full member of the team in #148.

Unlike the half-human prince, Andromeda was a full Atlantean with naturally blue skin. She required advanced science to breathe air on the surface of the Earth and alter her appearance to pass as Caucasian in her civilian alter ego as Andrea McPhee.

For all the intrigue surrounding the legend of Atlantis, the sea kingdom from Marvel Comics never lived up to its literary potential. Career opportunities aside, I don't blame Andromeda for wanting to leave.

The above image of Andromeda comes from the pages of the New Defenders #152, the last issue of the original series.

Mutant Affairs

2011-09-15T16:51:00.013-05:00

During one of Beast's public lectures about his life as a superhero, Adrian Castorp, a musician who was persecuted for being a mutant, challenged the hero to take his role as a public figure more seriously. Instead of relying on humor, why didn't Beast discuss the discrimination mutants faced?

The message struck home, prompting Beast to found a movement advocating that mutants only need sensitivity, tolerance, and equal rights (New Defenders #142). As an homage to Adrian Castorp, who happened to have six fingers on each hand, the symbol for M.O.N.S.T.E.R. was a fist with six fingers (no connection to the Six-Fingered Hand).

Based on the letters column, reader response to the mutant storyline was favorable. The following letter on the topic appeared in #151.

Dear Peter, Don, Kim, Janice, Michele, & Carl,

I'm writing to thank you for THE NEW DEFENDERS #142. I think this was the best of THE NEW DEFENDERS so far. I'm glad to finally see some intelligent Homo Sapiens in the Marvel Universe. Seeing people who accept mutants as people is an overwhelming joy. I thought this story was very touching.

I guess one of the reasons I liked this story so much was because of Adrian Castorp. He, like the first born male in my family, has six fingers on each hand. Just thought you'd like to know you really hit home with this one!

I guess this makes me a mutant too, huh? I wish you would consider making another character like him. You could even use my name!

Keep up the good work.

Bill Lawrence
Montclair, NJ

The above image comes from the New Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 142. April 1985. "M.O.N.S.T.E.R." Peter B. Gillis (writer), Don Perlin (penciler), Kim DeMulder (ink), Michele Wrightson (colorer), Janice Chiang (letterer), Carl Potts (editor), Jim Shooter (editor-in-chief).

Defining the New Defenders

2011-09-12T22:20:00.021-05:00

In launching the Marvel Super Heroes role-playing game during the mid 1980s, TSR published a line of adventure modules and sourcebooks showcasing characters from the comic books.

Although the Defenders never had their own game supplement, "The MARVEL-Phile" article in Dragon #100 included Marvel Super Heroes game stats for three members of the New Defenders.

With her matter-of-fact fighting abilities, Valkyrie made for a straightforward transition into game terms. Stats for her horse Aragorn appeared as well.

Game mechanics for Gargoyle were more complicated than most, as writer Jeff Grubb captured the nuances of the hero's energy-drain powers.

Notes for Cloud, the newest of the New Defenders, were necessarily enigmatic—describing the character's alternate forms while adding that the truth about Cloud's identity remained unknown.

As for the other New Defenders, game stats for Beast and Moondragon previously appeared in the sourcebook Avengers Assembled! The X-Men sourcebook titled Project: Wideawake had included stats for Iceman, Angel, and Candy Southern.

The above image of Cloud, from The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, was one of the illustrations included in Dragon #100 (August 1985).

Dragon #100 also featured the article "Creative Conjuring," in which Eric Walker proposed variant rules for the magic of Dr. Strange and other spell-casters in the Marvel Super Heroes game.

Leader of the Pack

2011-09-01T00:01:00.019-05:00

Candy Sothern absolutely shined during her debut in X-Men #31, when a chance encounter reunited her with "childhood sweetheart" Warren Worthington III. The two knew one another before Warren entered Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters as Angel, and then would become romantically involved as young adults.

Though originally introduced in dialogue with the last name Sothern (without the letter u), further appearances clarified that her last name was Southern (with a u) by the time Angel joined the Defenders.

As far back as Defenders #121, Beast and Valkyrie were at odds about who should lead the team, while Gargoyle dodged the debate. That push-pull dynamic helped explain the group's eventual decision to appoint Candy Southern as leader of the New Defenders (#138).

For all her intelligence and poise, Candy had no real qualifications to lead a super-team—except what she might have learned through osmosis over the years as Angel's girlfriend. So she was understandably surprised that the heroes selected her for the position.

While in charge, Candy focused her attention on improving the security system of the group's headquarters (#145), acting more like an honorary leader than the real thing. But a non-leader was all the New Defenders could agree on at the time.

The top panels show Warren Worthington's reunion with Candy Sothern in the X-Men. Vol. 1. No. 31. April 1965. "We Must Destroy the Cobalt Man!" Good-as-gold editing by: Stan Lee. Solid-silver scripting by: Roy Thomas. Platinum-plated penciling by: Werner Roth. Iridium-bright inking by: Jon Tartaglione. Lead-lined lettering by: Sam Rosen.

The bottom panels show the heroes and housekeeper Dolly Donahue expressing their support for Candy Southern as leader of the New Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 138. December 1984. "Three Women." Peter B. Gillis (story), Don Perlin (pencils), Kim DeMulder (inks), Janice Chiang (letters), Petra Scotese (colors), Carl Potts (editor), Jim Shooter (editor-in-chief).

It's Either in You or It's Not

2011-07-27T19:28:00.014-05:00

A friend was kind enough to alert me this week that Marvel plans to launch a new Defenders series in December 2011.

Doctor Strange, Sub-Mariner, Silver Surfer, Iron Fist, and Red She-Hulk (Betty Ross) are among the characters slated for the ongoing series.

For all my mixed feelings about previous attempts to either revisit or ravamp the non-team, I have to say that I am looking forward to the upcoming Defenders title.

Coming Attractions

2011-04-29T23:34:00.010-05:00

When Marvel Age magazine began publication in 1983, the Coming Attractions section featured promotional blurbs about upcoming comics.

Here is a sampling of Coming Attractions about the Defenders as they transitioned from a non-team to the New Defenders.

Marvel Age #2 (May 1983):

DEFENDERS #122—Written by J.M. DeMATTEIS. Pencils by DON PERLIN. The Iceman Cometh! Hellcat and the Son of Satan Goeth! And for you action lovers, you'll be knocked off your pins as—the Beast gets a dog and picks up his old mail!!!

Marvel Age #6 (September 1983):

DEFENDERS #126—Remember Moondragon? Remember how her arrogant personality turned her from a hero to the most incorrigible AVENGERS villainess of all? Well, she's in the DEFENDERS—and Valkyrie on orders from Odin has to teach her humility and cooperation! Needless to say, our newest ensemble of Defenders is in for some growing pains as a team. Don't miss "State of the Union," written by J.M. DeMatteis and penciled by Don Perlin.

Marvel Age #15 (June 1984):

THE NEW DEFENDERS #135—The New Defenders may not be your ordinary team of super heroes—but they've never met an adversary like this! He's Blowtorch Brand—and he's not your average arsonist! Angel, Beast, Iceman, Gargoyle, and Moondragon have to stop him—before he reduces New Mexico to a pile of ashes! "The Fire at Heaven's Gate" is written by Peter B. Gillis, penciled by Don Perlin, and inked by Kim DeMulder!

Marvel Age #17 (August 1984):

NEW DEFENDERS #137—The New Defenders face a fight to the finish—with one of their own members! Will the Gargoyle have to sacrifice his own life to save that of his friends? Also, more on Cloud, one of the most unusual super heroes to be introduced in years! And it's all for six dimes! Written by Peter B. Gillis, penciled by Don Perlin and inked by Kim DeMulder! 60¢.

Marvel Age #25 (April 1985):

NEW DEFENDERS #143—What a choice Moondragon must make! Should she die a horrible death, and thus spare the world from being destroyed by a monstrous evil force—or should she live and accept the almost limitless power that can be hers, by agreeing to forever become the immortal tool of the Dark Dragon? All that the New Defenders can do is watch—helpless! "Another Runner" written by Peter B. Gillis, penciled by Don Perlin and inked by Kim DeMulder. 65¢.

In with the New

2011-04-21T00:04:00.017-05:00

This image appeared in Marvel Age #11 (February 1984) alongside an interview with Peter B. Gillis about his writing plans for the New Defenders, beginning with #131. Gillis continued to script the New Defenders through #152, when the series ended.

Gargoyle against Himself

2011-04-17T00:01:00.008-05:00

In breaking a proverbial pact with the devil, 78-year-old Isaac Christians resolved himself to being trapped indefinitely in the body of a demon (Defenders #94).

But Gargoyle's limited series raised an important question: What became of Isaac's original body?

A return trip to his hometown of Christiansboro disclosed the unpleasant truth that when Isaac's mind entered the body of the demon, the demon's spirit entered Isaac's physical self.

With that revelation, the hero battled the vindictive gargoyle-spirit, who blamed Christianity for the demise of ancient magick.

Though published in 1985, Gargoyle's limited series had a degree of Gothic suspense reminiscent of nineteenth-century horror stories.

J.M. DeMatteis wrote the Gargoyle limited series. Mark Badger illustrated the four-part tale. The above image of Isaac Christians appeared in #1.

Necessary Evil

2011-04-15T18:10:00.001-05:00

One of their most challenging sagas pit the Defenders against an alliance of evil demons calling themselves the Six-Fingered Hand.

Along with long-timers Dr. Strange, Valkyrie, and Hellcat, the Son of Satan and Gargoyle were principal members of the non-team at the time.

Given the group's open mind when it came to demon-heroes, Ghost Rider might have seemed like an obvious choice for membership. But Ghost Rider's brazen disposition made the Defenders think twice before seeking his help against just one member of the Six-Fingered Hand (Defenders #96).

With Ghost Rider on their side, the Defenders defeated the demon Fashima, and a cult of followers led by rock singer Asmodeus Jones (no direct connection to the villain Asmodeus from Giant-Size Defenders #2).

Ghost Rider's alter ego, Johnny Blaze, returned for a guest appearance in Defenders #145. Ghost Rider later became a founding member of the Secret Defenders.

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 96. July 1981. "The Rock and Roll Conspiracy!" J.M. DeMatteis (writer), Don Perlin and Joe Sinnot (artists), Diana Albers (letterer), George Roussos (colorist), Al Milgrom (editor), Jim Shooter (editor-in-chief).

Soul Searching

2011-04-10T00:01:00.017-05:00

A storyline that began in Defenders #120 emphasized that the pentagram on Daimon Hellstrom's chest was emblematic of the "darksoul" he inherited from his father.

When the villain known as Miracle Man absorbed Hellstrom's powers, he gained the chest emblem as well.

Though often equated with demonic magic in the comics, the five-pointed star became an important symbol in ancient Greece for highly intellectual reasons that had nothing to do with good vs. evil.

The subject crossed my mind during a recent viewing of Donald in Mathmagic Land, a film I hadn't thought about in years. The classic Disney short set the pentagram in a far more positive context. But perhaps the Son of Satan never watched Donald Duck.

To Hell and Back

2011-04-03T00:01:00.013-05:00

Unable to find an antidote for the poison that a Skrull had slipped Beast's ex-girlfriend, Vera Cantor (Avengers #209), Mr. Fantastic suggested that they seek the help of Dr. Strange (Defenders #105).

The master of the mystic arts took the lead as the trio ventured into the extra-dimensional realm tied to the Resurrection Stone. They did not realize it at the time, but the malevolent spirit of the gemstone had mentally lured the three heroes to that dimension to harness their life force. The battle ended as the entity transformed Dr. Strange, Mr. Fantastic, and Beast into crystalline statues, frozen within the magical realm.

They weren't the only ones trapped in another dimension.

After their epic mission to hell (Defenders #99), one of the Defenders had not returned to Earth (#101). Daimon Hellstrom, the Son of Satan, remained a prisoner in his father's domain.

As he tortured his son, the Lord of Lies added insult to injury by flatly describing the interdependence between good and evil, and the conflicted nature of evil itself (#105).

Satan: Still, I have my role to play--you have yours! We are sworn enemies--we must fight each other through eternity! But know that, behind the facades--your father loves you! I do not expect you to fully comprehend this, Daimon. Few could without going mad. That is why this memory will fade from your mind … leaving behind only a glimmer of what you've learned. Now--return to your human friends, whelp! The sight of you sickens me!

Cast out of hell, the Son of Satan materialized in the home of Dr. Strange, where the Resurrection Stone had restored itself. Using his own magic, Hellstrom instinctively destroyed the gemstone once and for all—thereby freeing Beast, Mr. Fantastic, and Dr. Strange. Hellstrom then used his healing powers to return Vera Cantor to health.

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 105. March 1982. "… Rising … " J.M. DeMatteis (writer), Don Perlin & Joe Sinnot (artists), Shelly Leferman (letterer), George Roussos (colorist), Allen Milgrom (editor), Jim Shooter (editor-in-chief).

The Butler Did It

2011-04-01T00:01:00.010-05:00

Beast had become something of a ladies' man during his time with the Avengers, shedding much of the social awkwardness of his youth. When a chance encounter reunited him with Vera Cantor, his steady girlfriend during his days in the original X-Men, the now-blue hero invited her to Avengers Mansion to catch up (Avengers #209).

As the couple got reacquainted over tea with some of Beast's new teammates, Vera suddenly fell unconscious. A Skrull impersonating Jarvis the butler had poisoned her (while the real Jarvis was on vacation).

The Skrull demanded that the Avengers partake in a dangerous journey through time to retrieve the legendary Resurrection Stone. The Skrull promised that once the crystal was in his hands, he would repay the Avengers by using its magic to save Vera.

Utilizing time-travel technology from Fantastic Four headquarters, Wonder Man, Vision, and the Scarlet Witch accompanied Beast on a journey to the year 1364 to battle an evil sorcerer who held one-half of the Resurrection Stone—then landed in 1945 Nazi Germany to retrieve the second half before returning to the present.

Having come face to face with the horrors of the Black Plague and the Holocaust, Beast decided that power over life and death was too much for anyone to possess. Rather than hand over the crystal to the Skrull, and rescue Vera, Beast destroyed the Resurrection Stone.

Skrull: You crushed it! But that is … impossible! My plan was perfection! The vagaries of human love should have assured me victory!

Mr. Fantastic placed Vera Cantor in a suspended animation tube to keep her alive until an antidote might be found. Searching for a cure might be what Beast had in mind when he decided to leave the Avengers to pursue scientific research (#211). And that quest ultimately led to his joining the Defenders.

To be continued…

Avengers. Vol. 1. No. 209. July 1981. "The Resurrection Stone." J.M. DeMatteis (scripter), Alan Kupperberg (penciler), Dan Green (inker), Janice Chiang (letterer), Ben Sean (colorist), Jim Salicrup (editor), Jim Shooter (editor-in-chief).

Riddle Me This...

2011-02-10T00:02:00.019-06:00

Here's a lighthearted ad for the New Defenders that appeared the back cover of Marvel Age #7 (October 1983).

In retrospect the riddle reads like a trick question, of course, since more than two mutants formed the New Defenders. But there may have been sound reasons to frame the question that way.

With more-or-less symmetry, the ad used only images on the front cover of Defenders #124, which was on sale that same month. And only two of the heroes spotlighted on that cover were mutants.

Even so, the puzzle continues...

QUESTION: Why were Angel, Beast, Valkyrie, and Gargoyle the only New Defenders pictured on the cover of Defenders #124?

Brokenhearted

2011-02-05T00:02:00.002-06:00

When the Hulk got mad, the Defenders grew concerned—not only for their teammate but also for the public at large.

So when an angry Hulk outmaneuvered even Dr. Strange by figuring a way out of the Crimson Bands of Cytorrak, the Defenders knew this was serious business (Incredible Hulk #207).

But what had caused the Hulk to become so upset?

The love of his life had died.

First introduced in Incredible Hulk #140, when Hulk shrank into another universe, Jarella was a rare woman indeed. The green-skinned empress from another world developed romantic feelings for both Bruce Banner and Hulk—and the culmination of the two.

But tragedy struck during Jarella's first visit to Earth. As the Hulk did battle with Crypto-Man, the villain threw a car at the hero. The car struck a building instead, causing a wall to collapse. Jarella ran to rescue a boy who was in harm's way. Yet as she pushed the boy the safety, Jarella was crushed by falling bricks. Soon afterward, Doc Samson pronounced her dead (#205).

Emotionally devastated, Hulk searched the streets for Dr. Strange, the one person who might have the power to resurrect Jarella.

With the Hulk at large, military personnel tried again and again to apprehend the Hulk, disrupting his quest for the magician (#206).

The Defenders managed to calm the Hulk by the end of #207. After learning what had happened Jarella, Dr. Strange regretted that he could not bring her back to life.

Dr. Strange: I am truly touched that you place so much faith in me Hulk--but there is much that even I cannot accomplish. The forces of life and death weave a most delicate tapestry indeed--one that cannot easily be tampered with!

Under the circumstances, there was little the Defenders could do to console their friend.

The image of the Hulk at the top of this post comes from The Incredible Hulk #207.

The Crimson Bands

2011-02-03T14:46:00.017-06:00

Responding to one of Hulk's perpetual rampages, Dr. Strange, Valkyrie, Nighthawk, and Red Guardian arrived to stop their temperamental teammate.

When reasoning didn't work, Dr. Strange cast the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak to magically ensnare the green goliath (Incredible Hulk #207).

The spell had worked before within the Defenders own series. All things considered, the Crimson Bands seemed like the most reliable way to restrain Hulk.

But this time the Defenders were in for a surprise.

Since he couldn't break free, Hulk used his renowned leaping ability to propel himself upward—inside the Crimson Bands—and then plummet back down with impressive force.

Dr. Strange then cast the Shield of the Seraphim to keep everyone safe. But with the magician's concentration divided, the Crimson Bands vanished, and the Hulk escaped.

To be continued…

The Incredible Hulk. Vol. 1. No. 207. January 1977. "Alone Against the Defenders!" Len Wein (writer/editor), Sal Buscema & Joe Staton (illustrations), Glynis Wein (colorist), Irv Watanabe (letterer).

It's Not Easy Being Gray

2011-02-01T00:02:00.030-06:00

Before she became Hellcat, Patsy Walker was Beast's only friend during a time of crisis.

After Hank McCoy first transformed into his furry form, he suffered amnesia and act out in a violent state of confusion (Amazing Adventures #11). At this time, the Beast's fur was gray and his misanthropic disposition resembled that of the Hulk (who coincidentally had gray skin during his debut in Incredible Hulk #1).

When newlywed Patsy (Walker) Baxter found Beast wounded on her doorstep, she was well aware that authorities pegged Beast as a new menace (unrecognizable as the X-Man he once was). Believing that any creature deserved compassion, Patsy harbored Beast long enough for him to recover (Amazing Adventures #15).

As Patsy watched over the sleeping Beast, he murmured that his real name was Hank McCoy and uttered other details about his past. In front of Patsy's eyes, Beast's fur changed from gray to black (suggesting that his mental state was linked to his appearance at the time).

When Beast awoke. Patsy told him all she had overheard. With Beast's memory now intact, Patsy kept his true identity a secret even from her husband.

But Patsy's motives didn't remain altruistic. Once Beast gained acclaim as an Avenger (and his fur turned blue), Patsy needled Beast to use his connections to make her a superhero too.

As Beast now opted to make his true identity publicly known, Patsy embraced the opportunity to develop her own double-identity as Hellcat (#144).

Amazing Adventures. Vol. 2. No. 15. November 1972. "Murder in Mid-Air!" Steve Englehart (scripter), Tom Sutton, Frank Giacoia, John Tartag (artists), Jean Izzo (letterer), Roy Thomas (editor).

Generation Gap

2011-01-25T22:21:00.026-06:00

When Marvel Comics launched Fantastic Four #1 (Nov. 1961), the youngest member of the new team was already recognizable. Teenage Johnny Storm matched the the powers and codename of Jim Hammond, the Human Torch who fought during World War II. So it was only fitting that the Human Torch was the first of Marvel's new generation of heroes to meet a crimefighter from that earlier era.

Fed up with the bickering among his teammates, Johnny took a breather from the Fantastic Four and checked into a rooming house (F.F. #4). Happening upon a Sub-Mariner comic book from the 1940s, the young hero recalled what he had heard about the fabled Prince of Atlantis.

Johnny Storm: (Thinking) I remember sis talking about him once! He used to be the world's most unusual character! Yeah, just like sis said, he could live underwater, and was as strong as ten men! He was supposed to be immortal!

Those thoughts spoke volumes.

The strength of ten men may have sounded impressive at the time. But like many of Marvel's strongmen, Sub-Mariner would prove to be far more powerful in future issues.

Suggesting that Prince Namor could be immortal—or at least long lived—allowed him to keep his World War II backstory and still look relatively young no matter how much time elapsed.

Back at the rooming house, Johnny Storm intervened when a fight broke out between a group of locals and a boarder who suffered amnesia and exhibited unusual strength.

Using his flame powers as the Human Torch, Johnny hoped that trimming the destitute man's unkempt hair would help him regain his memory.

Lo and behold, the clean-shaven stranger turned out to be none other than the legendary Sub-Mariner!

Though none of the characters mentioned it at the time, the return of the Sub-Mariner in Fantastic Four #4 was an almost reunion. After all, the Prince of Atlantis frequently fought alongside the original Human Torch (and sidekick Toro) during World War II.

Fantastic Four. Vol. 1. No. 4. May 1962. "The Coming of … Sub-Mariner!" Stan Lee (writer), Jack Kirby (penciler), Sol Brodsky (inker), Art Simek (letterer).

The Human Torch #5 (Summer 1941) was one of the many instances when Sub-Mariner teamed up with the original Human Torch.

The Silver Sacrifice

2011-01-22T01:30:00.017-06:00

One of the first objectives of the Defenders was to free the Silver Surfer from the cosmic barrier that trapped him on Earth. To much chagrin, the attempt failed (Defenders #3).

But why was the Silver Surfer trapped on Earth in the first place?

While working as the herald of Galactus, the Silver Surfer had scouted the Milky Way for a planet with the energy and resources necessary to sustain his master (Fantastic Four #48).

Soon after he arrived on Earth, a chance encounter with sculptress Alicia Masters persuaded the Surfer that it was wrong to let Galactus devour the planet (#49).

So in defense of humanity, the cosmic champion turned against Galactus (#50).

Silver Surfer: These are not ants, master! They think … they feel … they have even created the primitive civilization which we see all about us!

Unapologetically regarding himself as the top of the cosmic food chain, Galactus accused his herald of betrayal.

Silver Surfer: Betray you?? Never! But in truth I should betray myself if I did not fight to prevent the annihilation of a people! For here … on this lonely little world … I have found what men call … conscience!

All this time, the extraterrestrial Watcher had been observing the battle. At last, he decided to break his code of neutrality and intervene. With the Watcher's assistance, Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four stepped in and unveiled the Ultimate Nullifier, a weapon so powerful that it drove off Galactus.

As far as Silver Surfer was concerned, however, the eater of world got the last word.

Galactus: Since you shall be herald to Galactus no longer, I remove your space-time powers! Henceforth, the Silver Surfer shall roam the galaxies no more!

The Silver Surfer had been ready to die to spare the Earth. But for all his nobility, could he endure the emotional shortcomings and ethical lapses he might find among humankind?

Fantastic Four. Vol. 1. No. 50. May 1966. "The Startling Saga of the Silver Surfer!" Stan Lee (script), Jack Kirby (art), Joe Sinnott (inks), S. Rosen (lettering).

They Were the Champions

2011-01-19T20:08:00.022-06:00

With the Son of Zeus and a demonic motorcyclist part of the regular lineup, the loosely organized Champions of Los Angeles played out like a West Coast branch of the Defenders.

A combination of camaraderie and necessity held the Champions together—but only for only so long. Interestingly enough, soon after the series ended with Champions #17, Hercules became a leader of the Defenders for a Day.

Iceman and Angel, of course, later joined the New Defenders (with Angel wearing the halo-crested costume he adopted during his time with the Champions).

A letter to writer Bill Mantlo and editor Archie Goodwin in Champions #15 discussed the five founding members of the team.

Dear Bill and Archie,

Thanks a lot! With CHAMPIONS #12 you've become my favorite Marvel mag, ousting AVENGERS out of the #1 spot—and that takes some doing!

Now to other things. The art was fabulous. Please keep John Byrne on CHAMPS, but have him inked by Frank Giacoia. As to the team itself:

Hercules—By all means, keep him. Without Herc, the Champs would have no power. But try to keep his temper down, huh?

Black Widow—She shows a great instinct for leadership, and the Champs definitely need a leader. But she needs to exhibit more control. Have her give orders, but don't overdo it.

Angel—You're developing him beautifully. I think his new costume is great, and I've been waiting for a long time for the halo on his chest.

Iceman—Mr. Drake is improving, also. Don't, I repeat, don't ditch the Iceman!

Ghost Rider—You have a problem here. After reading the past lettercols, I get the feeling most fans don't think he fits in well, and I agree.

Danny Dragos
Kings Park, NY

Seven Little Superheroes

2011-01-15T12:48:00.006-06:00

The Defenders never had a television series of their own. But an episode of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends certainly had a Defenders-esque charm.

Spider-Man teamed up with Firestar and Iceman each week on the NBC Saturday-morning cartoon from the early 1980s. The episode titled 7 Little Superheroes upped the ante by bringing Sub-Mariner, Dr. Strange, Captain America, and Shana the Jungle Queen into the mix.

Following the formula that Agatha Christie popularized in Ten Little Indians (a.k.a. And Then There Were None), each of the seven heroes received an invitation to an island estate. Not until they arrived did the heroes learn that their host was the mysterious Chameleon.

Revamped for the TV series, Chameleon made a suitably resourceful opponent. Using disguises and traps, he captured each hero one by one—from the dehydration devices that immobilized Sub-Mariner to the demon-robot that snatched Dr. Strange.

One of the episode's many highlights came near the end when Spider-Man triggered a chain of events that—like a reverse game of Mousetrap—allowed each of the other heroes to escape.

Equally praiseworthy were the apt portrayals of the guest stars—notably the standoffish short fuse of Sub-Mariner, the serene intellection of Dr. Strange, and the cooperative spirit of Captain America.

The episode 7 Little Superheroes first aired on NBC in the fall of 1981, before Iceman joined the Defenders and Firestar made her comic book debut.

Magic in the Mirror

2011-01-14T00:06:00.011-06:00

An epic showdown between the Defenders and mind-controlled members the Squadron Supreme introduced the Earth-S hero named Arcanna and provided a glimpse at magic in the parallel universe that the Squadron called home (Defenders #113).

At the time, all of the heroes from the Squadron's world were thinly veiled versions of the Justice League of America. So when Arcanna readied to attack, she made like Zatanna from the JLA and spoke magic words backward to cast a spell.

Arcanna: sgnir fo ecrof dnuorrus ym ymeme.

Before the "rings of force" could surround anyone, though, a hex bolt from the Scarlet Witch defeated Arcanna. Future depictions of the character dropped the homage to Zatanna and allowed Arcanna to use her powers without reciting any magic words.

Later stories about the Squadron Supreme introduced another mage from Earth-S, the retired Professor Imam (first seen in Captain America #314). Carrying the title Wizard Supreme (as opposed to Sorcerer Supreme), Professor Imam filled a niche on Earth-S similar to that of Dr. Strange and his mentor, the Ancient One, in the mainstream Marvel Universe.

This image of Arcanna, from the first edition of The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, shows the costume she wore in Defenders #113.

Defenders & Dragons

2011-01-10T22:33:00.023-06:00

Ads for the Basic and Expert versions of the Dungeons & Dragons game appeared regularly in comic books during the early 1980s. Many of my friends who collected comics at the time also played D&D.

It occurred to me that several of the Defenders would work reasonably well as characters within that game.

Dr. Strange was surely a Magic-User, and a high-level one at that.
Hellcat's exceptional Dexterity and climbing abilities fit the bill for a law-abiding Thief.
With armor and sword, Valkyrie was a shoe-in for a Fighter with the maximum Strength score allowable for a player-character in the game. D&D stats for a pegasus would easily apply to Valkyrie's winged horse, Aragorn.
Daimon Hellstrom's religious motivation and healing powers approximated those of a Cleric (even if a trident wasn't one of the weapons available to that character class).

Of all the Defenders, Gargoyle was the closest match to one of the monsters from D&D. A gargoyle in the game, of course, would lack the hero's energy powers.

The above Dungeons & Dragons ad was from 1982.

Cover Versions: Death

2011-01-08T11:02:00.022-06:00

The cover of Contest of Champions #3 (August 1982) may have felt oddly familiar to fans of the Defenders. The image of heroes circling the skull of Death was strikingly similar to the cover of Defenders #107 (May 1982).

Yet the purple-cloaked, skeleton figure of Death who introduced herself in Contest of Champions had not appeared in Defenders #107. Rather, the skull and dark background on that Defenders cover merely set the tone for the haunting story that issue, which mourned the apparent deaths of Nighthawk and Valkyrie. (Both characters, incidentally, were alive during Contest of Champions and among the numerous heroes to appear in the three-part series.)

Covers of the first two issues of the Contest of Champions appear below.

Contest of Champions

2011-01-07T22:29:00.036-06:00

In what arguably was the first limited series in comics, Grandmaster and the personified entity of Death mystically transported almost every hero on Earth for consideration in the three-issue Contest of Champions (June, July, August 1982).

Dr. Strange, Mr. Fantastic, Professor X, and other leading minds tried to discern why everyone had been summoned until Grandmaster and Death finally outlined the rules of the competition.

In four scavenger hunts situated on different parts of the Earth, three heroes from each side would compete against each other to locate a corner of a mystic globe. If Death's team won, she would add one-million years to the life of Earth's Sun. If Grandmaster's team won, he would stop using Earth's heroes in competitions.

Grandmaster chose:

Captain America, Talisman, Darkstar, Captain Britain, Wolverine, Defensor, Sasquatch, She-Hulk, Daredevil, Peregrine, Thing, and Blitzkrieg.

Death selected:

Iron Man, Vanguard, Shamrock, Iron Fist, Storm, Arabian Knight, Sabra, Invisible Girl, Angel, Black Panther, Sunfire, and Collective Man.

Official ground rules stated that participation was limited to humans (including mutants). That forbade androids, extraterrestrials, and gods from taking part in this particular competition.

I'd like to imagine that some additional ground rules also came into play.

Given that all 24 of the chosen heroes participated without question, Grandmaster and Death may have sensed which of the summoned heroes felt strongly enough to fight for one cause over the other (further narrowing which combatants were available to each side). This interpretation adds depth to the series by revealing the characters' values. It's telling that Daredevil, who had outsmarted the Grandmaster once (Giant-Size Defenders #3), now fought for Grandmaster's conditional pledge to stop coercing Earth's heroes into battle.

Another unspoken rule must have been that in the event of a tie, Death won. This explains why Death declared herself victorious at the end of the series even though Grandmaster's team won two of the four challenges.

Contest of Champions was reminiscent of an earlier challenge between Grandmaster and the time-traveler Kang, which pinned Nighthawk and other members of the Squadron Sinister against four of Earth's mightiest heroes: Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, and Goliath (Clint Barton).

Each of those one-on-one battles also took place on a different part of the Earth (Avengers #70).

Vampire Trouble

2011-01-02T18:30:00.020-06:00

The guest appearance of Dracula in Defenders #95 was largely symbolic, drawing attention to aspects of different members of the team.

As a physician turned sorcerer, Dr. Strange found himself delivering some discouraging news. As a belated side effect of the serum that gave Nighthawk super powers combined with the mystic bonds that had restored him to life when he joined the Defenders (#14), Nighthawk now suffered paralysis during the day. Only after dark did he return to health.

Under the circumstances, it was easy to draw comparisons between Nighthawk's nocturnal inclinations and those of a vampire. Defenders #95 even described Nighthawk as swooping down like a man-sized bat as he flew over to greet his teammates. But the vampire parallels ended as soon as Count Dracula himself showed up that evening to do battle against the Defenders.

Although Gargoyle had only recently joined the team (#94), there were no doubts about his allegiance to the side of good. While other Defenders stood dumbstruck over Dracula's arrival, Gargoyle was the first to fight back.

The magic of Daimon Hellstrom revealed that Dracula was not acting of his own accord. Demonic forces had compelled him to hunt down the heroes. Casting out the evil spirits returned the legendary count to his usual blood-sucking self, while readying Hellstrom and the other Defenders for an inevitable final conflict against the netherworld (Defenders #99).

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 95. May 1981. "The Vampire Strikes Back!" J.M. DeMatteis (writer), Don Perlin and Joe Sinnott (artists, assists by Giacoia & Milgrom), Diana Albers (letterer), George Roussos (colorist), Al Milgrom (editor), Jim Shooter (editor in chief).

Night and Day

2011-01-01T00:20:00.005-06:00

Though largely unacknowledged throughout most of his adventuring career, Nighthawk's strength doubled at night yet returned to normal during the day. The back-up story in Marvel Team-Up #101 brought that limitation to the forefront.

While flying above New York just before dawn, Nighthawk needed to let off steam. This was not surprising given that the main story that issue revisited the tragic mistakes of his past (Defenders #32).

With mini-lasers newly added to his costume, Nighthawk fired at the side of a run-down building. Yet in doing so, the self-doubting hero only made matters worse.

Hearing a cry for help, Nighthawk saw that the wall he had damaged was now coming loose—and about to collapse on top of a girl. Nighthawk used his superhuman strength to hold up a wall just long enough for the the girl to crawl to safety—and just as the sun was beginning to rise. Nighthawk felt his strength slipping away as the wall crashed down on him.

But the hero soon emerged from the rubble relatively unharmed. His reinforced wings had shielded him from injury.

The above image of Nighthawk appeared in The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.

Marvel Team-Up. Vol. 1. No. 101. January 1981.

"To Judge a Nighthawk!" J.M. DeMatteis (writer), Jerry Bingham (artist), Mike Esposito (inker), Diana Albers (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist), Denny O'Neil (editor), Jim Shooter (ed-in-chief).

"Don't Let the Sun Come Up on Me!" Mike W. Barr (writer), Steve Ditko (artist), Jean Simek (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist), Denny O'Neil (editor), Jim Shooter (editor-in-chief).

To Thine Own Self Be True

2010-12-24T10:49:00.016-06:00

Of all the evil mutants the Defenders faced, Mandrill seemed the most driven by vengeance. As Mandrill described it, the torment he experienced as a child justified his criminal objectives.

Unusual appearance notwithstanding, Mandrill's mutant pheromones enabled him to enslave a Fem-Force army of women. The women of the Defenders were just as susceptible to the intoxicating effects, turning them against their own teammates (Defenders #90).

Hulk: Why does Valkyrie fight against Hulk? Valkyrie is Hulk's friend!

Valkyrie: Bumbling brute! Such as yourself could never be a friend of the Valkyrie! Stand away, or feel the sting of my blade, Dragonfang!

Hulk: Hulk doesn't understand--but if Valkyrie wants to hurt Hulk … Hulk will have to hurt Valkyrie.

Even with such chaos underfoot, the battle against Mandrill and his Fem-Force revealed how much the Defenders had come together as team.

Hulk remained calm under pressure. When a mind-controlled Valkyrie drew her sword at the Hulk, he tried to reason with her before fighting.
Valkyrie outgrew her allegory. Early incarnations of Valkyrie were decidedly feminist clichés (Avengers #83; Incredible Hulk #142). Seeing the character mind-controlled to join the one-dimensional Fem-Force showed how far removed Valkyrie of the Defenders truly was from such caricatures.
Hellcat honed her psychokinesis. Despite her inability to control her psionic abilities since learning of them in Avengers #151, Hellcat successfully used the paranormal Shadow Cloak she acquired in Defenders #60 when attacking the women under Mandrill's command.
Nighthawk lived up to his position as leader. After noticing that an electrical shock could free someone from the Mandrill's mental hold, Nighthawk used his resources at Richmond Industries to develop a bracelet that would emit an electrical pulse to protect against the villain's hypnotic power (Defenders #91).
Daredevil returned! After several guest appearances as attorney Matt Murdock, the man without fear returned in costume to accompany the non-team during this adventure.

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 90. December 1980. "Mind Over Mandrill!" Ed Hannigan (writer), Don Perlin and Pablo Marcos (artists), Diana Albers (letterer), George Roussos (colorist), Al Milgrom (editor), Jim Shooter (final arbiter).

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 91. January 1981. "Defiance." Ed Hannigan (story), Don Perlin and Pablo Marcos (art), Diana Albers (lettering), George Roussos (coloring), Al Milgrom (editing), Jim Shooter (ed-in-chief).

Secret Origins of the Headmen

2010-12-18T00:02:00.016-06:00

Three of the four criminals who would later form the Headmen first appeared in tales published in science-fiction and suspense anthologies. Those cerebral stories ran as reprints in Weird World Tales #7 (December 1974).

Dr. Arthur Nagan led a group of aging men on a jungle expedition in the story titled "It Walks Erect!" Building on his prior research, Nagan exchanged internal organs from each of the men with those of a captured gorilla. The procedure made the men feel young and vigorous while greatly weakening the ape. As a form of retaliation, a group of gorillas attacked Nagan and placed his head on the body of an ape, turning him into a Gorilla-Man.

Before ever becoming Shrunken Bones, Jerry Morgan was a scientist with big ambitions. But when not even his step-brother believed in him, Jerry threw out the experimental vapor he'd been developing. In irony of ironies, step-brother Sam happened to walk through the cloud of Cellular Shrinkage Vapor. Inadvertently reduced to a few inches in height, Sam Morgan was a "Prisoner of the Fantastic Fog."

The mysterious Chondu attracted his share of critics early on when speaking of the powers of the mind. But he proved the nay-sayers wrong, and even acted heroically, in his debut adventure titled "The Wrath of Chondu!" When an escaped convict threatened to murder Chondu on the street, the mentalist made the criminal's gun vanish—then mystically banished the crook to limbo.

"It Walks Erect!" originally appeared in Mystery Tales #21 (Sept. 1954).

"Prisoner of the Fantastic Fog" first appeared in World of Fantasy #11 (April 1958).

"The Wrath of Chondu!" originally ran in Tales of Suspense #9 (May 1960).

Primates

2010-12-13T19:51:00.018-06:00

If Beast had been a member of the Defenders during their skirmishes with the Headmen, he most certainly would have exchanged barbs with Gorilla-Man.

While the face of Arthur Nagan (Gorilla-Man) looked nothing like Henry McCoy (Beast), from the neck down Gorilla-Man bore a striking resemblance to Beast, after further mutation added fur to the hero's already ape-like anatomy (Amazing Adventures #11).

The above portrait of Gorilla-Man first appeared in The Official Guide of the Marvel Universe. Beast's profile image from that edition appears with the post titled Beast: The Intellectual Unconventional.

Amazing Adventures. Vol. 2. No. 11. March 1972. "The Beast!" Stan Lee (editor), Gerry Conway (scripter), Tom Sutton (artist), Syd Shores (inker), Sam Rosen (letterer).

Four Heads Are Better Than One

2010-12-11T18:16:00.024-06:00

The four criminal geniuses known collectively as the Headmen were a group of super-villains the Defenders could truly call their own.

In their first major storyline, the Headmen kidnapped Nighthawk (Defenders #32) and abducted Dr. Strange, Hulk, and Valkyrie as part of a twisted plot to swop minds and bodies (Defenders #33). Although the other Defenders escaped intact, Nighthawk required surgery to place his brain back inside his head (Defenders #35).

With their plans foiled, the Headmen to turned against each other. Known for their distinct appearances, Shrunken Bones, Gorilla-Man, and Ruby Thursday experimented on their teammate, Chondu the mystic. The operation changed Chondu from the most conventional looking member of the Headmen to the strangest of them all.

A twisted horn protruded from his forehead.
His teeth became fangs.
His tongue was that of a serpent.
Clusters of lampreys replaced his arms.
Crimson bat-wings spread from his back.
His legs ended in knife-sharp talons.

Chondu was so horrified when he awoke to discover his altered form that he went berserk.

Reading between the lines, the villain's magical influence might explain why the police arrested Valkyrie for using excessive force when apprehending Chondu. Any bias against Valkyrie was short-lived, however. After Valkyrie broke out of jail (#39) a judge dismissed all charges against her (#40).

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 33. March 1975. "Webbed Hands, Warm Heart!" Steve Gerber (story), Sal Buscema (layouts), Jim Mooney (finished art), Annette K. (letterer), Phil. R. (colorist), Marv Wolfman (editor).

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 35. May 1975. "Bring Back My Body to Me, To Me…!" Steve Gerber (writer), Sal Buscema and Klaus Janson (artists), John Costanza (letterer), Petra Goldberg (colorist), Marv Wolfman (editor).

Flame On!

2010-12-08T11:32:00.026-06:00

Before Spider-Man became the regular headliner, Marvel Team-Up often gave the Human Torch top billing instead. Two of the issues with Johnny Storm are of special interest to the Defenders.

While on the lookout for a villain with temperature powers, Human Torch saw Iceman in the area. Jumping to the wrong conclusion, the Torch tried to apprehend the mutant hero. The battle of fire against ice was reaching a stalemate when the other X-Men arrived and cleared up the misunderstanding. Human Torch and Iceman then joined forced against Equinox, a criminal with hot and cold powers (Marvel Team-Up #23, coinciding with events in (Defenders #15-16).

When an evil spirit took possession of his friend Wyatt Wingfoot, the Human Torch enlisted the help of demonologist Daimon Hellstrom. After ridding the spirit from Wingfoot's body, an over-zealous Hellstrom announced plans to kill Wyatt Wingfoot just the same. The Human Torch intervened, of course. And though his flame powers were little match against the "soulfire" of Daimon Hellstrom, the fight lasted just long enough for the Son of Satan to come to his senses instead of committing murder (Marvel Team-Up #32).

Even when Hellstrom used his mystical talents for good, those powers were nevertheless evil in nature—and could get the best of him. (This was particularly true early in his career, and it explained Hellstrom's initial reluctance to assist the Defenders in Giant-Size Defenders #2.)

Marvel Team-Up. Vol. 1. No. 123. July 1974. "The Might of the Frozen Inferno." Len Wein (writer), Gil Kane (artist), Mike Esposito (inker), Glynis Wein (colorist), C. Jetter (letterer), Roy Thomas (editor).

Marvel Team-Up. Vol. 1. No. 132. April 1975. "All the Fires in Hell…!" Gerry Conway (author), Sal Buscema and Vince Colletta (artists), Artie Simek (letterer), Janice Cohen (colorist), Len Wein (editor).

Visions of Valkyrie

2010-12-04T10:45:00.008-06:00

Of all the examples of similar cover designs throughout the course of the Defenders, the most deserving instances of parallelism honored turning points for Valkyrie.

Defenders #4 marked the introduction of Valkyrie into the team. With the horse Aragorn at her command, there was no mistaking this Valkyrie (Barbara Norriss) for the previous incarnations of the character. Defenders #66 appropriately reworked the cover layout to reintroduce Valkyrie during a milestone trip to Asgard (where she left the troubled mind of Barbara Norriss behind).


	#130 wasn't a landmark issue for Valkyrie, but the striking surrealism of the cover conveys her depth of character just the same.

Meanwhile...

2010-12-01T22:37:00.022-06:00

During my dry spells from updating the Defenders Fansite, I spent my free time this past year writing two adventure modules for Villains and Vigilantes, a superhero role-playing game similar to Dungeons and Dragons.

Villains and Vigilantes was popular during the 1980s, and Fantasy Games Unlimited began publishing a new round of materials for the game system in 2010. Of the new products, Enter the Gene Pool and Escape from the Micro-Universe (with its built-in sequel titled Return to the Micro-Universe) are the modules I wrote. As one of my friends noted, writing this blog was probably good preparation for creating those adventures.

Enter the Gene Pool introduces a new group of supervillains, along with some supporting characters with different perspectives on superheroes. The cover pictures the villains of the Gene Pool: Professor Phylum (in back), Invisible Menace, Drifter, Serenade, Roadkill, Persephone, and Sunscar.

The cover of Escape from the Micro-Universe shows three sample heroes shrinking through the subatomic barrier that separates our standard universe from the micro-universe of the game. The adventure pits the heroes against a horde of dangerous foes who threaten Earth.

James Bishop illustrated both adventures.

Matt Murdock: Attorney without Fear

2010-11-26T14:19:00.021-06:00

Daredevil was a welcome guest star in the Defenders. In fact, his real-life identity as attorney Matt Murdock was probably more valuable to the team than his costumed persona.

Here are a few examples:

When police arrested Valkyrie for appearing to use undue violence against an opponent, Matt Murdock got those charges dropped (Defenders #40).
When Nighthawk faced legal troubles due to problems with his company's finances, Murdock did what he could to help (Defenders #88).
Murdock drafted the document that led to the celebrated amnesty of the Hulk (Incredible Hulk #279).

In short, the Defenders owed a lot to Matt Murdock!

This image of Daredevil appeared in the first edition of The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.

Love Lost

2010-11-25T00:55:00.012-06:00

Not long after Valkyrie regained her true Asgardian body and knowledge that her real name was Brunnhilda, Thor regained his memory that the two of them had been romantically involved in the distant past (Thor #296).

Thor tried to tell Valkyrie the news in Marvel Team-Up #116, but she rebuffed him. Noting that Thor was acting strangely when he tried to open up, Valkyrie exclaimed that her life was confusing enough without any more revelations. The response was humorous yet oddly consistent.

During the handful of times they worked together during crossover story arcs, Valkyrie and Thor had treated their shared ties to Asgard as almost incidental, showing no particular interest in each other. This benefited Valkyrie greatly as a character.

Keeping her back story independent allowed Valkyrie to grow as a character in her own right. If she and Thor had been depicted as a couple from the start, Valkyrie easily could have become overshadowed by the thunder god in the way that Clea was deferential to Dr. Strange or Wasp was so often an accessory to Yellowjacket.

As an aside, soon after Marvel Team-Up #116, Valkyrie expressed her own romantic feelings toward Sub-Mariner. But the Prince of Atlantis was emotionally unavailable (Defenders #116). That said, I think Valkyrie and Namor would have made an interesting couple.

J. M. DeMatteis wrote Marvel Team-Up #116 and Defenders #116.

A Defender Apart

2010-11-23T23:30:00.012-06:00

With a magic sword, the power to travel through dimensions, and a knack for fighting demons, Devil-Slayer worked better as a solo character than as a member of the Defenders (where various teammates already possessed each of his identifiable traits).

Marvel Team-Up #111 gave Devil-Slayer a chance to shine more or less on his own, while acknowledging his affiliation with the non-team. In that story, while the rest of the Defenders were captured, Devil-Slayer joined Spider-Man in foiling a plot by the Serpent Cult.

To trick the two heroes into helping them secure a magic lizard-totem from the hands of a Spider-God statue, six members of the cult mystically disguised as Sub-Mariner, Dr. Strange, Gargoyle, Hulk, Valkyrie, and Clea. But Spider-Man outsmarted the cultists into revealing their true, reptilian forms.

The real Defenders escaped at the end of the issue.

Marvel Team-Up. Vol. 1. No. 111. Nov. 1981. "Of Spiders and Serpents!" J. M. DeMatteis (writer), Herb Trimpe (penciler), Mike Esposito (inker), Diana Albers (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist), Tom DeFalco (editor), Jim Shooter (editor-in-chief).

Revealing Weaknesses

2010-10-26T20:59:00.022-05:00

In one of his several battles against the Defenders, Nebulon psionically disguised himself as a an Atlantean named Dorma, then hypnotically seduced the Sub-Mariner to send his armies against his teammates (Defenders #93).

When the Defenders finally fell unconscious from Sonic Scrambler technology, "Dorma" boasted about turning the heroes' weaknesses against them.

Dr. Strange's lips were sealed, unable to mouth spells.
Son of Satan was parted from his trident.
Hulk lay sleeping in a cage of sommonolomists.
Valkyrie was guarded by two female soldiers, and striking other women would cause her harm.

The argument about Valkyrie's weakness may have been premature, as the guards could not stop Valkyrie from lashing out at "Dorma," soon breaking through the disguise and revealing Nebulon's true identity.

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 93. March 1981. "The Woman Behind the Man!" J. M. DeMatteis (writer), Don Perlin, Joe Sinnott and Friends (artists), Diana Albers (letters), George Roussos (colors), Al Milgrom (editor), Jim Shooter (ed-in-chief).

Seventh Sense

2010-10-21T21:16:00.011-05:00

Staged as a "months ago" flashback, Defenders #57 began with the the image of Ms. Marvel rising from the Orb of Agamotto in the Sanctum Sanctorum of Dr. Strange. The eerie set-up largely served to link Ms. Marvel to the paranormal.

Then, returning to the regular continuity of the series, Mr. Marvel appeared unexpectedly at the Defenders' door step asking for their help. Her "seventh sense" had warned her that, before the night was over, someone would try to kill the Defenders. Of course, given how often the Defenders were in danger, Ms. Marvel could have shown up almost any issue and delivered the same prediction.

The adventure that ensued brought Clea, Hulk, Hellcat, Nighthawk, and Valkyrie, against the forces of A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics), connecting with events in Ms. Marvel's own series.

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 57. March 1978. "And Along Came … Ms. Marvel." Chris Claremont (guest writer), Tuska & Cockrum (guest artists), Dan Green (inker), P. Iro (letterer), F. Mouly (colorist), G. Conway (plotter), A. Goodwn (editor).

Once a Defender...

2010-10-17T20:46:00.016-05:00

With Dr. Strange, Valkyrie, Nighthawk, and Yellowjacket captured by the Sons of the Serpent, Bruce Banner (a.k.a. the Hulk) knew he needed help thwarting the foes. As a result, Defenders #24 became the first in a two-part reunion, of sorts, bringing back several additional allies of the team.

In her first attempt at using the Crystal of Agamotto, Clea got the ball rolling by telepathically summoning several heroes who had lent a hand to the non-team in the past. The effort worked, and Daredevil, Power Man, and Daimon Hellstrom arrived to accompany the Hulk against the villainous organization.

I like this issue for accenting the history and dynamics of the team. Yet for all its strengths, Defenders #24 invariably reminds me of Giant-Size X-Men #1, in which Professor X used his Cerebro technology to telepathically summon mutant allies to help Cyclops rescue the original X-Men. With a May 1975 cover date, that milestone X-Men adventure appeared one month before this issue of the Defenders.

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 24. June 1975. "--In the Jaws of the Serpent!" Stever Gerber (writer), Sal Buscema (artist), Bob McLeod (inker), Tom Orzechowski (letterer), Phil Rachelson (colorist), Len Wein (editor).

Blame It on Madame MacEvil

2010-06-15T09:39:00.007-05:00

How appropriate that in her first appearance Moondragon referred to herself as Madame MacEvil (Iron Man #54). She was one of numerous Defenders who made their debut as villains.

Hidden in an undersea vessel, Madam MacEvil used advanced technology to seize control of Iron Man's armor, forcing him to battle Sub-Mariner. With half-human, half-Atlantean physiology, Prince Namor would make the ideal scientific specimen for Madame MacEvil—if she could compel Iron Man to defeat him.

But Iron Man's mind was still intact, and he tried to explain that he wasn't in control of his actions while attacking Namor. Considering how often they had battled over the years, it's little surprise that the Prince of Atlantis wasn't convinced.

While secretly observing the fight, Madame MacEvil squabbled with her ship's computer. She and the machine took turns throwing insults back and forth, calling each other too cold or too emotional.

Iron Man eventually regained control of his armor and flew off, leaving the Prince of Atlantis understandably confused. At the end of the issue, neither of them knew that Madam MacEvil had orchestrated the dispute.

Iron Man. Vol. 1. No. 54. January 1973. "Sub-Mariner: Target for Death!" Mike Friedrich (script), George Tuska (pencils), Vinnie Colletta (inks), Artie Simek (lettering), Roy Thomas (editing), Story idea & helping hand from: Bill Everett.

Acknowledgments

2010-06-10T00:40:00.014-05:00

Two other blogs were kind enough to recognize The Defenders Fansite with Kreativ Blogger and One Lovely Blog Award earlier this year. So the time feels right to do some acknowledging of my own.

Dispatches from the Arrow Cave was the first superhero blog I began following. I especially enjoy the posts on Green Arrow's insurmountable array of trick arrows.

Why do bad things happen to smart villains? Silver Age Comics answers this question with an inspiring series of panels labeled When I'm the Evil Genius.

The extensive issue-by-issue coverage at Justice League of America Satellite ultimately prompted me to create this blog surveying the Defenders. My favorite JLA posts are those labeled new member, which also tell when heroes chose not to join.

Although the topic seldom crops up in Defenders discussions, scientific literacy is one of my areas of interest. I highly recommend the conscientious section on Daredevil Science at The Other Murdock Papers.

Fortress of Baileytude deserves credit for having the most comically complete bio About The Guy Writing This Blog. On that site, I recently began listening to the postcast Tales of the Justice Society, reporting on the heroes of Earth 2 and the memorable Hostess ads that filled comic books for many years.

Defenders Dialogue: Seeing Is Believing

2010-06-07T20:21:00.054-05:00

The letters page in Defenders #2 addressed the death-defying pronouncements made on many comic book covers of that era—and the proclamations at the end several early Defenders adventures.

Dear Stan, Roy, Ross, and Bill,

Just a few comments on M.F. #3.

The cover was no good because of what Titan says. The Hulk is obviously not dead. You keep having villains on the covers using similar phrases like, "They're dead at last!" or "I've won at last! I've killed him" I wish you'd start showing on the cover what happens in the book.

The story was well done and very original, not like any I've read before. Keep Everett on the inks, please.

One problem: you can't have, at the end of each issue, the Sub-Mariner or the Hulk claiming, "Don't call on us in earth's next hour of need. We won't come!" This would ruin everything. If the Defenders split, as Subby keeps saying, please, please give the mag to Doc Strange. Remember, he can never give up his powers again.

Rick Keefe
Etters, Pa

The creators replied to the letter by referencing a 1972 issue of Captain America with cover dialogue suggesting that the hero might die.

If you picked up CAPTAIN AMERICA #152 (and we're sure you did), you saw our plea for opinions on how to do the covers. We aren't sure whether we should take artistic license on them or not, so we're taking a poll, and your "not" vote has been dutifully recorded, Rick.

Now, you must remember that the Defenders are not the Avengers. They are three unique individuals who band together due to the need or common goal or to help a friend—not because they are a formal group have have consciously decided to stay together. If they get mad at each other, they could all go their separate ways, without a backward glance. We sure hope they don't, though.

Dr. Strange and the Avengers

2010-06-05T18:11:00.013-05:00

Not long before the Defenders formed, the master of the mystic arts sought the help of Black Panther, Hawkeye, and Vision to stop a netherwordly threat (Avengers #61).

One of the highlights of the issue was hearing the characters' interactions with one another. Although Dr. Strange was one of the first Marvel characters introduced in the 1960s, the Avengers assembled in #61 had little knowledge of the sorcerer's powers at the time.

During the story, Dr. Strange performed emergency surgery to save the Black Knight—who then accompanied the other heroes in a fight against the ice demon Ymir and fire demon Surtur.

Although the operation was a success, the doctor's hands shook during the procedure as a sign of the nerve damage that ended his surgical career. The trepidation led to Red Guardian joining the Defenders. Early in the series, Dr. Strange used magic to again rescue the Black Knight (Defenders #11).

I'm glad that Dr. Strange ditched the face mask by the time the Defenders formed; he looked more approachable without it.

Avengers. Vol. 1. No. 61, February 1969. "Some Say the World Will End in Fire … Some Say in Ice!" Stan Lee (editor), Roy Thomas (writer), John Buscema (artist), George Klein (inker), Sam Roben (letterer).

The Once and Future Valkyrie

2010-05-13T10:15:00.017-05:00

Before Barbara Norriss became Valkyrie in Defenders #4, but after the Enchantress called herself Valkyrie in Avengers #83, another woman assumed the guise of Valkyrie.

In a tale laden with symbolism about social justice, the splash page of The Incredible Hulk #142 opened by quoting the inscription from the Statue of Liberty:

Give me your tired, your poor…
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…!"

Although Hulk probably did not read those words, he nevertheless climbed up the Statue of Liberty to find a quiet place to sleep. As the general public started to panic, college student and political activist Samantha Parrington talked the green-goliath off the copper-green landmark. Parrington hoped that her family's wealthy connections might find the Hulk an area where he could live without constant persecution.

As an expression of radical chic, the Parryingtons even invited Hulk to a get-together at their home. Yet the villainous Enchantress sabotaged any plans to help the Hulk by casting the valkyrie spirit into Samantha's body. In her temporary new form, Valkyrie obeyed the wishes of the Enchantress and battled the Hulk.

With a skillful maneuver, Valkyrie hit a pressure-point on the Hulk's neck. This rendered the half-ton hero unconscious long enough for Valkyrie to drag him to the top of a skyscraper. To send a brutal message to all male chauvinists, Valkyrie then pushed Hulk over the ledge. And still he survived.

Before any fighting could continue, the Asgardian magic wore off, returning Samantha Parrington to her true form. In the heat of the moment, Hulk returned to his form as Bruce Banner. Neither of them remembered the allegorical battle that had transpired. Parrington did not become Valkyrie again until the 12-issue Defenders series published in 2001.

The Incredible Hulk. Vol. 1. No. 142. August 1971. "They Shoot Hulks, Don't They?" Stan Lee (editor), Roy Thomas (writer), Herb Trimpe and John Severin (artists). Inspired by the book Radical Chic by Tom Wolfe. Lettered by A. Simek.

The Color of the Defenders

2010-05-12T01:04:00.021-05:00

The Essential Defenders collections of classic stories from the 1970s use a yellow-with-red nameplate treatment on the cover of each volume.

Yet numerous variations appeared on the covers of the actual issues.

Here's a look at just some of the ways colorists treated the Defenders nameplate during the original series.

To Be or Not To Be?

2010-05-06T21:21:00.011-05:00

Although the Defenders appeared in only a flashback panel in Captain America #179, the thoughtfully told story is worth recapping.

At a time when political disillusionment led Steve Rogers to set aside his iconic shield and stop adventuring as Captain America, a surprise attack from an arrow-slinging adversary got him back into battle.

Golden Archer: Thou art all of which I have heard--and less in the same stroke. For though dost seek to deny any rightful heritage! Yet I know thee, varlet--and though thou knowest me not, there be a great debt to be settled 'twixt thee and me!

After several cajoling speeches and attacks, Steve Rogers realized he was not facing the sometimes-villainous Golden Archer of the Squadron Supreme. Instead, he was dodging arrows from his longtime friend Clint Barton (Hawkeye) in disguise.

But what were Hawkeye's reasons for staging the fight? In one of his more sentimental moments, the archer recalled how inspirational the Star-Spangled Avenger had been to him—even when Hawkeye left the Avengers to go solo or team up with other super-types. Alliances alone didn't define a hero.

Hawkeye's pep talk following the mock attack prompted Steve Rogers to put his own politics aside and fight crime incognito as "Nomad, the man without a country" (beginning in Captain America #180).

Captain America. Vol. 1. No. 179. November 1974. "Slings and Arrows!" Steve Englehart (prose), Sal Buscema (pencils), Vince Colletta (brushes), Orzechowski (letters), P. Goldberg (colors), Roy Thomas (editor).

The Rhyme and Reason of Dr. Strange

2010-04-15T01:08:00.031-05:00

By the Vapors of Valtorr! Dr. Strange was known for his colorful catch phrases. And from time the time, the master of the mystic arts even cast his spells in rhyme.

For example, in Defenders #1, Dr. Strange used these magic words to revive a dehydrated Prince Namor:
Omnipotent Oshur,
Hear--
From beyond thy nameless sphere--
Let the captive lie immersed!!!

The sorcerer supreme had plenty of poetic license when it came to rhyming. Although he spoke no magic words when protecting Sub-Mariner and Hulk with crimson bands of Cyttorrak in #1, he chanted the following rhyme in #109 to encircle a duel between Valkyrie and the Enchantress:

By the crimson bands of Cyttorrak
which kept Polymeth chained,
I conjure strands of primal force
to keep this clash contained!

On the debut mission of the Defenders, Dr. Strange recited the following timeless words to halt the Omegatron doomsday device (Marvel Feature #1):

List, ye powers that rule the Fourth Dimension…
Rise--Your sceptres herald time's suspension…
Save this world--this jewel--this blessed terra--
Let each moment's flight become an era!

And let's not forget the spell Dr. Strange cast to erase traumatic memories from the minds of Philip Le Guin's parents (Defenders #117):

In the name of Cosmic Mercy
and the Lotus heart of peace
Let remembrance of this vanish
Let your pain now find release

By the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth! The non-formulaic approach to magic worked to the benefit of Dr. Strange. Since he was not bound by rhyme, the magician came across as all the more commanding when he chose to speak in verse.

Fansite Hits #100

2010-04-08T23:24:00.022-05:00

To celebrate this 100th post of the Defenders Fansite, I've decided to list when Marvel's earliest superhero titles reached their centennial issues, as originally published in Marvel Age #100 (May 1991).

As the star of Journey into Mystery, Thor technically tops the chart. Hulk and Sub-Mariner tie for second place, as the featured heroes from Tales to Astonish.

Journey into Mystery #100 (January 1964)
Tales to Astonish #100 (February 1968)
Captain America #100 (April 1968)
Fantastic Four #100 (July 1970)
Amazing Spider-Man #100 (September 1971)
Avengers #100 (June 1972)
Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos #100 (July 1972)
Daredevil #100 (June 1973)
X-Men #100 (August 1976)
Iron Man #100 (July 1977)
Conan the Barbarian #100 (July 1979)
Marvel Team-Up #100 (December 1980)
Master of Kung-Fu #100 (May 1981)
The Defenders #100 (October 1981); this centennial cover appeared in the fansite's second post.

As Fred Hembeck pointed out in Marvel Age #100, Patsy Walker (the future Hellcat) reached issue #100 (April 1962) of her own series before any of the superhero titles above.

Patsy Walker #100, appropriately enough, highlighted her fan club.

Howard the Defender

2010-04-07T20:22:00.006-05:00

In one of their classic adventures, the Defenders foiled an assassination attempt against Howard the Duck, the 1976 presidential candidate for the All-Night Party (Marvel Treasury Edition #12). Even by then, of course, the Defenders were well accustomed to offbeat occurrences.

Nighthawk: We specialize in weird villains--

Led by Dr. Angst, the self-described master of mundane mysticism, the band of assailants parodied several comic book clichés.

Reminiscent of an early Valkyrie, the powerhouse Tillie the Hun boasted that she could beat any man—and even promised to marry the Hulk if she lost the fight. The green goliath refused to smash a woman but wasn't romantically interested either way.

After he was knocked unconscious early into the adventure, Dr. Strange managed to telepathically guide Howard the Duck to use magic against his would-be assassins. The duck demonstrated such promise that Dr. Strange offered to tutor him in the mystic arts. But Howard wasn't interested.

Marvel Treasury Edition. No. 12. 1976. "The Duck and the Defenders." Steve Gerber (writer), Sal Buscema & Klaus Janson (artists), Joe Rosen (letterer), Marie Severin (colorist).

Sub-Mariner, the Sea-Monkey?

2010-04-01T00:01:00.017-05:00

Prince Namor's half-human heritage explains why his skin is pinkish instead of blue. Or so we're led to believe.

But recurring ads from 1970s comic books suggest another clue into the hero's unique appearance. Could the legendary Atlantean have been born of sea-monkeys instead?

The passing resemblance is hard to ignore. And the embarrassment of sea-monkey ancestry could explain Namor's persistent moodiness and temperamental ego. It's an idea worth entertaining on April Fools' Day.

The Defenders, Essentially

2010-02-27T12:23:00.020-06:00

Determining who was or wasn't a Defender is more art than science, as many heroes were ambivalent about their involvement with the group.

Essential Defenders Vol. 3 reprints an entry from an early edition of The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe that lists the more-or-less core members. This list excludes some of the on-again, off-again Avengers who briefly called themselves Defenders, along and some recurring allies and heroes who joined after #125.

It's ironic that hero-for-hire Power Man (who's on the cover of this Essential volume) didn't make it on the list. Although Clea does appear below, she was instrumental on several missions before actively joining the Defenders.

Doctor Strange
(Stephen Strange, mystic)
Founding member

Sub-Mariner
(Prince Namor of Atlantis)
Founding member

Hulk
(Bruce Banner, physicist)
Founding member

Silver Surfer
(Herald of Galactus)
First active in Defenders #2

Valkyrie
(Brunnhilda, Norse goddess)
First active in Defenders #4

Nighthawk
(Kyle Richmond, financier)
First active in Defenders #15

Son of Satan
(Daimon Hellstrom, demonologist)
First active in Giant-Size Defenders #2

Red Guardian
(Tania Belinsky, neurosurgeon)
First active in Defenders #36

Clea
(Alien sorceress)
First active in Defenders #39

Hellcat
(Patsy Walker, housewife)
First active in Defenders #44

Devil-Slayer
(Eric Simon Payne, cultist)
First active in Defenders #57

Gargoyle
(Isaac Christians)
First active in Defenders #94

Beast
(Henry McCoy, biochemist)
First active in Defenders #104

Overmind
(Alien possessed by telepaths)
First active in Defenders #115

Angel
(Warren Worthington III, businessman)
First active in Defenders #125

Iceman
(Robert Drake, student)
First active in Defenders #125

Moondragon
(Heather Douglas, priestess)
First active in Defenders #125

Definition of a Non-Team

2010-02-03T21:55:00.009-06:00

Promoted as a non-team throughout most of the original series, the Defenders never agreed on what being a team even meant.

During a chance encounter with the Hulk, Hawkeye was confused to learn that the green goliath was on his way to see Dr. Strange (Defenders #7). But Valkyrie and Sub-Mariner were around the corner, ready to explain their different perspectives about how the unlikely allies now worked together.

Valkyrie: That's easy, Hawkeye. Stephen Strange is our leader in the Defenders!

Namor: Hold, Val! Jump to no conclusions, Archer--the Defenders is merely a name, and no more. At times we battle together against a common foe--but the Defenders is not an alliance … There is no leader, no rules, no charter such as in your Avengers.

Valkyrie: At any rate, Hawkeye, we were also going to Stephen's Sanctum. Why not join us?

Namor: For the walk only, Archer!

Had they contrasted themselves to the X-Men or Fantastic Four—rather than the Avengers—the differences between the teams wouldn't have seemed so great. Of course, even those similarly informal groups had a shared origin or standardized uniforms—for more cohesion than the Defenders usually had.

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 7. August 1972. "War below the Waves!" Steve Engelhart and Len Wein (plot and script), Sal Buscema (art), Frank Bolle (inker), June Braverman (lettering), Glynis Wein (color), Roy Thomas (editing).

A Tale of Three Titans

2010-02-02T22:50:00.025-06:00

When a powerful weather-controlling device threatened to destroy not only Atlantis but the entire planet, Prince Namor sought out the help of Silver Surfer and Hulk (Sub-Mariner #34-35).

Even though the Surfer wasn't an original member of the Defenders, this previous alliance—dubbed the Titans Three—helped grandfather him in as a foundational Defender.

Given their menacing pasts, the titanic trio drew suspicion when a group of Avengers spotted them riding over the ocean on the cosmic surfboard. Old hostilities and misunderstandings caused a fight to break out between the two teams, fueling an us-versus-them rivalry that bled into the early Defenders.

During the encounter, long-time Avenger Clint Barton wondered if he should retire his giant-size powers as the hero Goliath and return to his earlier guise as an ordinary-sized archer. Given this set-up, it's no surprise that he soon reclaimed the name Hawkeye and for a short time even called himself a Defender.

Sub-Mariner. No. 34. February 1971. "Titans Three!" Stan Lee (editor), Roy Thomas (writer), Sal Buscema (artist), Jim Mooney (inker), Art Simek (letterer).

Sub-Mariner. No. 35. March 1971. "Confrontation!" Stan Lee (editor), Roy Thomas (writer), Sal Buscema (artist), Jim Mooney (inker), Jean Izzo (letterer).

Seems Like Old Times

2010-01-22T00:02:00.010-06:00

The prophesy that forced the four earliest Defenders to leave the team in #125 turned out to be in err, allowing them to later join forces again as they routinely had done in the past. Why anyone believed the psychopathic Elf to begin with was never adequately explained.

Of all the attempts to bring back the non-team, my favorite was the four-part "Return of the Defenders" storyline that ran through the 1992 annuals of the Incredible Hulk, Namor, the Silver Surfer, and Dr. Strange.

These heroes had faced extra-dimensional entities countless times in the past. But for a welcome change of pace, throughout much of the cross-over adventure, Sub-Mariner's mind was trapped within the body of Rick Jones, adding room for humor and giving Hulk's first friend a well-deserved place among the Defenders. Meanwhile, Prince Namor's true form was under an evil magician's control.

What also made this reunion memorable was the way the characters interacted like old friends instead of reluctant allies. Their bickering bellied a level of comaraderie they'd seldom shown in the original series.

The More Things Change...

2010-01-21T20:18:00.009-06:00

After their eventful wedding in Defenders #125, newlyweds Daimon Hellstrom and Patsy Walker had planned to lead so-called "normal" lives.

But honeymoons are often short-lived for superheroes, and it was only a matter of time before the couple joined earth's mightiest heroes against the netherworldly forces of Master Pandemonium (West Coast Avengers #14-16).

Yet Daimon softened his image with his reintroduction. Instead of "Son of Satan," he called himself "Hellstorm" while sporting a more conventional costume than the shirtless uniform he'd worn in the past.

Patsy, meanwhile, kept her longstanding Hellcat costume, which had more context this adventure than usual. The Avengers story marked her long-awaited team-up with Tigra, who had worn the original Cat suit years before.

The above image of Hellstorm first appeared in a volume of The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.

Super Insomnia

2010-01-05T22:21:00.014-06:00

For all the tragedy that struck the Defenders, there was humor and irony along the way. This panel from Defenders #120 showed the Defenders responding when Hellcat woke up screaming from a nightmare that Daimon Hellstrom was in trouble.

Seen here with her hair up in curlers, housekeeper Dolly Donahue would advise Hellcat not to get involved with the so-called Son of Satan.

Yet those concerns didn't prejudice Dolly against Gargoyle; she in fact developed warm feelings toward the winged hero. Wearing a nightshirt and cap to bed, there was no doubt that a genuine man resided inside his demonic form.

Even with her sword up in the air, it was a change of pace to see Valkyrie in a nightgown instead of armor. With most of his body covered for a change, the blue-furred Beast looked almost inconspicuous in this scene.

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 120. June 1983. "Sanctuary." J.M. DeMatteis (scripter), Don Perlin (penciler) Abel, MeMulder & Mushynsky (inkers), Shelly Leferman (letterer), George Rousos (colorist), Allen Milgrom (editor), Jim Shooter (chief).

The End of an Era

2010-01-04T23:30:00.017-06:00

Gargoyle vanished mysteriously in Defenders #134, teleported away by mystic forces. He returned in #136, forced into a malevolent plot that would pit him against his teammates.

During the effort to release Gargoyle from an evil sorcerer's control, Moondragon tried to mentally persuade him to remove her mystic headband so she could use her mental abilities at full strength (#137). Moondragon's idea failed, and her motives remained suspect.

As part of her on-again, off-again path to redemption, the self-proclaimed goddess later admitted that she had been mentally drawing enemies to the Defenders. She hoped that similarly dangerous situations might lead someone to set her free to use her power without inhibition (#139).

Gargoyle's vulnerability to evil forces and Moondragon's corrupt ambition were themes that continued to drive the team's storylines until the original Defenders/New Defenders series ended with #152.

Defenders Defenses

2009-12-25T21:29:00.008-06:00

Considering how often villains broke into their headquarters, the New Defenders needed to bump up their security measures.

Defenders #145 showed their upgraded base, protected by holograms of several heroes carrying guns.

The life-like holograms included the three founding members of Hulk, Prince Namor, and Dr. Strange, along with recurring ally Captain America, and Wolverine, who had never worked with the Defenders but later joined the Secret Defenders.

The Love That Dare Not Speak Its Name

2009-12-14T23:45:00.013-06:00

Moondragon had shown a maternal protectiveness toward Cloud ever since the younger hero joined the team. When an encounter with the villain Manslaughter left Moondragon shaken, Cloud offered comforting words, and said, "I love you." And she didn't mean platonically.

That was the closing scene in Defenders #134. The following issue showed Cloud's misgivings about her feelings, echoing the thoughts many people face when coming to understand their sexuality. This was groundbreaking material for mainstream comics at the time (before Northstar became the first major comic book hero to officially come out of the closet in Alpha Flight #106).

A surprise for readers came in Defenders #136 when the female hero transformed into cloud form, then resolidified as a young man—describing the metamorphosis as a way to be close to Moondragon without raising eyebrows about homosexuality.

Cloud: (As a male) I can love you, Moondragon--everything that was wrong is now right! I can love you--and I do.

It didn't matter whether Cloud was male or female. The feelings were unrequited either way. Moondragon put her cards on the table in #140, explaining how she had inadvertently manipulated Cloud's feelings (following telepathic commands she began using as early as #126) in an attempt to persuade someone to help remove the mystical headband that limited her power.

Moondragon: I was sending out subliminal sexual impulses in hope that someone, Angel or Iceman say, would fall in love and so help to remove the band. You got caught in that net. Please shake off your mad impulse--as I have shaken off mine.

Cloud: It's not a mad impulse! But--all right--before I go--just tell me one thing--does it mean you don't love me at all?

Moondragon: If you can tell me what love is--then I can answer you. Otherwise--

Cloud: I see. Goodbye, Moondragon.

For all her arrogance, Moondragon was remorse that she may have unintentionally altered the emotions of someone else—particularly someone to whom she felt kindness. But maybe Moondragon wasn't at fault. Attraction isn't always rational. Perhaps Cloud's feelings toward the standoffish telepath were indeed real.

Peter B. Gillis wrote the Defenders issues that disclosed the feelings between Cloud and Moondragon.

What if Rick Jones Had Become the Hulk?

2009-12-09T22:02:00.028-06:00

In issue #12 of the classic What If…? series, Rick Jones became the Hulk instead of Dr. Banner, recasting the heroism both men displayed during the Hulk's early appearances.

In that alternate story from 1978, the green-skinned Rick Jones initially joined the Avengers (as the original Hulk had), then trained under Captain America and assisted Captain Mar-vell (much as Rick Jones had in the core Marvel Universe).

Notice how the art aptly depicts Jones-Hulk in bluejeans, while Banner wears his trademark purple pants.

Like many comic books of this period, #12 promoted the Hulk's live-action TV series on the cover. What also caught my attention was how a note on the opening page emphasized that the character from The Incredible Hulk TV show was not the same character from the comics.

You've read of DR. ROBERT BRUCE BANNER's career as the ever-incredible Hulk—and, more recently, you've savored one DAVID BANNER's stint as ol' greenskin in living color on TV. Now, here's the most OFFBEAT Hulk of all--!

Manslaughter

2009-11-28T18:42:00.009-06:00

This is the first time I've felt obligated to issue a SPOILER ALERT on the fansite. That's because this installment discusses several key plot points of Defenders #134 that might be enjoyed best without knowing how things end. Overall, #134 was perhaps the most tightly written and suspenseful issue featuring the New Defenders.

Following an out-of-town speaking engagement, Beast returned to Defenders headquarters to find his teammates on edge. After leaving a threatening message on their answering machine, an unseen assailant had begun to target each of the heroes when unaccompanied within the mansion.

Cloud was surprised to find a garland around her neck—and even more surprised when snakes began to crawl out of it. Iceman was rendered unconscious in the gym, with THE HEAT'S ON seared into his chest. A note with a death threat was attached to Angel's wing. The Dragonfang sword was missing from Valkyrie's scabbard and replaced with another threatening note. Moondragon could sense nothing about the stalker.

With that pattern, the five heroes decided to stay together—until Cloud announced that she had to use the washroom and insisted that didn't need anyone to accompany her. That's slasher-film formula for getting killed, and she knew it.

A costumed man with a sword jumped out from the shadows and put a sword to Cloud's neck. She cried out, and the Defenders stormed inside to find her on the ground, and indirectly pronounced dead.

After the Defenders split up to search for the elusive assailant, scenes of Iceman showed him carrying an ice club—not something a man could generate his own ice blasts typically needed to do. When the ice-covered fell to the floor from a blade the neck, the perpetrator believed that two of the Defenders were now dead.

The assailant was in fact Manslaughter. Hired to murder the Defenders, the professional assassin had the psionic power to make himself invisible unless looked at directly—similar to an ability Moondragon used in Avengers #211, before Odin's headband limited her powers.

As Manslaughter readied to murder Moondragon, a bolt of lightning struck him from behind, revealing that Cloud was still alive. And Iceman came from another direction to encase the villain in ice.

Flashbacks revealed what really had taken place during the earlier murder scenes. When Cloud initially left for the bathroom, she prepared herself for an attack, discreetly turning her neck to mist when Manslaughter slit her throat. And she was the one inside the full-bodied sheath of ice and wielding the ice club, while the real Iceman hid to outsmart the assassin.

A degree of luck clearly entered into the success of the heroes' plan. But it remained a chillingly satisfying adventure. In turning the slasher conventions inside out, the Defenders showed more intelligence and teamwork than they had before.

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 134. August 1984. "Manslaughter!" Peter B. Gillis (story), Don Perlin (pencils), Kim DeMulder (inks), Janice Chiang (letters), Christie Scheel (colors), Carl Potts (editor), Jim Shooter (editor-in-chief).

Beast: The Intellectual Unconventional

2009-11-18T00:30:00.008-06:00

Of all of the intellectuals in comics, Beast is the most well-rounded. An accomplished biochemist, he is one of the few scientifically minded superheroes with an equal passion for the humanities.

Defenders #133 brought this to the forefront when Beast jumped for excitement during a chance encounter with an unassuming Professor Frye, for a conversation smattered with subtext.

Beast: Professor, I just had to tell you that your book on Blake was one of the most brilliant pieces of criticism I've ever read! It really enabled me to see the visionary epic form as quite distinct from the romantic! It opened up worlds to me! I particularly appreciated the insight into the apocalyptic imagination that the events of his era generated.

Frye: Why--I believe you do understand the thrust of my inquiry, young--er, man!

Beast: Have you, I wonder, read Bloom's book on Blake and revolution?

Frye: Of course! But a political approach seems almost tangential--

A remarkable aspect of this exchange was the way it made sense even to those unfamiliar with the works of William Blake, or the scholarship of Northrop Frye and Harold Bloom. Allusions to apocalyptic themes certainly had their place in the Defenders.

Peter B. Gillis wrote Defenders #133. The above image of Beast first appeared in The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.

Defenders in Bloom

2009-11-11T00:09:00.033-06:00

Reading Defenders #132 immediately brought back memories of #37, the first issue of the series I ever remember seeing while growing up.

At the time, a very different group of Defenders faced their own villainous Plant Man.

The highlight of that issue took place after the plant-battle was over, however, when Power Man explained to his teammates that he had to earn a living and couldn't afford to work with them regularly for free.

That discussion led to a fight in its own right, as the non-team's latest member took offense.

Red Guardian: You expect remuneration for aiding your fellow man?! I am revolted! As the Red Guardian, I am an outcast of the state, yet--

Power Man: Lady … I had my hassle with "the state," too…!

Nighthawk: Enough! Can the ideological debate, will ya? If you can't work for free, Cage--suppose I put you on a retainer? I'm rich, remember?

Although Nighthawk's wealth undoubtedly helped provide for other members of the group, Luke Cage was the only professionally paid Defender.

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 37. July 1976. "Evil in Bloom!" Steve Gerber (writer), Sal Buscema & Klaus Janson (artists), Ray Holloway (letterer), D. Warfield (colorist), Marv Wolfman (editor).

Plant Attack

2009-10-23T00:20:00.010-05:00

Uncertain about her true past, Cloud fled the Secret Empire after Defenders #123 and now found sanctuary among the New Defenders.

But the team's mountainside mansion was not always the safest place to be.

When a destitute man arrived unexpectedly, the heroes who were home at the time invited the stranger inside to offer him help. No sooner did the man walk through the front door than he transformed into a giant plant-creature (#132).

When Moondragon attempted to subdue the plant-man with her thoughts, he retaliated. When she got back on her feet, Moondragon stated that she could not affect the creature, as its mind had regressed to something akin to a savage impulses.

Valkyrie's sword, Cloud's lightning, Gargoyle's bio-energy blasts, and Iceman's standard attacks proved almost useless against the vicious vegetation. More than once the heroes thought they defeated the creature only to watch it further mutate and regrow.

The usually calm Angel half-panicked when he spotted one of the plant's spores latched to his back. The winged hero flew as high into the atmosphere as he could until the thin air caused the seed to fall off. But that still left the bulk of the plant-monster growing stronger inside the mansion.

Ordering everyone else to evacuate, Iceman devised one of the most innovate plans of career. He intended to use dehydration to defeat the plant. Situated by a window, Iceman froze water molecules in the air to create massive amounts of ice outside, drying out the air inside until the plant could no longer survive.

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 132. June 1984. "The Phantom of Gamma Ray Flats." Peter B. Gillis (writer), Don Perlin (artist), Kim De Muilder (inker), Janice Chiang (letterer), Christie Scheel (colorist), Carl Potts (editor), Jim Shooter (editor-in-chief).

What's Eating Bobby Drake?

2009-10-16T00:52:00.012-05:00

Iceman was one of the last heroes you'd expect to have angst. Physically, he could easily pass for a typical human—something most of his teammates couldn't do. And he lacked the mythic turmoil that inherently plagued so many Defenders.

But for existential Bobby Drake, the ability to choose whether or not to be a hero was the source of his problems. After leaving the original X-Men, his interest in studying accounting at college seemed to come more out of a desire to be conventional than a deeper interest in the field.

Revisiting some of the plot threads from his days in the Champions, Iceman's 1985 limited series forced the hero to face the on-the-fence position that he carried with him into the Defenders.

More a psychological journey than an adventure story, the limited series ultimately asked Iceman to decide to be the leader of his own life, independent of his parents' wishes or the expectations of his super-powered friends.

And though he did decide to stay with the New Defenders, there was no guarantee that Iceman would be happy.

J.M. DeMatteis wrote Iceman's limited series. The story was set soon after Defenders #130.

State of Mind

2009-10-12T00:36:00.021-05:00

Defenders #129 opened with a jarring predicament. The seasoned heroes found themselves under attack by the New Mutants, teenage students at Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.

Angel, Beast, and Iceman were decidedly passive during the fight. As original members of the X-Men, they spent their youth battling older and more experienced opponents. Now, years later, they were reluctant to attack the newest students at their alma mater.

Gargoyle dissuaded Valkyrie from slaying the New Mutants until Moondragon saw through the troubling situation. The entire battle was an illusion. In reality, the Defenders were in holding cells, captives of the Secret Empire, and resisting attempts to be brainwashed.

Led by Professor Power, this latest incarnation of the Secret Empire intended to broadcast subliminal messages prompting the United States and the U.S.S.R. to enter into nuclear war—so a dystopian empire might emerge from the ruins. Several Defenders had been imprisoned by the Secret Empire before (Captain America #268). But this time there was a personal reason for manipulating the heroes.

Professor Power's son was traumatized as a result of his experiences fighting in the Vietnam War. When Professor X was unable to reverse the son's condition, Power sought to get back at Xavier by taking revenge on three of his earliest students, along with their latest allies. To hold his own in combat, Professor Power had his own mind psionically transferred into the body of his physically healthy (but comatose) son—land equipped himself with a battlesuit.

By tapping into Gargoyle's energy-draining abilities, Moondragon psychokinenically freed the team.

When time came to face Professor Power, Moondragon had her own turn at revenge. She caused Power's conscious mind to suffer the repressed mental anguish of his son (Defenders #130).

J.M. DeMatteis wrote Defenders #129-130 along with Marvel Team-Up #118 and #124, which established Professor Power's background and motivation.

They Might Be Giants

2009-10-09T01:41:00.019-05:00

Only days had passed since their unofficial first mission (Defenders #125), but the Beast was already concerned that the newly revamped Defenders lacked solidarity (#126).

When Beast suggested that the team form a charter and nominated himself as leader, Valkyrie restated her prior objections to such plans. Iceman, meanwhile, tripped over his words defending the Beast (landing one observant reader a No-Prize).

But there was more chaos underfoot than anyone realized. Twice that issue, simultaneous thought-balloons showed Angel and Iceman romantically wondering about Moondragon, a woman who had mind-controlled them both in Avengers #211, before Odin limited her powers (Avengers #220). What came across as humorous serendipity in Defenders #126—with Angel and Iceman thinking the same words—brilliantly foreshadowed events that no reader could have foreseen at the time.

The more immediate threat that issue was Leviathan, a S.H.I.E.L.D. scientist accidentally transformed into a giant, rampaging neanderthal.

Valkyrie had bravely faced giant opponents before. Now in her true Asgardian body (since Avengers Annual #11), she was the physically strongest member of the New Defenders.

But Valkyrie was not invulnerable. To her surprise, one blow from the towering opponent almost did her in, prompting Gargoyle to fly her safely out of the way. Ultimately a coordinated group effort was needed to defeat Leviathan.

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 126. December 1983. "State of the Union!" J.M. DeMatteis (writer), Alan Kupperbert (guest artist), Janice Chiang (letterer), Paul Becton (colorist), Carl Potts (editor), J.M. Shooter (chief).

The Importance of Being Gargoyle

2009-10-07T22:35:00.013-05:00

Introduced as a reluctant opponent in Defenders #94, Gargoyle nevertheless became the first hero to originally appear in the series. All previous members of the team, and heroic guest stars, had appeared first in other series—or took over the reigns for someone else.

This was only one of several ways that Gargoyle stood out.

Comic books are filled with relatively young heroes, as well as the magically immortal. But a hero who gains superhuman powers later in life is rare indeed.

To save his hometown from economic ruin, Isaac Christians had made a pact with a demon. According to the deal, the town of Christiansboro, Virginia, would financially thrive if the elderly man would agree to temporarily serve the forces of evil as a gargoyle, furthering a larger plot to destroy the Defenders.

But this Gargoyle didn't have the heart of a villain. Instead of leading the Defenders to defeat, he tried to warn them. And because he did not keep up his side of the bargain, Isaac Christians would stay trapped in his demonic form indefinitely.

For all his regrets, the hero with bat-wings and orange hide kept a mild disposition much of the time. Through lineup changes and the formation of the New Defenders, Gargoyle remained a steady reminder of the mystical and often cryptic history of the team.

This image of Gargoyle first appeared in The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe.

Nighthawk's Ranch

2009-10-06T22:20:00.024-05:00

One of the earliest posts on this site showed rough schematics of Dr. Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum, the original headquarters of the Defenders. Here at last is an image of Nighthawk's ranch, which served as the group's base of operations from Defenders #17-75.

Keith Giffen illustrated this view of the Defenders' Hang-Out, which appeared in #50, and David Kraft wrote that issue.

Moonstruck

2009-09-28T20:01:00.009-05:00

When an alien planet was in the midst of war, Moondragon stepped in to intervene as only she could … by mentally seizing control of the entire population.

Any pretense that she was acting in the planet's best interest fell flat, seeing how she brought along Thor as her brainwashed love slave (Avengers #219-220).

When the Avengers defeated Moondragon, and Thor returned to his senses, the thunder god brought his abductor to Asgard to stand in judgment before his father.

But discerning that Moondragon had the capacity to accomplish good—in spite of her narcissistic need for control—Odin was sympathetic when issuing punishment. Moondragon would wear a headband to greatly limit her power until she learned to live respectfully among others.

Yet in the circular reasoning of Moondragon's mind, the fact that a god took pity on her confirmed that she was indeed godlike and therefore justified in her self-righteous actions. Moondragon was a piece of work.

Under the surveillance of Valkyrie, Moondragon's path to humility would become an underlying narrative in the New Defenders.

Jim Shooter wrote Avengers #219-220. Bob Hall pencilled those issues.

Moondragon Knows Best

2009-09-10T15:19:00.020-05:00

Given her off-putting personality, Moondragon did not enter the Avengers' ranks during a lineup change in Avengers #151. And when the federal government reconfigured the team in #181, Moondragon didn't make the cut. Thirty issues later, the insufferable Moondragon took membership matters into her own hands.

When the Avengers discussed plans to streamline the team to only six active members, a horde of heroes suddenly arrived at Avengers Mansion (#211).

Secretly summoned by Moondragon, the cavalcade included Angel, Black Panther, Black Widow, Dazzler, Hawkeye, Hercules, Iceman, Moon Knight, Tigra, and Yellowjacket.

Mentally compelling them to attack one another and try out for the team, Moondragon evaluated each hero's abilities and potential, while the Avengers remained powerless to stop her.

Scarlet Witch: Enough! We demand that you cease this outrage! We can make our own decisions!

Moondragon: Can you? Some of you would choose to stay out of force of habit … or loneliness … or fear of failure in the world beyond these walls! You are children! And it is better that I choose!

Moondragon eventually agreed to back off. Yet her words struck a nerve, as several longstanding Avengers suddenly decided to depart. The Scarlet Witch and Vision, for example, left to focus on their marriage.

Of all the changes, the Beast's was the most surprising—if not conspicuous. The hero announced out of the blue that perhaps Moondragon was right—so he too quit the Avengers to resume his scientific career. This change of heart didn't last long, however, as Beast joined the Defenders soon afterward, and tried to reshape them into an Avengers-like team.

Considering Moondragon's previous decision to mentor Hellcat (Avengers #151), it's of interest that Tigra (who wore the Cat costume first) was the only new hero to stick around and join the team following the chaos (along with returning member Yellowjacket). Was the "cat" symmetry a coincidence? I can't help but imagine that Moondragon was discreetly involved in that and other decisions.

Avengers. Vol. 1. No. 211. September 1981. "…By Force of Mind!" Gene Colan (penciler), Dan Green (inker), Janice Chang (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist), Jim Shooter (scribe).

Divine Inspiration

2009-09-04T22:51:00.021-05:00

This is the first in a string of posts foreshadowing Moondragon's involvement with the New Defenders.

I'm sure I wasn't the only reader initially taken aback by Moondragon's off-the-cuff references to being a god (without any mythological pantheons to back her up).

Not until reading Avengers #149 did I understand that "Goddess of the Mind" was her self-appointed designation.

With the rest of the Avengers captured that issue, only Thor and prospective-member Moondragon remained to face the Atlantean conquerer called Orka. Yet when Moondragon fell to the ground in battle, Thor was both concerned and relieved.

Thor: By Asgard's gleaming gates! Moondragon is down! Tis my misfortune though, that she must rise again--to bedevil me further with her delusions of--superiority--?

No sooner did the thunder god singlehandedly defeat the giant opponent than Moondragon confidently stood up.

Moondragon: Yes, Thor! I have not been unconscious all this while! You had to let yourself see--that you alone are equal to all your fellow Avengers.

In forcing Thor to acknowledge his own superior strength, Moondragon confirmed—to herself at least—that she had the superior judgment worthy of a god. And with that biting sense of entitlement, Moondragon would have no qualms doing whatever she pleased, dismissing the rest of humanity as beneath her.

The Avengers. Vol. 1. No. 149. July 1976. "The Gods and the Gang!" Steve Englehart (story), George Pérez (art), Sam Grainger (inks), Tom Crzechowski (lettering), Hugh Paley (coloring), Marv Wolfman (editor).

The Marvel Heavyweights

2009-08-13T23:48:00.047-05:00

Hulk and Sub-Mariner, the two physically strongest members of the Defenders, were also two of the hardest heroes to pin down in terms of strength.

The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (first edition) placed Hulk lifting up to 90 tons when he was calm, with the ability to lift more than 100 tons when angry. Prince Namor, meanwhile, was slated with the ability to lift 40 tons on land and 75 tons underwater.

Two years earlier, Amazing Spider-Man Annual #15 (1981) made an initial attempt to classify heroes by their physical strength. Breaking the fourth wall, the humorous back-up feature also included many of the heroes' reactions to their ranking.

THE SUPER-HEAVYWEIGHTS
Hulk: Bah, Hulk should be in a class by himself!
Thor: Forsooth, there is not a match for my mighty thews in all midgard!
Hercules Nay, friend Thor, if Hercules be on Earth, thou art but a close second!
Iron Man: With a potent enough energy source I can charge my armor to this power level--for about two seconds.
Wonder Man: Er … I want to be an actor, not a super guy!

THE HEAVYWEIGHTS
Black Bolt: (empty word balloon)
Doc Samson: I am as strong as a calm Hulk--too bad the Hulk is never calm.
Sasquatch: I haven't met Spider-Man yet, but I once took on the Hulk for fun. (See Incredible Hulk Annual #8.)
Sub-Mariner: Beneath the sea, Namor's strength is supreme. On land, I am still a force to be reckoned with!
Thing: Of all the bum raps I ever got, this beats 'em all! I ain't no crummy second-rater!
Thundra: If I ever run into that web-headed fool, I will squash him for having dared to place me in this category.
Vision: At my maximum density, my strength is most devastating.

Spider-Man and several Defenders fell among the Super Mediumweights or below.

Edward Hannigan illustrated the first-edition covers for The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (1983).

The Marvel Mediumweights

2009-08-13T20:39:00.053-05:00

Two years before The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe stated precisely how much each character could lift/press, Amazing Spider-Man Annual #15 (1981) included a lighthearted back-up feature ranking many popular heroes by their physical strength.

Here's a list of the characters who fell at Spider-Man's strength level and below, along with some of their retorts to the web-slinger. It wouldn't take long for Marvel to establish that Colossus and She-Hulk truly belonged among the Heavyweights.

SUPER-MEDIUMWEIGHTS
Colossus: I am still a teenager, Tovarisch. You wait until I am grown.
Ghost Rider: Blazes to you all!
Giant-Man/Black Goliath: I may not be the strongest hero in town, but I am the biggest.
Power Man: Jiminy Christmas--I've got better things to do than stand around posin' with these turkeys.
She-Hulk: Wait until you know me better, Spider-Man. You'll change your mind about my power.
Silver Surfer: I need not rely on super brute strength, for mine is the power cosmic.
Spider-Man: This is my strength class folks.
Valkyrie: I am the foremost warrior-goddess of Asgard--and you presume to mock my might by ranking me here?

MEDIUMWEIGHTS
Aquarian: The greatest strength of all is the strength to refrain from violence.
Beast: (looking at Spider-Woman) Hubba-Hubba.
Captain Britain: As the embodiment of the fighting spirit of ancient Britain, my power is many times human level.
Nighthawk: By night I'm twice as strong as any human--by day, I'm an invalid.
Spider-Woman: Spider-Man, you have some nerve putting me in a class beneath yours.
Tigra: I'll show you my strength if you'll show me yours.
Werewolf by Night: Grrrr.

A final category included heroes at peak-human strength: Black Panther, Captain America, Daredevil, Falcon, Hawkeye, Iron Fist, Ka-Zar, Moon Knight, Shroud, Wolverine, and Ant-Man (Scott Lang).

This back-up feature carried the title: "Just How Strong Is … Spider-Man?" Script and Layouts: Mark Gruenwald.

The Case of the Mystery Cover

2009-08-09T00:01:00.015-05:00

Here's what looks to be cover art for a not-yet published adventure that pits a classic group of Defenders against the villain Arcade.

To the best of my knowledge the Defenders never faced Arcade, but I'd love to see how they'd fare against the death traps of Murder World.

I spotted this illustration on Comic Vine, a source for many of the images that appear on this site.

John Byrne appears to be the illustrator, and the copyright line reads 2009. If you have more information about this eye-catching artwork, please post a reply!

Famous Fan Appeal

2009-08-08T02:36:00.025-05:00

An interview this week at Marvel.com offers some fun perspective into the appeal of the early Defenders.

In the interview, TV writer and radio host Tom Scharpling discusses why he tended to read "the second tier books of the day," including Defenders, Power Man and Iron Fist, and Doctor Strange.

Here's an excerpt:

I always weirdly gravitated towards the Defenders over the Avengers, because the Avengers just had everything locked down and were on it.

… and the Defenders were just this group of third stringers, where it's like, "Ugh, these guys are losers, and they don't like each other either!" Guys would just check out for huge stretches. For some reason the messiness of that appealed to me. Just how chaotic that was.

Namor, the Evil Mutant

2009-07-08T20:50:00.009-05:00

After several former X-Men found their way into the Defenders, the non-team seemed to veer away from its mystical roots.

So it's easy to forget that Sub-Mariner, a founding member of the Defenders, had once called himself a mutant. Well at least for an issue (X-Men #6). What else could explain why the man from Atlantis had feathers on the side of his feet?

When the criminal Magneto informed Prince Namor of his homo superior genetic status and offered him a spot in the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Namor took the invite in stride. After all, Namor already considered himself superior.

Ultimately, though, it was his hatred of the surface world, not his connection to mutantkind, that prompted Sub-Mariner to join the Brotherhood … just long enough to see that he had no interest in following Magneto's orders or taking sides in the mutant struggle.

X-Men. Vol. 1. No. 6. July 1964. "Search for the Sub-Mariner!" Written: with the flair of Stan Lee. Drawn: with the air of Jack Kirby. Inked: with the care of Chic Stone. Lettered: on a dare by S. Rosen.

Something Old, Something New

2009-07-07T00:02:00.018-05:00

Weddings usually spell trouble in the world of comics. So when Patsy Walker and Daimon Hellstrom decided to tie the knot, they should have expected some unwelcome guests (Defenders #125).

Now known as Mad-Dog, ex-husband Buzz Baxter led the villain group Mutant Force in an attack on the bride and groom.

But there were also more heroes on hand than anyone had expected. Beast (arriving with guests Iceman and Angel), Valkyrie (now in custody of the headstrong Moondragon), and Gargoyle soon defeated the intruders.

Like other super couples before them, the happy-go-lucky Hellcat and the so-called Son of Satan now wanted to hang up their costumes and try to lead normal lives. They weren't the only ones to say goodbye to the team.

In response to a cryptic prophesy by the murderous Elf, Doctor Strange, Prince Namor, Hulk, and Silver Surfer announced their departures as well. If certain visions of the future held true, the Earth would lay in ruins unless the four earliest Defenders vowed never to work together again.

After such an official changing of the guard, the six heroes who remained formed the New Defenders.

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 125. November 1983. "Hello, I must be going." J.M. DeMatteis (writer), Don Perlin and Kim De Mulder (artists), Christie Scheele (colorist) Carl Potts (editor), Jim Shooter (chief).

The above image, illustrated by Mike Zeck, comes from Defenders #130, during a rematch against Mutant Force.

And Then There's Cloud

2009-07-06T10:34:00.029-05:00

On a break from their crimefighting careers, Scarlet Witch and Vision planned a quiet get-together with Gargoyle, Beast, and Iceman (Defenders #123). Over dinner, Scarlet Witch made a telling remark about her experience as a reformed criminal.

Scarlet Witch: Strange how time changes things, isn't it, Bobby? It seems like only yesterday that my brother, Quicksilver, and I battled your original X-Men as members of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.

No sooner did the heroes clear away the dinner plates than the group came under attack by three agents of the Secret Empire. Their objective was to capture the Vision.

The trio of attackers consisted of Seraph (with super strength and eye beams), Harridan (with a near lethal touch), and Cloud (with transformation powers suited for her name). As dangerous as they were, in-fighting contributed greatly to the villains' defeat. It would come as no shock when Cloud, the most sympathetic of the bunch, later changed sides herself and joined the Defenders.

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 123. September 1983. "Of Elves and Androids" (J.M. DeMatteis (writer), Don Perlin (penciler), Kim De Mulder (inker), Janice Chiang (letterer), Christy Scheele (colorist), Carl Potts (editor), Jim Shooter (tall guy with a big office).

The Untold Adventure

2009-06-10T09:46:00.024-05:00

Told as a flashback story, Defenders #119 read like an issue between issues, situated between #68 and #69.

With the groundwork for the New Defenders underway, this "forgotten" tale gave a last hurrah to early members of the team. The story showed how much the series had evolved over the past 50 issues, while revisiting the group's inception.

The magician Yandroth had physically died in Marvel Feature #1, when the Defenders first stopped his Omegatron machine (only to defeat it again in Defenders #5). Now bent on revenge, the spirit of Yandroth merged with the mind and body of a scientist who felt unrecognized for her genius and honored by the opportunity to acquire power (Defenders #119).

Now equipped with mind-control implants, this revamped Yandroth subdued most of the Defenders, then pitted them against one another. The conflict reached a climax with Valkyrie, Hulk and Dr. Strange facing Clea, Hellcat, Nighthawk, and Prince Namor, under this new Yandroth's influence. But having the evil magician's astral spirit inside her mind overwhelmed the villain. As tensios rose, she collapsed.

Dr. Strange: She thought she was fighting against seven minds when, in fact, eight were raised against her! Had she moved more slowly and consolidated her power, she might have won all our minds! Instead, she lost the single one that mattered most … her own!

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 119. May 1983. "Ashes, Ashes … We All Fall Down!" Steve Grant (scripter), Sal Buscema (penciler), Jack Abel (inker), D. Hands (letters), George Roussos (colorist), Al Milgrom (editor), Jim Shooter (editor-in-chief), J.M. DeMatteis (invaluable asset).

A Match Made In...

2009-06-06T15:40:00.021-05:00

The relationship between Daimon Hellstrom and Patsy Walker was rooted in sorrow.

Touting the name Son of Satan, the soul-struck hero knew angst to the Nth degree. As a pre-emptive measure, he'd mastered the art of keeping others at bay. But could Hellstrom accept that someone might still accept him no matter what his lineage might be?

Since taking up crimefighting, the scorned Hellcat had used humor as a defense-mechanism. The superficial veneer masked the turmoil of her past. Could Hellcat come to terms with her own complexity? Could she truly open herself to someone else?

As they each looked for wholeness in their lives, these two Defenders found each other. They had passion. But given his side of the family, did the young couple ever stand a real chance at happiness?

These scenes come from Defenders #122.

Daimon's Double

2009-06-04T12:42:00.020-05:00

The delineation between good and evil was ever complicated for Daimon Hellstrom. In Defenders #118, the Son of Satan discovered that while he was away on missions (or trapped in his father's netherworld), a demon had assumed his civilian identity.

As suspicious as things looked, this was not part of an nefarious plot. The Satan entity had felt kindness toward the unnamed demon and bestowed free will upon him—a sharp contrast to the unquestionably evil nature of most comic book demons.

With his newfound freedom, the demon left for earth and decided to pick up where the true Son of Satan had left off. That meant taking over Hellstrom's job as department head of a university parapsychology department. That also meant pursuing a relationship and marrying a good-natured witch who was one of Hellstrom's closest friends.

Here came the slap in the face: The woman knew her husband was a demon-dopplegänger, but she loved him anyway. The disguised demon was more attentive, more genteel, than the brooding Daimon Hellstrom had ever been.

Hellstrom was dumbfounded. He had spent his adult life operating with tightly defined notions of good and evil. But the insidiousnes of the impostor predicament turned those preconceptions upside-down. The identity crisis left the hero reconsidering what type of person he wanted to be.

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 118. April 1983. "The Double!" J.M. DeMatteis (script), Don Perlin (pencils), Mushynsky & Milgrom (inks), Shelly Leferman (letters), George Roussos (colors), Allen Milgrom (editor), Jim Shooter (chief).