The Defenders, Vol. 1: Diamonds Are Forever

Defenders (2017) (Collected Editions)

by Brian Michael Bendis (Writer), David Marquez (Illustrator)

Daredevil! Luke Cage! Jessica Jones! Iron Fist! Individually, these four heroes have been on the front lines of the battle to keep the streets of the city safe and secure! But now, with a deadly enemy from the dim past making a major move to unite the underworld, they will need to become more-they will need to become DEFENDERS! Brian Michael Bendis and David Marquez unite to bring you the next great super-team, in the tradition of NEW AVENGERS!
COLLECTING: DEFENDERS 1-5, FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2017 (DEFENDERS STORY)

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Comic Book, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction

152 pages, Paperback

First published December 26, 2017

About the author

A comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim (including five Eisner Awards) and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics. For over eight years Bendis’s books have consistently sat in the top five best sellers on the nationwide comic and graphic novel sales charts.

Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.

Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.

Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.

Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.

Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event’ projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.

He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite this The Defenders incarnation being revamped to match the TV show, this is the best The Defenders arc ever written! Don't believe me. Go back and read every Defenders book since it began - that's what I did!

Diamondback is back, but boy oh boy, has he upped his game. Great Bendis dialogue and humour, plus so many great cameos. A heartfelt 9 out of 12 super strong Four Stars

2019 read

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

*starts humming along with the Muzak version of “The Sound of Music”*

“Mmmmhmm and the hills are alive, lalalalalalalala”

Ooh, this is my floor. Good luck with serving out a dose of smashy justice and stuff!

Since the Marvel Media tail of Marvel Comics is wagging the dog now, it’s a brand, spanking new Defenders book, based on the cast of the TV show…



…minus the sluggish acting of Finn Jones.

I, for one, am extremely grateful for this.

Because this is sort of a gateway comic for Netflixers, we get lots of panels like the one below for each character so the noobs who only have a vague idea who these characters are beyond the TV show will be even more confused.



Jessica wore costumes? She has a kid? *waves to Mrs. Jeff* We’ll put aside a half hour and I’ll explain it all when I get home.

Bendis also transports a villain, Diamondback…



…who was once dead, but came back, better dressed and augmented with super powers and such and ready for mayhem.



Poor Jessica gets shot, but gets better.

Diamondback wants to take over drug trafficking in NYC, but this puts him at odds with the Black Cat (meow and hissss!) and former kingpin of crime, Kingpin, who gets monologued at length by Danny Rand.



Kingpin: “I’m going legit, so please stop talking or I’ll cry!”

Diamondback has some game…



…and as per usual, the female of the group bails out her testosterone-laden male teammates.



*waves to Mrs. Jeff*

Because either Dr. Strange or Mephisto burped up a burrito lunch, nobody knows the identity of Daredevil post-Secret Wars, so his teammates speculate on his alias:



And talk about costumes and such.



Well said, Gary, well said.

Other Marvel characters, including the Punisher, drop in for a cup of coffee.

“Black, no sugar and I’ll drink it straight from the pot. Cups are for losers and gangsters.”

Bottom line: Another easy, breezy, bouncy, battle-laden book from Bendis. He’s written some fine stuff with half of this group and offers up a fairly entertaining take. If you liked the Netflix show or are a fan of Mr. Bendis, I’d recommend it.

Three and a half stars rounded up.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bendis finally gives us the Defenders series he's been talking about for years. I guess the Netflix series got this greenlit? Marquez and Ponder's art is fantastic. The fight scenes are cinematic. Bendis does a very good job of bringing back a cheesy 70's villain in Diamondback and giving him menace. Hopefully he can answer all the open questions he raised in volume 2 before he leaves for DC. I'm going to be aggravated if we don't find out who's backing Diamondback's play or how he knows who Daredevil is. Bendis also writes the best Black Cat as a villain I've seen. I would have loved to see more of her.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I was rating this based solely on the artwork, it'd be a five star book, easily. David Marquez and co. absolutely knocked it out of the park on this one; I was practically drooling.

What about the story, though? Well, I have to say, that was pretty good too. Each of the main characters got their moment to shine and the plot ticked along quite nicely, with the stakes feeling real and reasonably high.

The only thing I didn't like were the small retcons scattered here-and-there throughout the book. The most glaring one was Ben Urich stating that the Black Cat had been a Kingpin-type major player in the crimeworld for as long as he could remember (or words to that effect) when, actually, she's only been that since 'Superior Spider-Man' a couple of years ago. Before that she was a hero and, well I never, a member of the Defenders herself. Before that she was a small time cat burglar. So, it made no sense for a reporter as experienced and as knowledgeable as Urich to say something like that.

I know, I know... I'm nitpicking, but this sort of continuity error really throws me out of the story. It's like Marvel are depending on their readers only knowing the characters through the t.v. shows and screw the fans who've been reading the comics for longer than five years.

Despite my slightly pedantic old-man grumbling, I really enjoyed this book and am really looking forward to volume 2... and, as I say, absolutely gorgeous artwork.

[Artemy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since Bendis is leaving Marvel for DC this year, I decided to catch up on all of his Marvel farewell comics. Defenders is one of them, and it's an obvious cash grab tied to the release of the Netflix show. Fortunately, unlike the show (which was an atrocious piece of garbage), the comic is actually really good — the writing is solid, the villain is scary and menacing, the artwork is pretty. In short, it's a great comic about the characters that Bendis knows like nobody else — after all, he is the creator of Jessica Jones, he wrote the best Daredevil run, and Luke Cage was also a big presence in some of his titles. I can't remember if Bendis did anything with Iron Fist before, but he's good in this comic, too — certainly better than the Netflix version of the character. Defenders may not reach the same heights that Bendis did in his original runs like Alias or Daredevil, but among his more recent comics this is one of the best I've read. Good stuff.

[Scott Rhee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, Daredevil: better known to Marvel fans as the Defenders. More recently, they have been introduced to a whole slew of new fans of the MCU via the Netflix TV shows based on their characters.

I admit, I have only seen the first seasons of “Luke Cage” and “Jessica Jones”, and I’m currently making my way through the first season of “Daredevil”. I have enjoyed what I’ve seen so far, but I’m in no rush to see them all. Partly because I don’t have Netflix (I know, I’m that guy), and partly because I haven’t read enough of the comics to really care enough.

I’m trying to correct that, though, and I’ve started by reading Brian Michael Bendis’s “The Defenders, Vol. 1: Diamonds are Forever”, which collects the first five issues of the 2017 series.

Having seen the few seasons I’ve seen has helped a little in understanding the plot: Cage’s arch-nemesis (and former boyhood friend) Diamondback has seemingly returned from the dead and is trying to horn in on the underworld crime scene in NYC since Kingpin went legit (or, at least, went into city politics, which is not necessarily the same thing) and left an opening for crime lord.

As the story begins, Diamondback, in “Godfather”-like style, has attempted to assassinate Cage, Jones, Iron Fist, and Matt Murdock (a.k.a. Daredevil) in grandiose ways. He’s succeeded in merely pissing them all off, which may or not be part of his diabolical plan.

The question remains: how is Diamondback even alive? Someone also seems to be offering him financial support, as well as backing for a new entrepreneurial start-up of a new street drug that gives users a temporary power boost. Imagine anyone having superpowers for a few short hours. The downside? It seems to have a fatal letdown in some users, especially when mixed with other drugs.

Great writing by Bendis and superb artwork by David Marquez makes this a stellar series. Also adding to the fun are cameos by The Punisher, the Black Cat, Blade, and Linda Carter, the Night Nurse (?)*.

* I had to Google that last one, only to find that Nurse Carter and her 40-Triple D bust spilling out of her skin-tight nurse outfit has been a part of the Marvel universe for the past fifty-plus years. I’m guessing she was a sexual fantasy of Stan Lee’s or Jack Kirby’s that got out of hand and/or simply took on a life of her own. Whatevs. I can dig it... Rumor has it that a Marvel "Night Nurse" movie is actually in the works. I'll believe it when I see it...

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know their Netflix series has been kicking around for awhile now but I haven't watched it yet . . . and I've had a Netflix account since '03, and been a comic book fan for much longer. If the show is anything like this volume shame on me. Shame! (lowers head and averts eye contact)

Although I've previously read very little Power Man & Iron Fist - though The Boys Are Back in Town was fun - the various solo books of Jessica Jones and Daredevil has been some of my favorites in the last year. Diamonds Are Forever combines the 'JJ' and 'DD' distinct styles (the darkly humorous and the downbeat, respectively) for that gritty not-quite-superheroic but more like fierce street-justice attitude. The pain is palpable in this one, folks. Also featuring appearances by Punisher, Black Cat, and the rarely-seen but apparently much-needed Night Nurse.

Lastly, the quartet's character intros - a pause in the action, with an individual close-up and their name in stylized block letters - was an inspired touch. I could hear the musical stingers in my head.

[L. McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yep. Not as good as the show but still fun.

What’s it about?
Diamondbacks is alive again and his target: The Defenders.

Pros:
The story is interesting and fun. Not very deep or complex being your typical superhero story but you know... still fun!
The art is nice.
The action is just fantastic! This book is full of action and there is a lot of it.
There’s some funny stuff.
The characters are all characters that I think are interesting and bad-a** (except for the villains, I’ll get to that later).

Cons:
This story is fairly predictable. Yeah, there’s a few twists but mostly it’s what most readers would expect.
The villains are not interesting or intimidating.
I didn’t like the ending.
They mixed comics and prose. For f***’s sake pick a format.
So as much as we may not want to admit it, there is a very good chance that Marvel had Bendis write this comic to promote the Netflix series. That series is rated TV-MA so why the f*** did Marvel censor the comic? I mostly say this because there’s a fair bit of swearing (mostly from Jessica) and the way this book was censored, I (someone who will admit to swearing a fair bit and not having an at all PG rated brain) couldn’t understand a few of the lines. Great job, Marvel! Maybe don’t censor books that are for mature readers, just a thought.

Overall:
This is your average superhero book, not that that’s bad but it could be better (I say this as a superhero fan). Is it a life changing masterpiece? No. Is it a fun book if you want to read about good guys punching bad guys? Yep.

3/5

[Chelsea 🏳️‍🌈 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just okay.

Similar to the Netflix show, I don't really feel as though they used Jessica well. The art was beautiful, I liked Danny more here than in the show but it didn't really wow me. I think Diamondback was a little superficial as a villain.

Surprisingly, the real stand out here was Black Cat. I loved Felicia in this story and I actually just wanted more of her.

It's a light recommend. Read only if you're out of better books on Jessica, Matt, Danny and Luke. For contrast, Walker's Power Man & Iron Fist and his Luke Cage series left me a lot more satisfied.

[Tiag⊗ the Mutant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was waiting for a cheap promotional gimmick to cash in on the new Netflix series, but this was quite enjoyable, I loved the team chemistry, the pace of the story was perfect, with a lot of usual faces popping up to spice up the story, I would've prefer to see some new characters but we all know how stagnant Marvel is in this department. The high point was the art though, huge fan of this style.

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Defenders stars Luke Cage, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist just like the TV show and...it's much better than the TV show.

Bendis might get a lot of hate but the guy made Luke Cage popular, had one of the best runs ever on Daredevil, and Made Jessica Jones who she is today. So with that they must team up when Diamondback comes into town wanting to run shit. It's not easy for the four to team up and even when they do they might have their hands full with this guy.

This is actually a lot of fun. Good humor, great fight scenes thanks to the awesome art, and a fast pacing story. I think the Punisher is written really bad here though. Like he does a lot of stupid shit that makes no sense. I think Bendis secretly hates the Punisher lol.

Overall though this was a ton of fun. Gonna finally read part 2 soon to finish up this limited series and hope for more Defenders down the line.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

It would have to end like that when I don't have volume 2!

Very good though, considering I passed on it in singles. And Marquez has really come along as an artist since I last saw his work. It seems less digital and McKeliveesque and more natural.

[Grace Arango · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this and it made me happy because I love these characters, but now I'm also sad because I'm reminded that the TV shows of these characters are cancelled...
DAMMIT!

This is good, I freaking love this crew and Bendis nailed it!

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nicely drawn and written comic. It's much more Netflix adjacent than Marvel continuity related, but that's okay, it could serve as a fine introduction to sequential art stories to people who are only used to watching television. There are a couple of weak spots...I can't take Diamondback as a serious enough threat to warrant four heroes banding together to reform the Defenders, and the book just sort of stops with no resolution (not even a pausing spot), and there are a couple of other threads that could be pulled if you of a mind to... But, overall, it's a fun romp. Felicia Hardy is here in a cool supporting role, the team decides Daredevil must be Gary (which made me laugh), Linda Carter is always cool and kind of menacing and creepy, Punisher is a nut job, a good time was had by all... and now I'll have to find volume the second. Excelsior!

[Amanja · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the spoiler free review of Defenders by Brian Michael Bendis. If you would like to read the spoiler full review complete with more pictures of the gorgeous art please visit: https://amanjareads.com/2020/10/28/de...

This run of Defenders was written as a companion to the Netflix shows put out around the same time. I absolutely loved the shows. Except for Iron Fist of course, literally no one was a fan of that one. But if you also liked all of the others then this series will not be a disappointment.

Bendis doesn't do things halfway. This could have easily been a throwaway money maker run but it really stands on its own.

The star of the book is Luke Cage. He's up against Diamondback, the man who put him in jail and is subsequently the reason he has his powers. Diamondback has a new drug he's putting on the streets and the Defenders need to get it off.

The run includes a ton of cameos, including an issue starring Deadpool. He does what he always does and really steals focus but it works to lighten up the issues.

Punisher also comes in to play the anti-hero but is also the source of some unexpected humor, at least at his expense.

It also includes a few of my all time favorite Marvel characters. Ben Urich, Elektra, and Echo. So, I'm biased but I like them! I get excited to see them!

The art is quite good, the colors are really eye catching. It captures the story well and the pages flow seamlessly.

It's honestly just a fun book, lots of action, a simple but coherent plot, and characters who all have their own purpose. It's so important in these team comics to give everyone a reason to be there and it's one of the things that Bendis is an absolute master of.

If you enjoyed the shows this is a must read. If you are unfamiliar with most of these characters this really isn't a bad place to start. You don't need a ton of backstory to understand this one. And that's pretty rare for comics.

At two volumes is also quite manageable in length. So go ahead, give it a shot!

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

So here you have a book that is based on the Netflix series, but at the same time firmly set in the Marvel Universe. We see the Defenders battling Luke Cage's nemesis, Diamondback. It's almost like the Defenders show up in the first season of Luke Cage, which isn't a bad thing. To make things even cooler, the Punisher shows up. Then we have other Marvel characters such as Kingpin and Black Cat, and even Daimon Hellstrom has a cameo.

I like the way they take the coolness of the Netflix show but still keep it in the comic book universe. This is really just half of the story, though, so volume two is an essential read.

[RG · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was just your fun typical good writing Bendis. Great art but its only a 2 vol series after his move to DC. Probably finish the 2nd Volume to see if theres a good conclusion.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this right after Bendis’ amazing run on Jessica Jones, and somehow this feels lighter, and not all in a good way. Fun, snappy, and unclear what the big mystery is this time - but not quite as laden, and doesn’t feel as thoroughly *written*.

Which is probably good for Bendis’ soul - writing two to-the-bone books at the same time would probably be damned draining on the soul.

At least we’re pulling in other side-characters here - Elektra, Black Cat - so it doesn’t just feel like fan service to support the Netflix show. This was releasing around the time of that show, yes?

Again, it’s good. Just not quite the masterclass in character study.

[Paz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
If I hadn't read Batman: White Knight a couple of weeks ago I'd have said this is my favorite comic book read this year. Why, you might ask. Is it the best thing ever? Nope. This is rated 4.5 stars only because of the sheer fun I had while reading this. Is Diamondback the best villain? Are there really stakes here? Is it a masterpiece? Nope. Not really. Nah. But, I freaking loved it. I loved the banter, I love the characters and their chemistry.
The artwork? Goddamn, it is so good! Marquez and Ponsor created beautiful work here. Honestly, this volume was better than the show for me. Although I did miss my Matt & Jessica moments (the one highlight of the Netflix series for me).

So yes, this was fun AF. I've always loved stories that prioritise characters, so this was just what I wanted (and needed after the disappointments by Netflix) from this incarnation of The Defenders.
I also really liked the two articles by The Pulse featuring an interview with Luke and an editorial piece about Daredevil. I love stuff like that, specially when it builds the world and adds to the characterization.

I had a few Oh, shit! moments, that... well of course had like zero repercussions because, ya know, superheroes never die nor stay dead. Still, I can't help but rate this high. Now, the only thing I want is to re-read Alias, so next year I'm doing that and I'll finally pick up the new series.

Oh! There are also a bunch of characters, street heroes and villains, that appear and they're such great additions to the story. For example, Black Cat and the Punisher.
Can't wait to read the second volume.
(Also, I liked Danny in here!)

Why do you wear that?
Because I want to scare every one of these parasites to the deep bottom of their souls. And I just can't do it without the mask.
Too famous?
Too handsome.
Samesies.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Defenders is the first comic completely beholden to the Marvel Cinematic TV Universe. It's got all the Netflix heroes and even some of the Netflix villains — except of course it's their Marvel comic Universe variants. Given what could be a completely ham-handed and overly controlling directive for a series ... Bendis actually does a good job with it.

That's mostly down to the heroes. Bendis has written most of these characters before (especially Luke, Jessica, and Matt) and he's done a great job with them. It's great to see them back, and it's even greater to see them all together. These characters are well-developed and funny and just fun to read. And the villain of our piece, Diamondback, is every bit as delightful as these heroes.

Unfortunately, there are also serious problems with this volume, and they're mostly plot-related.

First up, we get the fake-out-wound-to-hero motif, where someone takes what appears to be a mortal wound, but totally shakes it off in the next issue. Bendis is clearly aware of this problem, because he plants a flag straight on it by humorously turning it into a repeating visit with Night Nurse (not the cool Night Nurse from the shows). Still, it grates by the second or third time a fake-out injury turns out to be nothing.

Second up, we have the villain-who-can't-be-capture motif. He slithers out of danger again and again, and by the end of the volume it feels like we haven't made much progress from the start.

Because of the generally strong writing and characterization, this is closer to 3.5 stars than 3.0, but those plot elements still detract.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Read as single issues]
After teasing it for literally years, Brian Bendis's Defenders comic lands with Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist at the helm. Now where have we seen those four together before? Oh wait.

Unfortunately the strength of the characters doesn't excuse the shoddy plotting in this one. The return of Diamondback (with no particular explanation) feels pointless, and the rest of the volume is him beating up/getting beaten up by the Defenders, escaping, and doing it all over again. Add in the Punisher and the Black Cat for a few curveballs and that's mostly it. Considering Bendis has been working on this book for ages, it definitely doesn't feel like it.

I wanted to bump this one up to four stars because of David Marquez's artwork, but I don't feel like that flies with the rest of the volume to be fair. Marquez's art is gorgeous as always, and Justin Ponsor's colours are beautifully chosen, especially so that each character's signature shows up in the right places. The cinematography of the fight scenes is superb, as well. I'd read this one with no words, to be honest.

Not really what I'd hoped for. Lovely art, good characters, but a paper-thin plotline.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Time to go on a Bendis bender! (#2 of 8)

An underwhelming villain, a conclusion deferred to the next volume, and a surprising lack of chemistry between the members of the Defenders make for a lukewarm debut. And I must have missed it, but at some point they went from a bunch of heroes who know each other and are bumbling around against a c-list bad guy to calling themselves the Defenders like it's a thing.

Nice Bendis scenes and dialogue can only carry the enterprise so far. The book needs a purpose to exist beyond there being a TV show.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This was really damn good!! The team interrupts a meeting of criminals talking about teaming up with this new player in town. Beats everyone up. The new player is Diamondback and he retaliates against all of them, Luke, Jones, Iron Fist and Gary in broad daylight. Luke retaliates against him by himself and gets taken down with some poison before the team all gets together to regroup. A nice pace to this story with the stakes high to keep you on the edge of your seat. Some dope fight scenes , amazing art, some fun banter between our heroes and some cool appearances from some unexpected characters. Highly recommended!!

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Defending the streets at a glacial pace.


Created to cash in on the Netflix DEFENDERS series, this Brian Michael Bendis vehicle, on the surface, has a lot going for it, not the least of which are longtime fan-favorite characters and beautiful art by David Marquez. This should have been a slam-dunk.


Instead, it is more of the same from Bendis. Characters who are all written with the same voice, heroes who sit around talking when they should be acting, long stretches where nothing at all happens.....This is truly Bendis at his most self-indulgent. Hopefully the cross-country move to DC will reinvigorate him. I'll probably never know, because I've reached the limits of my tolerance for super-decpmpressed stories like this one.


THE DEFENDERS, VOL. 1: DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER collects THE DEFENDERS #1-5 and the story from Free Comic Book Day 2017. (I'll never forget that particular Free Comic Book Day, since that was when my then-eight-year-old son first expressed an interest in visiting a comic-book store. We took him after seeing SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING, and he picked up the very cartoony-looking GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY FCBD book, which appeared very kid-friendly. Well.......the DEFENDERS story that made up the flip-side of that issue was NOT very kid-friendly, with cursing and explicit violence. Lesson learned!) The gist of the series is that Daredevil, Power Man, Iron Fist, and Jessica Jones have to team up to stop Diamondback from taking over the New York City underworld.


Literally nothing else happens in this book.


Bendis relies very heavily on the cliffhanger crutch. The preview issue ends with Jessica Jones being shot in the stomach, at point-blank range, by a gun the size of a small child. The bullet goes into her stomach, comes out her back, and takes a not inconsiderable amount of tissue and meat with it. Next issue? Jessica is up and around fighting crime with no explanation of how or why she is still alive, aside from the fact that she was taken to a hospital. Another issue ends with Diamondback snapping Iron Fist's spine over his knee, much like Bane did to Batman. Iron Fist is back in action fighting as soon as the next issue opens. The characters joke about him having a broken back, but no explanation is given.


Other puzzlers:


Why is The Black Cat, a happy, go-lucky cat-burglar turned crimefighter, running the New York City

underworld? With Hammerhead as her lackey, no less...?


Who the fuck is Diamondback, and how is he alive?


Why does no one know Daredevil's secret identity anymore?


How is Bendis able to fill six issues with nothing?



It seemed like a lot was going on, but when I closed the book, I realized that the heroes are in the exact same spot that they were in the beginning of the book. NOTHING....HAPPENED. Yeah, there were some beautifully illustrated action sequences, courtesy of artist David Marquez, but they accomplished nothing. They start the book off wondering where Diamondback is and how he is alive, and they end the book wondering where Diamondback is and how he is alive. In between, a lot of characters all speaking in the same smart-ass voice. Seriously, I have been reading Marvel Comics for nearly five decades (Ouch.), and these characters just don't talk like this. The Punisher appears for no reason, Elektra appears for no reason, Blade appears for a reason that makes no sense, Ultimate Spider-man appears for....a reason?...that is never explained, but is probably following up on something that happened in his book. (Editors: Footnotes referring readers to where they can follow up on threads like this HELP TO SELL COMICS. Just a thought.) As usual, Bendis mercilessly pads the book with endless faux-interviews, magazine articles, and newspaper editorials. All written in THE EXACT SAME FUCKING VOICE. (Honestly, there were times when I had no idea who was saying what, because the dialogue, attitude, and sarcasm were all the same, no matter who the speech balloons were pointing to. And that cliffhanger....? Really? After seeing Jessica shrug off a gunshot that left a fist-sized exit wound, I'm supposed to get worked up over an off-screen shooting...? Please.)



I paid $2.25 for the digital collection, and that was too much. The digital copy of the second volume is currently $8.95. If it were .99, I might splurge on a copy, if only to see who is behind the whole Diamondback nonsense, because I'm still a sucker for knowing the whole story. Until such a drastic price cut, I'll just have to wonder.....


THE DEFENDERS, VOL. 1: DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER was a pointless waste of time, and earns a measly four out of ten diamonds:

♢♢♢♢

[Travis Duke · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5) Defenders + Bendis is a good start. Not a ton of intros which was nice, it sort of just jumps into their stories. Apparently Diamondback is a bad ass, im not very familiar with him but a cool villain. Overall its a good start to the Defenders and the art is good too.

[Will Robinson Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really enjoyable action thriller. So the Defenders get a TV show and to no one's surprise Marvel publishes a new series. But they can't go wrong by having longtime Marvel scribe Brian Michael Bendis write the adventures of these street level vigilantes. Bendis in some form or fashion has written for all the members of this new version of the Defenders team. Bendis spares not time in introducing the reader to Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Daredevil & Jessica Jones. It has always been my opinion that Bendis creates his best material when he doesn't have to be concern about the larger Marvel continuity. Bendis does a great job capturing the feel of the streets and he does a great job building up Diamondback as a larger threat. Diamondback seems to be one step ahead of our heroes and we even get the Punisher thrown into the chaos. This group of heroes are not always entirely heroic and there team work needs a little work. But it is interesting to see how Bendis is setting up a larger plot that will effect all the superhero community that resides in New York. In the Kingpin's absence and power vacuum is building between New York city's criminal organization. The artwok by David Marquez is really good and the colors by Ponsor work well to shape a noir style mood to the story. This book has a great writing and artist team behind it and I hope they keep up the good quality on this series.

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

One word...... WoW!!!!!!

[Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some really great 'street-hero' moments, and lots of asskicking. Good cameos by Punisher, Blade & the Night Nurse, and as always, Bendis' writing is super on-point. The art is pretty, and the style fits the fly-by-the-seat, not taking things too seriously vibe of this comic. My one complaint, kind of, is Diamondback, who's just as engaging here as he was in the Netflix Luke Cage show, which is to say, not at all. His motivation's okay - part of the struggle for power created by the Kingpin trying to go legit - but his power set seems to be all over the place, and he's just not charming enough or evil enough to make up for some personality gaps. Possibly at its best when Iron Fist & DD are talking, but you can tell there's a long term plan, so...

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately didn't really catch the flow of this one. I was familiar with the Netflix Diamondback origin story (from Luke Cage), and this one was different, and lacked tension. Daredevil and Iron Fist didn't have their same "punch", Jessica Jones didn't have her normal bite, but Luke was cool, as usual. Introduced a few other characters that were intriguing, but I am not sure if that is enough for me to pick up the next trade in this series.

[Teena Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolutely fantastic book this was!! Outstanding from start to finish. This is what comics are all about for me! Brilliant art. Great story. Loved it!!