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Back In Action

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, there appeared a number of comics that could only be called "quirky." They didn't fit into any particular genre, and there was a genuine confusion as to why they existed in the first place. Titles like DC Comics' Brother Power, The Geek, and Prez were truly stupendous in their incomprehensibility. They were indicative of a company trying something — anything — to make a hit with the readers. Marvel Comics, by comparison, was publishing books by the bushelfull; they had escaped from their restrictive distribution agreement of the 1960s and the liberalization of the Comics Code resulted in the Marvel's '70s explosion. This produced such notable gems as Night Nurse and Brother Voodoo among others like "It, the Living Colossus", "War of the Worlds", and "Deathlok" appearing in anthology titles. One of the more interesting books was Marvel's Defenders which began in the first issue of Marvel Premiere. The concept was simple: throw some of Marvel's strangest characters together to make a super non-team. Almost an antithesis to Marvel's super-group, The Avengers, Defenders contained characters that not only didn't get along but actually hated each other. The original group consisted of Dr. Strange, the Sub-Mariner, and the Hulk. It would be hard to pick characters more mismatched, but it was this very disparity that was part of the book's charm. Defenders managed to remain an underground fan favorite for many years, eventually ending it's run with a very respectable 152 issues. In that time, the series incorporated other oddball characters like Nighthawk, the Gargoyle, and the Silver Surfer. Because of its very "quirkiness," Defenders was one of those series that became remembered fondly by readers who grew up with it. In fact, it has constantly been at the top of the list for titles "threatened" to be revived. (We will ignore the embarrassingly and, thankfully, short-lived Secret Defenders series of the 1990s.) Is it very unusual, then, that Marvel, desperate for a hit, has finally acquiesced and revived the title? Not at all. What is unusual is the fact that it's pretty good.

But, after all, we have come to expect such things from writer Kurt Busiek who has shown that he is the epitome of the comic fan with encyclopedic knowledge of all things superheroic and the ability to tell a good story. In Avengers Forever, Busiek displayed an incredible knowledge of Marvel history which he wove into a story which was not only entertaining but resolved several longstanding questions and mysteries within the Marvel Universe. Teamed with artist-writer Erik Larsen, Busiek has produced an entertaining revival that, at least, is strongly reminiscent of the original series.

But therein lies the problem — it is perhaps too reminiscent. In the first issues, Busiek brings back together the original "core" team of Hulk, Dr. Strange, and Namor. (He adds the Silver Surfer to the "core" team, acknowledging is not canonically correct but was what he wanted to do.) The quartet are summoned by one of their oldest foes (which, humorously, none of them take very seriously) and who places a curse on them as he lays dying. They will be brought together forcibly whenever a crisis occurs that only they can solve. The villain does this as a dying "snubbing of the nose" to make these characters work together when they really cannot stand each other. It is an ingenious solution but difficult to imagine how long Busiek can run with this concept before it becomes old and tired. Still, within the first few issues, the "non-team" is reunited and several characters are brought back to the fold or even re-invented. In recent issues, the mainstay character Valkyrie is reborn — not really the original but a sort of "volume two" edition. (Busiek deserves kudos for not violating the original character's continuity by just restoring her to her Defender incarnation, instead having the late character be part of the establishing of a new Valkyrie.)

This is where the series is both its strongest and weakest. Busiek treats all these characters with the respect that old continuity cops require, and they are all fun reads, but it begs the feeling of "been there, read that." Which is the whole problem with revivals. Do you take the characters in entirely new directions? Or, simply go back down the same roads they've been in before? Either way only satisfies one portion of your audience. Busiek and Larsen are treading a fine line, and it's yet to be seen which way they will go. There will come a point, though, when even old friends who we haven't seen for awhile will overstay their welcome as we become eager for their departure.

If there is a blind spot with this new Defenders, it's in Larsen's art. It is as if Larsen has degenerated back to his earlier Doom Patrol days to produce artwork that is at times offbeat and at other times simply unappealing. His version of Dr. Strange tries to hearken back to Steve Ditko's original version but only succeeds in making the character look like a half-Asian Fu Manchu that is suffering from somnambulism. I'm not sure if Larsen is simply pressed for time in drawing this series, but hopefully he will settle down and produces more finished art.

Superheroes are a strange breed and a tough genre to do well. It has become progressively harder for a creator to produce a series that will appeal to both contemporary and traditional readers. Busiek and Larsen's Defenders stories are fast paced, fun, filled with links to the past of the Marvel Universe, and just good ol' superhero comics — a rarity these days. In a genre that is still filled with grim-and-gritty heroes, busty bad girls, or just boring tales, the Defenders stands as a testimony to how to create good, fun comics. For now, it's entertaining to watch the team and actually see the "real" Defenders back in action again. What's left in question is how long Busiek and Larsen can maintain it.