Stop the Train

The Defenders: The Best Defense #1 brought together four iconic members of the non-team, with Silver Surfer's board rescuing Sub-Mariner, and a future version of Dr. Strange enlisting the help of present-day Hulk. The story also included a surprise return of Nebulon (last seen in humanoid form in Avengers Annual #11).

The ultimate nemesis for the reunited Defenders, however, was the Conductor, a cosmic entity steering a metaphysical train that devours realities for fuel. Aspects of the Conductor are reminiscent of the Concordance Engines foreshadowed in Point One and appearing in Matt Fraction's 12-issue, time-traveling run on the Defenders (Volume 4). I'd like to imagine this is more than a coincidence.

This image of Nebulon in his true form comes from The Defenders: The Best Defense #1 (February 2019).

Nebulon: By Popular Demand

"The MARVEL-Phile" column in Dragon magazine complemented the Marvel Super Heroes role-playing game from the 1980s by providing ability ranks and power descriptions for comic book heroes and villains. Dragon #163 included a game conversion for Nebulon, a quintessential foe of the Defenders.

The well-researched column noted how Nebulon jumped from a modest Popularity score to Monstrous worldwide popularity as head of the Celestial Mind Control Movement).

The section on Nebulon's powers detailed the game mechanics that might cause the shape-shifting Nebulon to revert back into his six-tentacled true form.

Lastly, the section on the character's history alerted readers that including Nebulon in a game adventure would require explaining how the would-be world conquerer survived his apparent death (Avengers Annual #11).

The above image of Nebulon appeared in Dragon #163 (November 1990). That issue also provided game information about the villain Solarr, a member of the Emissaries of Evil from Defenders #42-43.

The One and Only

Back in the days when comic book series routinely added a king-size stand-alone issue once per year, the Defenders had only one "annual" of their own.

Published in 1976, Defenders Annual #1 opened with the team watching a videotape of agent Jack Norriss describing uncharacteristic emotional reactions on the part of the heroes ever since their encounter with the Headmen in Defenders #33.

That call to action prompted Dr. Strange, Valkyrie, Nighthawk, Red Guardian, and Power Man to investigate a series of unusual political turnabouts across the globe. With help from the Hulk, they thwarted the Headmen's bid for world domination in the process.

But the Headmen weren't the only threat at hand.

Having surmised that Nebulon might be responsible for some of the international upheaval, Dr. Strange held his ground against the extraterrestrial instigator during a climactic battle of wits. While Nebulon told of his plans to mentally reprogram humanity into a state of "liberation," the sorcerer maintained that "free will" was a necessity for the people of Earth.

Dr. Strange: We attain our most glorious heights when we admit our ignorance … and force onward to surmount it. Perhaps this classes us as anomalies in the universe, but--

Nebulon: Enough, Strange! I concede! Your race is beyond redemption! And so I hereby abandon my efforts--to--

Although Nebulon disappeared at the end of the debate, he became one of the Defenders' most persistent foes.

Defenders Annual. Vol. 1. No. 1. 1976. "World Gone Sane?" Steve Gerber (writer), Sal Buscema & Klaus Janson (artists), John Costanza (letterer) D. Warfield (colorist), Archie Goodwin (editor).

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Revealing Weaknesses

In one of his several battles against the Defenders, Nebulon psionically disguised himself as a an Atlantean named Dorma, then hypnotically seduced the Sub-Mariner to send his armies against his teammates (Defenders #93).

When the Defenders finally fell unconscious from Sonic Scrambler technology, "Dorma" boasted about turning the heroes' weaknesses against them.

• Dr. Strange's lips were sealed, unable to mouth spells.
• Son of Satan was parted from his trident.
• Hulk lay sleeping in a cage of sommonolomists.
• Valkyrie was guarded by two female soldiers, and striking other women would cause her harm.

The argument about Valkyrie's weakness may have been premature, as the guards could not stop Valkyrie from lashing out at "Dorma," soon breaking through the disguise and revealing Nebulon's true identity.

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 93. March 1981. "The Woman Behind the Man!" J. M. DeMatteis (writer), Don Perlin, Joe Sinnott and Friends (artists), Diana Albers (letters), George Roussos (colors), Al Milgrom (editor), Jim Shooter (ed-in-chief).

Defenders vs. Avengers

The cover of Avengers Annual #11 asked a good question: Why do the Avengers battle the Defenders?

In this case, the heart of the conflict was a lovers' quarrel between Nebulon and wife Supernalia, who tired of Nebulon's ongoing attempts to take over the Earth (since his debut in Defenders #13-14).

While Nebulon psionically influenced four Avengers to come to his aid, Supernalia persuaded four Defenders to prevent Nebulon's latest scheme.

When the super teams faced each other in battle, they seemed destined for a stalemate, with each pair of combatants about evenly matched.

• Valkyrie vs. Thor
  
• Silver Surfer vs. Iron Man
• Beast vs. Captain America
• Gargoyle vs. Wasp

Alas, the Defenders and Avengers finally stopped fighting each other and joined sides against Nebulon when Supernalia revealed the Ennui Device that Nebulon intended to use to conquer Earth. The issue ended with Nebulon and Supernalia struck by a deflected beam from the energy-draining machine. The attack was fatal.

The couple's last words revealed that Nebulon finally saw the error of his ways, and Supernalia believed that by sparing the Earth they were dying for a higher purpose.

As a back-up feature, this annual printed the never-before-seen charter of the Avengers, signed by the founding members, with two pages of accompanying by-laws. The informal Defenders, of course, never drafted such a document.

Avengers Annual #11 marked an important turning point for one of the Defenders. Following a trip to Asgard in Defenders #109, Valkyrie returned to Earth near the start of the story in her true Asgardian body (instead of the body of human Barbara Norriss, where her mind had resided since Defenders #4). Now aware of her place as leader of the valkyries, she re-introduced herself as Brunnhilde (her previously-unknown real name). For years the Defenders had treated "Val" as her de facto first name.

Avengers Annual. Vol. 1. No. 11. 1982. "In Honor's Name." J.M. DeMatteis (scripter), Al Milgrom (penciler), Jack Abel and Crew (inkers), Janice Chang (letterer), Carl Gafford (colorist). Mark Gruenwald (editor), Jim Shooter (editor-in-chief).

Something Sinister This Way Comes

Beneath the sensationalism of the Earth up for sale, Defenders #13-14 told a satisfying, character-driven story.

The plot began with the extraterrestrial Nebulon searching the cosmos for a mineral-rich planet where his species could relocate. The quest seemed hopeless until he encountered the criminal Hyperion, who had been imprisoned in space.

The last survivor of his own homeworld, Hyperion directed Nebulon to Earth (euphemistically selling him the planet). Making Earth hospitable for Nebulon's species would require melting the polar ice caps to cover the entire surface with water. Nebulon presumably had the technology to do this himself but arranged to spare Hyperion and his colleagues in the Squadron Sinister in exchange for their cooperation.

Not everyone bought into the idea. Lacking the nihilism of his teammates, Squadron-member Nighthawk went to the Defenders for help. Dr. Strange, Hulk, and Valkyrie were on board. But when Sub-Mariner refused to join them, the sorcerer supreme forcibly transported Prince Namor out of Atlantis to accompany the Defenders to the Arctic Circle. (Sub-Mariner warned Dr. Strange against ever abducting him again, even after learning that Nebulon's plan to flood the Earth would destroy Atlantis in the process.)

Though evenly matched against the Squadron, the Defenders lost the battle; neither magic nor might could penetrate the energy fields Nebulon used to contain them. Instead of killing the Defenders, Hyperion wanted them stranded in space, with their homeworld in ruins, as he had experienced. Nebulon agreed, unaware that Dr. Strange could mystically transport the heroes back to Earth.

Upon their return, the Defenders saw Nebulon's true form; a six-tentacled, aquatic creature (able to become a golden humanoid for brief periods of time). Amid the confusion, Nighthawk destroyed Nebulon's technology but nearly died from the explosive backlash, while Nebulon and the three loyal Squadron members vanished. Dr. Strange drew energy from the Defenders to restore Nighthawk to health. The repentant adventurer gladly joined the team.

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 13. May 1974. "For Sale: One Planet--Slightly Used!" Len Wein (writer), Sal Buscema (artist), Klaus Janson (inker), Glynis Wein (colorist), John Costanza (letterer), Roy Thomas (editor).

Defenders. Vol. 1. No. 14. July 1974. "And Who Shall Inherit the Earth?" Len Wein (writer), Sal Buscema and Dan Green (artists), Klaus Janson (inker), Glynis Wein (colorist), Artie Simek (letterer), Roy Thomas (editor), Irving Forbush (kibitzer).