Essentially, the Defenders are a motley crew of superheroes that cannot hold a solo title in the current market, so they are brought together in the hopes of a successful team title. Several incarnations of the Defenders have existed over the decades, but a few of the members have become staples to the odd team-up. The core individuals that compose the mash-up include: Doctor Strange, Namor the Sub-Mariner, and the Silver Surfer; in its current iteration Doctor Strange,Namor, the Silver Surfer, Red She-Hulk, and Iron Fist are all gathered together by the Hulk to take on a new nemesis.
This time around the group is called in an effort to take down the Black Hulk—a byproduct of the Hulk’s involvement concerning Nul’s mystical hammer in last summer’s event,Fear Itself. Because the Hulk is too close the issue at hand he is used merely as a catalyst to bring the group together and then steps back in order to let the new Defenders face the problem head on.
The first issue does a great job of introducing all the characters and setting up a ‘plausible’ explanation for the joining of such a usual assortment of characters. Doctor Strange is a little less likeable and forthcoming in this comic, but it is still apparent that he is their leader. Namor is a jerk like always, but honestly that is what makes Namor, well…Namor. The Silver Surfer is mysterious and philosophical, and the brief banter between him and Namor is pretty amusing. Red She-Hulk is a good inclusion and adds a great layer to the already interesting dynamic; she seems just as troubled as Doctor Strange and I will be looking forward to the development between the two stoically, flawed characters. Also, included in the newly formed team is Iron Fist. He seems intrigued by the new threat, but as a whole fairly laissez faire about his team members—they are merely a distraction to him and his comic book reading time.
The writing is excellently executed and Matt Fraction does a wonderful job setting up the team and sending them on their path. I found a couple of discontinuities between Fraction’sMighty Thor and the first issue of the Defenders, but nothing that ‘breaks’ the comic. Overall, the art is solid. The Hulk’scharacter model looks a little ‘off’ in my opinion, and that very well could be because I have taken to Marc Silvestri’sbearded rendition of the Hulk in the fourth volume of theIncredible Hulk. However, I thought that they sequences involving Namor and the Silver Surfer were incredibly well crafted.
All in all I thought that it was an excellent foray into the rebooted series and I am curious to see how the group’s dynamic will evolve as the heroes spend more-and-more time with one another during their travels. I rate Defenders #1four-out-of-five stars.
Pick up the first issue of the Defenders at your friendly, Spokane Merlyn’s Sci-fi and Fantasy Store located at 19 W. Main Street in downtown Spokane, or at one of the three local Hastings spread throughout the city.
WATCH The Defenders #1 (2011) FULL MOVIE ONLINE STREAMING
