Written by Al Ewing
Art by Javier Rodriguez
Published by Marvel Comics
Get your sigils ready! Magic and the power cosmic are about to turn time upside down. I hope Doctor Strange’s tarot cards choose the right team.
The stability of the multiverse hangs in the balance. Losing is not an option.
It has been ages since I engaged with anything related to The Defenders, but when the big wigs at Marvel announced that Al Ewing and Javier Rodriguez were taking on this title for a limited series a few months ago, I was more than intrigued.
And I am happy to report that I was not disappointed. From the jump, this story crackles with a lot of magic and even more cosmic fueled mystery. We have ourselves a high speed time chase.
Without digging too deep into the plot, I often forget how magic, the power cosmic and multiverse conduct this intricate dance in the Marvel Universe. The writers need to work carefully because those dance partners can get a little messy. You wouldn’t want to see a couple perform the Foxtrot, the Rumba and the Lindy Hop during the same song. Can you imagine trying to score that kind of set as a judge? That would be cruel and unusual.
No need to worry. This issue is well choreographed and gathers the key elements of a weirdly interesting story.
Plus, The Defenders have a monster on their team for good measure.
It is a thematic mashup to behold. Action, check. Magic, check. Horror, check. Space-Time continuum disruption, huge, check! And, while there is a lot of genre bending taking place between the pages, this issue is not overbearing. There is a lightness to this tale that enhances the overall reading experience..
Sometimes, Doctor Strange as a concept can get a little too psychedelic with his narrative. It does not happen here. Sure, we are only scratching the surface of this adventure. Plus, the antagonist is a little confusing. Hopefully Zota, the antagonist of this tale, and his motivations will become more clear in the upcoming issues.
The focus of this chapter is more about putting the chess pieces in place. And, I like how they are setting up the board. There is still plenty of opportunity for this story to go in the wrong direction, shifting from weird to absurd. Time will tell in more ways than one.
Based on the line-up of heroes on this Defenders team, I don’t think that that will happen. I mean how could you ever get bored of The Silver Surfer streaking across the pages of any book? Aside from my favorite silver traveler and the Sorcerer Supreme, I am less familiar with the other team members and what they will bring to the story.
Introductions are important. I appreciate how the writers, Ewing and Rodriguez, build the story. It is not bogged down in exposition. They provide the right level of humor without relying on camp. The balance that is struck has a way of making you more curious about a ragtag band of ancillary characters.
With the exception of Doctor Strange and The Silver Surfer, none of the other Defenders are interesting enough to carry their own book. Perhaps this story will prove me wrong and make me revise that observation.
Regardless, even if you are not a fan of the mystic arts or the power cosmic, this series is worth your time. You are in the capable hands of the good Doctor and his team of Defenders.
