Issue(s): Defenders #40
Cover Date: Oct 76
Title: "Love, anarchy and, oh yes... the Assassin!"
Credits:
Steve Gerber - Writer
Sal Buscema - Penciler
Klaus Janson - Inker

Review/plot:
Matt Murdock gets the charges against the Valkyrie dismissed. Clea gives her a new costume to replace the one that she lost when she was arrested. "We don't got storage space for rags and empty shell casings, Lady. Sorry." The new costume was designed by John Byrne. I don't like it very much.

The Red Guardian is attacked by a man with robotic arms. He is working for a group that is trying to help people emigrate from Russia. They think they'll be able to negotiate an agreement if they have the Guardian (who is also, remember, a renowned neurologist). However, she is able to defeat robot-arms on her own and she returns to the Defenders.

The Elf With A Gun kills a lady who had been protesting a snuff film.

The Hulk was also at the snuff film protest, since the content (the death of "a pretty blonde actress") subconsciously strikes a nerve due to the recent death of Jarella.

Jack Noriss throw another temper tantrum. Nighthawk asks him what it will take for him to leave, and Noriss responds "Oh, about $300,000." Nighthawk says "Done", and Jack leaves.

Strange continues to look for the reason behind his power troubles (we'll learn the answer in Defenders annual #1).

Quality Rating: B-

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: Hulk is said to be intensely pre-occupied by his own problems when he smashes up a demonstration against a snuff film that portrays the death of "a pretty blonde actress". This is a tie in with the death of Jarella. The Hulk is on his way to find Dr. Strange in order to try to get him to use his magic to bring Jarella back to life. Luke Cage is in the audience at the Valkyrie's trial, but it doesn't necessarily mean that he's been with the Defenders since issue #39.

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

This story was a reference to an actual 1976 film called "Snuff", which was a South American movie about a Manson-type cult with some American 'snuff" scene tacked on at the end. It didn't fool anybody who actually saw it.

Nobody else liked the Byrne-designed Valkyrie costume, either. It lasted 5 issues at most.

I also didn't like Val's new costume. Yuck! Wasn't to thrilled about Nighthawk paying that kind of cash to the annoying Norris, either. A super group like the Defenders could just toss him out for free. The elf? Not a big fan. Like many others, I really wondered where this series was going.

The new Valkyrie costume lasted three issues. This issue, Giant Sized Defenders 4 and issue #41.