DEFENDERS #10
"Head to Head"
Mildly Recommended (6/10)
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Marvel Comics
Writers: Kurt Busiek & Eric Stephenson
Pencils: Erik Larsen
Inks: Sal Buscema
Colors: Gregory Wright & Color Arts
Letters: Chris Eliopoulos
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Price: $2.25 US/$3.50 CAN |
I gotta admit it... despite the low priority placed on character development in this book, this was a fun super-hero romp, with some of the best art I've ever seen from Erik Larsen. Busiek and Stephenson, with limited space, gives the reader a clear notion of who the many players are. Though it's not my favorite title, Defenders still stands out as an excellent starting point for young, new comics readers.
Reunited, the seven Defenders set to the task of wresting control of the world from the grasp of the Headmen and Orrgo the Unconquerable. Unfortunately for them, while the Headmen can't control the Defenders, they do control an army of the world's most powerful and bloodthirsty super-villains. Meanwhile, the Headmen use their new power to achieve their somewhat mundane fantasies, while their allies -- M.O.D.O.K. and A.I.M. -- observe their unconventional scientific methods.
Sal Buscema, a veteran comics creator who worked on the original Defenders series, turns up to ink Erik Larsen's vision of the familiar characters, and the collaboration is a strong one. Their exaggerated, angular styles complement one another. Larsen's work has never looked as clean and tight as it does here. The artist would be well served to continue working with Buscema in the future. Wright's colors also add a lot of fun and energy to the book.
A lot of characters turn up in this script, yet Busiek and Stephenson keep things clear. I was most impressed with their ability to fill the reader in on the nature of the weird villains. They capture the essences of the Headmen, M.O.D.O.K. and A.I.M., demonstrating what sets them apart from typical baddies. I hope other writers pick up on the potential that's to be found in the way these characters are handled here.
It's been almost a year since this series began, and absolutely nothing has been resolved. The characters face the same problems. They complain about the same things in every issue. Though the book seems to be aimed in a clear direction, it doesn't seem to have advanced in that direction much since the first issue. Not only have the overall plots of the book stood still, so have the characters. Those are the book's two biggest weaknesses. I hope they fade as the title approaches its second year and the advent of a new co-writer joining Busiek: Jo Duffy.
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