Issue(s): Defenders #34
Cover Date: Apr 76
Title: 'I think we're all bozos in this book!"
Credits:
Steve Gerber - Writer
Sal Buscema - Penciler
Jim Mooney - Inker

Review/plot:
Jack Norriss, still in Nighthawk's body and holding his brain, fakes his way though a conversation with Nebulon.

Nebulon, inspired by his experience on the planet of the Luberdites, is here to help the Earth's people realize their dreams. He sends Noriss to the island that holds the people he collected, including the deer with Chondu's brain, who attacks him.

After freeing themselves from Ruby's goo (from the end of last issue), the Hulk destroys the house of the neighbor across the street for the second time. Again, it's played for laughs, and Dr. Strange doesn't bat an eye before teleporting the team away from the financially ruined man (who, to be fair, had been taunting them, although you can forgive him considering the circumstances).

There are some construction workers at Dr. Strange's house, repairing the damage from when Bambi/Chondu jumped out the window last issue. They don't like the way Dr. Strange talks to Wong. The Defenders stick up for Strange, although i don't feel like the issue is properly addressed.

The Hulk heads off to find "Bambi", upset that Dr. Strange and the Valkyrie, preoccupied by their predicament with the Headmen and Nebulon, are ignoring him. He finds Nebulon and attacks him even though Nebulon is in disguise.

The Hulk is unable to beat Nebulon.

Nebulon sets up a seminar for Celestial Mind Control.

The Hulk returns to Strange's house and brings them to it, although he's not good at explaining why they need to go there.

When Valkyrie discovers that it's Nebulon, she says "Curse your inability to recall names, Hulk!" which i thought was funny.

The Defenders get into a fight with Nebulon, who has brought his collected people onto the stage and turned everyone into bozo clowns...

...but Chondu teleports himself and Nebulon away.

These Gerber Defender stories are getting good. It's not about the weirdness, it's just good characterization and a good plot.

Quality Rating: B

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: The MCP places this between Hulk #193-194.

References:

• The Defenders starts this issue still trapped in Ruby Thursday's goo, across the street from the house the Hulk wrecked in Defenders #21. The owner of the house gets the Hulk riled up, and he smashes the under-construction house again. Gerber is poking fun at middle class mediocrity, but as someone who's had a mortgage, i feel for the guy more than Gerber intends.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

The title refers to the Firesign Theater's early 1970s album "I Think We're All Bozos On This Bus".

Some of my earliest comic reads were this one, MOKF 42 ("Clock of Shattered Time", with the fast-forwards) and the Dr. Strange vs. Satan battle in Hell, in Dr. Strange 16. Young I was *very* confused...

I think the insult seminar is a reference to Erhard Seminars Training aka est, a 70's phenomenon which used harsher language than "bozo."

The bozo parts remind me of the movie Semi-Tough, where Bert Convy calls his audience a-holes. This was also done as a parody on those Erhard seminars.

The Defenders was starting to get weirder and weirder, although as a young teen I thought the brain swapping was pretty cool.