Metamorpho: The Standby Superhero

If DC Comics had launched a non-team like the Defenders, Metamorpho would have been a strong candidate. Radiation from a meteorite transformed soldier-of-fortune Rex Mason into Metamorpho, the Element Man. Dismayed by his altered appearance, the reluctant hero turned down an invitation to join the Justice League of America but agreed to assist in emergencies (JLA #42).

When Joker, Penguin, and the Riddler conspired to change Batman into the lumbering Bat-Hulk, the caped crusader sought out Metamorpho—hoping his chemical powers might reverse the effects. Instead, a bolt of lightning did the trick (Brave and the Bold #68). Unlike Bruce Banner, whose clothing ripped when he became Hulk, Bruce Wayne's bat-costume stayed intact as Bat-Hulk.

Before Metamorpho declined membership in Justice League of America #42 (Feb. 1966), Green Arrow (#4), Atom (#14), and Hawkman (#31) had said yes. Metamorpho faced Bat-Hulk in The Brave and the Bold #68 (Oct.-Nov. 1966).

Giving Up the Glasses

The Incredible Hulk's original series cancelled after six issues and the green goliath began appearing instead in Tales to Astonish. The cover of #72 was a milestone of sorts by picturing Bruce Banner without his glasses. It wasn't long before Dr. Banner stopped wearing glasses altogether in comics. Habitually replacing the lenses may have become inconvenient and presumably he could still see well enough without any eyewear.

Sub-Mariner and Hulk appeared in separate stories in Tales to Astonish #72 (Oct. 1965).

Lost and Found Lenses

Illustrator Jack Kirby diligently kept track of Bruce Banner's glasses during the original run of The Incredible Hulk. Panels of Banner transforming into the Hulk consistently pictured the character removing his glasses. During these early issues, sidekick Rick Jones routinely took it upon himself to retrieve Dr. Banner's glasses for him. Even if Banner kept the same pair of glasses, the disheveled scientist certainly went through a lot of shirts changing to and from the Hulk.

This image of Rick Jones handing Bruce Banner his glasses comes from The Incredible Hulk #2 (July 1962).

Banner Vision

Cover blurbs on Defenders #72 and #77 promoted The Incredible Hulk TV series, which aired on CBS from 1977 to 1982. At this time, Bruce Banner no longer wore glasses in comic books. Likewise, actor Bill Bixby did not wear glasses as Dr. Banner on the show. Subsequent posts will discuss the history of Banner wearing—or not wearing—glasses up to this point.

This image of Bill Bixby comes from the opening credits of The Incredible Hulk. On the show, Dr. Banner's first name was David instead of Bruce.

Anything Man

Jeff Colt (a.k.a. Anything Man) proved to be an unusual adversary in Defenders #69 (March 1979). When the unassuming veterinarian randomly acquired the power of Omegatron following a game of tennis, the Defenders came to investigate. Convinced that the heroes were there to test his abilities, Jeff attacked Hellcat, Nighthawk, and Valkyrie. He even struck Valkyrie's horse, Aragorn.

Concerned that an angry Hulk would make the situation worse, Dr. Strange apologetically turned his green teammate back into Bruce Banner. Once Jeff came to realize that he had become consumed with power, Dr. Strange returned him to normal with these magical words:

Then in the name of dark Satannish …

… By the mystic moons of Munnopor …

… Let Omegatronic power vanish,

And leave you but a man once more!

Neutral Good: Rick Jones

On a bet, young Rick Jones snuck past guards to drive into an off-limits military test area (Incredible Hulk #1). From this first impression, Rick's disregard for authority would seem Chaotic Neutral under the nine-alignment system of Dungeons & Dragons. But after Dr. Bruce Banner risked his life to shield Rick from a gamma bomb, the teenager had a change of heart. Rick would befriend Dr. Banner during his initial transformations into the Hulk.

In the years that followed, Rick would become a serial sidekick, training with Captain America and assisting the Avengers, teaming up with Captain Mar-vell, and then becoming an ally to Rom the Spacekight. Through this heroic adaptability, Rick Jones' true character would prove to be Neutral Good.

Lawful Good	Neutral Good	Chaotic Good
Lawful Neutral	True Neutral	Chaotic Neutral
Lawful Evil	Neutral Evil	Chaotic Evil

This panel of Bruce Banner warning Rick Jones comes from The Incredible Hulk #1 (May 1962).

Featuring Jim Wilson

When the Defenders first battled the extraterrestrial Xemnu, they had a young ally in Jim Wilson, who alerted Dr. Strange to Xemnu's hypnotic power of children (Marvel Feature #3). By this time, Wilson had become a sidekick of sorts to the Incredible Hulk and his alter ego, Dr. Bruce Banner. Hulk's original teen sidekick, Rick Jones, had moved on by this point, having trained with Captain America before working in tandem with Captain Mar-vell. Wilson would continue to assist Hulk on occasion, but this was his only appearance with the Defenders.

This panel of Jim Wilson and Dr. Strange watching Xemnu on TV comes from Marvel Feature #3.

What if ... Thor Had Joined the Defenders?

Today's blog post takes inspiration from Marvel's classic series that asked, "What if…?" In that vein, I consider how a key decision in the formation of the Defenders might have unfolded differently.

On that fateful day when Dr. Strange formed the Defenders (Marvel Feature #1), Prince Namor was his first recruit. In need of a second ally with great physical strength, the sorcerer reluctantly selected the Hulk. Dr. Strange summoned the green goliath only because Silver Surfer was trapped on Earth and couldn't travel with them to another dimension, and because Dr. Strange presumed that Thor was unavailable. But what if Dr. Strange hadn't jumped to that conclusion? And what if Thor was indeed available? In other words, What if … Thor had joined the Defenders?

In this speculative timeline, Dr. Strange, Namor, and Thor would found the non-team. During their early adventures, the thunder god would prove as capable a Defender as the Hulk had been in the original published stories.

Without the Hulk, however, the events from Defenders #7 would play out differently. In the original story, Hawkeye tried to capture the Hulk and then accepted Valkyrie's offer to join the Defenders. (Valkyrie herself joined in Defenders #4.) Yet if Hulk had no ties to the Defenders, Hawkeye would not have met the non-team at that time, much less join them.

This change in lineup would affect the crossover event spanning Defenders #8-11; Avengers #115-118, when the two teams clashed. As originally published, Thor of the Avengers battled Hulk of the Defenders, while Iron Man of the Avengers squared off against Hawkeye of the Defenders. In this alternate version, Thor of the Defenders would battle Iron Man of the Avengers. In both versions, the teams would put their differences aside at the end of the story. Not everything would balance out so evenly, however.

Nighthawk's membership into the Defenders (#13-14) would inevitably lead the non-team to meet Power Man and then battle the Wrecking Crew (#17-19). Here, fate would change irrevocably. The original story required Hulk to return to his alter ego as Bruce Banner and save the day by deactivating a dangerous Gamma Bomb. Unlike Banner, Thor's alter ego of Donald Blake was a physician, not a physicist. Without Bruce Banner's know-how, the Gamma Bomb would detonate and kill 20 million people. As a result, this story would end in tragedy, just like many tales published in the series What If…?

This panel with Dr. Strange and Bruce Banner comes from Defenders #19.

Greenpeace

Public Service Announcements aren't commonplace in comic books, but an interlude from Defenders #75 read like a PSA for Greenpeace.

While walking along the shore of Long Island, Hulk spotted a beached whale. Muttering that he wanted to be left alone, the green goliath pulled the marooned animal back into the water, where it swam away safely. A footnote at the bottom of two panels contained the following message about Greanpeace, plus the organization's mailing address at the time.

*IF YOU WANT TO HELP THE WHALES, TOO   WRITE: GREANPEACE

That same whale later rescued Bruce Banner when he fell overboard a ship in Defenders #88. Dr. Banner suspected that the whale sensed that he and the Hulk were the same person and was responding perhaps out of gratitude.

The Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 88. October 1980. "Lord of the Whales." Ed Hannigan (writer), Don Perlin and Pablo Marcos (artists), Joe Rosen (letterer), George Roussos (colorist), Al Milgrom (editor), Jim Shooter (leader of the pack).

Undercurrents

The first two issues of The Best Defense have little in common, yet they introduce a shared subplot that promises to tie the stories together. Immortal Hulk: The Best Defense #1 includes an interlude in which a figure in a ghostly white sheet stabs a four-armed purple alien. The murderer utters a few words in English, while the victim speaks a minor Rimworld dialect.

Namor: The Best Defense #1 takes place in Atlantis, except for one page that is set Elsewhere. There, a similar scene occurs; this time with the ghost-clad figure stabbing a reptilian alien. The primary story with Namor references the Defenders of the Deep, with no hints that he might join forces with Hulk or other members of the original Defenders.

Immortal Hulk: The Best Defense #1 focuses almost entirely on Bruce Banner while using a creative technique to peer into his subconscious. Intermixed throughout the main story are reprinted panels from Hulk's original series—including his volatile partnership with Rick Jones.

The accompanying image from Incredible Hulk #1 (1961) was reprinted in Immortal Hulk: The Best Defense #1.

His and Hers

A curse from the evil wizard Yandroth that compelled Silver Surfer, Sub-Mariner, Hulk, and Dr. Strange to band together later accentuated the most intimidating aspects of their personalities. Instead of protecting humanity, the four heroes set out to impose their own brand of tyranny as The Order, the title of a six-issue limited series packaged with Defenders (Volume 2).

Dressing the part, Sub-Mariner brought back his jacketed threads from Super-Villain Team-Up, and Dr. Strange returned to the masked costume he wore shortly before forming the original Defenders.

Appropriately enough, the gray-skinned Hulk appeared in The Order #1-4. Yet his hedonism proved so bothersome that Dr. Strange magically transformed Hulk into the green goliath who fought alongside the original Defenders. But when that brutish Hulk rejected the world-conquering ideals of the Order, Dr. Strange turned him into the "Professor" Hulk with the intelligence of Bruce Banner.

Perhaps because Yandroth had once taken the form of a woman (Defenders #119), removing the curse required a female analogue to each member of the Order.

To this end, Nighthawk, Hellcat, and Valkyrie (Samantha Parryington) sought help from Namorita and She-Hulk (cousins of Sub-Mariner and Bruce Banner), along with Clea, who leveraged a magical attack that caused Silver Surfer to "bleed" light, which took the form of a new cosmic heroine called Ardina (The Order #4).

Accompanying the Defenders on their quest to stop the Order was Dr. Christopher Ganyrog, Scientist Supreme on Yandroth's homeworld of Yann, located in the system of Geulischwarz (The Order #5). Furthering the theme of female characters derived from males, Ganyrog referred to his adventuring partner as Romantic Objective Pamela.

Jo Duffy and Kurt Busiek wrote The Order #1-6 (April-September 2002).

The Original Gargoyle

Years before Isaac Christians became trapped in the body of a demon, a Soviet scientist briefly used the codename Gargoyle (The Incredible Hulk #1).

Like countless masterminds who would follow, the original Gargoyle was intent on enslaving the Hulk. After seeing that the subdued Hulk had reverted to the form of Dr. Bruce Banner, Gargoyle confessed that he longed to be rid of his own mutations—side effect of bomb research he had conducted for the Soviet government.

Lo and behold, Dr. Banner explained that through the selective use of radiation he could in fact return Gargoyle to an ordinary human being. Although this meant losing his superhuman intelligence, Gargoyle agreed to the procedure.

Dr. Banner, meanwhile, was just beginning to understand his own transformations into the Hulk, which resulted from exposure to gamma rays while risking his life to save teenager Rick Jones.

The Incredible Hulk. Vol. 1. No. 1. May 1962. By Stan Lee + J. Kirby.

Hulk, Hulk, Gray Hulk

Bruce Banner's irritable alter ego had gray skin during his initial transformations in The Incredible Hulk #1 (May 1962), and then began turning green with #2. Throughout his early exploits and quarrelsome dealings with the original Avengers, Hulk was befuddled at times but remained reasonably articulate nonetheless.

By the time the Defenders formed in Marvel Feature #1 (December 1971), however, Hulk's vocabulary was simplistic. This held true throughout his lengthy membership with the non-team (outside of the rare occasion when Hulk retained the brains of Bruce Banner).

When Banner later began transforming regularly into the gray-skinned Hulk, his verbal skills returned to the level they had been during Hulk's first appearances. This gray variation of the character was now distinct from stupefied green Hulk.

Yet the gray version of Hulk retained a modicum of loyalty to Sub-Mariner and Dr. Strange just the same. When the three heroes teamed up in The Incredible Hulk #370-371 (June-July 1990), they considered the adventure a reunion of the original Defenders.

In making their re/acquaintance, gray Hulk took to referring to Stephen Strange as Steve instead of calling him Magician as green Hulk had done.

A Woman Scorned

MODOK, the super-intelligent leader of A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics) was so convinced that an encounter with the Hulk was inevitable that he decided to create a monster strong enough to defeat the green goliath. The plan required a test subject who was easily susceptible to hypnosis and who had built up enough tolerance to gamma radiation to survive the experiment.

Betty Ross had carried a torch for Bruce Banner long after learning about his transformation into the Hulk. Only after the world thought Hulk was dead did she agree to marry Maj. Glenn Talbot. Soon after the world discovered that Hulk was still alive, Glenn went missing on a military operation. At this time, MODOK turned the emotionally conflicted Betty into the green and powerful Harpy (Incredible Hulk #168).

Firing self-described Hellbolts, Harpy all but killed the Hulk. As Bruce Banner, the hero successfully reversed MODOK's experiment and restored Betty to normal the next issue.

Venturing into Hulk's psyche, Dr. Strange, Sub-Mariner, and Tunnelworld native Aeroika fought a facsimile of Harpie and other antagonists of the Hulk in Defenders #83.

Brokenhearted

When the Hulk got mad, the Defenders grew concerned—not only for their teammate but also for the public at large.

So when an angry Hulk outmaneuvered even Dr. Strange by figuring a way out of the Crimson Bands of Cytorrak, the Defenders knew this was serious business (Incredible Hulk #207).

But what had caused the Hulk to become so upset?

The love of his life had died.

First introduced in Incredible Hulk #140, when Hulk shrank into another universe, Jarella was a rare woman indeed. The green-skinned empress from another world developed romantic feelings for both Bruce Banner and Hulk—and the culmination of the two.

But tragedy struck during Jarella's first visit to Earth. As the Hulk did battle with Crypto-Man, the villain threw a car at the hero. The car struck a building instead, causing a wall to collapse. Jarella ran to rescue a boy who was in harm's way. Yet as she pushed the boy the safety, Jarella was crushed by falling bricks. Soon afterward, Doc Samson pronounced her dead (#205).

Emotionally devastated, Hulk searched the streets for Dr. Strange, the one person who might have the power to resurrect Jarella.

With the Hulk at large, military personnel tried again and again to apprehend the Hulk, disrupting his quest for the magician (#206).

The Defenders managed to calm the Hulk by the end of #207. After learning what had happened Jarella, Dr. Strange regretted that he could not bring her back to life.

Dr. Strange: I am truly touched that you place so much faith in me Hulk--but there is much that even I cannot accomplish. The forces of life and death weave a most delicate tapestry indeed--one that cannot easily be tampered with!

Under the circumstances, there was little the Defenders could do to console their friend.

The image of the Hulk at the top of this post comes from The Incredible Hulk #207.

Once a Defender...

With Dr. Strange, Valkyrie, Nighthawk, and Yellowjacket captured by the Sons of the Serpent, Bruce Banner (a.k.a. the Hulk) knew he needed help thwarting the foes. As a result, Defenders #24 became the first in a two-part reunion, of sorts, bringing back several additional allies of the team.

In her first attempt at using the Crystal of Agamotto, Clea got the ball rolling by telepathically summoning several heroes who had lent a hand to the non-team in the past. The effort worked, and Daredevil, Power Man, and Daimon Hellstrom arrived to accompany the Hulk against the villainous organization.

I like this issue for accenting the history and dynamics of the team. Yet for all its strengths, Defenders #24 invariably reminds me of Giant-Size X-Men #1, in which Professor X used his Cerebro technology to telepathically summon mutant allies to help Cyclops rescue the original X-Men. With a May 1975 cover date, that milestone X-Men adventure appeared one month before this issue of the Defenders.

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 24. June 1975. "--In the Jaws of the Serpent!" Stever Gerber (writer), Sal Buscema (artist), Bob McLeod (inker), Tom Orzechowski (letterer), Phil Rachelson (colorist), Len Wein (editor).

What if Rick Jones Had Become the Hulk?

In issue #12 of the classic What If…? series, Rick Jones became the Hulk instead of Dr. Banner, recasting the heroism both men displayed during the Hulk's early appearances.

In that alternate story from 1978, the green-skinned Rick Jones initially joined the Avengers (as the original Hulk had), then trained under Captain America and assisted Captain Mar-vell (much as Rick Jones had in the core Marvel Universe).

Notice how the art aptly depicts Jones-Hulk in bluejeans, while Banner wears his trademark purple pants.

Like many comic books of this period, #12 promoted the Hulk's live-action TV series on the cover. What also caught my attention was how a note on the opening page emphasized that the character from The Incredible Hulk TV show was not the same character from the comics.

You've read of DR. ROBERT BRUCE BANNER's career as the ever-incredible Hulk—and, more recently, you've savored one DAVID BANNER's stint as ol' greenskin in living color on TV. Now, here's the most OFFBEAT Hulk of all--!

Turbulent Team-Ups

Of all the heroes to call themselves Defenders, Luke Cage and Daimon Hellstrom may have had the least in common. This made the duo's impromptu reunion in Marvel Team-Up #126 all the more intriguing.

The issue began with Hellstrom and Cage each responding to a cry for help. But as they approached a wounded man in a dark alley, the heroes mistook one another for the assailant. Not until they began fighting did the two recognize each other (having worked together only briefly as Defenders).

The injured man had been a mentor to Luke Cage, one of the few supportive adults in his life while growing up. Yet desperate for power and purpose, this same man had joined a secret sect intent on conjuring up an demonic entity. The cult thought Power Man's steel-hard body would make a perfect host for the malevolent spirit.

With crimefighting partner Iron Fist away on a meditation retreat, Power Man gladly accepted help from the Son of Satan.

Marvel Team-Up. No. 1. Vol. 1. February 1983. "A Firm Offer!" J.M. DeMatteis (scripter), Bob Hall (penciler), Mike Esposito (inks), Diana Albers (letters), Bob Sharen (colors), Tom DeFalco (editor), Jim Shooter (chief).

The second team-up this issue was a retelling of a story originally published in a Sunday newspaper supplement.

With a S.W.A.T. team on his tail, Hulk was in the midst of a reckless rampage until Spider-Man lured him to a deserted warehouse, where the green goliath calmed down and turned back into Bruce Banner.

Concerned that apprehending the distraught physicist might induce yet another violent transformation, the web-slinger tried a different approach. Changing back into his street clothes. Peter Parker gave the shirtless scientist the jacket off his back, the last $5 in his pocket, and a suggestion to head out of town.

The tale ended with Hulk handing a destitute man a wad of cash from his own ripped pants. Hulk's generosity would have been more touching, though, if he hadn't needlessly smashed parked cars and uprooted lampposts earlier that issue.

"The Obligation!" Jim Shooter (story), Tomoyuki Takenaka (art), Jim Novak (letters), Bob Sharen (colors).

As Seen on TV

One of their earliest foes used television as part of a disturbing attempt to manipulate the children of Earth. Using his muppet-like appearance to his advantage, the extraterrestrial named Xemnu was a hit on a Saturday morning kids' show (seen in Marvel Feature #3).

Through his popularity and mind-control abilities, the furry giant intended to lure hoards of children to a hijacked rocket, then use them to repopulate his planet. Beneath the surface of this offbeat tale was a serious message about the threat of child abduction.

Dr. Strange, Sub-Mariner, and the Hulk thwarted the plot. Although Xemnu's hypnotic powers could influence both children and adults, the Hulk's altered intellect was resistant. Xemnu returned in Defenders #12 and appeared briefly in #100.

Marvel Feature. Vol. 1. No. 3. June 1972. "A Titan Walks Among Us!" Stan Lee (editor), Roy Thomas (writer), Ross Andru (artist), Bill Everett (inker) Art Simek (letterer).

Before Bruce Banner ever overdosed on gamma rays, the monstrous Xemnu was billed as the "Hulk" in Journey into Mystery #62 (November 1960) and #66 (March 1961). To avoid confusion, the giant extraterrestrial later became "Xemnu the Titan."

No Time Like the Presence

The Defenders saved the Earth from interdimensional enemies countless times, but the brooding realism of Defenders #52-56 still stands out, as the non-team warded off the threat of nuclear destruction.

Carmine Infantino and Klaus Janson's artwork was absolutely stunning during this run on the Defenders, adding immeasurably to this multi-part story by David Kraft.

A series of underwater nuclear tests prompted the Sub-Mariner to reacquaint himself with the Defenders in an effort to save Atlantis from deadly radioactive emissions.

Joined by Hellcat, Nighthawk, and Hulk, Prince Namor led the heroes into battle against a nihilistic Soviet scientist known as the Presence, whose unauthorized experiments had garnished him with vastly destructive power. As Hulk's alter ego, Dr. Bruce Banner expertise in nuclear physics did not go to waste on this mission.

In a quest for companionship along with power, the Presence had transformed the Red Guardian into a being of nuclear energy to stand by his side as he conquered the world. The Defenders were horrified to fend off attacks from their former teammate, mentally enslaved by the twisted genius.

When the Red Guardian regained her own will, she emotionally depleted the Presence by scorned him for the inhuman futility of his plan. The mission concluded with the Defenders exceptionally ill, in need of treatment for radiation poisoning. In time, the two radioactive beings left the Earth to protect humanity from the dangerous side effects of their new forms (in a subplot that ended in Defenders #65).

Though presumed dead, Red Guardian and the Presence returned in The Incredible Hulk #258-259 (1981), this time facing the Soviet Super Soldiers.