Issue(s): Defenders #111
Cover Date: Sep 82
Title: "Fathers and daughters"
Credits:
J.M. DeMatteis - Writer
Don Perlin - Penciler
Andy Mushynsky - Inker
Al Milgrom - Editor

Review/plot:
Hellcat takes a leave from the Defenders to track down her father, now that she finally has a break to check up on Satan's claim to being her true father.

In the town where her father's been living, Satan shows up and takes Patsy on a trip through Hell. He reveals that he was lying when he said that he was her father, and also goes on and on about his purpose in the universe.

Satan explains of Mephisto, Thog, Asmodeus, and Satannish that "Although their forms are different and dominions are distinct and individual, all of them emanate from me! I am consciously within them -- 'tho even they do not know it!".

When it's all said and done, Hellcat returns to earth and meets her real father.

She also realizes that she still has the mental powers that she thought Moondragon stripped from her a while back (either that or Satan has restored them).

Meanwhile, the Nighthawk in the new costume that Dr. Strange, Hulk, and Sub-Mariner met while traveling back from Asgard shows them an unconscious Hyperion.

And another Kyle Richmond, the one that is president, receives the Overmind (or Over-Mind) as a guest.

Weird stuff. A little tiresome.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 3 - some revelations about Satan, maybe. Hellcat gets her mental powers back.

Chronological Placement Considerations: Dr. Strange, Hulk, and Sub-Mariner have been in an alternate dimension since issue #109, so they shouldn't have any appearances in any other comics in between (and for the Hulk, it takes place while he's still "dumb", before Hulk #272). Takes place concurrently with Avengers annual #11.

References:

• A recap of Hellcat's life references Amazing Adventures #15, Avengers #144, Defenders #99-100, and Defenders #109.
  
• Dr. Strange, Hulk, and Sub-Mariner have been in an alternate dimension since Defenders #109.
  
• In addition to the various arch-devil manifestations described above, Satan says that each human also has a personal devil. He points to a devil that Dr. Strange fought in Doctor Strange #16 as an example.
  
• Hellcat was trained on Titan after leaving the Avengers in Avengers #151.
  
• Satan knows from his encounter with his son Hellstorm in Defenders #105 that Hellcat has touched his heart.
  
• Moondragon stripped Hellcat of her mental powers in Defenders #77.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

IIRC, Nighthawk shouldn't be listed as a character appearing here, should he? Doesn't he later turn out to be dead and gone as of his last appearance?

Ah, it looks like you actually already had this discussion over on the page devoted to the wrapup of this storyline. You pulled the 616 Nighthawk tag there but I think you just forgot to get rid of this one.

Thanks Dan. The MCP lists the real Nighthawk as appearing in issues from #110 to #119 even though he's dead (his funeral is in #107). I get confused by the alternate realty versions running around so i followed the MCP, but they do seem to be incorrect at this point.

Yeah, I saw from your comments on the upcoming issues that you had been following the MCP's lead on that. My guess would just be that whoever did those issues wasn't familiar with the storyline in advance and just did the entries as they went along, thinking that the Nighthawk in these issues is who he appeared to be and they included the Supreme Nighthawk because that's who "President Richmond" was supposed to be. When they got to the swerve at the end of the storyline, for whatever reason they just didn't go back and update the entries by taking out 616 Nighthawk.

While I don't recall the specific issue (and if anyone knows, please feel free to give me a shout!), a reader in a lettercol suggested that Namor take a romantic interest in Patsy Walker/Hellcat, therefore leading to a Namor/Hellstrom feud. I must say I saw merit in that proposal, since it would fit in neatly with the bickering nature of this "non-team" In addition, it would be like Poseiden versus Hades, masters of their respective realms, and both volatile, full-of-themselves divas so pompous Dr. Strange is Will Rogers by comparison. Gargoyle and Beast could have been a part of it, both as Patsy's friends and confidants during this dilemna as well as providing comedic "ringside commentary". Alas, such was not to be.