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The Defenders (comic book)

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For the superhero team featured in these comics, see Defenders (comics).
The Defenders
The Defenders #34.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
FormatOngoing series
GenreSuperhero
Publication date(Vol. 1): 1972-1986
No. of issues(Vol. 1): 152
Main character(s)Defenders

The Defenders is the name of several comic book titles featuring the team the Defenders and published by Marvel Comics, beginning with the original The Defenders comic book series which debuted in 1972.

Publication history

[edit]

The Defenders first appeared as a feature in Marvel Feature #1 (December 1971).[1] Due to the popularity of their tryout in Marvel Feature, Marvel soon began publishing The Defenders.[2] Writer Steve Englehart has stated that he added the Valkyrie to the Defenders in issue #4 "to provide some texture to the group."[3] Englehart wrote "The Avengers–Defenders War" crossover in The Avengers #116–118 (October–December 1973) and The Defenders #9–11 (October–December 1973).[4] Len Wein briefly wrote the series,[5] and later became the editor for several issues.

Steve Gerber first worked on the characters in Giant-Size Defenders #3 (January 1975) and became the writer of the main title with issue #20 the following month.[6] He wrote the series until issue #41 (November 1976).[7] In 2010, Comics Bulletin ranked Gerber and Sal Buscema's run on The Defenders first on its list of the "Top 10 1970s Marvels".[8]

David Anthony Kraft's run as writer[9] included "The Scorpio Saga" (issues #46, 48–50) and the "Xenogenesis: Day of the Demons" storyline (issues #58–60).[10] Kraft later recalled that reactions to the off-beat humor in his "Defender for a Day" storyline in issues #62–64 were polarized: "readers were either wildly enthusiastic or absolutely and very utterly appalled."[11]

Steven Grant wrote a conclusion to Steve Gerber's Omega the Unknown series in two issues of The Defenders,[12][13][14] at the end of which most of the original series' characters were killed.

Writer J. M. DeMatteis took over the series with issue #92. Coming from a background of writing eight-page horror shorts for DC Comics, DeMatteis found it a struggle to adapt to writing a 22-page superhero comic on a monthly basis.[15] He and Mark Gruenwald co-wrote The Defenders #107–109 (May–July 1982).[16][17][18][19] While working on the series, DeMatteis developed a strong friendship with penciler Don Perlin,[15] who would draw the series for nearly half its run. Perlin later commented, "It turned out to be a real fun book because you got a chance to draw almost every character Marvel had at one time or another."[20] He has also stated that Kim DeMulder, who inked issues #122-144 apart from a few fill-ins, is his preferred inker after himself. .[21]

During his run, Perlin recalled, he became what he has characterized as "the first guy, unwittingly, to put profanity in [Comics Code-approved] comics":

This happened in one [issue] of The Defenders. There was a character in there who was a lawyer for the Defenders and his gimmick was that no matter where you saw him in his office, there had to be a TV set on—he was always watching TV. And while I was drawing one of the panels I was listening to a talk show and there was someone on telling how bad cereals for kids were—they were all loaded with sugar. So I drew a picture on the TV of a bunny rabbit holding a box of cereal and across the label where the name of the cereal would be I pencilled in "shit". So I figured, because I used to write nutty comments in the borders and stuff, I thought they'd get a laugh out of it and change it. So they gave it to [Peru-born inker] Pablo Marcos and I don’t know if he knew how to read English or not but he inked it. I walked in one day [to Marvel] ... and [editor-in-chief Jim] Shooter started yelling, "What did you do? Look at it! They called me upstairs and showed me this," and I said, "Wait a minute. That thing goes through an assistant editor, an editor, a proofreader and then you’re supposed to read it. And no one picked it up so don't blame me." So what happened was he said fine, just don't write anymore comments on your pages.[21]

The New Defenders

[edit]

Suffering from creative burnout on the series, DeMatteis felt a change was needed.[15] As of issue #125, The Defenders was retitled to The New Defenders as the original four members (Doctor Strange, the Silver Surfer, the Hulk, and Namor) are forced to leave the team.[22] The "New Defenders" concept provided a substantial boost to the series's sales, but left DeMatteis in a creative drought, as he realized in retrospect that "...I created a book that was exactly the kind of the thing that I hated to write. I made it into a standard superhero team..."[15] DeMatteis stayed on for only six issues of The New Defenders before turning it over to writer Peter Gillis.

The series's final issue was The New Defenders #152.[23] Penciler Don Perlin recounted "[Editor] Carl Potts he took me and Peter Gillis to lunch. We went to an Indian restaurant... He said, ‘They canceled the book.’"[24]

Secret Defenders

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In 1993, Marvel sought to revive the "Defenders" brand as "The Secret Defenders". The new team first appeared, unofficially, in Dr. Strange #50 and later Fantastic Four #374, before being officially introduced in Secret Defenders #1.[25][26]

Reunion and The Order

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In 2001–2002, The Defenders reunited in The Defenders volume 2 #1–12 created by Kurt Busiek and Erik Larsen, immediately followed by The Order #1–6. A fill-in issue set between these two series was published in 2011.

2005 Mini-series

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A Defenders five-issue mini-series debuted in July 2005, by Keith Giffen, J. M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire (as a team, best known for their work on DC's Justice League franchise), featuring Doctor Strange attempting to reunite the original four Defenders to battle Dormammu and Umar. This series focuses mostly on humor as the characters spend most of their time arguing with and criticizing one another. The series was later collected into both hardcover and trade paperback collections, entitled Defenders: Indefensible.

The Last Defenders

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In 2008 Joe Casey wrote a new miniseries with a new line-up of Defenders as a result of the Super-Human Registration Act and the events of the Civil War.[27]

2011 series

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Marvel launched a new Defenders series in December 2011, written by Matt Fraction and drawn by Terry Dodson. The new book features Doctor Strange, Red She-Hulk, Namor, the Silver Surfer and Iron Fist. The new series follows the reunion of the Defenders in Fear Itself: The Deep.[28] The series was cancelled at issue #12.

The Fearless Defenders

[edit]
Main article: Fearless Defenders

February 2013 saw the debut of The Fearless Defenders, a series written by Cullen Bunn with artwork by Will Sliney. Bunn said that he had wanted to write the series, which centers on a new team of Valkyrior, led by Valkyrie and Misty Knight, after writing Fear Itself: The Fearless. It was suggested to him that it should run as a Defenders title, however Bunn explained that beyond the name there is "little connection" to the Defenders.[29]

2017 series

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In August 2017, Marvel launched a new Defenders comic book series starring Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist, based on the Netflix incarnation of the team.[30]

2021 series

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In August 2021, Marvel launched a new Defenders series.[31]

Contributors

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Vol. 1 (1972–1986)

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Writers

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Years Writer Issues
1972-1973 Steve Englehart #1–11
1973, 1974-1975 Len Wein #7, #12-19
1975, 1978 Chris Claremont #19, #57
1975-1976 Steve Gerber #20–29, #31–41, Annual #1
1975 Bill Mantlo #30
1976-1977, 1978 Gerry Conway #42-45, #57
1977 Roger Slifer #44-47
1977-1979, 1980 David Anthony Kraft #44–56, #58–68, #89
1977 John Warner #47
1977 Don McGregor #48
1978-1981 Ed Hannigan #59, #67-68, #70-75, #78-91
1979 Jo Duffy #69
1979 Jim Shooter #69
1979, 1980, 1983 Steven Grant #76-77, #89, #119
1979, 1980, 1982 Mark Gruenwald #77, #89, #108-109, #111
1981-1984 J. M. DeMatteis #92-118, #120-131
1982-1983 Don Perlin #113-114, #121
1984-1986 Peter B. Gillis #131-152

Pencilers

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Years Penciler Issues
1972-1976, 1978, 1983-1985 Sal Buscema #1–29, #31–41, #62–64, #119, #127, #148, Annual #1
1975 Sam Grainger #30
1976-1977 Keith Giffen #42-54
1977 Michael Golden #53-54
1977-1978 Dave Cockrum #53, #57
1978 Carmine Infantino #55-56
1978 George Tuska #57
1978-1979, 1980 Ed Hannigan #58-61, #66-67, #79
1978, 1980-1986 Don Perlin #65, #82-118, #120–125, #129, #132, #134–145, #147, #149–152
1979-1980 Herb Trimpe #68-81
1983-1984 Alan Kupperberg #126, #128, #131, #133
1984 Mike Zeck #130
1985 Luke McDonnell #146

Collected editions

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Marvel Masterworks Defenders

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Title Material collected Year ISBN
Volume 1 Sub-Mariner #34–35, Marvel Feature #1–3, The Defenders #1–6 2008 ISBN 978-0785130444
Volume 2 The Defenders #7–16, Giant-Size Defenders #1, The Avengers #115–118 2011 ISBN 978-0785142164
Volume 3 The Defenders #17–21, Giant-Size Defenders #2–4, Marvel Two-In-One #6–7 2012 ISBN 978-0785159612
Volume 4 The Defenders #22–30, Giant-Size Defenders #5, Marvel Super-Heroes #18 2014 ISBN 978-0785166276
Volume 5 The Defenders #31–41, The Defenders Annual #1, Marvel Treasury Edition #12 2015 ISBN 978-0785191827
Volume 6 The Defenders #42-57, material From FOOM #19 2018 ISBN 978-1302909581
Volume 7 The Defenders #58-75, material From Marvel Treasury Edition #16 2020 ISBN 978-1302922269
Volume 8 The Defenders #76-91, material from Tales to Astonish #13 2022 ISBN 978-1302933302
Volume 9 The Defenders #92-102, Marvel Team-Up #101 2024

Defenders Omnibus

[edit]
Title Material collected Year ISBN
Volume 1 Sub-Mariner #34–35, Marvel Feature #1–3, The Defenders #1–19, Giant-Size Defenders #1-2, The Avengers #115–118 2021 ISBN 978-1302928599
Volume 2 The Defenders #20-41 and Annual #1, Giant-Size Defenders #3-5, Marvel Two-in-One #6-7 and Marvel Treasury Edition #12, plus material from Mystery Tales #21, World of Fantasy #11 and Tales of Suspence #9 2023 ISBN 978-1302948771

Essential Defenders

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Title Material collected Year ISBN
Volume 1 The Defenders #1–14, Doctor Strange #183, Sub-Mariner #22, 34–35, The Incredible Hulk #126,
Marvel Feature #1–3, and The Avengers #115–118 		2005 ISBN 978-0785115472
Volume 2 The Defenders #15–30, Giant-Size Defenders #1–5, Marvel Two-in-One #6–7, Marvel Team-Up #33–35,
and Marvel Treasury Edition #12 		2006 ISBN 978-0785121503
Volume 3 The Defenders #31–60 and The Defenders Annual #1 2007 ISBN 978-0785126966
Volume 4 The Defenders #61–91 2008 ISBN 978-0785130611
Volume 5 The Defenders #92–106, Marvel Team-Up #101, 111, 116, Captain America #268 2010 ISBN 978-0785145370
Volume 6 The Defenders #107–124, The New Defenders #125, The Avengers Annual #11,
Marvel Team-Up #119 		2011 ISBN 978-0785157540
Volume 7 The New Defenders #126–139, Iceman #1–4, Beauty and the Beast #1–4 2013 ISBN 978-0785184058

Marvel Epic collections

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Title Volume Material collected Year ISBN
The Defenders: Day of the Defenders 1 Doctor Strange #183; Sub-Mariner #22, 34-35; Incredible Hulk #126; Marvel Feature #1-3; Defenders #1-11; Avengers #116-118; material from Avengers #115 2022 ISBN 978-1302933562
The Defenders: The Six Fingered Hand 6 The Defenders #92-109; Marvel Team-Up #101;
Captain America #268 		2016 ISBN 978-0785195993
The Defenders: Ashes To Ashes 7 The Defenders #110-125; Avengers Annual #11
 2017 ISBN 978-1302904289
The Defenders: The New Defenders 8 The Defenders #126–137; Iceman #1–4; Beauty and the Beast #1–4
2018 ISBN 978-1302912031
The Defenders: The End Of All Songs 9 The Defenders #138–152; Gargoyle #1–4
2019 ISBN 978-1302920708

Other Volume One collected editions

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Title Material collected Year ISBN
The Defenders: Tournament of Heroes The Defenders #62-65 2012
Omega the Unknown Classic Omega the Unknown #1-10 and The Defenders #76-77 2006 978-0785120094
Avengers/Defenders War The Defenders #8–11 and The Avengers #115–118 2002 (TPB)
2007 (HC) 		978-0785108443 (TPB)
978-0785127598 (HC)
The New Defenders Volume 1 The Defenders #122–124 and The New Defenders #125–131 2012 978-0785162469

The Secret Defenders

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Title Material collected Year ISBN
Doctor Strange and the Secret Defenders Secret Defenders #1-11 2016 ISBN 978-1302901080
Thanos: Cosmic Powers Secret Defenders #12-14, Cosmic Powers #1-6 2015 ISBN 978-0785198178
Deadpool and the Secret Defenders Secret Defenders #15-25 2017 ISBN 978-1302904173

Defenders volume 3

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Title Material collected Year ISBN
Defenders: Indefensible The Defenders (volume 3) #1-5 2006 (HC)
2007 (TPB) 		ISBN 978-0785121527 (HC)
ISBN 978-0785117629 (TPB)

The Last Defenders

[edit]
Title Material collected Year ISBN
The Last Defenders The Last Defenders #1-6 2008 ISBN 978-0785125075

The Defenders by Matt Fraction (volume 4)

[edit]
Title Material collected Year ISBN
Volume 1 The Defenders vol. 4 #1–6, material from Point One #1, and Fear Itself #7 2012 ISBN 978-0785158516
Volume 2 The Defenders vol. 4 #7–12 2013 ISBN 978-0785158530

The Fearless Defenders

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Title Material collected Year ISBN
Volume One - Doom Maidens The Fearless Defenders #1-6 2013 ISBN 978-0785168485
Volume Two - The Most Fabulous Fighting Team of All The Fearless Defenders #7-12 2014 ISBN 978-0785168492

The Defenders by Brian Michael Bendis (volume 5)

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Title Material collected Year ISBN
Volume 1 - Diamonds Are Forever Defenders story from Free Comic Book Day 2017, The Defenders vol. 5 #1-5 2017 ISBN 978-1302916145
Volume 2 - Kingpins of New York The Defenders vol. 5 #6-10 2018 ISBN 978-1302907471

The Best Defense

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Title Material collected Year ISBN
The Best Defense The Immortal Hulk The Best Defense #1, Namor The Best Defense #1, The Silver Surfer The Best Defense #1, Doctor Strange The Best Defense #1, The Defenders The Best Defense #1 2019 ISBN 978-1302916145

Defenders by Al Ewing (volume 6)

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Title Material collected Year ISBN
Defenders: There Are No Rules Defenders vol. 6 #1-5 2022 ISBN 978-1302924720
Defenders: Beyond Defenders: Beyond #1-5 2023 ISBN 978-1302946715

Other

[edit]
Title Material collected Year ISBN
Hulk, Vol. 3: Hulk No More
(collects the "Defenders vs. Offenders" storyline) 		Hulk #10–12 plus #13 and #600 2009 (HC)
2010 (TPB) 		ISBN 978-0785139836 (HC)
ISBN 978-0785140528 (TPB)
The Incredible Hulk Epic Collection #19: Ghosts of the Past
(collects The Return of the Defenders storyline) 		The Incredible Hulk #397-406, Annual #18-19; material from: Namor the Sub-Mariner Annual #2; Silver Surfer Annual #5; Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme Annual #2; Marvel Holiday Special #2 2015 ISBN 978-0785192992
Namor the Sub-Mariner by John Byrne and Jae Lee Omnibus
(collects The Return of the Defenders storyline) 		Namor, the Sub-Mariner #1-40, Annual #1-2; material from Incredible Hulk Annual #18; Silver Surfer Annual #5; Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme Annual #2 2019 ISBN 978-1302919665

References

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  1. ^ Sanderson, Peter; Gilbert, Laura, ed. (2008). "1970s". Marvel Chronicle A Year by Year History. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 151. ISBN 978-0756641238. [Roy] Thomas and artist Ross Andru reunited [Doctor] Strange, the Hulk, and Namor as a brand new Marvel superhero team – the Defenders." {{cite book}}: |first2= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 156: "The Defenders moved into their own bimonthly comic book with The Defenders #1, written by Steve Englehart and penciled by Sal Buscema."
  3. ^ Englehart, Steve (n.d.). "The Defenders I". SteveEnglehart.com. Archived from the original on August 31, 2013. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
  4. ^ Sanderson "1970s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 160: "Loki and Dormammu manipulated two super-teams into the Avengers-Defenders war starting in The Avengers #116 and The Defenders #9 in October."
  5. ^ DeAngelo p. 6
  6. ^ DeAngelo p. 7
  7. ^ Steve Gerber's run on The Defenders at the Grand Comics Database
  8. ^ Sacks, Jason (September 7, 2010). "Top 10 1970s Marvels". Comics Bulletin. Archived from the original on May 15, 2015.
  9. ^ David Anthony Kraft's run on The Defenders at the Grand Comics Database
  10. ^ DeAngelo p. 9-11
  11. ^ Kraft, David Anthony (November 1986). "Up Front". Comics Interview. No. 40. Fictioneer Books. p. 5.
  12. ^ Grant, Steven (w), Trimpe, Herb (p), Mitchell, Steve (i). "Little Triggers!" Defenders, no. 76 (Oct 1979).
  13. ^ Grant, Steven; Gruenwald, Mark (w), Trimpe, Herb (p), Milgrom, Al; Stone, Chic; Mitchell, Steve (i). "Waiting for the End of the World!" Defenders, no. 77 (Nov 1979).
  14. ^ DeAngelo p. 11
  15. ^ a b c d Salicrup, Jim; Higgins, Mike (October 1986). "J. Marc DeMatteis (part 2)". Comics Interview. No. 39. Fictioneer Books. pp. 7–19.
  16. ^ DeMatteis, J. M. (w), Perlin, Don (p), Esposito, Mike; Stone, Chic; Trapani, Sal; Milgrom, Al (i). "On Death and Dying..." The Defenders, no. 107 (May 1982).
  17. ^ DeMatteis, J. M.; Gruenwald, Mark (w), Perlin, Don (p), Sinnott, Joe; Trapani, Sal; Barta, Hilary; Milgrom, Al (i). "The Wasteland" The Defenders, no. 108 (June 1982).
  18. ^ DeMatteis, J. M.; Gruenwald, Mark (w), Perlin, Don (p), Sinnott, Joe (i). "Vengeance! Cries the Valkyrie!" The Defenders, no. 109 (July 1982).
  19. ^ DeAngelo p. 13
  20. ^ DeAngelo, Daniel (July 2013). "The Not-Ready-For-Super-Team Players A History of the Defenders". Back Issue! (65). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 3.
  21. ^ a b "Don Perlin". (interview) Adelaide Comics and Books. 2003. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2009.
  22. ^ DeAngelo p. 14
  23. ^ DeAngelo p. 16
  24. ^ Aushenker, Michael (April 2007). "The Son of Satan: A Trident True Devil Hero". Back Issue! (21). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 6–13.
  25. ^ Manning, Matthew K. "1990s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 262: "Writer Roy Thomas and penciller Andre Coates created this new series that ran until 1995."
  26. ^ Thomas, Roy (w), Coates, Andre (p), Hudson, Don (i). "A Gathering of Heroes" Secret Defenders, no. 1 (March 1993).
  27. ^ Casey, Joe; Muniz, Jim (2008). The Last Defenders. Marvel Comics. p. 144. ISBN 978-0785125075.
  28. ^ Norris, Erik (July 25, 2011). "Comic-Con: Matt Fraction's New Defenders". IGN. Archived from the original on January 20, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  29. ^ Morse, Ben (November 12, 2012). "Marvel NOW! Q&A: Fearless Defenders". Marvel Comics. Archived from the original on December 23, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
  30. ^ Kit, Borys (January 11, 2017). "Marvel, Brian Michael Bendis Bringing Back 'The Defenders' Comic Book Series (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter.
  31. ^ "Defenders (2021) #1 | Comic Issues | Marvel".
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