Yeah, try your 'gender inspection' on Val, see what that gets you.

Huh, another book with Daimon Hellstrom, I wonder if that means anything? From 1983, Defenders #120, "Sanctuary!" Written by J. M. DeMatteis, pencils by Don Perlin, inks by Jack Abel, Kim DeMulder, and Andy Mushynsky.

The bulk of this issue is Daimon, the Son of Satan, in a really maudlin struggle for his identity at a monastery: his "darksoul" maybe wasn't in control anymore, but then, what was left of him without it or fighting it all the time. He was in love with Patsy Walker, Hellcat; and seemed to want a "normal" life; which I think we would see happen for them briefly later: either just long enough to enjoy it before it was taken away, or long enough to realize that wasn't them. At the monastery, Daimon befriends a mysterious new monk, who seems to have a strange power, trying to help him keep it under control. Unfortunately, the 'monk' remembers who he really was: the Miracle Man--not that one, although honestly, at this point he's got a better chance of making a comeback...Anyhow, Miracle Man steals the darksoul from Daimon. And the trident, although it doesn't look as great in green. I wasn't surprised he turned on Daimon, but that this was a two-parter, since Miracle Man was the definition of second-rate: I was thinking he would get got by Scourge next issue, but no, that was later in Thing #24.

Patsy keeps having dreams about Daimon, so she rallies the current Defenders available to help; after a scene in a gym with Beast and Valkyrie, where a meathead accosts her as a man, for the crime of being far stronger than him. Yeah, I'm sure that never happens nowadays... Read more!

Same, Jen, same.

Although, in continuity, Doc Samson might still think Jen's crazy for talking back to the reader, from way back in Incredible Hulk #442; but she could find a better headshrinker if she wanted! I figure she probably did, in her grimmer grey Hulk series, but today's book is way more colorful and cheery, even if it's still not smooth sailing. From 2022, She-Hulk #3 (LEG #166), written by Rainbow Rowell, art by Rogê Antônio. Cover by Jen Bartel.

I mention the cover, because Jack of Hearts hadn't looked that good in years, and we still didn't get a Marvel Legends of him? Missed a window there. Anyway, Jack looks better, because he wasn't currently dead or zombified or leaking radiation or anything. Although they had some bad experiences when they were on the Avengers together, Jen's put that in the rear-view mirror; and Jack was staying with her for a bit while he tried to figure out what to do with his life. Meanwhile, Jen tries to get back into the law game, which does involve the return of supporting character fave Awesome Andy (rebooted by his boss-slash-girlfriend Mallory Book) but she was hard-pressed for clients, since she was not supposed to be taking superhuman clients. Of course, that goes awry almost immediately, as Ben Grimm calls up trying to beat a leash-law summons--seriously, who would want Lockjaw leashed up? Who hates everything that much? Regardless, by issue #6, Jen would have some quality clients!

Later, Jen calls Hellcat, trying to get some background on Jack of Hearts; and Patsy helpfully volunteers to get Jack's Avengers file, from her then-boyfriend Tony Stark. And Jack discovers, not only can he eat and drink again, he can wear people-clothes and take off his power-containing armor! Jen gives him an oversized tee with a heart on it.

I had to look if it was still running, but this series would wrap at #15, then 10 more issues as Sensational She-Hulk. She and Jack would be a couple for most of it, but I would be surprised if he wasn't sent back into space at the end there, best case.

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"Laundry day. Nothing clean."

Would Tony even recognize a laundromat? No jokes here, since Tony's got a broken neck, and that's still like the least of his worries! From 2021, Iron Man #6/631, "Dreams of Deicide" Written by Christopher Cantwell, art by Cafu, color art by Frank D'Armata.

Damn, I think I slept on this run until it was all but over: I maybe got the Iron Man/Hellcat annual; but this one's much earlier in their latest storyline together: a resurrected Korvac has just trashed Tony and Patsy, and had a solid crew of lackeys: long-time Iron Man foes the Unicorn, Blizzard, the Controller, and...the Guardsman? I don't know why he was Team Korvac here, but he seems like a true believer, volunteering to stay behind to deal with the escaping James Rhodes; while Korvac led his assault on Galactus's worldship, a stepping-stone in his quest for ultimate cosmic power. It's also like the best that suit has looked in years!

Patsy didn't seem to be in great shape either, but she gets Iron Man...to a mechanic? That might be what it takes to hold him together at this point, as the mutant Halcyon and Misty Knight work on him. Tony's also on a lot of drugs, which he knows is going to be a problem later, but right now he couldn't even take off his suit until he was ready for surgery, and no time for that. Also, no time to wait for another injured member of his crew, the Gargoyle, who was hurt badly saving the others from an explosion. (Tony also had Frog-Man and Scarlet Spider on his team; the rationale being these were guys that wouldn't be on Korvac's radar.) Tony then has a conversation with Patsy, who might have been seeing visions from Korvac, of the perfect universe he promised. Tony doesn't buy it, claiming he could probably create a better universe than him...ah, how hard could it be?

Rhodey arrives, in full War Machine gear, and tells Tony he'll take it from there. That goes over great; but Guardsman then arrives...and immediately realizes he's bitten off way more than he could chew. Tony clocks him, smashing a bunch of cars, and puts Rhodey on pilot duty: get a ship. 

I'm going to have to find this run in trade; I dug this one!

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The previous issue had a Hulk blurb and no Hulk; this cover's got Dr. Strange and no Strange...

But three dead Defenders, well, that's probably plenty. From 1978, Defenders #67, "Val in Valhalla, part 2: We, the Unliving..." Plot by David Anthony Kraft; plot, script, and pencils by Ed Hannigan; inks by Bruce Patterson.

We saw the previous chapter some time back, and this chapter opens in Oregon, in a state park where the Hulk has been peacefully hanging out. The Army can't have that, of course; and tries to ambush him with gas. While that doesn't work, they are still more successful than they realize, as the Hulk has a heart attack and dies! Since they didn't see his body land, they assume he just hopped off somewhere. Meanwhile, in scenic Valhalla, Harokin's forces have been defeated, since god of death-wannabe Ollerus has a moveable mountain, tear-assing across the countryside. He also has captured Valkyrie, while using Barbara Noriss as a pawn.

Back on earth, Hellcat and Nighthawk are also killed, in rather Twilight Zone fashion, in a car wreck: even seeing their bodies carted off, they don't realize they were dead until "Valkyrie" shows up for them. Ollerus's plan was to kill as many people as he had to on earth, to bring their spirits into his forces, building them up until he was declared the new god of death. Valkyrie realized, although her costume had been changed, she was in the body of Barbara Norris...which is spelled differently every time it's brought up...and she starts fighting her way out, past chatty "watch-dragons," with the help of Harokin on Aragorn. They don't see "Valkyrie" arrive with Hellcat and Nighthawk, as the Hulk shows up with a lot of souls from earth, for Ollerus to "implore you--fight with me, lest earth and Valhalla perish!"

The letters page mentions, this was the last issue for writer Dave Kraft, who was off to run a publishing company in Georgia. He wasn't done with Marvel, though; he wrote most of the Savage She-Hulk. I might have missed it before, though: he passed away in 2021 from COVID. Read more!

He's an Eternal, too? Crap, that's gonna come up again.

For some reason, at some point I was positive I had an almost complete collection of Defenders, which doesn't make any sense, since I've never been able to read the last two years of the title! The "New Defenders" stuff with Beast, Angel, and Iceman; after Dr. Strange, Namor, and the Hulk are all written out? Never been able to get into it; I'm not sure why. This guy's tenure on the team was up around about then, anyway: from 1983, the Defenders #117, "The Gift" Written by J. M. DeMatteis, pencils by Don Perlin, inks by Jack Abel.

The Over-Mind had originally been (and would be again...) an alien Eternal with a billion minds collected within it; but those consciousnesses were believed either destroyed or suppresed, and now six dead telepaths, the Chorus, resided within. After a memorial service for Kyle (Nighthawk) Richmond, they realized they would need closure on their past lives, since they lived in a ten-foot-tall ginger now...sounds like the worst season of the Real World yet!

Meanwhile, Valkyrie wonders what's wrong with her best pal, Hellcat; who seems suddenly cold to her: Val had been restored to her own body, but was so different she was like a stranger to Patsy. Val pretty much picks up Patsy's ass and sets her straight: they were still besties. They get back to Dr. Strange's in time to welcome Over-Mind to the team...but, he would leave by the New Defenders era, and be a bad-guy again by his appearance in Quasar (a four-issue stretch, he wouldn't appear on the covers once!) so whatevs. Read more!

I feel like you won't see all three together again anytime real soon...

I enjoyed the third season of Jessica Jones, although it reached a point where everything Patsy Walker did was wrong or went wrong, to keep the drama going. She gets off a little easier today, but maybe not for long: from 2016, Patsy Walker, A.K.A. Hellcat! #5, written by Kate Leth, art by Brittney L. Williams.

Civil War II wouldn't do it any favors; but this book was trying to carve a fun little niche out for itself, as Patsy worked to set up a temp agency for people with super-powers who weren't necessarily the superhero type. Much of this issue was wrapping up an old foe and a new competitor: Casiolena. Who we've actually seen on the blog before, although I thought it was spelled with two S's! She both described as and taunted as a "third-rate Enchantress," which admittedly has to grate after a while; her trying to go extra-bad is almost understandable. Even her lackey turned on her, and with the help of Valkyrie and She-Hulk, Casiolena and her supervillain app are wrapped up.

Patsy still has problems, though: her old rival Hedy Wolfe got the rights to the Archie-like comics Patsy's mom made about her, and was republishing them to Patsy's embarrassment. (I first learned about Patsy's history in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, but my understanding is: Patsy was kind of like if Betty had married Archie, who went into the army and became an abusive dickhole, then got herself superpowers. Hedy was basically a meaner Veronica?) Hedy may have something more in mind, though, as she hires Jessica Jones to dig up any dirt on Patsy. Williams uses a softer style than usual for Marvel, so this does feel like some of the edges get sanded down on Jessica: she has a huge name plate, and a drink, in a glass, with ice! Fancy, somebody's making an effort today. (I tease, but yeah.) Read more!

George was able to make Nelson Rockefeller look dramatic and interesting; he was the greatest even then.

You've probably heard the recent news about George Pérez, which sucks; but at least there's still time to appreciate him. I got a torn-cover copy of this one that week, which was a little sad but I'm glad to have it. From 1976, Avengers #147, "Crisis on Other-Earth" Written by Steve Englehart, pencils by George Pérez, inks by Vinnie Colletta.

It's a short Avengers roster--Cap, Iron Man, Scarlet Witch and Vision--against the now-villainous Squadron Supreme, and they've just been transported to the Squadron's earth, so there goes home field advantage. To shore the numbers up, the Avengers have "one hairy applicant, and Patsy Walker," namely the Beast and Hellcat! Patsy had found and helped herself to the costume back in #144, then somewhat infamously, a two-part fill-in versus the Assassin. Which was fine, but people wanted Pérez!

Hellcat leaps into action, kicking Hyperion in the face; a bold choice for a rookie! Whizzer is sure she'll get torn up, and gets a repulsor shot from Iron Man. But the fight is interrupted by the arrival of the army, and the President of that world's United States: Nelson Rockefeller! That is incongruous enough, but he's wearing the Serpent Crown, right out in the open! He's not wearing it long, though, as the Vision steathily grabs it and makes the toss to Wanda, who is able to create a standoff by threatening it. The Avengers split, while Rockefeller reaches out telepathically to Hugh Jones on our earth, the secret of the Serpent Crown: it is connnected to other Crowns across multiple realities, and anyone who ever wears it, becomes its slave, forever! (That may be retconned later.)

Wanda can feel the Crown, trying to compel her to wear it, and control her as it controlled many of the world's corporate moguls. She falls behind the other Avengers, but Vision notices his wife missing, and goes to recover her. She is not grateful, calling him "a cold, unfeeling computer!" Vision knows that's the Crown talking, and tries to take it; but Wanda blasts him and takes off running back to the President. She runs headlong into the Squadron's Hyperion, Lady Lark, and Golden Archer; who don't know all of the Vision's tricks. While they fight, Wanda struggles against the Crown's psychic attack, and manages to beat it. Through will? Her witch or mutant natures? Or, as the Vision suggests, through the power of their love? He opts to take the Crown, reasoning even if it could affect him, their love would save him as well. Aw!

I really, really need to find a new copy of Marvel Team-Up Annual #5, a big Serpent Crown story I had as a kid. Which also features our pal Quasar, although not in the best light. Read more!

With that lead-in, kind of have to post this today.

I always think I have more Defenders issues than I actually do; even though #119 was the only one I bought off the racks. (Actually, I'm not even positive about that; maybe I got it in a trade or something.) I thought I had bought almost the whole run out of the quarter bins; but I didn't get that many. And I know I've had the last issue of the series around, waiting to blogged for "The End" week, and I just can't bring myself to plow through it. But, let's try this issue from the bins: from 1982, Defenders #103, "The Haunting of Christiansboro!" Written by J. M. DeMatteis, pencils by Don Perlin, inks by Joe Sinnott.

We open with something not always seen in this title: Defenders giving a crap about a teammate and showing honest concern for their welfare, as Clea and Devil-Slayer track down the Gargoyle, who had taken off a week prior. Then, a scene that I had seen before--I had to check I hadn't blogged this one already! Hellcat recovers her magical shadow-cloak in the ruins of her house, but is surprised when a young child comes out of it, having accidentally fallen in a few issues prior. (That kid had to have been missing a couple days; his explanation to his parents would've been a joy to hear.) Disenchanted with the thing, Patsy folds it in upon itself and out of this world. Summoning the Defenders, Clea tells her she never needed that thing; but then interrupts Kyle Richmond in the middle of a tax investigation: he blurts out he's no longer a Defender, get lost; which is confusing to everyone in the room who didn't see Clea. Still, Kyle gets off with just having to pay $767 grand in back taxes; but his celebration is short-lived, as a grinning government goon from another previous issue tells Kyle that he got him off easy.

Back at Dr. Strange's house, the Gargoyle recaps his origin a bit: short answer, he had been an old man before making a deal with demons to save his small town, but in double-crossing them he was trapped as the Gargoyle. Valkyrie suggests he needs to go home, and the lot of them teleport to Christiansboro...which they find deserted. (They also leave just before the arrival of the Beast, who would have to wait an issue or two.) Splitting up to investigate, Hellcat meets "Simple" Joe, who tells her about "the hauntin'," which drove the rest of the townsfolk away. As the creepy fog intensifies, the Gargoyle sees the ghost of his brother, who died when they were children, then his mother; as Clea and Valkyrie are surrounded by ghosts downtown and Devil-Slayer finds a little girl that is of course eeeeeevil. This isn't a simple haunting, though: it's Null, the Living Darkness! Who we've actually seen on the blog before, but his origin story is much darker than that panel would indicate: long ago, a race of angelic beings that lived on the moon searched the universe for truth, a reason for being; not finding it, the race killed themselves, and their collective despair survived as Null.

While the Gargoyle is driven to attempt suicide over how he feels he failed his family, Null gives him something to fight, and he nearly sacrifices his own life-force to stop the monster. Dying, he's visited again by the ghosts of his family, who want him to bury the past, move forward, and live. I think he would be a lot more upbeat going forward--not quite to the Beast's level of coping, but close--but I never understood why he was so bent out of shape to save his town. Having grown up in a small town, I didn't think there was any one person whose job that was, or who would care. Also, I'm probably wrong, but I feel like the Defenders faced horrible manifestations of negative emotions all the time. The Elf with a Gun was probably one...

I'm off today, all the better to watch horror movies! Have a safe, happy Halloween!
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I said (over and over, honestly) how much I didn't like the Black Cat/crime boss storyline, but looking back I don't think that did her as dirty as the last season of Jessica Jones did Patsy Walker. So let's check out a more cheerful one: from 2016, Patsy Walker, a.k.a. Hellcat #11, written by Kate Leth, art by Brittney L. Williams.

This title was much, much lighter than most Hellcat received in the past or on Jessica Jones, as Patsy was currently starting a temp agency for super-powered types who didn't want to be heroes, or their powers didn't lend themselves to it. Unrelatedly, the Black Cat here also recruits her own squad, a band of vigilante-thief girls, after they trash a musician's apartment for writing an unflattering song about one of them. Black Cat seemed to want Patsy out of the picture, either as Patsy or Hellcat; but didn't think she could "disappear someone that notable," so she opts to steal her rolodex of contacts.

Back at Patsy's apartment, Zoe, one of Black Cat's new gang, spills a lot of beans, furious that Patsy was living in her old apartment, with her ex-boyfriend, who now had super-powers. Lot to sort through there. Back at Patsy's office, Black Cat meets assistant Bailey, who seemed to have what would be a Bag of Holding in D&D, which the Cat then shoves her into!

Checking the ComicChron numbers, this issue sold 11,902; a little less than some other titles that had been already cancelled like Venom: Space Knight or Mockingbird. I think Patsy Walker's numbers might have been shored up by variant covers up to this issue, though. The scans today are mostly Black Cat since she's doing all the instigating, but I'm glad Marvel went with this version of Hellcat instead of a Netflix-like one: I swear that series decided in the last season, Patsy was never going to make a right decision ever again.
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I thought this was the last comic I hadn't moved yet, then noticed another freaking longbox over there. Maybe I should've looked through it first...From 1987, West Coast Avengers #16, "The Dive" Written by Steve Englehart, pencils by Al Milgrom, inks by Joe Sinnott.

With Tigra and Hellcat on the cover, I thought this would be more about them, since the latter was wearing the former's old costume. That could be simpler: we've seen an old issue of the Cat where Greer Nelson wore that before she became Tigra. Then, Patsy Walker took up the costume and the name Hellcat in Avengers #144.

Against expectations and the cover, though; most of this one was about Hank Pym. There's a page-and-a-half flashback of Hank's fall from grace that really derails the issue; after Hellcat and Tigra defeat Tiger Shark: he had been one of the villains in Egghead's Masters of Evil that tried to break him. T.S. makes a snippy comment at Hank when he's being taken away by the cops, and Hank protests too strongly that he's not owned, you are! And while the West Coast Avengers are proud and impressed at how Hank has turned his life around, there are hints that maybe he's not doing as well as he fronted. Tigra had previously told him she loved him, but after reconciling her cat and human halves she was backpedaling on that a bit: Hank takes the 'nice' label badly, but forces himself to keep it together by remembering another Avenger who lost it: Quicksilver.

Tiger Shark had angrily let on that his supposed 'partner' Whirlwind was in the area, after some MacGuffin or another. Hank had fought Whirlwind many times before, and knew he could coach Tigra and Hellcat to beat him. Facing his old foe, Whirlwind is not impressed: he feels he has his own unique worth, which is more than he can say for Hank, since there were maybe four other people using his size-changing gimmick at the time. (Or had used it; and I don't think I counted the Wasp in that total, even!) Pym tries to take a swipe at Whirlwind, and ends up falling off a building: Hellcat saves him and Tigra catches Whirlwind, and Hank seems to shrug off his insults. Still, as Tigra gets him so they can leave San Francisco, Hank seems to imply he's thinking about suicide. Which he would attempt the next issue, which wouldn't get him on the cover, which went to Cactus, Gila, and Butte!

Son of Satan Daimon Hellstrom appears here as well, but just as Patsy's husband. And to be on the receiving end of Hank's recap.
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Here's a recent oddity from the quarter bins: from 1973, (Beware! The Claws of...) The Cat #3, "From Far Beneath the Mirror of the Moon!" Written by Linda Fite, layouts by Paty Greer, inks by Bill Everett.

The costume looks like Hellcat, but it would be a few years before it would be given to Patsy Walker: here it's worn by Greer Nelson, who we know better as Tigra! She was still the better part of a year away from becoming a cat-woman, although it wouldn't be in this title; the next issue was the last. Here, she still had some powers like enhanced senses; as when she picks up a "mysterious, sonar-type signal" while scuba diving for fun in Lake Michigan. Returning as the Cat to investigate, she finds a mysterious undersea dome, which may be a secret government project, but could be the next lair of this issue's villain, Sub-Mariner bad guy Commander Kraken!

Yeah, I only know him as one of the several villains killed by the Scourge in the massacre at the Bar with No Name in Captain America #319. The Cat helps stop Kraken, although he would escape; and feels pretty good about herself...until the dome takes off into space, since it had really been manned by aliens! Hey, that was just the sort of thing that happened back then. Call it a wash.
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"Bachelorette."

I wrote this a couple weeks ago, before going to see Black Panther; and I was glad to see a somewhat less ruthless T'Challa: in the comics, he could sometimes be singleminded in his defense of Wakanda. His country and people came first; even at the cost to others. I also wrote this when I got the figures for Okoye and Nakia, before seeing them in the movie, so they don't quite line up, but go with it.

I know Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman were exploring the multiverse after Secret Wars, but I don't think they were barred from earth or too far away to get back or anything. Plus, we had that figure from recently, so yeah.
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"Predestination."

I think it was still fairly new when Bishop did it, time-travelling on the old X-Men cartoon: Forge would send Bishop back in time, to stop domino 1 from falling and causing their nightmare future. Bishop would do so, come back, and the future would still be a nightmare, further aggravated by Forge now asking why he didn't stop domino 2 from falling. Bishop would go back, and sure enough, crappy future, way to drop the ball on domino 3, jerkhole. Short of removing a whole bunch of figurative dominoes at once, he's going to have a hard time changing anything.

That said, I have no idea what Marvel's rules on time-travel are now, post-Secret Wars. Perhaps rules should be in quotes there, I'm sure it's a crapshoot. Still, if a messenger from the future gave you detailed instructions on getting the future you wanted, as long as you didn't deviate from that plan in any way, no matter what; would anyone be able to do that? Few would be able to resist changing (or not changing, as needed) one little detail in there somewhere, and bam! Whole thing'd fall apart.
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