Pheromones

When the Defenders faced the villain Mandrill, he led an army of women called the Fem-Force (Defenders #90-91). Mandrill's first female ally, however, was Nekra. Born with chalk-white skin and fangs, Nekra's vampire-like appearance made her an outcast since childhood. As a mutant power, Nekra gained invulnerability and superhuman strength when she felt hate—similar to the way the Hulk became more powerful when angry.

Soon after splitting from Mandrill, Nekra found an enemy in Spider-Woman. In contrast to Mandrill, whose mutant pheromones could allure women, Spider-Woman produced alarm pheromones that made others ill at ease. She received this medical diagnosis—a secret side effect of her spider powers—in her civilian identity as Jessica Drew. Ironically, Spider-Woman's pheromones had an inverse effect on Nekra, inducing in Nekra a sense of trust, which reminded her of Mandrill, which thereby intensified her hatred (Spider-Woman #16).

Nekra's original entry from The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe noted that she could lift (press) about 10 tons at peak strength.

Redstone the Redeemer

On the parallel Earth of the Squadron Supreme, Nighthawk so objected to the Utopia Program implemented by his former teammates that he organized a covert group of heroes to infiltrate and overthrow the Squadron. One of these new recruits was Mr. Redstone—known simply as Redstone while in costume (Squadron Supreme #9). When Nighthawk's Redeemers turned against the Squadron, Redstone's superhuman strength proved well-matched against Hyperion.

As for his origin story, Redstone revealed little about his background aside from mentioning that he grew up on a reservation (#12). That biographical detail leads me to wonder whether the name Redstone was intended to allude to the character's Native American heritage. Such racial coding in Marvel Comics had been evident with the Cheyenne hero Red Wolf, especially during his early adventures set during the Old West.

This panel of Redstone, a defeated Hyperion, and Nighthawk comes from Squadron Supreme #12 (Aug. 1986).

In the Shadow of Tier S

In this series of posts placing characters into alphabetical tiers based on their powers, I am not slotting any of the Defenders into Tier S: a penultimate tier directly above Tier A. This is because I see Tier A as the cap for Marvel heroes during the span of the original Defenders and New Defenders series (1971-1986).

In contrast, however, I would place Superman into Tier S during this time frame. His indestructibility and vast array of abilities made him recognizably more powerful than other DC heroes. Although the versions of Hyperion from the Squadron Sinister and Squadron Supreme were Marvel homages to Superman, their scaled-back strength fell far enough below Superman's to rest within Tier A.

Squadron Supreme #8 (April 1986) pitted Hyperion of the Squadron Supreme against his evil counterpart from the Squadron Sinister.

Gnome Knowledge

Gnomes often appear genteel in popular culture. Not so with Defenders #11. When the non-team traveled back to the Twelfth Century, the time of the Black Knight, the gnomes they encountered were anything but tame.

Described as an earth spirit, just one of these malevolent creatures was strong enough to challenge the Hulk. A gnome's only vulnerability seemed to be water. Because the medeival wizard Chandu had enlarged these gnomes to about the size of the Hulk, it is unclear how tough they would be at their original height.

Chandu has no connection to the mystical Chondu of the Headmen.

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 11. December 1973. "A Dark and Stormy Knight." Steve Englehart (writer), Sal Buscema (artist), Frank Bolle (inker), Tom Orz (letterer), G. Roussos, (colorist), Roy Thomas (editor).

Rampagers Ravings: Weak Hulk?

The letters column from the U.K. magazine Rampage #30 included the following correspondence about perceived differences in the treatment of Hulk in Defenders #23 (reprinted in Rampage) and Hulk's solo adventures reprinted in The Mighty World of Marvel (MWOM).

WEAK HULK?

Dear Marvel,

You print of lot of letters which moan about minor mistakes. Here's a simple question about the main plot. I defy you absolutely to find a reasonable answer. Here goes: How did the Sons of the Serpent stop the Hulk when Iron Man can't?

With a few ray-blasters designed to knock out normal human beings (which is physically vulnerability-wise what Dr. Strange and Nighthawk are in the day time)? They 'weakened' Hulk more than Iron Man's repulsors and the US Army's artillery shell ever did. ('Big Bullets sting Hulk').

Or was it those electric snakes which packed more power than Iron Man's armour? Have the Sons of the Serpent better scientists working for them than Tony Stark?

It just won't wash! The Hulk has proved a match for Iron Man and other more powerful foes like the Nightcrawler in his illustrious career. He's been knocked out by powerful explosions occasionally — but never weakened gradually. The Hulk who appears in the Defenders just isn't the same 'Ol Greenskin who appears in MWOM. You'd never take such liberties with him!

D.P. Victor,
Edgware,
Middlesex.

Wait just a minute there, Mr. D.P. Victor! — You say that never before has Hulk been gradually weakened, but as we always say at the Bullpen, there's a first time for everything! And it happened in Rampage, people, right before your very eyes! Actually, is it surprising that Hulk succumbed to those blasts after his 'shocking' experience with the snakes? After all, there were six of them ganging up against poor ole Greenskin, and that's not fair odds to begin with, is it? Anyway, as it was said, the ray-blasts and the electricity probably dissipated some of his body's energy. To put it another way, and to quote one of the Sons of the Serpent, 'Guess he just ran out of Gamma rays'. Happens to the best of us, s'pose!

Rampage #30 reprinted Defenders #30, introducing one-shot villain Tapping Tommy. As a child, his parents had operated a Los Angeles distillery during Prohibition and he maintained ties to organized crime as an adult. Tapping Tommy's fixation with Hollywood films, particularly musicals, inspired his deadly Theatre of Fear!

A back-up story in Rampage #30 reprinted Invincible Iron Man #39, featuring the villain Mandarin.

Losing Power

During a time when Thing lost his superhuman powers and returned to the human form of Ben Grimm, the Fantastic Four hired Power Man to step in as the team's resident heavy-hitter. But how did Power Man's strength compare to that of the Thing?

When Power Man fell under the evil influence of the Puppet Master in Fantastic Four #170 (May 1976), Mr. Fantastic designed an exo-suit to give Ben Grimm the rocky appearance he had as the Thing and increase his strength many times. While wearing the suit, Ben Grimm seemed evenly matched against Power Man.

By Fantastic Four #171 (June 1976), Ben Grimm's strength inside the exo-suit increased even more—now surpassing Power Man and matching 90% of Thing's previous strength. Ben resumed his place among the Fantastic Four and soon transformed back into his rocky form.

From as early as Fantastic Four #12 to as recently as #166, Thing was among a handful of super-strong characters with a long history of holding their own against the Hulk. Power Man, on the other hand, didn't claim to compete with the green goliath. In-story context consistently gave the impression that Hulk was a notch stronger than Thing, and that Thing was stronger than Power Man. As Hulk's estimated strength continued to increase over the years, Thing's relative strength increased as well. Power Man's strength level, meanwhile, didn't escalate.

The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (1983) originally noted that Hulk could comfortably lift (press) 90 tons and had been able to lift well over 100 tons while angry, whereas Thing could lift (press) 85 tons in peak condition. Rather than stating how much Power Man could lift, the original handbook instead noted that Power Man could punch through several feet of most modern, conventional building materials such as brick, concrete, and masonry; and with repeated blows, can rupture 4-inch steel plate.

Even though Power Man once filled in for the Thing, comic books and related references have tended to downplay Power Man's superhuman strength while emphasizing his invulnerability instead.

These images from Fantastic Four #170 show Ben Grimm learning about the exo-suit and then wearing the exo-suit while fighting Power Man.

Generation Gap

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 Marvel Heavyweights

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

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.

Supreme Showdown

When the conqueror called Over-Mind gained mental control of the Squadron Supreme, Hyperion was the only member of that team powerful enough to resist.

Escaping from his home dimension, Hyperion found help from the Defenders. The group's extensive lineup at the time consisted of Dr. Strange, Sub-Mariner, Hulk, Silver Surfer, Valkyrie, Nighthawk, Son of Satan, Gargoyle, Beast—and temporary associates Scarlet Witch and Vision.

The Defenders accompanied Hyperion back home to square off against the mind-controlled Squadron Supreme in a high-stakes battle with plenty of surprises (Defenders #113).

• Dr. Spectrum used energy from his Power Prism to create a giant hand that grabbed Silver Surfer's board out from under him. The giant hand beat Surfer hero with his own board until the cosmic champion got back on his feet and retaliated.


• Tom Thumb boasted that his Quadra-Titanium Bands could enwrap and entrap any man—until the Hulk broke free from the metal straps and knocked out the super-inventor.


• Amphibian claimed to be unbeatable underwater. But during their fight, Sub-Mariner proved to be the water-breather supreme.


• Lady Lark's siren song immobilized several of the Defenders. So Dr. Strange countered with his own melodic magical words.

By the screaming Demons of Denakk
By Eternity's timeless cry
Let a Sphere of Silence now appear--
and cause this song to die!
Other Defenders defeated the remaining members of the Squadron Supreme without as much hoopla. But victory over the Squadron brought the Defenders even greater troubles.

At the end of the #113, the hoard of heroes were left facing an even greater threat in Null—The Living Darkness!

The Nighthawk who accompanied the Defenders on this mission was actually his counterpart from the Squadron Supreme.

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 113. November 1982. "Moon Madness!" J.M. DeMatteis and Don Perlin (script--co-plotters--breakdowns), Mike Gustovich (finishes), Shelly Leferman (letterer), George Roussos (colorist), Allen Milgrom (editor), Jim Shooter (chief).

Nighthawk Supreme

The Kyle Richmond who joined the Defenders as Nighthawk was a reformed member of the Squadron Sinister (first seen in Avengers #69). As it turned out, Nighthawk and other members of that villainous team had counterparts in the Squadron Supreme, a group of heroes from a parallel dimension (first seen in Avengers #85).

The Kyle Richmonds of both worlds were financial heirs who became leaders of their respective super-teams. But the Nighthawk of the Squadron Supreme attained a level of self-actualization that the Defenders hero never saw.

Instead of drinking a serum to boost his strength, the Nighthawk of Earth-S trained extensively to become an exceptional athlete and crimefighter—even without the benefit of super powers. Whereas the Defenders knew a Kyle Richmond plagued with personal and business frustrations, the ambitious Kyle Richmond of Earth-S became president of the United States.

The Nighthawk of Earth-S truly came into his own as a character during the Squadron Supreme's acclaimed 12-issue series (1985-1986). When his teammates assumed political control of their planet to create a utopia free of crime and poverty, the principled hero resigned in protest.

Opposing such totalitarianism—no matter how well intentioned—Nighthawk organized a group of super-vigilantes to stop the Squadron Supreme. He was one many characters who died in the battle at the end of the series.

The above image of Nighthawk (Earth-S) comes from the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (deluxe edition).

Who Was Barbara Norriss?

Long before she was physically and mentally restored as one, an ongoing burden faced Valkyrie. She was living in the body of someone else.

The armored adventurer joined the Defenders with her mind mystically bonded to the body of Barbara Norriss, a woman rescued from another dimension, but driven mad by the netherworldly imprisonment (Defenders #3-4).

With no memory of this other woman, and only a general sense of her own self, the spirited Valkyrie found friendship and acceptance among the Defenders.

But there was still one problem. Barbara Norriss was married. And explaining the situation to her husband was an uphill battle (Defenders #21).

Valkyrie: Must I remind you again, Mr. Norriss? This is your wife's body--but I am not your wife. And my name is Valkyrie--not "Barbara." The personality of Barbara Norriss has been submerged 'neath my own by the magic of the Asgardian Enchantress. I am what I am--the woman warrior. The Defender. And you, Mr. Norriss, are a stranger to my eyes and to my heart.

Out of obligation, Valkyrie tried to play the role of wife to Jack Norriss. But he disapproved of her life as a hero, and she did not love him. The feminist subtext played out topically in the 1970s, with Valkyrie symbolic of a woman forging her own identity amidst social expectations to be someone she was not.

Because of the fragmented nature of her psyche—with the madness of Barbara Norriss and the manipulative intentions of the Enchantress in the mix—Valkyrie often swung her sword when men behaved chauvinistically, only to second-guess her rash behavior afterward.

The inner conflict came to a head in Defenders #64. While fighting a minor villain named Joe the Gorilla, Valkyrie began to hallucinate that all of the nearby Defenders for a Day were Norse trolls. When she realized what had happened, Valkyrie knew she could not continue this way.

An initial trip to Asgard seemed to remedy the situation, with the mind of Barbara Norriss resting safely in Asgard and Valkyrie returning to Earth (Defenders #66-68). But not until Defenders #109 was Valkyrie back in her own body, with her full sense of identity intact.

Along with peace of mind, Valkyrie also gained more strength. The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe (1983) ranked Valkyrie with the power to lift 45 tons (in her restored Asgardian body).

Though not precisely recorded, her strength level in the human body of Barbara Norriss was much less than that.

Who's the Strongest of Them All?

When an extraterrestrial boxing champ wanted to go one-on-one against the super-strongmen of Earth, the competition that ensued told as much about the heroes' personalities as it did about their powers (Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7).

During the training period before the first match, Doc Samson was eliminated for lacking the stamina of the rest. Immediately afterward, the Prince of Atlantis announced that he would not participate in the competition. A coincidence? I think not.

Since the early days of Marvel Comics, Sub-Mariner was heralded as the strongest man of the sea. In this case, Namor's uncooperativeness may have spared him the embarrassment of being deemed too weak to compete on dry land, without a nearby water supply to replenish his strength against the alien Champion.

Usually described as the strongest man on Earth, with his strength increasing with rage, the Hulk was expelled for precarious reasons.

Hulk: Hulk hates puny alien! Hulk smash.

Champion: No! I shall not waste my time on a mindless brute!

In other words, the Champion wouldn't fight the Hulk because the Hulk could have won. Thor, meanwhile, was disqualified for using his hammer during his boxing match.

Sasquatch, Colossus, and Wonder Man each fared reasonably well, but Thing ultimately held out the longest against the Champion.

The Avengers, Fantastic Four, and X-Men made guest appearances this issue. Even with Hulk and Sub-Mariner summoned into the competition, the rest of the Defenders did not guest star. As a non-team, they sometimes were overlooked.

Marvel Two-In-One Annual 7. 1982. "And They Shall Call Him … Champion!" Tom DeFalco (script), Ron Wilson (pencils), Camp, Esposito, Giacoia, Green, Gil, and Stone (inkers), Jim Novak (letters), George Roussos (colors), Jim Salicrup (editor), Jim Shooter (referee).

Luke Cage, Defender for Hire

Working as a security guard for Richmond Enterprises, Power Man first accompanied the Defenders in #17-19, when Nighthawk's corporation came under attack by the villainous Wrecking Crew.

Lacking the inheritance of Nighthawk, or the taken-for-granted resources of other heroes, Power Man kept a realistic approach to fighting crime. During his recurring adventures with the Defenders, Power Man often was the first to point out the bizarre nature of magic or superheroics in general.

When Bruce Banner telephoned Luke Cage in #24, requesting help on another mission, the hero for hire responded skeptically to Hulk's alter ego.

Power Man: (Speaking into the phone) Bruce who? No , man, I ain't never heard o'--Oh, uh-huh. You're the Hulk--an' I'm George Wallace!

Although Hulk was more powerful than Power Man, Luke Cage had enough strength and invulnerability to save the team more than once, and without any hulkish drawbacks. Further, Power Man seemed physically stronger during his stints with the Defenders in the 1970s than he did in the 1980s, when Marvel Comics estimated that he could lift only a few tons (far less than most heavy-hitters at the time).

This scene of Power Man vs. Piledriver of the Wrecking Crew appeared in Defenders #19.

The Ultimate Mutant

With the original X-Men on assignment (Marvel Team-Up #23), Professor Xavier turned to the Defenders for help. The result was one of the most important tales in mutant history (Defenders #15-16). The Defenders accompanied Professor X to the technologically equipped caves that Magneto and his latest incarnation of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants were using as a base. The battle that transpired emphasized the strengths and weaknesses of each character.

• After learning that Mastermind's monsters weren't real, Dr. Strange still responded defensively to the convincing illusions, creating mystic mirror-images of himself to avoid getting hit.
• When punching alone didn't harm the Blob, Hulk was smart enough to uproot his grounded foe.
• Valkyrie's mystical blade could not penetrate the force field surrounding Unus the Untouchable, but she easily knocked Unus backward when he let down his guard.
• Nighthawk and Professor X were immobilized by the siren song of Lorelei, a woman Magneto had technologically mutated. But Xavier had enough willpower to reach over and activate Nighthawk's new jetpack, propelling Nighthawk into Lorelei.

The heroes might have won, were it not for Magneto's latest creation, Alpha the Ultimate Mutant. The brutish being withstood all attacks, then teleported the evil mutants away. Since Magneto had already sealed off the exits, Hulk tunneled a new way out. The escaped heroes soon found Magneto and company threatening the United Nations.

Naïvely obeying Magneto's commands, Alpha levitated the U.N. building into the sky while Magneto proclaimed that it was his mutant birthright to rule humanity. When the heroes approached, Alpha used his vast power to freeze the Hulk in place, spin Nighthawk in a whirlwind until he blacked out, and turn Valkyrie's legs to putty. As Dr. Strange readied to cast a spell, Professor X intervened. Instead of fighting, Xaviar challenged Alpha to use his growing intellect to discern if Magneto was truthful or deceptive.

After contemplating the situation, Alpha set the U.N. building back in place and announced that he would leave Earth while his abilities continued to evolve. Before flying into space, Alpha punished the evil mutants by turning them into infants. The villains eventually recovered, but the event became a turning point in X-Men continuity. Magneto's rebirth accounted for his increased stamina and progressively sympathetic disposition in later years, and even came up during his landmark trial in Uncanny X-Men #200.

In Defenders #15, Professor Xavier harnessed mental energy from the Defenders to break through an electrical barrier in Magneto's lair. This panel noted Hulk's reduced intellect while asserting his desire to work with the team. Lein Wein wrote #15-16. Sal Buscema and Klaus Janson illustrated the two-part tale.