Issue(s): Defenders #62, Defenders #63, Defenders #64
Cover Date: Aug-Oct 78
Title: "Membership madness!" / "Deadlier by the dozen!" / "Deadlier by the dozen"
Credits:
David Anthony Kraft - Writer
Sal Buscema - Penciler
Jim Mooney / Don Perlin - Inker

Review/plot:
This is a terrible, terrible story that ought to be stricken from continuity. Dollar Bill has been filming the Defenders as he's been following them around, and he releases a special on TV that shows them in battle and then advertises the fact that since they're a "non-team" anyone who wants to can be a member. A ton of super-heroes show up claiming membership...

and meanwhile a large group of villains also declare themselves to be Defenders while doin' crime in NYC.

As a premise, it's stupid enough, but it is also handled very poorly, with all of the guest characters written very badly out of character. The whole thing is played for laughs in a "zany" type of way that would make Steve Gerber blush. Very very poor.

The Presence also gets a sub-plot dealing with the fallout of a previous genetic experiment. It's a little more serious than the main story but not enough to save the arc.

Quality Rating: D

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: This has been moved forward in time a little bit to get past the period where the Hulk is residing at Gamma Base. Ms. Marvel is wearing her new costume, placing this after Ms. Marvel #20. Ms. Marvel also says she is now an Avenger, but she can't be referring to her formal membership mandated by Gyrich in Avengers #183 since that won't be published for about half a year. She must be referring to her recent team-ups with them during the Korvac Saga. The other guest characters don't really have any context, and most of them don't even have books so fitting them in isn't really a problem.

References:

• Dollar Bill's documentary shows the Defenders dealing with the Xenogenesis plot from Defenders #58-60.
  
• Stingray worries that if the Hulk remembers him from their last meeting in Hulk #221, he'll be in big trouble, which i guess ought to count towards characterization.
  
• The Hulk and Hercules fought previously, in Tales To Astonish #79.
  
• Ms. Marvel worked with the Defenders previously in Defenders #57.
  
• The Russians assume that the Presence is reverting to his former power mongering self, as he was in Defenders #52-55.
  
• One of the bad guys claiming to be a Defender is Sagittarius, who the team fought in Defenders #50.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

I'd guess that Kraft got tired of hearing suggestions that every unemployed B-Lister in the MU should be a Defender, so he shoved them all in this one, aided by Sal "I'll draw anybody!" Buscema. But he's giving absolutely zero effort on characterization (I can't even remember who just randomly decides to ride Nighthawk's horses) and even if you take that as a satire on team-up books, it still grates.

Also, the idea that the Defenders invite chaos by not having a formal structure (a la the Avengers bylaws or the Fantastic Four, Inc. charter) seems a bit elitist for a guy who was moonlighting as a taxicab driver.

I got these issues from back-issue bins when I was a kid, and thought they were great fun at the time, but I'm sure they don't hold up well. (I was also unfamiliar with most of the B-listers, so didn't notice them being off-character.)

These issues shows what separates the Defenders from the rest of the Marvel team book. Would this happen in the Avengers? Of course not! That's the point. There was a time when Marvel group books had a distinct personality to them.

The Defenders were the weird, anything goes, out of control, non team.

It is shown in these issues to great effect.

I agree this story was terrible. It makes me wonder if it would have been worthwhile had the guests been written more in character or if that would have just been lipstick on a pig.

This story had a bad guy called Onionhead in it. Marvel's (probably) sole attempt at an onion-themed villain. He'd have had such potential if they'd just given him powers.