The Defenders are coming.
Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist are uniting in a new comic book by Brian Michael Bendis and David Marquez.
Fans will get a preview of the upcoming series on Free Comic Book Day this weekend ahead of the series launch on June 14.
The Defenders marks a reunion between Bendis and Marquez (Spider-Man, Civil War II) and the writer with the street level heroes he wrote in solo books and his massive New Avengers run.
Bendis, Marquez and Editor Tom Brevoort revealed new details about the project during a Marvel Next Big Thing livechat.
The creative team talked the big villain, guest stars, team chemistry and how the Punisher joins the action:
Here’s a breakdown of the big topics in the creators’ own words:
David Marquez on the art of The Defenders:
“I’m proud of the work I did on Civil War II, but Defenders is a different beast. It’s more grittier, more noir, more street level, more intimate. We looked at Blade Runner and John Wick for inspiration. I’m putting a lot of texture in the art to really draw attention to and emphasize that it’s a book set on the streets of New York, and the city is a character.”
“It’s a series that demands a different approach visually. It’s a gear I don’t think people have seen David do before, with the rendering line and the tone and texture. It’s a little more Bill Sienkiewicz. It suits the characters and the world they move through.” added Tom Brevoort.
Origin of the team lineup and title:
“The four Defenders have a commonality of goals. There will be lots of characters passing through you might not expect. In addition to The Punisher, early on we have Blade and a few other surprises. This book is street level, but it takes place in the Marvel Universe, so Iron Man could fly by at any second and the larger stuff could intrude.” – Brevoort
“I’m on record as having pitched this book to the public; my last page of New Avengers was Luke and Jessica pitching this book. The only thing that changed from my initial pitch was we didn’t have a good name and now we have ‘Defenders.’ This idea, these characters, how they interact, what they’re going to do–this was always the plan.” – Bendis
Bendis on the Villain:
“The FCBD issue reveals the big villain and what they’re capable of. With the first issue, we hit the ground running.”
“The villain is connected very personally to one of the four. It’s such a personal attack they can’t help but push back. They need to do things in a different way, and that means making the Defenders a real team. They need to tell this city, ‘We got you.'”
“What the villain does to the Defenders in this book will spill into the characters’ solo books. It’s a game changer.”
“I try to bring as much realism and humanity to [Defenders] as humanly possible. I spent so much of my formative years doing crime fiction, but in the world right outside our window. There’s an immediacy to the escapism.”
Bendis on street-level heroes, New York City and returning to favorite characters:
“The best thing about treating the series is a character is you don’t know if it will be a help or a threat to them. Good people are thrilled to see them. There are also people on the street who will react very negatively. With issue #3, the people of the city will narrate part of the story, which will be a signature piece of the series.”
“You’ve got the New York City we all love to visit, then you’ve got the New York City in the Marvel Universe with Doctor Strange and Blade and Elektra and the Avengers running around.” –
“I can leave Jessica or Luke for a few years and everything changes. It’s all worth exploring. I’m writing all-new material for characters I love so much and have spent so much time with in a completely different way.”
“What I liked about New Avengers is that people stepped up when it was their turn. The team leader is whoever brought the mission to the table. They really are a family. They’re not ID card people, they’re handshake people.”
Here comes Frank Castle:
“What happens in the first couple issues is so loud, it can’t help but bring the Punishers of the world toward it.”
Bendis on Daredevil then and now and crime fiction:
“I’ve decided to forget all about my first run on Daredevil and come at the character as if it’s the first time I’ve ever written him.”
“It’s safe to say that Frank Miller’s DNA was still on the streets of Daredevil when I wrote the book. Some of that stuff is decades old. If you really watch what’s been going on in organized crime from 9/11 through to today, there’s a new shape, technology has changed things. Fiction will give you the mob boss or femme fatale you’re familiar with, but organized crime today has plans that are more elaborate, they are one step ahead of the FBI. It’s a chance to push all that forward.”
“Brian’s passion for organized crime has spread to me as he gave me eight or nine books on it and has me doing the research too.” added Marquez.
On the theme of street level heroes and old friends:
“This is a more intimate book, more personal, more focused on the neighborhood, even if that neighborhood is all of Manhattan. The Fantastic Four were always going off to other countries while Spider-Man dealt with the problems in Manhattan. This will have a different tone from any other team book in the Marvel Universe.” – Brevoort
“These are the heroes of the community rather than the heroes of the planet.” Brevoort
“For each of the characters whether they’re wearing spandex or leather and denim, it’s a costume and a uniform. It’s about how they carry themselves. Jessica’s jacket or Luke’s hoodie are visual cues of these characters.” – Marquez
“These guys are in such a position that if they’re going to trust Daredevil, he might need to show more than just a mask.” – Bendis
“A secret identity is not going to be taken lightly. It’s going to be difficult to maintain, even among friends.” – Bendis
“Every issue has at least one surprising person showing up, and I love how we’ve been able to pull it off.” -Bendis
“Every one of us on this team is committed to honoring the long, rich, histories of these characters in a new and refreshing way.” – Marquez
The creative team revealed Doctor Strange, the X-Men, and Night Nurse will also be appearing in the series.
Watch for a Defenders preview in the Marvel Free Comic Book day issue this Saturday only at your local neighborhood comic shop then The Defenders #1 hits stores June 14th.
By Editor