Marvel Firsts: She Ain't Fat, and She Ain't Singing!

Defenders #4 (February 1973)
"The New Defender!"
Steve Englehart-Sal Buscema/Frank McLaughlin

Karen: As my partner has commented before, I'm not sure we can call this the first appearance of the Valkyrie. After all, we'd first seen the character in Avengers #83, and again in Hulk #142. But this book would establish a new persona for the character, who would wind up being a Defender longer than almost anyone.

Doug: Who do you think of when you think of the Defenders? For me, I guess my mind's eye goes toward Nighthawk and our girl here, Valkyrie. Those two, for me, are the mainstays of the team in its first several years.

Karen: I would say those two and the Hulk are the names that pop into my head when I think of 'Defenders'. With Val and Nighthawk, the title was the only place they appeared, so there seemed to be more of an investment with them, just as Vision seemed to be "the Avenger" back in the 70s. Our tale starts at the end of another. Suffice it to say, The Defenders -at this time, the Hulk, Dr. Strange, and the Sub-Mariner - have defeated Strange's foe, the Nameless One, in another dimension. They've returned to Earth, Britain specifically. A human girl who was with them, Barbara Norris, has been driven insane, really nearly mindless, by the ordeal. The Hulk, who is smitten with the girl, blames Strange. I like the way Sal Buscema draws the Hulk -much more bestial than many other artists of the day. Hulk leaps off with Barbara in his arms, and a tormented Strange questions his decisions, which led to the girl's condition. Namor -who is sporting a golden earring, by the way - dismisses Strange's self-doubt, and says they must pursue the Hulk, as he could accidentally harm the girl. They follow the behemoth into a near-by castle.

Doug: I really like Sal's art here, and although I can't really comment on the inks of Frank McLaughlin from the standpoint of notoriety of characteristics, he's obviously complimentary to Our Pal Sal. You make a good point about Buscema's Hulk -- he has a fierceness about him, whereas Trimpe's tended to be a bit more matter-of-fact facially. I also enjoy the way Sal makes Hulk appear puzzled (dense, really, like he's trying to figure something out and can't cut through the fog) in some of the crowd scenes later in this story. As to the castle -- is it any wonder children so often dwell on stereotypes? Hey -- this is a castle!

Karen: The castle is well-maintained and chock-a-block full of the typical trappings such as suits of armor and shields on the wall. Strange and Namor ponder where the Hulk, usually easy to find, could have gone. They journey down a flight of stone steps to a cellar. There, a brazier full of burning coals flares up and leaves the room shrouded in an odd mist, out of which emerges the Executioner and a gaggle of armored foes.

Doug: Would you have been at all surprised if Boris Karloff or Bela Lugosi lived in those digs? And how about a shout-out to the Asgardian armed forces? The word "uniform" never crossed anyone's mind. These guys always wear something different from the guy to the left and to the right!

Karen: Strange blasts their foes and Namor dives right in, fists flailing. But a magician, looking very much like a stereotypical Merlin figure, even with pointy hat and robe covered with stars, appears and casts a spell on Strange that somehow prevents him from using magic. As a normal man, he is easily captured. The Sub-Mariner battles on, but deprived of moisture he begins to weaken. The Executioner pulls a new trick and blasts Namor with energy from his hands. The defeated Defenders are tossed in a prison cell.

Doug: Wasn't this issue a great example for a couple of posts we've run recently? The whole "Merlin" thing could have tested anyone's suspension of disbelief -- not the fact that he was a wizard, but how he was dressed, and Namor's ever-present need to be exposed to water. I don't know... do frogs dry out as quickly as the Avenging Son? Sal always draws a good fight, with bodies flying everywhere. I always get a charge out of the Executioner. You know he'll get it handed to him in the end, but he's just such a big, dumb goober that he has to be a hoot to write.

Karen: In their cell they are reunited with Hulk- well, with Bruce Banner anyway. Barbara is there too, but she just sits in a corner and stares. A voice suddenly comes from a cell across the hall and they discover that the Executioner has two other prisoners -the Black Knight and the Enchantress! The Black Knight relays the story about how they came to be prisoners. It appears that after the Executioner abandoned the Enchantress for another magic-wielding babe at the end of Avengers #83, the Enchantress was really ticked off, which is one of the reasons she conspired with Ares to invade Earth (Avengers #100). She managed to escape from Zeus, and found the Knight, and cast her spell of love (lust?) over him. Her plan: get the Executioner back from the woman who stole him. But when they came to this dimension (oh yeah, apparently when the brazier exploded, they were transported to another dimension!), the queen, Casiolena, easily defeated the Enchantress. The Knight was soon overwhelmed too.

Doug: I didn 't think Englehart had Banner's voice at all. He was flip and spoke with pop culture references that co uld not have made his interaction with Namor easy at all. And Englehart crafted an almost-Claremontian tale to get his new heroine introduced, didn't he? Can I get something straight? At the beginning of this story, our heroes didn't enter Garrett Castle in search of the Hulk, did they? It was a different castle... or not?

Karen: That confused me as well. I had to look a the previous issue, which was no help. I guess it could have been Garrett Castle. Who knows! The Enchantress spots Barbara and hatches a scheme. She will re-create the Valkyrie! She says this Valkyrie will be in complete control -her human host will be wiped out. The Defenders object strenuously, but the Enchantress couldn't care less. She says her powers are at their peak in this realm, and sends a magical blast into Barbara, who transforms into the Valkyrie in a fabulous sequence by Sal. But a lot of this story doesn't make sense to me. Enchantress can cast this spell but the Queen's power keeps her from escaping her cell? It's implied that somehow, as the Enchantress and the Queen are evenly matched, Valkyrie will tip the scales, but that doesn't make much sense to me. What did I miss?

Doug: Do we know who originally designed the Valkyrie? Was it John Buscema in her first appearance, or Johnny Romita? I don't think you missed anything along the way. Although the overall story is good, there are many missteps along the way. Truly, the sum is greater than the parts. And Sal's full-body shot of Val is fantastic, isn't it? Beauty and power, all in one. By the way, I've never cared for characters whose powers are magic-based, simply for the question you asked above -- their entire schtick is a deus ex machina waiting to happen.

Karen: I'm not sure who designed the costume -I'm leaning towards Big John -but I've always thought it looked great. It's so different -it seems right. And the color scheme is perfect. The new-born Valkyrie takes her spear and shatters the wooden door to the cell, and then frees the Enchantress and Knight. Then it's on. The Defenders burst out and tackle their enemies, with Strange and the Enchantress taking out the wizard, Valkyrie wiping out the armored men, and Namor, Hulk, and Black Knight going after Executioner, and failing to beat him. But then Valkyrie gives him a solid right to the chopper, sending him right into the path of Hulk and Namor, who both punch the Asgardian. Finally, the Knight gets in a last whack "with the flat of my ebony blade"! Every sword wielding hero of the time had to use the flat of their blade, except for Conan of course!

Doug: Is Val too powerful here early on? Her intro. is certainly a grabber, but shoot -- Superman wouldn't have given more assistance than this gal!

Karen: She did seem awfully powerful here, but later on, she was at best a middleweight. With her pawns beaten, Casiolena herself shows up and prepares to unleash a super-destructive bolt, but Valkyrie grabs her and stops her, and then the Enchantress blasts her. Enchantress then retrieves the Executioner and makes to leave, but the Knight protests. "I love you!" he cries, the poor sot. The wretched woman then kisses him, turning him to stone. She transports herself and the Executioner away before the Defenders can grab her. Valkyrie thinks that since she was imbued with Enchantress's power, she might be able to reverse the spell, and kisses the statue-like Knight, but nothing happens. Dr. Strange says he will bring the Knight's stony body with him, in hopes of one day releasing him from the spell. He makes to transport them back to Earth, and Valkyrie comes too, riding the Knight's winged horse, Aragorn. When they arrive on Earth, she proclaims that she will join the defenders. This tweaks off Namor, who says the Defenders aren't a real team. Dr. Strange uncharacteristically responds, "With all due modesty, we are three of the most powerful people in the world. What could we possibly need you for?" Well!! And we are left with that, wondering why she would even want to hang around with these guys!

Doug: Yeah, as I said above, the Valkyrie is one powerful lady who just saved a lot of bacon -- sort of makes Strange's comment really, really dumb. I did think it was good on Englehart's part to establish that although Val was created from Asgardian magic she possesses none of those advantages herself.

Karen: I love the art on this issue. It totally transported me back to childhood. Now, I was using the Marvel Masterworks Defenders volume 1 to do this review (and I apologize for some burring around some of the edges), and the colors are far brighter than a real comic, but the clean lines and great story-telling by Sal were just a pleasure to look at. The story, like so many we've gone back to read from this era, seems to be a bit weak at points, but the characters (with the exception of Strange's little jab at the end) were right on. It makes me want to read the next issue, that's for sure!

Doug: I read this from volume 1 of the Essential Defenders. I know many of you don't like the B&W rendition of our four-color favorites, but as an enthusiast of original art, I don't mind them. And all of the love we've heaped on Buscema and McLaughlin is certainly well-deserved. And in regard to reading some more Defenders, I'll suggest right here and now that I peeked ahead and saw the 2-parter that introduces Nighthawk (the Defenders, the Squadron Sinister, and Nebulon? Are you kidding me??). Sounds like it could be in our next visit to Marvel Firsts.