"Nightmare on Bald Mountain!"

 

OR: "Invasion Of The Body Snatcher!"

Three months after the successful premiere of the Defenders in the pages of Marvel Feature, writer Roy Thomas and artist Ross Andru seek to reunite the team-that-is-not-a-team in order to face another threat to the entire planet, and beyond--a crisis that, at first glance, may be facilitated by the presence of none other than the Master of the Mystic Arts himself!

In light of the date on the calendar that indicates the approaching celebration of All-Hallows' Eve, Thomas would again make use of the backdrop of the rural town of Rutland, Vermont and its annual celebration of that date. Rutland, as it turns out, also happens to be overshadowed by Bald Mountain, where even now devotees of the dread Dormammu attempt once more a ritual meant to bridge the gulf between Earth and the Dark Dimension--an attempt which, to our surprise, meets with success, as we find that Dormammu and his earthly minions have made arrangements to see a carefully-laid plan through to fruition.

It's quite a compelling prelude we're presented with--and with inker Sal Buscema on board this time, thus far Andru's work has never looked better. As for our would-be hooded intruders who are about to pounce, obviously this 1972 story took place in the days when Dr. Strange had no formidable defenses surrounding his sanctum sanctorum on which to rely, nor any sorcerous means by which he would be made aware of those lurking on his roof. And given what's happening at Bald Mountain, this night he is a man preoccupied--for through his mystic orb, he sees signs of what we have seen, a threat which has already made arrangements to deal with him.

The off-panel voice which interrupts Strange's musings belongs to the astral form of his mentor, the Ancient One, whom he joins in similar fashion to take counsel with in the sky above, or so he thinks. Unfortunately, this is also a time in the past where his body is left completely vulnerable even in his sanctum should the occasion arise where he was obliged to free his astral form for whatever reason--and our robed cultists are swift to take advantage of their ruse in distracting Strange with a false summons, securing his vacant body with a spell which prevents his spirit from rejoining it before dealing brutally with his manservant, Wong, and escaping with their prize.

Fortunately, in her desperation, Clea unknowingly has sent images via the Orb of the one she cares most for to those two who were most recently in Strange's thoughts--and so, it seems, the Defenders will fight again. But even as the Sub-Mariner and the Hulk make their way to New York, Strange's captors arrive with him at a lodge at the foot of Bald Mountain, where the intricate plan of Dormammu--and its linchpin, Dr. Strange--is at last revealed.

Yikes! Can even town crier Roy Thomas prevent Rutland--not to mention all of Vermont--from biting the dust this time?

Even More Emissaries Of Evil!

 

While clearly alliterative, the name of the group of villains who comprised the Emissaries of Evil seemed to come up short--after all, what villain would want to be regarded as an "emissary"? Are they an evildoer, or a messenger? Diplomatic, rather than deadly. "Greetings... we're here to bring you the evil that we harbor toward you" or, closer to the mark, something that indicates they've been sent by someone even more evil: "We come bearing a message from our master: 'Die!' " Yet in comics, alliteration goes a long way when you add an exclamation point--and those who would join the Emissaries club took their role seriously, even though I doubt the "Emissaries of Evil" was a name they could use as a form of intimidation toward those they went after, or even to strike fear into their targets. The Masters of Evil grabbed the really good name in those respects.

There was only one grouping of Emissaries who formed up and operated on their own volition, and that turned out to be the original team (though I'm probably being generous with that noun) from 1967, with Electro getting first billing as the one who gathered them together:

As was the case with the the Sinister Six in the first Amazing Spider-Man Annual, Daredevil would initially battle the Emissaries one by one; but going the ASM Annual one better, the DD issue, as we've seen, would provide a finale where Daredevil faced and battled the entire group. But under what circumstances did other groupings of evil Emissaries stick with that dopey name assemble over the years?

That's our cue to assemble yet another

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Marvel Trivia Question

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Who made up the ranks of the Emissaries of Evil between the years 1976-1998?

"Battle Royal!"

 

In comics, we've been witness to any number of clashes between characters where one's regal bearing added a level of complication and, in most cases, tension to their conflict. But all bets were off when both adversaries were of royal descent and each demanded obeisance from the other or otherwise claimed the higher ground in the dispute. A few such meetings come to mind: the Black Panther vs. Dr. Doom, for instance (and on more than one occasion); Doom's dealings with the Sub-Mariner (on too many occasions); Asgard's dealings with Olympus (ditto); or even Olympians vs. Olympians. Such clashes of power and ego have often proven to be entertaining glimpses into not only the situation but also the characters involved and their respective territories.

In mid-1980, another such conflict would begin to brew on Kiber Island, part of a chain of islands off the coast of Kenya which was annexed by Wakanda following the Panther's defeat of the so-called Kiber the Cruel--and which now serves as a meeting place for a smuggling operation being conducted by Wakandans and Atlanteans. (Tell me how that arrangement ever came about.)

The Wakandan's fears prove to be realized when all present discover that the Panther and his security forces have moved quickly on the information they've gathered from their captive--an encounter where the Panther learns this operation could well have the official sanction of Atlantis itself.

But if Prince Namor has any knowledge of these events, there's no such indication during a relaxing moment in the realm where he and Dr. Strange converse following the Defenders' battle with the Unnameable, a menace that could have brought about the extinction of Earth and countless other worlds without their intervention. Yet there is one Defender in particular whose life has potentially been impacted by the outcome of that struggle.

Soon enough, however, Namor is called away to be briefed on affairs of state--specifically, the developments on Kiber Island which have resulted in a Wakandan craft and its occupant being captured. At this point, Namor is unaware of the captured party's identity (and no, I have no idea why his officers wouldn't feel it necessary to convey that information beforehand--it seems a certainty that Namor would want that information prior to the captive being brought aboard), but it has no impact on either man's words to the other when the moment arrives.

And so the lines are drawn, with both of these men asserting their authority and stating their respective positions that would normally warrant a conference table for further discussion of the matter. Yet the situation will escalate--especially when another party insists on being heard.

...As A City Goes Mad!

 

Two issues into his notable run on The Defenders, writer Steve Gerber was continuing the effort by Len Wein to mainstream this non-team following the disbanding of the original group and chart a course for the individual characters the two had inherited: Dr. Strange, the Valkyrie, the Hulk, and Nighthawk. It had been non-stop action with Wein--but Gerber had almost immediately shown signs of balancing the adventures of the group with character development while also including elements of the bizarre, a Gerber trait.

Essentially, Gerber was having to deal with a grouping similar to the original, with the Valkyrie's strength compensating for the absence of the Sub-Mariner while her gender and Asgardian connection helped her to avoid the redundant aspect of Namor vis-à-vis the Hulk. As for Nighthawk, a charter member of the Squadron Sinister, the Defenders offered a break from his previous status as a villain, remaking his image after choosing to ally himself with the group following their prior conflict with his former group. It was likely felt that with the Hulk's continued presence, buyers would continue to show interest in the title--and so it fell to Gerber to chart a new course for the Defenders which, while now a bona fide part of the Marvel universe, didn't necessarily have them adhering to traditional protocols. (Though it wasn't for lack of trying on Nighthawk's part.)

In this particular story, Gerber begins a recurring plot which will culminate in the first (and only) Defenders Annual twenty issues later. But what of the characters? With Strange and the Hulk already firmly established, that leaves him with Nighthawk (aka Kyle Richmond, head of Richmond Enterprises) and the Valkyrie, who has begun to inquire into the life of Barbara Norris, the woman her essence currently inhabits.

The Ties That Bind!

 

Can YOU

Name This Marvel Villain??

This Elf Is Packing

 

For a little over a year during the mid-1970s, readers of The Defenders were introduced to an ongoing, head-scratching sub-plot involving a character which appeared to have nothing to do with the principal characters of the book, or, for that matter, anything or anyone else. Created by writer Steve Gerber and artist Sal Buscema, the Elf with a gun, as it came to be known, received a brief profile in the PPC eight years ago which dealt with its baffling modus operandi and mission; yet it seems negligent not to have also included each of his unfortunate victims, none of whom would appear to be relevant or of particular importance to any Marvel story except as unknowing, unsuspecting targets.

Four victims in all--the last of which didn't even merit a name, and, for what it's worth, the only one who even indirectly crosses paths with one of the Defenders. I could find no direct quote in which Gerber expresses his thoughts on the whys and wherefores of his homicidal creation, though reportedly he remarked words to the effect of the Elf being "a backhanded metaphor for the chaotic and inexplicable nature of everyday existence," which, if accurate, begs the question of just what he had in mind for bringing this character to fruition in The Defenders. Of course, it all became moot following Gerber's departure, when, in 1977, the character was unceremoniously and summarily dealt out of the book by writers Roger Slifer and David Kraft (while, appropriately, being completely unrelated to the main story).

The reaction from readers, as you might expect, ran the gamut.

In a later series of stories, however (published well after Gerber had left the book), writer J.M. DeMatteis provided the diminutive assassin with a backstory that explained its actions and purpose as an agent of the mysterious group known as the Tribunal, whose goal was to pinpoint the cause of Earth's future destruction. Unfortunately for the Defenders, that would mean a few more casualties in the crosshairs of this Elf with a gun.

Yet it turns out that there were no casualties to speak of at all--only displacement, as a member of the Tribunal elaborates on during the group's confrontation of the core Defenders. Coincidentally or not, the issue in which we learn the answer to the mystery of the Elf is published seven years to the month after Gerber's last scripted appearance of the character.

We see that even the Tribunal can get its facts wrong, since it omits two people from its listing of "victims" while giving the name of another ("Richard Kessler") whom our Elf never paid a visit to.

A curious footnote to this story arrives nearly thirteen years later in 1996, when Gerber returns to Marvel for an assignment on Spider-Man Team-Up--a story that involves Peter Parker, Ben Reilly (as Spider-Man), Maynard Tiboldt (better known as the Ringmaster), the Circus of Crime... and an Elf with a gun, the nephew of the elf who was mowed down while getting a bead on our paper boy Greg.

This being the mid-1990s, Gerber's tale is as chaotic as Marvel itself was during those years, so I'll leave it to you to sift through the full story. You might as well know beforehand, though, that this new elf's story is left unresolved--which you'll probably agree is par for the course.

Defenders To Ashes...

 
Having gained a respite in their conflict with their fellow member, Moondragon, who had given herself over to a demon entity in dragon form and then viciously lashed out at them, things look grim for the new Defenders, who may not be able to save their comrade, or even themselves, if and when she renews her attack. In Part Two of this story, we learned that Moondragon had gone underground half a world away--visibly enraged at her circumstances, having surrendered herself to the Dragon of the Moon and admitted to it (and to herself) her willingness to embrace the evil it represented. There seems little if any redemption to salvage for this woman, who has had a stormy history with those she allied herself with and now has come after the last of those allies with a vengeance.

Back in New Mexico, the Defenders attempt to pull themselves together, their mansion a virtual shambles after the fierce battle while one of their members, the Angel, remains blinded from Moondragon's prior assault--but they have pressed on, reaffirming their commitment to the team even in the face of their past performance which has endangered local communities. In the time since, their newest member, Cloud, has departed, her origin having been solved at last--while the Atlantean warrior named Andromeda has replaced her in their ranks. But now, the arrival of the stranger known as the Interloper heralds danger anew, particularly in light of the appearance of his "disciple"--Manslaughter, a psychotic who very nearly killed all of the Defenders at one time but who seeks to stand with them at this, their darkest hour.

 

Dark Moon Rising

 

In Part One of the PPC's look at the fall from grace of Moondragon --following her attempt to mentally take control of a world's population as a stepping stone toward establishing her twisted view of peace and order across the universe--we saw her subsequently receive the judgment of Odin in the form of a headband which would act to curtail the misuse of her mental powers and hopefully instill in her a degree of humility. But while that eventually met with success during Moondragon's installment as a member of the New Defenders, we also learned of a hindrance to her continued desire to turn over a new leaf when new details of her origin revealed the presence of a malevolent dragon-entity attempting to coerce her into accepting its influence and power.

Moondragon's inner battle with the dragon, and with herself, reached a tipping point when a conflict with Asgardian trolls finally led to Moondragon acting to better herself in terms of her goals and choices, an epiphany which also resulted in her debilitating headband falling to the ground, powerless. At that point, Moondragon made the decision to remain with the Defenders, while enjoying a new bond of friendship with her teammates. Yet the dark entity which had beckoned her has not retreated, but merely waits--and with her power no longer being dampened by the headband, the Dragon of the Moon continues to view this mortal vessel as not only the key to its freedom, but a source of power to add to its own and thereby make use of her to impose its own will.

This Evil Aborning!

 

The early 1980s were not especially kind to Heather Douglas--better known to Marvel readers as Moondragon, who had left the Avengers and the planet Earth following the saga of the Celestial Madonna to seek out her father, Art (whose passed-on human spirit had been merged with the new body of Drax the Destroyer--some family tree, eh?), in deep space. Late 1981 held promise, however, for father and daughter, reunited at last and resolved to rebuild their relationship; but just six months later, the pair turned up on the war-torn world of Ba-Bani, where the Avengers discovered that Moondragon had brought peace to its inhabitants but went further by mentally taking control of not only Drax but also Ba-Bani by imposing her psychic presence on its population and setting herself up as their "peace goddess." When Moondragon's deception was finally exposed, the Avengers were forced to depose her, but not before she dealt a mortal blow to her father who had fiercely resisted her attempt to stop the Avengers and himself from seizing her.  (Or, likely, worse--the man is named "the Destroyer," after all.)

Subsequently, Thor took custody of Moondragon and brought her before one who would both pass judgment on her actions and dispense justice. And given this particular god's imposing stature, it indeed appeared that our "goddess of the mind" would receive a comeuppance that would at last rein in her tendency to subjugate others by "divine right."

It's a shame that we were never privy to Moondragon's no doubt contemptuous replies to any charges or judgment directed toward her, since it's hard to imagine that she would remain cowed or awed even in the presence of Odin.

Yet we can at least follow up on the proceedings by fast-forwarding to the fall of 1983, where the Valkyrie, in the company of the Defenders, receives a summons to return to Asgard, and thereafter be charged with the supervision of an individual who is to be returned to Earth in order to serve her "sentence."

Moondragon appears none the worse for wear in the time since she was last seen--though it appears she's taken to wearing an accessory that's been fitted to her head, the purpose of which is yet unknown. Yet its binding, physically and otherwise, is at Odin's decree--nor is it the only change to her life, as she soon joins the Valkyrie in a new grouping of Defenders following the original team's decision to disband.

There's a good deal we'd learn about Moondragon during her time with the Defenders--but let's start with the obvious, as we "head" into a new

---

Marvel Trivia Question

---

What's the story behind Moondragon's god-given headband?

 

"Your Serve... er, Move, Daredevil!"

Having put together a special series on symbolic splash pages featured in Marvel's major team books as well as in Amazing Spider-Man, the PPC now moves briefly to highlighting some noteworthy efforts made in a random sampling of other titles from over the years which came to mind, some of which may ring a bell for you.

Leading us off are a number of pages from Daredevil, which I lingered on for some time considering their diversity in both style and artists and spanned a range of years from 1964 to 1971. (Perhaps even longer, but DD is monopolizing this subject as it is!) Bill Everett Jack Kirby is who we have to thank for paving the way for us (correction courtesy of Dave Plunkert--thanks, Dave!):

Joe Orlando, whose work began appearing in the industry in 1949, would follow up on the title with the next three issues (though you'll find much of his work for Marvel appearing in titles published in the mid- to late-'50s, in categories ranging from westerns, romance, war stories, sci-fi and mystery). His final work was published in 1997, a year before his death at 71.

Wally Wood, whose work Stan Lee made efforts to spotlight, makes his own SSP contribution (working off artist Bob Powell's layout) in a story from 1965 which he also scripted:

Ross Andru and Herb Trimpe unintentionally provide dueling SSPs featuring Ant-Man, with Andru providing more variety in terms of what awaits us within the story:

While John Romita and Gene Colan line up their versions of face-offs between DD and Spider-Man.  Writer Gerry Conway's "sports fan" caption turns out to be appropriate, since Mr. Colan seems to have Spidey trying to capture DD with a tennis court net.

(Maybe that second title should start off with "...And So Re-enters"?)

The mask and form of Daredevil lend themselves nicely to the SSP format, as Colan demonstrates in his other efforts with the character.

Over in Amazing Adventures, where the Black Widow is splitting the mag with the Inhumans, John Buscema appeals to the action lover with imagery suggesting that the Widow's new series is the one to watch--while Colan takes a more intriguing approach.

Later in that same title, Craig Russell is well-suited to the characters and concepts we'll find in stories adapted from H.G. Wells' War Of The Worlds.

While Colan, Gil Kane, and Jim Starlin show us what they bring to the table for Captain Marvel, old and new...

...as well as for Warlock (with Steve Leialoha working off of Starlin's layout).

Dr. Strange is also well-represented, both solo and as part of the Defenders. Here we see work by Andru, Colan, Barry Smith, and Sal Buscema.

Howard Purcell, whose work for Marvel was limited to backup stories featuring the Watcher and two Nick Fury stories in Strange Tales, turns in this splendid SSP for the Black Knight's appearance in Marvel Super-Heroes.

Finally, Andru takes us out with the opening page to Marvel Team-Up #1, which features the rare display of Spider-Man in battle while poised on his own spider's web.

(Frankly these two don't seem very interested in fighting the Sandman.)

COMING UP:

One more SSP for the road... to Transylvania, that is.