I still think it is a bit odd that Netflix is using The Defenders as the title of the series which combines Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist, when Heroes for Hire seems to be a much more appropriate title. Not only that, it lessens the chance that we will see an actual live action Defenders show or film featuring the classic cast featured in the cover above. I loved that non-team growing up and have been waiting to see it featured in a cartoon or movie. It's funny, the closest we have gotten is when Justice League Unlimited presented a pseudo-Defenders team made up of Aquaman, Solomon Grundy, Dr. Fate and Amazo on "Wake the Dead", a great episode.
11 comments:
Yeah, I did think that was a pretty odd thing, too! Heroes For Hire or Marevl Knights might have been a better term...
Marvel doesn't own the live action rights for either The Hulk or Silver Surfer, so they're out. Dr. Strange and Valkyrie may be heading to the big screen...so who does that leave for The Defenders? Patsy Walker?
You're right, Ross. I remember how privileged I felt when I finally managed to latch on to the Marvel back issue featuring their precedent-setting battle with everyone's favorite Yeti from outer space...XEMNU THE TITAN!
Marvel doesn't own the distribution rights for a SOLO Hulk film. Universal does. But Marvel does have live action rights to Hulk for ensemble pieces.
Anonymous said...
"You're right, Ross. I remember how privileged I felt when I finally managed to latch on to the Marvel back issue featuring their precedent-setting battle with everyone's favorite Yeti from outer space...XEMNU THE TITAN!"
Wasn't XEMNU loosely adapted from the Scientologists' mythos?
I agree completely about your Defenders assessment, even if Daredevil and Luke Cage did appear as Defenders (and that one horrific crossover where Iron Fist appeared... but that was as big a "ARE YOU KIDDING?!?!?" moment as any.
Let's remember that Justice League Unlimited that also included Bird Nose - Hawkgirl. It really was a neat idea. And I fear that you are correct about a Defenders with the "core" team.
Still, I hold out some hope for a possible Defenders in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - yup, AoS. If they introduce Dr. Strange (already identified in the Marvel Cinematic Universe) and team him up with, say, Daisy/Skye, Deathlok, and Sif - is that close enough?
I've been thinking they should be called "Heroes for Hire", too. I really want to see a classic Defenders team on the big screen- Steve Gerber's run on Defenders is one of my absolute favorite comic book series of all time, and the classic Defenders team, from their first appearance until the major changes late in the original series, is probably my favorite super team ever.
As an aside, speaking of classic Defenders, I've been watching the Netflix Jessica Jones series- just a few episodes in, since I don't binge-watch. I never read ALIAS, but I'm enjoying the series overall (among other things, as much as I loved the DAREDEVIL series, this one feels more like the real New York). However, this "Trish Walker" woman just isn't in any way the Patsy Walker I remember, and it's really bugging me, more than this sort of thing usually does. Anyone else feel that way?
I remember that J.L.U. episode, I've got the series on DVD (a purchase I heartily recommend) but I never made the Defenders connection before. You're absolutely right! That was a great tribute to everybody's favorite non-team. Dunno how I missed that!
M.P.
@Simreeve: Nope! He was a Jack Kirby creation who's debut story, back in the Fifties, depicted him as a sinister brown-furred alien called (dead serious here)... XEMNU THE INCREDIBLE HULK!
Of course, after Old Jade Jaws came on the scene, reprints of the story had to ret-con Xemnu's nickname. So, while they were at it, Marvel also ret-conned his fur's color scheme. And, that's the way he's been depicted ever since they recruited him, as the Chief Bad Guy, for that Marvel Premiere story in the early Seventies.
Okay, thanks.
I've checked, now, and the Scientologists' one was XENU instead.
Thanks, again, for another great composite cover. The original cover from Defenders #99 was one of my favorites from the series.
http://defendersfan.blogspot.com/2009/03/final-conflict.html
Currently reading the 70'-80's series and loving it.
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