Return of "The Defenders"

The old Defender comics is on my list of faviorite all-time comic book series. Really. The best story, without a doubt, is the original three try-out story issues in Marvel Feature #1 through #3. Also the first 25 issues or so are very good, the next 85 are uneven and when Doctor Strange left for good and X-Men Beast, Angel, and Iceman ran the show - it had some promising story arcs, but they just did not pan out.

So what are the Defenders all about? Originally it was about threats which Doctor Strange found, but that no one else could hear, feel, touch or see. Doc needed help to overcome the vast numbers, great strength or unusual characteristics of his opponents that could not be taken out by a few spells. He needed friends. Unfortunately, those friends would rather be doing other tasks, but grudginly agree that it would be in their own best interest to assist. They are NOT, as the Marvel web page describes them, "dysfunctional", but rather they are motivated by friendship, respect, and by personal interests to help out.

I was thrilled with the return of Doctor Strange with "Secret Defenders a few years ago, but Doc bowed out quickly and left that Druid guy in charge. Bad choice. I liked some of the early issues.

The third time around, we have Kurt Busieck and Erik Larsen writing the story, with Larson doing the art. It just came out this week, so I have not personally had time to read it.

I really enjoy stories by Kurt. He has done a tremendous job with "The Avengers" and many other comic titles. Everything he writes is high quality.

I am not a big Erik Larson fan. I like his art at times, and I think he is very talented. I do not care for the excessive 'personal injury and I still survive' tone of Erik's "Savage Dragon" comics. Too negative for me. Too graphic in depicting disgusting and blood-flowing activites, in my opinion. Also read some of his Aquaman comics and I think the issues like the environment he tried to inject into that book were misplaced. I think a story is ultimately about people.

I came across this interesting discussion on the newsgroup rec.ares.comic.marvel.universe . It starts with a review of the new "Defenders #1" book from a guy named Steve. I am reprinting it below.

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Steve have many good things to say about Defenders.

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