I try not to talk about Marvels's on-screen exploits too much in this blog, as I think there is more than enough out there on the interweb to cater to you if you want to read about that. But I have to say I'm hyped for the upcoming Netflix Defenders series. Even the worst of the lead-up series have been good, in my opinion, and the faithfulness with which the dark side of the Marvel Universe has been transferred to live action is a joy for comic book fans to behold.
So, in what has become a time-honoured Marvel tradition, we have a new comic series to compliment the upcoming TV series. Some of the movie/TV tie-in comics have been amongst the worst stuff from Marvel in the last 10 years, which at a time when the fabled House of Ideas is creatively bankrupt, really is saying something. But Defenders has been passable so far, and really quite excellent in this issue. Let's take a look.
I rarely find myself liking Brian Michael Bendis' writing, but this book really does draw you in and sets its stage very well. This is one of those issues that you can enjoy even if you haven't read any more of the series, and works as a story on its own, something that always gets my vote over the usual 'just WAIT until you see the next issue!!" hustle that faithful readers are usually subjected to by the Big M.
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| "Oh no Mr Cage, your shirt is dissolving" *porn soundtrack starts playing* |
One of the best things about this series is the villain, Diamondback, who until this issue felt a bit forgettable. Here, we start toget a feel of just how scared of him we really should be, and it's great. It's nice to see Bendis finally writing some real adversity and difficulty into a hero's storyline, Diamondback has turned into a villain that you genuinely can't see a way past for the Defenders, and that is way more likely to get me to buy the next issue than an unsatisfying cliffhanger. The ancillary characters feel relevant and well-used in this issue, Black Cat is there to illustrate the potential of how far Diamondback could go if he gets the chance (by the way, if they want Black Cat to be the next big crime boss, could they please just give her a book of her own to play that out, rather than hinting at it in dozens of different titles?). And then there is Punisher, who I personally think is written better here than he is in his own series (reviewed here). Less uncontrolled rampage, more the sombre, brooding boogeyman of organised crime that we know and love.
This comic moves along at a great pace, with well laid-out pages that make sense. You never get a chance to get bored, and the characters' interactions are a joy to read.
4.5 / 5
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