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Essential Defenders #1
Essential Defenders, Vol. 1
Dr. Strange. Namor. The Hulk. The Silver Surfer. Set apart from others by nature and choice, this team of Marvel's mightiest loners embarked a string of strange adventures rarely equaled since - joined by some of the most off-kilter heroes of their time. Sorcery! Super-science! The war of the super-heroes! Learn how the "non-team" got its non-start in this multi-title compilation!
Collects Dr. Strange #183, Sub-Mariner #22 and 34-35, Incredible Hulk #126, Marvel Feature #1-3, Defenders #1-14, and Avengers #115-118.
544 pages, Paperback
First published July 10, 1974
2 people are currently reading
110 people want to read
About the author
Stan Lee
7,565 books2,335 followersStan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber) was an American writer, editor, creator of comic book superheroes, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics.
With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.
With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 25, 2022
Dr. Strange. Namor. The Hulk. The Silver Surfer. A team of non-heroes. And wow, first time reading this series, and I had no idea just how poor it was! 3 out of 12!
2017 read
2017 read
March 23, 2020
Doctor Strange! The Hulk! The Sub-Mariner! The Silver Surfer! Valkyrie! Namorita! Hawkeye! Nighthawk! The Defenders!!!
This collection brings together not only the first fourteen issues of the Defenders' own book but also all the team-ups of the founding members in other books pre-dating the beginning of the formation of the team.
Said team-ups are slightly patchy in quality but by the time you get to the formation of the team (or 'non-team' as they insist on calling themselves at first) this is a remarkably good quality book, particularly when compared to most of the rest of Marvel's early-'70s output. Sal Buscema's artwork is top-notch and the writing by Steve Englehart and Len Wein is considerably better than their concurrent work in other titles at the time. Great stuff!
This collection brings together not only the first fourteen issues of the Defenders' own book but also all the team-ups of the founding members in other books pre-dating the beginning of the formation of the team.
Said team-ups are slightly patchy in quality but by the time you get to the formation of the team (or 'non-team' as they insist on calling themselves at first) this is a remarkably good quality book, particularly when compared to most of the rest of Marvel's early-'70s output. Sal Buscema's artwork is top-notch and the writing by Steve Englehart and Len Wein is considerably better than their concurrent work in other titles at the time. Great stuff!
August 30, 2015
Plot is pretty darned good. Dialogue, like all dialogue from this age, is atrociously stiff. Every single thing explained on the page. It's like the writers never knew what would show up in the art - or they didn't know they could converse off-stage with the artist - so every stage direction gets inserted into the dialogue.
However, among the 70's wordsmiths, Roy Thomas - who wrote the team's debut in Marvel Features - at least gives the characters different voices, and his Dr. Strange is epically arrogant. His captions are like an unneeded poetry - "Point Promontory: where people yet treasure the sweet, still gift of solitude, and where a sole, strangely-garbed visitor might be I'll-received in the lonely hour just before dawn."
Hey! There's a pop-culture reference from the 70's, in the form of a casual mention of Archie Bunker. Of course, it's from astronauts who trained all day every day for years before their space mission, so I can't imagine how they found time to keep up with TV.
I didn't realize that in the early days, Hulk was paired up with a hep black kid who chaperoned Hulk around - not really a sidekick but more like an explainer and a savage-beast-soother.
Another thing that I think should make a comeback are villains with names like Necrodamus or the Night Fiends.
Background art in the early issues is amazing. Crazy nuclear buildings, zany space backgrounds, weird shit everywhere.
Taking a page from Storyteller Shannon's reviews:
Plot: 5/5
Dialogue: 2/5
Dialogue (with a "considering it was the 70's in comics" handicap): 4/5
Acting (faces and bodies art): 3/5
Layouts and trippiness: 4/5
However, among the 70's wordsmiths, Roy Thomas - who wrote the team's debut in Marvel Features - at least gives the characters different voices, and his Dr. Strange is epically arrogant. His captions are like an unneeded poetry - "Point Promontory: where people yet treasure the sweet, still gift of solitude, and where a sole, strangely-garbed visitor might be I'll-received in the lonely hour just before dawn."
Hey! There's a pop-culture reference from the 70's, in the form of a casual mention of Archie Bunker. Of course, it's from astronauts who trained all day every day for years before their space mission, so I can't imagine how they found time to keep up with TV.
I didn't realize that in the early days, Hulk was paired up with a hep black kid who chaperoned Hulk around - not really a sidekick but more like an explainer and a savage-beast-soother.
Another thing that I think should make a comeback are villains with names like Necrodamus or the Night Fiends.
Background art in the early issues is amazing. Crazy nuclear buildings, zany space backgrounds, weird shit everywhere.
Taking a page from Storyteller Shannon's reviews:
Plot: 5/5
Dialogue: 2/5
Dialogue (with a "considering it was the 70's in comics" handicap): 4/5
Acting (faces and bodies art): 3/5
Layouts and trippiness: 4/5
February 6, 2024
Ever since I got a dollar bag of three random Marvel comics back when I was 11 and one of those three was The Defenders #63 which featured a battle royale of mostly B and C grade heroes, I have been a huge fan of the non-team.
Featuring the OG team origin and the first 14 issues of the 1st series we also get Valkyrie and Nighthawk.
Entertaining stories, characters, and art from the likes of Thomas, Englehart, Wein, Buscema, and others.
Featuring the OG team origin and the first 14 issues of the 1st series we also get Valkyrie and Nighthawk.
Entertaining stories, characters, and art from the likes of Thomas, Englehart, Wein, Buscema, and others.
April 12, 2014
I'm tempted to give this 5-stars just for how well MOST of it holds up 40yrs later. This is better written than a lot of modern books. It also features interesting characters with complex relationships, not a bunch who all love each other deeply. Included is also a HUGE crossover with the Avengers that might be one of the original Marvel 'Events'. Even being from the early 70s, it is a pretty decent story.
Doctor Strange, Namor and Hulk form the backbone of this "non-team". Not always in agreement, nor even friendly with each other, this is a precursor to the team books where they are dysfunctional, except mostly, the Defenders rise above and get it done. Add in the Silver Surfer, and you have maybe the most powerful 4-man team ever. This would be a great movie, this team of 4. The writers also realize Hulk cannot be the front and centre all the time, and Namor isn't a team guy, so we've got a rotating cast, also adding Valkryie, Hawkeye, and by the end, Nighthawk (ya, who?). We also see Black Knight, The Avengers (Cap, Iron Man, Thor, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Black Panther, Swordsman (hahaha), and Mantis (who?)). We also see The FF, SHIELD (Fury and Dugan), as well as Spidey, Ghost Rider (both in tiny bits) and more. Loki and Dormammu are the major baddies.
I didn't expect to enjoy this as much more than a Marvel history lesson, but I loved mostly all of this.
I also see that there's a major plot line that is picked up again in Matt Fraction's new Defenders book (Also with Strange and Surfer) that made no sense at the time, but having read the old stories, I get it now.
I would recommend this to people looking for a change from all the modern gritty reboot shit, who want something a little more fun, yet not totally disposable. I only wish it were in colour!
Doctor Strange, Namor and Hulk form the backbone of this "non-team". Not always in agreement, nor even friendly with each other, this is a precursor to the team books where they are dysfunctional, except mostly, the Defenders rise above and get it done. Add in the Silver Surfer, and you have maybe the most powerful 4-man team ever. This would be a great movie, this team of 4. The writers also realize Hulk cannot be the front and centre all the time, and Namor isn't a team guy, so we've got a rotating cast, also adding Valkryie, Hawkeye, and by the end, Nighthawk (ya, who?). We also see Black Knight, The Avengers (Cap, Iron Man, Thor, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Black Panther, Swordsman (hahaha), and Mantis (who?)). We also see The FF, SHIELD (Fury and Dugan), as well as Spidey, Ghost Rider (both in tiny bits) and more. Loki and Dormammu are the major baddies.
I didn't expect to enjoy this as much more than a Marvel history lesson, but I loved mostly all of this.
I also see that there's a major plot line that is picked up again in Matt Fraction's new Defenders book (Also with Strange and Surfer) that made no sense at the time, but having read the old stories, I get it now.
I would recommend this to people looking for a change from all the modern gritty reboot shit, who want something a little more fun, yet not totally disposable. I only wish it were in colour!
June 3, 2012
All of my favorite super-teams, such as The Doom Patrol and the Giffen-Dematteis era Justice League, are teams that just don't gel. They can pull together to get things done, but they really don't get along on a personal level. And that's what I love about the Defenders.
Doctor Strange, Namor, the Hulk, and the Silver Surfer are four loners who just can't really connect with anyone, so of course it makes sense that they should be a team. I'm sorry...a non-team. They spend most of the book trying to convince themselves that their alliance is a temporary one.
This volume has the formation of the team, the inclusion of Valkyrie, Hawkeye's brief stint with the "team" and more. If you love Old-School Marvel, this volume is near-perfect. In fact, I would have given it 5 stars, but the writing really shows its age, with characters delivering over-written monologues in the time it takes to throw a punch. Overall, though, I loved Vol. 1 of the Essential Defenders, and I'll grab vol. 2 soon enough!
Doctor Strange, Namor, the Hulk, and the Silver Surfer are four loners who just can't really connect with anyone, so of course it makes sense that they should be a team. I'm sorry...a non-team. They spend most of the book trying to convince themselves that their alliance is a temporary one.
This volume has the formation of the team, the inclusion of Valkyrie, Hawkeye's brief stint with the "team" and more. If you love Old-School Marvel, this volume is near-perfect. In fact, I would have given it 5 stars, but the writing really shows its age, with characters delivering over-written monologues in the time it takes to throw a punch. Overall, though, I loved Vol. 1 of the Essential Defenders, and I'll grab vol. 2 soon enough!
May 24, 2019
During the "golden age" of comics, the nascent idea of a "team" superhero book is nothing like the team books we read today. The Justice Society of America, who appeared in the pages of All-Star Comics rarely functioned as an actual team--instead the members would be confronted with some menace that would force them all to split up and participate in one part of the plotline--but this mechanism was just a way to write a shorter version of a story for a hero that appeared in another book--so if you enjoyed the Flash's adventures with the JSA, you were always reminded that you could also catch the adventures of the Flash every month in Flash Comics. While Marvels The Defenders did not operate this way, after learning how the series came to be, I think there was a related motivation behind the book, but I will get to that in a moment.
The Marvel team book has always been The Avengers, especially since the advent of the MCU. (One could argue that The Uncanny X-Men may have held this title during the Claremont years, but The Avengers has always felt like Marvel's flagship team book.) The Defenders on the other hand were created purely by accident. Roy Thomas had been writing Dr. Strange and had it cancelled on him in the middle of a story arc. Thomas then resolved to finish the arc in the pages of another book he was writing--Sub-Mariner and then later in the pages of The Incredible Hulk. Once the arc featuring "the Nameless Ones" was complete that was likely to be all for the Defenders, except this was at a point in time where Marvel was publishing a few books that worked as test beds for potential series. One of these books was Marvel Feature which featured the team of Dr. Strange, Namor and the Hulk in the first three issues, adding the Silver Surfer into the mix. After that "try-out" the Defenders were spun off into their own series. The thing that most of the heroes in The Defenders had in common? Apart from the Hulk, all of their books had been cancelled. So in a move tangentially related to the old JSA adventures in All-Star Comics it feels like the Defenders had been given a chance because perhaps Marvel editorial felt like they could tap into fans of the solo Dr. Strange, Sub-Mariner and Silver Surfer books that had been cancelled and turn them into one buying bloc. It appears to have worked, since the original Defenders series ran 150 issues. However, for all that Roy Thomas did to start the book, the best thing that probably could have happened was for the book to be given to Steve Englehart at the start.
Like his contemporary Roger Stern, Englehart's work was always solid (and sometimes great--his run with Marshall Rogers on Detective Comics is considered legendary) and when he began writing The Defenders he was also writing The Avengers and immediately set the stage for an Avengers/Defenders crossover. This was not exactly a new thing--the JLA and JSA had been teaming up since the beginning of Justice League of America, but the scope of this Avengers/Defenders crossover was probably like nothing seen before--the JSA didn't have their own book and this crossover spanned months. These things are considered the norm these days, but Englehart was probably the first to be able to plot the story arc across two or more series. (I don't know whether to applaud or hate Steve Englehart for this.) The other really great thing Englehart brought to the series was to add the Valkyrie to the Defenders roster. I am going to make the argument that there likely was not a hero like Valkyrie when Englehart introduced her into the Defenders. There is a striking panel in one of the Defenders issues where someone accuses her of hating men, and her response is that she doesn't hate men, but will not allow for anyone to consider her to be anything less than an equal to men. The term didn't exist at the time, but I would say that Englehart's Valkyrie was incredibly woke for the times and one of the early feminist superheroes (remember that Wonder Woman had been created by someone who I feel fetishized the suffrage movement (William Moulton Marston--read Jill Lepore's The Secret History of Wonder Woman for more on this) and then was cut off at the knees as a nascent feminist icon by Bob Kanigher after Marston's death. Wonder Woman's placement on the cover of the first Ms. magazine in 1972 coincides with Englehart's bringing Valkyrie into the fold of the Defenders.)
Alas, Englehart didn't remain with the book as writing both The Avengers and The Defenders proved to be a bit much. The book was handed over to the capable Len Wein, but it was only a fill in and it would be a while before Steve Gerber would take over the book and take it in new directions. This collection ends with Wein's run, so you don't get to see any of the Gerber stuff here. Other than Valkyrie and the epic Avengers/Defenders arc, this book is fairly rote superhero fare. So unless you are a huge fan of the core Defenders, or you are someone who has felt that Valkyrie should have had her own book, you're not going to find something here that is different than things you can find from that era. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but if you've read one team book, you've likely read them all.
The Marvel team book has always been The Avengers, especially since the advent of the MCU. (One could argue that The Uncanny X-Men may have held this title during the Claremont years, but The Avengers has always felt like Marvel's flagship team book.) The Defenders on the other hand were created purely by accident. Roy Thomas had been writing Dr. Strange and had it cancelled on him in the middle of a story arc. Thomas then resolved to finish the arc in the pages of another book he was writing--Sub-Mariner and then later in the pages of The Incredible Hulk. Once the arc featuring "the Nameless Ones" was complete that was likely to be all for the Defenders, except this was at a point in time where Marvel was publishing a few books that worked as test beds for potential series. One of these books was Marvel Feature which featured the team of Dr. Strange, Namor and the Hulk in the first three issues, adding the Silver Surfer into the mix. After that "try-out" the Defenders were spun off into their own series. The thing that most of the heroes in The Defenders had in common? Apart from the Hulk, all of their books had been cancelled. So in a move tangentially related to the old JSA adventures in All-Star Comics it feels like the Defenders had been given a chance because perhaps Marvel editorial felt like they could tap into fans of the solo Dr. Strange, Sub-Mariner and Silver Surfer books that had been cancelled and turn them into one buying bloc. It appears to have worked, since the original Defenders series ran 150 issues. However, for all that Roy Thomas did to start the book, the best thing that probably could have happened was for the book to be given to Steve Englehart at the start.
Like his contemporary Roger Stern, Englehart's work was always solid (and sometimes great--his run with Marshall Rogers on Detective Comics is considered legendary) and when he began writing The Defenders he was also writing The Avengers and immediately set the stage for an Avengers/Defenders crossover. This was not exactly a new thing--the JLA and JSA had been teaming up since the beginning of Justice League of America, but the scope of this Avengers/Defenders crossover was probably like nothing seen before--the JSA didn't have their own book and this crossover spanned months. These things are considered the norm these days, but Englehart was probably the first to be able to plot the story arc across two or more series. (I don't know whether to applaud or hate Steve Englehart for this.) The other really great thing Englehart brought to the series was to add the Valkyrie to the Defenders roster. I am going to make the argument that there likely was not a hero like Valkyrie when Englehart introduced her into the Defenders. There is a striking panel in one of the Defenders issues where someone accuses her of hating men, and her response is that she doesn't hate men, but will not allow for anyone to consider her to be anything less than an equal to men. The term didn't exist at the time, but I would say that Englehart's Valkyrie was incredibly woke for the times and one of the early feminist superheroes (remember that Wonder Woman had been created by someone who I feel fetishized the suffrage movement (William Moulton Marston--read Jill Lepore's The Secret History of Wonder Woman for more on this) and then was cut off at the knees as a nascent feminist icon by Bob Kanigher after Marston's death. Wonder Woman's placement on the cover of the first Ms. magazine in 1972 coincides with Englehart's bringing Valkyrie into the fold of the Defenders.)
Alas, Englehart didn't remain with the book as writing both The Avengers and The Defenders proved to be a bit much. The book was handed over to the capable Len Wein, but it was only a fill in and it would be a while before Steve Gerber would take over the book and take it in new directions. This collection ends with Wein's run, so you don't get to see any of the Gerber stuff here. Other than Valkyrie and the epic Avengers/Defenders arc, this book is fairly rote superhero fare. So unless you are a huge fan of the core Defenders, or you are someone who has felt that Valkyrie should have had her own book, you're not going to find something here that is different than things you can find from that era. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but if you've read one team book, you've likely read them all.
June 26, 2013
Some stuff that was before its time, including great characterization & long-term plots. This particular volume is a little rocky with good stories being balanced by a slow start and the punch-em-up heavy Avengers-Defenders war.
December 16, 2023
Possibly the finest "Not a team" book to ever grace a spinner rack! Back then, Dr. Strange, the Hulk and Namor are the last three people you would ever want on a team. This was a disaster on the level of a hurricane crashing down on a community just as a 9.9 Richter scale earthquake struck.
Doesn't sound like the heroes you know? That's because these are the heroes from 1973, not 2023. Fifty years ago, Dr. Strange was almost completely isolated from humanity except for Wong and Clea. At one point, his identity of Stephen Strange was wiped out completely and the Doc wore a mask for a time. Wild, right?
The Hulk was a creature that had no filter. He avoided everyone and Banner had no control of the creature at all. Very unlike the guy we see in the comics and movies today.
Namor was barely tolerant of the surface world and often tried to find a reason to destroy as much as possible while being too dense to realize he was being led around by the nose. Okay, Namor hasn't changed that much in fifty years.
These first adventures can be broken down by author. Roy Thomas introduced us to the Defenders in Doctor Strange #183, Hulk #126, Sub-Mariner #22, 34, and 35, and Marvel Feature #1-3. These were a mix of sorcery and fringe science stories where the three banded together for the adventure and to save the planet. While Doc was ready to save mankind, Namor only wanted to protect Atlantis. The Hulk got to smash, so he was happy to jump in until it was time to think things over; then he usually hit Namor and pouted how he had no friends. Laugh out loud fun. The Silver Surfer showed up in Sub-Mariner 34 and 35 as well to fight the Avengers.
Once the boys got their own title, Steve Englehart took over the writing duties. He kept up with the sorcery centered tales and did quite well with them. He brought back the Valkyrie who soon joined the team and even brought over Hawkeye from the Avengers to join the others for a few issues. The Black Knight also returned only to be turned into stone for about a year's worth of tales. Steve also wrapped up the original storyline that brought the Defenders together in Marvel Feature #1 and brought back Attuma and the Red Ghost for another failed invasion of the Surface World.
Next, Englehart put together the Avengers/Defenders War over the Evil Eye. It began at the end of Defenders #8 and ran as a full-length tale through Avengers #115-118 and Defenders #9-11. This was the first major crossover of super-teams in Marvel and is still argued over by fanboys and fangirls almost fifty years later. It is an incredible story that has been reprinted often and stands up (IMHO) with some of the best JLA/JSA crossover stories of the same era.
The book wraps up with the start of Len Wein's run (#12-14). He gives us a follow-up to Xemnu the Titan from Marvel Feature #3 and then brings back the Squadron Sinister for the last two issues. It is also here that Nighthawk joins what the others finally admit is a team.
This is a great jumping on book for people who want to dig into the history of Marvel and highly recommended for fans of the three authors in particular. Finally, I cannot let this review end without stating how incredible the artwork looks (even in black and white) from such incredible talents like Ross Andru, Sal Buscema, Marie Severin, Don Heck, Bob Brown, and Gene Colan in Doctor Strange #183 which started it all.
Find it! Buy it! READ IT!
Doesn't sound like the heroes you know? That's because these are the heroes from 1973, not 2023. Fifty years ago, Dr. Strange was almost completely isolated from humanity except for Wong and Clea. At one point, his identity of Stephen Strange was wiped out completely and the Doc wore a mask for a time. Wild, right?
The Hulk was a creature that had no filter. He avoided everyone and Banner had no control of the creature at all. Very unlike the guy we see in the comics and movies today.
Namor was barely tolerant of the surface world and often tried to find a reason to destroy as much as possible while being too dense to realize he was being led around by the nose. Okay, Namor hasn't changed that much in fifty years.
These first adventures can be broken down by author. Roy Thomas introduced us to the Defenders in Doctor Strange #183, Hulk #126, Sub-Mariner #22, 34, and 35, and Marvel Feature #1-3. These were a mix of sorcery and fringe science stories where the three banded together for the adventure and to save the planet. While Doc was ready to save mankind, Namor only wanted to protect Atlantis. The Hulk got to smash, so he was happy to jump in until it was time to think things over; then he usually hit Namor and pouted how he had no friends. Laugh out loud fun. The Silver Surfer showed up in Sub-Mariner 34 and 35 as well to fight the Avengers.
Once the boys got their own title, Steve Englehart took over the writing duties. He kept up with the sorcery centered tales and did quite well with them. He brought back the Valkyrie who soon joined the team and even brought over Hawkeye from the Avengers to join the others for a few issues. The Black Knight also returned only to be turned into stone for about a year's worth of tales. Steve also wrapped up the original storyline that brought the Defenders together in Marvel Feature #1 and brought back Attuma and the Red Ghost for another failed invasion of the Surface World.
Next, Englehart put together the Avengers/Defenders War over the Evil Eye. It began at the end of Defenders #8 and ran as a full-length tale through Avengers #115-118 and Defenders #9-11. This was the first major crossover of super-teams in Marvel and is still argued over by fanboys and fangirls almost fifty years later. It is an incredible story that has been reprinted often and stands up (IMHO) with some of the best JLA/JSA crossover stories of the same era.
The book wraps up with the start of Len Wein's run (#12-14). He gives us a follow-up to Xemnu the Titan from Marvel Feature #3 and then brings back the Squadron Sinister for the last two issues. It is also here that Nighthawk joins what the others finally admit is a team.
This is a great jumping on book for people who want to dig into the history of Marvel and highly recommended for fans of the three authors in particular. Finally, I cannot let this review end without stating how incredible the artwork looks (even in black and white) from such incredible talents like Ross Andru, Sal Buscema, Marie Severin, Don Heck, Bob Brown, and Gene Colan in Doctor Strange #183 which started it all.
Find it! Buy it! READ IT!
February 4, 2022
This is the comic book sweet spot for me, early 70s Marvel, overwrought Shakespearean dialog, overly impactful art, super-science, magic, mystery, monsters. I mean comics just don’t get any better - that said, I could never read All of the Marvels as Douglas Wolk has done. Even these two dozen or so books became an unrelenting slug-fest. I’ve owned it for years, planning to read up to and beyond a particular issue I bought off the spinner rack as a kid. Wolk’s book inspired me to pull this off the shelf and push through - and I’m very glad I did.
December 6, 2023
The Defenders was one of Marvel's craziest books of the seventies. And that's saying something. However the thing that keeps it from being truly perfect in volume one is that while the individual stories, or in some cases arcs, are really good it lacks the true insanity that some later runs on the series possess. It is still mostly a good read. Roy Thomas and Steve Englehart at the top of their game.
April 21, 2019
This stuff is mostly goofy. Dr. Strange gets a few fun things to do, but overall, the combination of him, Namor, and The Hulk doesn't really work. Silver Surfer and Valkyrie show up later, and they're pretty good. Generally, though, this is exactly the kind of thing that kept me away from comics when I was a kid.
Some of the art is quite good.
Some of the art is quite good.
December 18, 2019
As a kid I didn't really read much of The Defenders and I wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did.
It was a good run of stories that culminated in the Avengers/Defenders war. Quite fun!
It was a good run of stories that culminated in the Avengers/Defenders war. Quite fun!
November 23, 2021
Good Lord. this was a chore. I Love the idea of the Defenders, but these stories were a slog to read.
October 3, 2011
If the X-Men are a metaphor for the kids who felt like they didn't belong, then The Defenders are a metaphor for the kids who were misunderstood.
Back in the day, when I was buying comics off the spinner rack at the local 7-11 (1970s), I always passed on this title--it didn't interest me as much as the latest issues of Spider-Man, Ghost Rider or Iron Man. I also wasn't into the superhero teams at this point--but that would change when my parents & I moved into a new home & I found X-Men comics in my new room left behind by the kid who lived there before me. The Defenders didn't interest me because I wasn't interested in the superheroes who made up the group: Dr. Strange, Namor & The Hulk. Billed as the "Anti-group", I would watch The Defenders covers pass by my eyes & I would say: "Meh." My best friend in high school had tons of issues, along with Thor (another guy I couldn't get into), & I would ask him why he was a fan: "They're the shit, dude! They fight the weirdest bad guys & each issue takes them into the netherworld of some freaked out dimension or realm of some demon-like guy! Trust me! They rock!" I still wasn't convinced.
Then, when I hit my late 30s, I saw this collection & thinking back on my best friend--who was also my Best Man at my wedding--I figured, what the hell?
Boy, was I wrong. I was so wrong that the next time I talked to him on the phone I said: "The Defenders--I get it now!" To which he replied: "I told you so. What took you so long?"
By this time, I was a major Silver Surfer fan--MAJOR!--so when I saw the Surfer joined their ranks from time-to-time, I was all in. What also intrigued me is the addition of the Valkyrie to the group for I always wondered what the hell she did in the Marvel Universe--thinking she was another "lame" character. Again, I was wrong. I was never a fan of The Hulk but The Defenders made me look at him in a new light. He failed as an Avenger but soars as a Defender--the group is more accepting of him & know he has more value than most Avengers. They also call him "friend". I also find (even though his original costume is one of the worst in the world of superheroes) Nighthawk to be interesting even though he comes late in the game. Nevertheless, Nighthawk will prove to be a major player within The Defenders in later issues. I look forward to see his character progression & the additions of Son of Satan, as well as, Hellcat.
If someone was to hand me an issue of The Avengers & one of The Defenders, I would dive into The Defenders first--every time. They are the group of the misunderstood & I prefer it that way. Avengers who? The Defenders are that good.
At the time of this writing, I was deciding whether or not to read ESSENTIAL DEFENDERS VOL. 2 or ESSENTIAL IRON FIST VOL. 1. I went with Iron Fist & about halfway through it, I began to wish I started VOL. 2 of The Defenders instead. Ah, well. At least I have VOL. 2 to look forward to.
Back in the day, when I was buying comics off the spinner rack at the local 7-11 (1970s), I always passed on this title--it didn't interest me as much as the latest issues of Spider-Man, Ghost Rider or Iron Man. I also wasn't into the superhero teams at this point--but that would change when my parents & I moved into a new home & I found X-Men comics in my new room left behind by the kid who lived there before me. The Defenders didn't interest me because I wasn't interested in the superheroes who made up the group: Dr. Strange, Namor & The Hulk. Billed as the "Anti-group", I would watch The Defenders covers pass by my eyes & I would say: "Meh." My best friend in high school had tons of issues, along with Thor (another guy I couldn't get into), & I would ask him why he was a fan: "They're the shit, dude! They fight the weirdest bad guys & each issue takes them into the netherworld of some freaked out dimension or realm of some demon-like guy! Trust me! They rock!" I still wasn't convinced.
Then, when I hit my late 30s, I saw this collection & thinking back on my best friend--who was also my Best Man at my wedding--I figured, what the hell?
Boy, was I wrong. I was so wrong that the next time I talked to him on the phone I said: "The Defenders--I get it now!" To which he replied: "I told you so. What took you so long?"
By this time, I was a major Silver Surfer fan--MAJOR!--so when I saw the Surfer joined their ranks from time-to-time, I was all in. What also intrigued me is the addition of the Valkyrie to the group for I always wondered what the hell she did in the Marvel Universe--thinking she was another "lame" character. Again, I was wrong. I was never a fan of The Hulk but The Defenders made me look at him in a new light. He failed as an Avenger but soars as a Defender--the group is more accepting of him & know he has more value than most Avengers. They also call him "friend". I also find (even though his original costume is one of the worst in the world of superheroes) Nighthawk to be interesting even though he comes late in the game. Nevertheless, Nighthawk will prove to be a major player within The Defenders in later issues. I look forward to see his character progression & the additions of Son of Satan, as well as, Hellcat.
If someone was to hand me an issue of The Avengers & one of The Defenders, I would dive into The Defenders first--every time. They are the group of the misunderstood & I prefer it that way. Avengers who? The Defenders are that good.
At the time of this writing, I was deciding whether or not to read ESSENTIAL DEFENDERS VOL. 2 or ESSENTIAL IRON FIST VOL. 1. I went with Iron Fist & about halfway through it, I began to wish I started VOL. 2 of The Defenders instead. Ah, well. At least I have VOL. 2 to look forward to.
October 10, 2011
Not recommended unless you're already a super-hero fan in general and are curious about or nostalgic for '70s Marvel. I'd probably give it two and half stars, but it got a half-star bump for nostalgia--I really want to read the Steve Gerber issues, which are probably in Vol 2, but started with this one.
Several minor items of curiosity are now satisfied--I know how the Defenders first came together and why they're often described as a "non-team". But apart from that, the only thing it really had going for it from my point of view were the Englehart issues.
The Thomas issues are overwrought (I much prefer his '80s work at DC to his '70s Marvel super-hero stuff). And the Wein issue or issues that close out the volume are just fairly typical villain of the month stuff.
I'll probably pick up the next volume or two at the library just to read the Gerber issues and maybe the David Anthony Kraft/Keith Giffen stuff, but I don't intend to pursue it into the J.M. de Matteis era.
Several minor items of curiosity are now satisfied--I know how the Defenders first came together and why they're often described as a "non-team". But apart from that, the only thing it really had going for it from my point of view were the Englehart issues.
The Thomas issues are overwrought (I much prefer his '80s work at DC to his '70s Marvel super-hero stuff). And the Wein issue or issues that close out the volume are just fairly typical villain of the month stuff.
I'll probably pick up the next volume or two at the library just to read the Gerber issues and maybe the David Anthony Kraft/Keith Giffen stuff, but I don't intend to pursue it into the J.M. de Matteis era.
June 15, 2008
The Defenders are great because Marvel decided to take four of its most anti-social characters and put them on one team.
Then they had them break up nearly every story, only to get dragged back together five minutes later.
Not to mention they fought the most bizarre bad guys ever.
Doctor Strange is basically the leader, but he spends most of his time trying to keep his team mates from fighting each other. Some nice characterization of Namor and the Hulk is always fun.
This volume is a bit uneven as the first half dozen stories are stand alones from various Marvel comics done as a test to see if the Defenders would work.
Then they had them break up nearly every story, only to get dragged back together five minutes later.
Not to mention they fought the most bizarre bad guys ever.
Doctor Strange is basically the leader, but he spends most of his time trying to keep his team mates from fighting each other. Some nice characterization of Namor and the Hulk is always fun.
This volume is a bit uneven as the first half dozen stories are stand alones from various Marvel comics done as a test to see if the Defenders would work.
June 10, 2009
Reprints Dr. Strange #183, Sub-Mariner #22, 34-35, Incredible Hulk #126, Marvel Feature #1-3, Avengers #115-118, and Defenders #1-14. The anti-team of the Hulk, Namor, Dr. Strange, and Silver Surfer forms and the Defenders battle evil and even the Avengers. The idea of an anti-team isn't bad, but it doesn't seem much different than regular team books. The forming of the Defenders stories are a little clunky and the story picks up speed with the introduction of Valkyrie (and later Nighthawk).
May 14, 2009
A great book especially for a Defenders fan like myself
February 12, 2016
I read these comics way back when I was a kid. The Defenders are an iconic comic team. Great read and an important part of the Marvel comics mythos. Very recommended
March 23, 2012
Read this book, True Believer!
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