The Defenders is a comic book series featuring the team the Defenders and published by Marvel Comics, which debuted in 1972.
Publication history The Defenders first appeared as a feature in Marvel Feature #1 (December 1971). Due to the popularity of their tryout in Marvel Feature, Marvel soon began publishing The Defenders.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." Writer Steve Englehart has stated that he added the Valkyrie to the Defenders in issue #4 "to provide some texture to the group." Englehart wrote "The Avengers–Defenders War" crossover in The Avengers #116–118 (October–December 1973) and The Defenders #9–11 (October–December 1973).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." Len Wein briefly wrote the series,DeAngelo p. 6 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.DeAngelo p. 7 He wrote the series until issue #41 (November 1976).Steve Gerber's run on The Defenders at the Grand Comics Database In 2010, Comics Bulletin ranked Gerber and Sal Buscema's run on The Defenders first on its list of the "Top 10 1970s Marvels".
David Anthony Kraft's run as writerDavid Anthony Kraft's run on The Defenders at the Grand Comics Database included "The Scorpio Saga" (issues #46, 48–50) and the "Xenogenesis: Day of the Demons" storyline (issues #58–60).DeAngelo p. 9-11 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."
Steven Grant wrote a conclusion to Steve Gerber's Omega the Unknown series in two issues of The Defenders,DeAngelo p. 11 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. He and Mark Gruenwald co-wrote The Defenders #107–109 (May–July 1982).DeAngelo p. 13 While working on the series, DeMatteis developed a strong friendship with penciler Don Perlin, 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." He has also stated that Kim DeMulder, who inked issues #122-144 apart from a few fill-ins, is his preferred inker after himself. .
During his run, Perlin recalled, he became what he has characterized as "the first guy, unwittingly, to put profanity in [Comics Code-approved] comics":
The New Defenders Suffering from creative burnout on the series, DeMatteis felt a change was needed. 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.DeAngelo p. 14 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..." 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.DeAngelo p. 16 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.’"
Secret Defenders 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.Manning, Matthew K. "1990s" in Gilbert (2008), p. 262: "Writer Roy Thomas and penciller Andre Coates created this new series that ran until 1995."
Reunion and The Order 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 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 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.
2011 series 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. The series was cancelled at issue #12.
The 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.
2017 series 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.
2021 series In August 2021, Marvel launched a new Defenders series.
Contributors
Vol. 1 (1972–1986)
Writers 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 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 Marvel Masterworks Defenders Title Material collected Year ISBN Volume 1 Sub-Mariner #34–35, Marvel Feature #1–3, The Defenders #1–6 2008 Volume 2 The Defenders #7–16, Giant-Size Defenders #1, The Avengers #115–118 2011 Volume 3 The Defenders #17–21, Giant-Size Defenders #2–4, Marvel Two-In-One #6–7 2012 Volume 4 The Defenders #22–30, Giant-Size Defenders #5, Marvel Super-Heroes #18 2014 Volume 5 The Defenders #31–41, The Defenders Annual #1, Marvel Treasury Edition #12 2015 Volume 6 The Defenders #42-57, material From FOOM #19 2018 Volume 7 The Defenders #58-75, material From Marvel Treasury Edition #16 2020 Volume 8 The Defenders #76-91, material from Tales to Astonish #13 2022 Volume 9 The Defenders #92-102, Marvel Team-Up #101 2024
Defenders Omnibus 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 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
Essential Defenders 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 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 Volume 3 The Defenders #31–60 and The Defenders Annual #1 2007 Volume 4 The Defenders #61–91 2008 Volume 5 The Defenders #92–106, Marvel Team-Up #101, 111, 116, Captain America #268 2010 Volume 6 The Defenders #107–124, The New Defenders #125, The Avengers Annual #11, Marvel Team-Up #119 2011 Volume 7 The New Defenders #126–139, Iceman #1–4, Beauty and the Beast #1–4 2013
Marvel Epic collections 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 Enter: The Headmen2Defenders #12-25; Giant-Size Defenders #1-4; Marvel Two-in-One #6-7; material from Mystery Tales #21; World of Fantasy #11; Tales of Suspense #92024World Gone Sane3Defenders #26-41, Annual #1; Giant-Size Defenders #5; Marvel Treasury Edition #122025 The Defenders: The Six Fingered Hand 6 The Defenders #92-109; Marvel Team-Up #101; Captain America #268 2016 The Defenders: Ashes To Ashes 7 The Defenders #110-125; Avengers Annual #11 2017 The Defenders: The New Defenders 8 The Defenders #126–137; Iceman #1–4; Beauty and the Beast #1–4 2018 The Defenders: The End Of All Songs 9 The Defenders #138–152; Gargoyle #1–4 2019
Other Volume One collected editions 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 Avengers/Defenders War The Defenders #8–11 and The Avengers #115–118 2002 (TPB)2007 (HC) (TPB) (HC) The New Defenders Volume 1 The Defenders #122–124 and The New Defenders #125–131 2012
The Secret Defenders Title Material collected Year ISBN Doctor Strange and the Secret Defenders Secret Defenders #1-11 2016 Thanos: Cosmic Powers Secret Defenders #12-14, Cosmic Powers #1-6 2015 Deadpool and the Secret Defenders Secret Defenders #15-25 2017
Defenders volume 3 Title Material collected Year ISBN Defenders: Indefensible The Defenders (volume 3) #1-5 2006 (HC)2007 (TPB) (HC) (TPB)
The Last Defenders Title Material collected Year ISBN The Last Defenders The Last Defenders #1-6 2008
The Defenders by Matt Fraction (volume 4) Title Material collected Year ISBN Volume 1 The Defenders vol. 4 #1–6, material from Point One #1, and Fear Itself #7 2012 Volume 2 The Defenders vol. 4 #7–12 2013
The Fearless Defenders Title Material collected Year ISBN Volume One - Doom Maidens The Fearless Defenders #1-6 2013 Volume Two - The Most Fabulous Fighting Team of All The Fearless Defenders #7-12 2014
The Defenders by Brian Michael Bendis (volume 5)