Defenders #1
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: David Marquez
Colorist: Justin Posner
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Publisher: Marvel
A review by Greg Brothers
If Marvel is good at one thing, it’s making sure that they try to cross promote any projects that they have, even if the comic and the movie or show have little in common other than a name. It makes sense then that Marvel launched Defenders #1 this month ahead of the show which will premiere on Netflix later this year.
Defenders #1 picks up right where the FCBD version left off. The four main characters have all been attacked in some way, for interfering in his growing criminal enterprise, by a returning Diamondback. As the four Defenders make their way through town gathering information on Diamondback, his plan for the city is revealed more, including his expectations of where the rest of the criminal underworld should fall in line.
Bendis is one of those writers where when he is on his game can write stories that are intriguing, powerful, and of course, entertaining. Thankfully here it feels as if he is on his game even if it may only be the first issue. It would have been easy to write off Diamondback as a low-level criminal that would not be able to stand up to the likes of the Defenders. Bendis however does an excellent job on introducing new elements to the character that make the idea of him being a formidable foil much more believable. Diamondbacks interactions with Black Cat help to highlight the changes in how seriously the reader and the characters will be taking Diamondback in the future, as she goes from joking about helping him to hide to being surprised by both his plan and the power he is able to display. My only complaint about Bendis’s writing and plot is how the Defenders come to the decision to work together. The whole conversation in a local pool hall, while taking out the petty criminals, was just a little to convenient for my liking.
Marquez has become one of my favorite Marvel artist since he saved the dumpster fire that was Civil War II. His lines are sharp and clean and each character has their unique style to make them stand out. I particularly like his choice for when each of the Defenders is introduced, with them front and center when they are first introduced and their various other incarnations in the shadows behind them. The centerfold of the book features a nice four panel layout that reiterates how when even on their own the group is still working together. Posner’s colors pop in the right spots, while shadows are used to enhance the secret workings that are going on.
The Verdict
Buy it! If you are a fan of any of these characters then The Defenders #1 is the book for you. Bendis does an excellent job keeping all the characteristics in line with what an avid reader would expect from the main cast. The changes in Diamondback make him a believable opponent that will be hard for the Defends to defeat. Marquez continues to show he is a special type of artist that deserves the praise that gets heaped upon him.