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Avengers (1963) #115-118
Avengers/Defenders War
While the Avengers are the world's mightiest heroes, the Defenders are a motley crew only united in times of crisis. Now these two team clash after being fooled by the trickster Loki and Dormammu into believing themselves to be enemies. Who will prevail when Silver Surfer clashes with The Vision, Namor challenges Captain America and the Hulk battles Thor.
Collects: Avengers #115-118, Defenders #8-11
Collects: Avengers #115-118, Defenders #8-11
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
9 people are currently reading
230 people want to read
About the author
Steve Englehart
1,395 books97 followersSee also John Harkness.
Steve Englehart went to Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. After a stint in the Army, he moved to New York and began to write for Marvel Comics. That led to long runs on Captain America, The Hulk, The Avengers, Dr. Strange, and a dozen other titles. Midway through that period he moved to California (where he remains), and met and married his wife Terry.
He was finally hired away from Marvel by DC Comics, to be their lead writer and revamp their core characters (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and Green Lantern). He did, but he also wrote a solo Batman series (immediately dubbed the "definitive" version) that later became Warner Brothers' first Batman film (the good one).
After that he left comics for a time, traveled in Europe for a year, wrote a novel (The Point Man™), and came back to design video games for Atari (E.T., Garfield). But he still liked comics, so he created Coyote™, which within its first year was rated one of America's ten best series. Other projects he owned (Scorpio Rose™, The Djinn™) were mixed with company series (Green Lantern [with Joe Staton], Silver Surfer, Fantastic Four). Meanwhile, he continued his game design for Activision, Electronic Arts, Sega, and Brøderbund.
And once he and Terry had their two sons, Alex and Eric, he naturally told them stories. Rustle's Christmas Adventure was first devised for them. He went on to add a run of mid-grade books to his bibliography, including the DNAgers™ adventure series, and Countdown to Flight, a biography of the Wright brothers selected by NASA as the basis for their school curriculum on the invention of the airplane.
In 1992 Steve was asked to co-create a comics pantheon called the Ultraverse. One of his contributions, The Night Man, became not only a successful comics series, but also a television show. That led to more Hollywood work, including animated series such as Street Fighter, GI Joe, and Team Atlantis for Disney.
Steve Englehart went to Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. After a stint in the Army, he moved to New York and began to write for Marvel Comics. That led to long runs on Captain America, The Hulk, The Avengers, Dr. Strange, and a dozen other titles. Midway through that period he moved to California (where he remains), and met and married his wife Terry.
He was finally hired away from Marvel by DC Comics, to be their lead writer and revamp their core characters (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, and Green Lantern). He did, but he also wrote a solo Batman series (immediately dubbed the "definitive" version) that later became Warner Brothers' first Batman film (the good one).
After that he left comics for a time, traveled in Europe for a year, wrote a novel (The Point Man™), and came back to design video games for Atari (E.T., Garfield). But he still liked comics, so he created Coyote™, which within its first year was rated one of America's ten best series. Other projects he owned (Scorpio Rose™, The Djinn™) were mixed with company series (Green Lantern [with Joe Staton], Silver Surfer, Fantastic Four). Meanwhile, he continued his game design for Activision, Electronic Arts, Sega, and Brøderbund.
And once he and Terry had their two sons, Alex and Eric, he naturally told them stories. Rustle's Christmas Adventure was first devised for them. He went on to add a run of mid-grade books to his bibliography, including the DNAgers™ adventure series, and Countdown to Flight, a biography of the Wright brothers selected by NASA as the basis for their school curriculum on the invention of the airplane.
In 1992 Steve was asked to co-create a comics pantheon called the Ultraverse. One of his contributions, The Night Man, became not only a successful comics series, but also a television show. That led to more Hollywood work, including animated series such as Street Fighter, GI Joe, and Team Atlantis for Disney.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
May 28, 2018
The Dread Dormammu and Loki conspire to dupe the Defenders into gathering the five fragments of The Evil Eye so that they can use it to cause the Dark Dimension from engulfing Earth. However, Loki has second thoughts and tells the Avengers The Defenders mean to use the Eye to rule the universe. Can even the impending doom of the universe stop The Avengers/Defenders War?
I've known about this crossover for years but never read it. Fortunately, the local V-Stock had a buy one get one free sale on their used graphic novels so I was finally able to read this piece of comics history on the cheap.
In the days of yore, aka the Silver Age of comics, crossovers were a rare thing and ones that spanned multiple issues of two titles were unheard of. Steve Englehart, who was writing both The Avengers and The Defenders at the time, cooked this one up.
At the time this was written, it was a pretty big deal. Like many crossovers, it's largely an excuse to have super heroes fight each other before settling things and going after the true villains. The Defenders split up to find the fragments of the Evil Eye and the Avengers split up to stop them, so there is a lot of hero on hero action. Vision and the Scarlet Witch battle the Silver Surfer, Iron Man battles Hawkeye, Doctor Strange takes on Black Panter and Mantis, Swordsman fights Valkyrie, Captain America battles Namor, and Thor goes one on one with the Hulk for the first time in a decade or so.
Once the dust settles, The Avengers and Defenders go after their common foes, Dormammu and Loki, but not before the Dark Dimension begins encroaching on earth. The final chapter, with Earth being overcome by the Dark Dimension, reminds me of the end of most Marvel movies and had the epic tone I'd been wanting the whole time I was reading the book.
The art is top notch for the time period. I wasn't bonkers for Steve Englehart's writing in this one, although it was fine for 1973. This was first time something of this scope was attempted so it was bound to be a little rocky. I think with the amount of characters Englehart was juggling, he did pretty well. I've read a lot of worse crossovers since then, some written fairly recently.
I don't think The Avengers/Defenders War stands the test of time as well as some other comics from the time period but it's an interesting milestone in the Marvel universe and I'm glad I read it. 3.5 out of five stars.
I've known about this crossover for years but never read it. Fortunately, the local V-Stock had a buy one get one free sale on their used graphic novels so I was finally able to read this piece of comics history on the cheap.
In the days of yore, aka the Silver Age of comics, crossovers were a rare thing and ones that spanned multiple issues of two titles were unheard of. Steve Englehart, who was writing both The Avengers and The Defenders at the time, cooked this one up.
At the time this was written, it was a pretty big deal. Like many crossovers, it's largely an excuse to have super heroes fight each other before settling things and going after the true villains. The Defenders split up to find the fragments of the Evil Eye and the Avengers split up to stop them, so there is a lot of hero on hero action. Vision and the Scarlet Witch battle the Silver Surfer, Iron Man battles Hawkeye, Doctor Strange takes on Black Panter and Mantis, Swordsman fights Valkyrie, Captain America battles Namor, and Thor goes one on one with the Hulk for the first time in a decade or so.
Once the dust settles, The Avengers and Defenders go after their common foes, Dormammu and Loki, but not before the Dark Dimension begins encroaching on earth. The final chapter, with Earth being overcome by the Dark Dimension, reminds me of the end of most Marvel movies and had the epic tone I'd been wanting the whole time I was reading the book.
The art is top notch for the time period. I wasn't bonkers for Steve Englehart's writing in this one, although it was fine for 1973. This was first time something of this scope was attempted so it was bound to be a little rocky. I think with the amount of characters Englehart was juggling, he did pretty well. I've read a lot of worse crossovers since then, some written fairly recently.
I don't think The Avengers/Defenders War stands the test of time as well as some other comics from the time period but it's an interesting milestone in the Marvel universe and I'm glad I read it. 3.5 out of five stars.
April 8, 2022
One of Marvel's first true crossovers. Steve Englehart was the writer of both The Avengers and The Defenders so he talked Roy Thomas into a true back and forth crossover between the two books for the summer of 1973. Of course, both teams are tricked into fighting one another, so we get one off fights between team members across the globe as they chase macguffins. Eventually they see through the ruse to go after Dormammu and Loki.
It's the Bronze Age, so the scripting is hokey and lengthy. The art and coloring are very good though making up for the stilted writing.
It's the Bronze Age, so the scripting is hokey and lengthy. The art and coloring are very good though making up for the stilted writing.
February 14, 2022
Story was light but the Hero battles were a highlight. Just seeing Hulk fight Thor makes for a good read
August 21, 2016
3 estrellas y media.
Es una historia más bien típica: el engaño de Loki y el demonio Dormannu provocan el enfrentamiento entre estos dos supergrupos.
Por lo que comenta Raimon Fonseca fue uno de los primeros crossovers entre dos colecciones, asumo que cuando aún predominaba el sentido de la grandeza y la aventura y no la "vil" comercialidad actual.
Como anécdota lo que le dijo Roy Thomas, director editorial, al guionista Steve Englehart, "que podía hacer lo que quisiera con sus títulos siempre y cuando hiciese que se vendieran y las entregas estuvieran a tiempo". Una libertad creativa que de buen seguro no gozan la mayoría de guionistas Marvel actuales.
El valor de clásico en este caso decanta mi valoración a 4 estrellas, a falta de decimales ;-)
Es una historia más bien típica: el engaño de Loki y el demonio Dormannu provocan el enfrentamiento entre estos dos supergrupos.
Por lo que comenta Raimon Fonseca fue uno de los primeros crossovers entre dos colecciones, asumo que cuando aún predominaba el sentido de la grandeza y la aventura y no la "vil" comercialidad actual.
Como anécdota lo que le dijo Roy Thomas, director editorial, al guionista Steve Englehart, "que podía hacer lo que quisiera con sus títulos siempre y cuando hiciese que se vendieran y las entregas estuvieran a tiempo". Una libertad creativa que de buen seguro no gozan la mayoría de guionistas Marvel actuales.
El valor de clásico en este caso decanta mi valoración a 4 estrellas, a falta de decimales ;-)
April 28, 2020
Aventura clásica de inicios de los setenta en la que la búsqueda de los fragmentos de un artefacto con el objeto de usarlo para salvar al caballero negro sirve como excusa para que los vengadores y los defensores se enzarcen en diversos enfrentamientos entre sí a lo largo del mundo.
Estamos ante un típico ejemplo de tebeo de puñetazos de la vieja escuela, la trama es una mera excusa para poner las cosas en marcha y separar a los personajes en enfrentamientos más o menos equilibrados, es una fórmula (separación de grupos - enfrentamiento de superhéroes - reunión - reconciliación al conocer el plan oculto - enfrentamiento conjunto contra el enemigo común) usada miles de veces en cómics de superheroes y que quizás si se usara en un cómic actual no se pasaría por alto con tanta facilidad. En todo caso el tebeo es entretenido y la lectura es ágil para lo que se solía estilar en aquellos tiempos, de hecho lo prefiero a otras sagas en principio más elaboradas pero fallidas en su ejecución de esta época, esta historia es lo que es, pero cumple su función de servir de entretenimiento sin mayores pretensiones.
Estamos ante un típico ejemplo de tebeo de puñetazos de la vieja escuela, la trama es una mera excusa para poner las cosas en marcha y separar a los personajes en enfrentamientos más o menos equilibrados, es una fórmula (separación de grupos - enfrentamiento de superhéroes - reunión - reconciliación al conocer el plan oculto - enfrentamiento conjunto contra el enemigo común) usada miles de veces en cómics de superheroes y que quizás si se usara en un cómic actual no se pasaría por alto con tanta facilidad. En todo caso el tebeo es entretenido y la lectura es ágil para lo que se solía estilar en aquellos tiempos, de hecho lo prefiero a otras sagas en principio más elaboradas pero fallidas en su ejecución de esta época, esta historia es lo que es, pero cumple su función de servir de entretenimiento sin mayores pretensiones.
March 1, 2013
Ah, the joys of my misspent youth... I remember reading this crossover series when it first came out in 1973, thinking it was probably the greatest, grandest epic of all time. (Well, I was 11...)
Now, many years later, I can see the problems with the Avengers/Defenders War: a paint-by-numbers plot, unimaginative artwork, fights that aren't very exciting or satisfying (Thor vs. the Hulk should be a GREAT fight! But this is what we get????), and a resolution that is the most anticlimactic I can recall from 40 years of reading comics. Many comics from the Silver and Bronze Ages still hold up. This series, unfortunately, does not.
Now, many years later, I can see the problems with the Avengers/Defenders War: a paint-by-numbers plot, unimaginative artwork, fights that aren't very exciting or satisfying (Thor vs. the Hulk should be a GREAT fight! But this is what we get????), and a resolution that is the most anticlimactic I can recall from 40 years of reading comics. Many comics from the Silver and Bronze Ages still hold up. This series, unfortunately, does not.
December 8, 2011
Don't be fooled by the cover. These are reprints of an old avengers/defenders story arc from back when comics cost 20 cents apiece. Dormammu and Loki team up to force the avengers and defenders to fight each other while obtaining the pieces of an evil eye.
The art is pretty bad, the writing is very basic, and the coloring sometimes washes out on some of the pages. This isn't particularly a good story arc either, and really only can be recommended if you are into 1970s style comics. Might give some people a little nostalgia, but it was really hard to not give it one star.
The art is pretty bad, the writing is very basic, and the coloring sometimes washes out on some of the pages. This isn't particularly a good story arc either, and really only can be recommended if you are into 1970s style comics. Might give some people a little nostalgia, but it was really hard to not give it one star.
August 29, 2018
Oh wow, it's always special to read these old comics.. the way the dialogues and monologues are set up - especially the number of monologues.. You don't see that anymore these days :) (Hated the way Loki talked though.. damn, that annoyed me!)
Still a fun story to read though!! Haven't read anything about the avengers (nor the defenders) before. And seeing who is in both these groups I was a bit shocked as I know both teams from the current movies/series (and who the heck is Sub-Mariner :)).. But of course, all groups need new members throughout the ages ;)
I was definitely happy with the groups as they were, and the clashes between them, like Hulk vs. Thor or Hawkeye vs Tony and so on..
Oh, and what happens next.. my, there's so much more.. But I won't go to far into the story, since I don't like giving spoilers - and normally keep short reviews too :p
So, just to conclude: All in all a decent read!
Still a fun story to read though!! Haven't read anything about the avengers (nor the defenders) before. And seeing who is in both these groups I was a bit shocked as I know both teams from the current movies/series (and who the heck is Sub-Mariner :)).. But of course, all groups need new members throughout the ages ;)
I was definitely happy with the groups as they were, and the clashes between them, like Hulk vs. Thor or Hawkeye vs Tony and so on..
Oh, and what happens next.. my, there's so much more.. But I won't go to far into the story, since I don't like giving spoilers - and normally keep short reviews too :p
So, just to conclude: All in all a decent read!
February 13, 2012
One of first big crossover stories, that originally stretched between the two teams comics, is now collected into one volume. Read now, with the knowledge of the thirty years of 'events' that came after it, there is a 'by the numbers' feel to the story, but on the pure 'comic geek' level it is full of 'oh, cool!' moments, as the various heroes are paired off and must either fight each other or work together and various story threads from several Marvel stories are drawn together and touched on.
At the time, comics would get cancelled and when the writers moved on, they'd try to wrap up the previous story in their new writing gig and it made from some good stories and pairings of ideas that might not originally happened.
Plus, it is nice to see a big event that focuses on telling just a big, cool comic story and not trying to cope with real world issues, make a point or play politics.
At the time, comics would get cancelled and when the writers moved on, they'd try to wrap up the previous story in their new writing gig and it made from some good stories and pairings of ideas that might not originally happened.
Plus, it is nice to see a big event that focuses on telling just a big, cool comic story and not trying to cope with real world issues, make a point or play politics.
June 20, 2018
Everything included in this book is also included in Essential Defenders #1, except for a mediocre Avengers issue that kicks off the collection. The advantage here is the full-color renderings. The Sal Buscema art is amazing and the Steve Englehart stories are loads of fun.
May 1, 2021
AVENGERS #115-118, DEFENDERS #8-10 (The Avengers/Defenders War)
*Note: A nifty READING-ORDER is provided at the end of this review
This is one of the most brilliantly simple yet effective concepts in the history of comic books. To celebrate the Avengers 10th Anniversary, Steve Englehart has crafted one of the most genuinely well plotted storylines of Bronze Age Marvel comics. Considering how bad that decade reeked, of generally worse stories and straight-up casual racism, it’s nice to see an improvement.
The premise is simple; Loki, the first villain the Avengers ever faced (see the callback?), has manipulated the Defenders and Avengers into thinking the other team is trying to take over the world; that they have to capture a world-ending macguffin before the other team can use it. But the way this simple idea is executed is brilliant; the storyline’s individual chapters are simultaneously published BACK TO BACK in both the Avengers and Defenders comic books.
I always like how the old Marvel comics use this technique, as it really helps give the narrative universe a sense of scale; suddenly you’re jumping from this part of the world over here (ie New York USA) to this other part of the world over here (ie Soho England). Here, that technique really helps set the tone of a globetrotting thriller, as both teams are racing against time to stop the other from “conquering” the world.
All in all, the best possible way a 10th anniversary storyline could have gone. It honors and calls back to where the story started, while also telling a new story that continues to push the envelope with new ideas.
READING ORDER
-Avengers #115
-Defenders #8
-Avengers #116
-Defenders #9
-Avengers #117
-Defenders #10
-Avengers #118
*Note: A nifty READING-ORDER is provided at the end of this review
This is one of the most brilliantly simple yet effective concepts in the history of comic books. To celebrate the Avengers 10th Anniversary, Steve Englehart has crafted one of the most genuinely well plotted storylines of Bronze Age Marvel comics. Considering how bad that decade reeked, of generally worse stories and straight-up casual racism, it’s nice to see an improvement.
The premise is simple; Loki, the first villain the Avengers ever faced (see the callback?), has manipulated the Defenders and Avengers into thinking the other team is trying to take over the world; that they have to capture a world-ending macguffin before the other team can use it. But the way this simple idea is executed is brilliant; the storyline’s individual chapters are simultaneously published BACK TO BACK in both the Avengers and Defenders comic books.
I always like how the old Marvel comics use this technique, as it really helps give the narrative universe a sense of scale; suddenly you’re jumping from this part of the world over here (ie New York USA) to this other part of the world over here (ie Soho England). Here, that technique really helps set the tone of a globetrotting thriller, as both teams are racing against time to stop the other from “conquering” the world.
All in all, the best possible way a 10th anniversary storyline could have gone. It honors and calls back to where the story started, while also telling a new story that continues to push the envelope with new ideas.
READING ORDER
-Avengers #115
-Defenders #8
-Avengers #116
-Defenders #9
-Avengers #117
-Defenders #10
-Avengers #118
August 30, 2021
Collects Avengers #115-118 & Defenders #8-11 in what might be the first Marvel Cross-Over event. In his introduction, writer Steve Englehart states that things were much looser at Marvel in the early 70s. In fact, he could do whatever he wanted as long as the material was in on time and adhered to the Comics Code Authority. The author states what he truly missed in the comics industry at the time as the lack of an Annual – a double sized adventure put out in the summer. They eventually were reinstated but were defunct when Englehart began, so he deiced to create a de facto Annual by taking over six issues (really seven issues) of two of this title. This was so successful that it eventually set off a trend across the entire industry.
While ground breaking as this event was, the story is pretty standard a McGuffin is broken inbto various parts and scattered around the globe and both groups – The Defenders and Avengers – are manipulated into rqacing to collect the pieces, before the real enemy – in this case Loki and Dormamu – are revealed, then both groups team up to defeat this now almost insurmountable evil. Remember the average comic reader was a young boy, so the story, dialogue, and plotting it gears to that demographic. Still it was fun. The Avengers at this time consisted of Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Mantis and The Swordsman. While the Defenders – the infamous non-team – rostered Dr. Strange, Hulk, Namor, Hawkeye, The Valkyrie, and the Silver Surfer.
While ground breaking as this event was, the story is pretty standard a McGuffin is broken inbto various parts and scattered around the globe and both groups – The Defenders and Avengers – are manipulated into rqacing to collect the pieces, before the real enemy – in this case Loki and Dormamu – are revealed, then both groups team up to defeat this now almost insurmountable evil. Remember the average comic reader was a young boy, so the story, dialogue, and plotting it gears to that demographic. Still it was fun. The Avengers at this time consisted of Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Mantis and The Swordsman. While the Defenders – the infamous non-team – rostered Dr. Strange, Hulk, Namor, Hawkeye, The Valkyrie, and the Silver Surfer.
September 21, 2023
The Avengers/Defenders War is a funny one.
It's great to see the well-established Avengers take on the newly-formed team of loners, the Defenders. What's funny is that the Defenders pretty much wipe the floor with the Avengers at every turn. It makes sense though, when each battle is one-on-one and you're facing such powerful heroes as Dr. Strange, Namor, Silver Surfer and the Hulk.
It's the same age-old story though. The two teams are secretly pit against one another by big bads (in this case Loki and Dormammu) and after a bunch of fights they realise this, team up, confront them, and save the world. It was probably quite novel at the time, but I've read so many similar stories over the years that it's lost some of its effectiveness.
As for the artwork, it's pretty decent. Bob Brown handles the Avengers issues and Sal Buscema handles the Defenders ones.
Definitely worth checking out for fans of Bronze Age comic books.
It's great to see the well-established Avengers take on the newly-formed team of loners, the Defenders. What's funny is that the Defenders pretty much wipe the floor with the Avengers at every turn. It makes sense though, when each battle is one-on-one and you're facing such powerful heroes as Dr. Strange, Namor, Silver Surfer and the Hulk.
It's the same age-old story though. The two teams are secretly pit against one another by big bads (in this case Loki and Dormammu) and after a bunch of fights they realise this, team up, confront them, and save the world. It was probably quite novel at the time, but I've read so many similar stories over the years that it's lost some of its effectiveness.
As for the artwork, it's pretty decent. Bob Brown handles the Avengers issues and Sal Buscema handles the Defenders ones.
Definitely worth checking out for fans of Bronze Age comic books.
February 7, 2019
I would have loved this when I was a kid. so much of it is nothing more than the classic game of 'who would win a fight between x and x?' Thor vs Hulk! Captain America vs Sub-Mariner! Swordsman vs Valkerie! Dr. Strange vs Black Panther and Manthis! Iron Man vs Hawkeye! Ok I don't know who some of those characters are but its still a whole lot of fun watching the scenarios play out. The rest of the story is ok. Typical super bad guy wants to rule the world stuff, though he does pit the Avengers versus the Defenders as the title says which gives us all those wonderful fights so that's cool. As an adult its all a little bit silly, but the kid in me loved it.
October 20, 2021
(3.5) This one's on the lower side of 3.5 stars. I'm continuing my journey through the big events of Marvel history. Those that I can afford, at the very least. Here we have a wonderful little tale from Steve Englehart with great accompanying art from Sal Buscema and Bob Brown. There's a lot happening in this quick-paced story, keeping it an easy and enjoyable read that encapsulates the storytelling and willfully campy dialogue of the era. It is, of course, aged, though I think if one's looking to read the older tales this is certainly one to check out. Plus, it's the only story with Dormammu I've ever read, so that's kinda neat
September 13, 2022
Entiendo la importancia de esta historia porque es uno de los primeros crossovers y, si no me equivoco, el primero que abarca más de una colección, yendo y viniendo entre los issues de Avengers y Defenders. Además se nota que está bastante mejor pensado que la guerra Kree Skrull, que es otro de los grandes eventos que se me ocurre por esa época.
Pero, como muchos de los comics de esa época, a veces se hace muy largo y repetitivo, con diálogos eternos y muchísimo texto, al nivel en el que en uno de los issues de The Defenders, usaron todo un panel para resumir lo que pasó en el anterior.
Igual estuvo interesante y sienta las bases para los futuros crossovers.
Pero, como muchos de los comics de esa época, a veces se hace muy largo y repetitivo, con diálogos eternos y muchísimo texto, al nivel en el que en uno de los issues de The Defenders, usaron todo un panel para resumir lo que pasó en el anterior.
Igual estuvo interesante y sienta las bases para los futuros crossovers.
December 15, 2022
I grew up reading my cousin's cast off marvel comics. I loved this story. To quote RDJ's Iron Man some of the writing is a bit Shakespeare in the park. The ending is a bit daft but this is a glorious comic book story.
June 7, 2017
Wow, this is terrible. This kind of poor writing is why I quit comics for a long time.
December 9, 2018
This comic is very fantastic.
May 26, 2019
Definitely a fun little piece of Marvel history, but it's not going to change your life. I think you basically already know whether you'll enjoy this or not.
May 29, 2019
C'est kitsch et bourré de facilité scenaristiques.
June 4, 2022
The first extended crossover story still holds up pretty well today, although if being tackled now wouldn't be so tightly written.
November 24, 2022
Lxlzlzl
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2017
This catalogs the comic books cross over that really got me into comic books. I love it.
March 4, 2017
I finished this a while ago and forget to review it at the time...
Now, although I can remember the basics (and, of course, work out the result), I can't remember and specific details. Which means I giving this 2.5–3 stars because while I can't remember anything great about it, neither can I remember anything bad about it.
I'm erring on the 3 side because this is one of those ensemble comics where they split up into teams, which means all the characters get some time to show their stuff and do some character development. Some of the later ensemble comic books have far too many characters, many of whom never even get any dialogue.
Now, although I can remember the basics (and, of course, work out the result), I can't remember and specific details. Which means I giving this 2.5–3 stars because while I can't remember anything great about it, neither can I remember anything bad about it.
I'm erring on the 3 side because this is one of those ensemble comics where they split up into teams, which means all the characters get some time to show their stuff and do some character development. Some of the later ensemble comic books have far too many characters, many of whom never even get any dialogue.
January 5, 2023
This is a big one. One of the first huge crossovers in Marvel’s history (not the first, but it’s one of the big ones). Steve Englehart balances the task of keeping all 6 Defenders (Doctor Strange, Hulk, Namor, Silver Surfer, Valkyrie, Hawkeye) and all 8 Avengers (Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Mantis, Swordsman, Black Panther, Scarlet Witch, Vision) as well as Nick Fury and his agents of SHIELD, Black Knight, the Watcher, and some cameos by the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Luke Cage, Ghost Rider, Man-Thing, Ka-Zar, Doctor Doom, Dracula, Adam Warlock and the Inhumans all in character pretty well, a couple slips, but over all well done. The art is also pretty well handled, Sal Buscema continues his stellar run on with the Defenders and while Bob Brown isn’t my favorite artist, he does a excellent job with his Avengers chapters. This is definitely something that will likely only appeal to fans of the superhero genre and Marvel Zombies (like myself), but it’s a fun and entertaining read.
October 13, 2016
I remember reading some of this as a kid. I could never find the back-issues, but seeing my favorite heroes in fighting one another was too good to pass up.
The book starts off in between a few different story arcs and, reading it now, you can see how the conflict is shoehorned in. I know it was the style back then, but I would have preferred better build up and resolution rather than going from one storyline to another within the same issue. As a kid I didn't mind much, but as an adult it feels rushed. (Amusingly enough, the Watcher shows up and comments on this very thing.)
The artwork is pretty good (especially from a classic artist like Sal Buscema) and very much a product of it's time. The story itself is pretty exciting, but only if you're okay reading a lot of the Marvel-style (i.e. classic Stan Lee) exposition. Keep an eye out for issues drawn by Bob Brown. He kills it on some of the fight scenes, but he draws Hulk smaller than some of the other characters... At least you can play the "Spot the Hulk" game like I did...
Rated four stars because it wasn't as good as I remembered it, but definitely a classic for the first "superhero team brawl" event that Marvel has done (and beat to death in modern times).
The book starts off in between a few different story arcs and, reading it now, you can see how the conflict is shoehorned in. I know it was the style back then, but I would have preferred better build up and resolution rather than going from one storyline to another within the same issue. As a kid I didn't mind much, but as an adult it feels rushed. (Amusingly enough, the Watcher shows up and comments on this very thing.)
The artwork is pretty good (especially from a classic artist like Sal Buscema) and very much a product of it's time. The story itself is pretty exciting, but only if you're okay reading a lot of the Marvel-style (i.e. classic Stan Lee) exposition. Keep an eye out for issues drawn by Bob Brown. He kills it on some of the fight scenes, but he draws Hulk smaller than some of the other characters... At least you can play the "Spot the Hulk" game like I did...
Rated four stars because it wasn't as good as I remembered it, but definitely a classic for the first "superhero team brawl" event that Marvel has done (and beat to death in modern times).
July 30, 2012
Extremely contrived crossover that spanned the Avengers and Defenders titles in 1973. Dormammu, looking for a loophole by which he can invade Earth (he had promised Doctor Strange that he wouldn't), tricks the Defenders into retrieving for him parts of a magical artifact. Sensing duplicity, his erstwhile ally Loki tells the Avengers that the Defenders are a threat to the planet...and they believe him! (Loki, of course, is well-known as the god of lies and mischief; it was his trickery that brought the Avengers together in the first place, and Thor had just defeated him in battle before this story began.) Several ill-conceived battles ensue. The writing might be acceptable for very young readers but is otherwise embarrassing, and even Sal Buscema's art is not as good as it usually is. Two stars for a vague sense of nostalgia.
April 7, 2013
This was one of the classic Marvel stories I had heard/read about since I was a kid, but had never read,and so when I saw a nice used hardcover copy cheap, i picked it up, so I could finally read it.
First off I have to say I loved it. I wish I had the pleasure of reading it back in 1973, because I am sure the Thor/Hulk fight would have blown my mind. (Sadly I was not born until 1978) I know some modern fans might find it hard to read if they are not accustomed to how comics were written back then, But I suggest any Avengers/Defenders fan, or fans of comic history to pick it up. Steve Engleheart is a solid writer and Saal Buscema, though not as good as his brother, is a fantastic artist. The low point for me are the issues Bob Brown drew. Just don't like his art.
Again pick this up, it is a wonderful piece of nostalgia.
First off I have to say I loved it. I wish I had the pleasure of reading it back in 1973, because I am sure the Thor/Hulk fight would have blown my mind. (Sadly I was not born until 1978) I know some modern fans might find it hard to read if they are not accustomed to how comics were written back then, But I suggest any Avengers/Defenders fan, or fans of comic history to pick it up. Steve Engleheart is a solid writer and Saal Buscema, though not as good as his brother, is a fantastic artist. The low point for me are the issues Bob Brown drew. Just don't like his art.
Again pick this up, it is a wonderful piece of nostalgia.
July 4, 2016
Avengers and Defenders villains team up to set the Avengers and Defenders at each other’s throats. That’s pretty much it; the entire premise for the original comics summer blockbuster series. It’s a big excuse to have superheroes scrapping in exotic locations; the precursor of the AvX sidelines of the Avengers vs X-Men summer event of 2012. What’s genuinely annoying is that the macguffin of the whole piece is resolved in an offhanded way which renders the whole scrap we watched pointless. There’s a great story in here but it’s understandably shoved aside for the cheap thrills of people in silly costumes beating each other up – that was the point of superhero comics at the time. And bless Sal Buscema and Bob Brown for their monthly treadmill but designating their work as classic doesn’t change the fact that it’s really workmanlike stuff.
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