The Defenders: Who Are They and Where Does Marvel Go From Here?

Finally, mainstream television is catching on the what the movies already know…comic book adaptations sell and sell well.

• Legion
• Daredevil
• The Flash
• Jessica Jones
• Preacher
• Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
• Luke Cage
• Riverdale
• Iron Fist

It is without surprise that some shows are better than others (Daredevil vs Iron Fist) but all comic companies and their parent owners are doing an extremely good job of delivering reasonable quality. Not only this, but they do it quickly.

Can I say it? Marvel stands out. Very specifically, the Netflix Marvel shows stand out. For a couple of years now, just like their Cinematic Universe, Marvel has done an amazing job of aligning a set number of heroes in the same timeline so that one day (Avengers: Infinity War) they can come together and fight the good fight.

For Netflix, it’s The Defenders.

Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist…The Defenders.

This group of heroes goes back long before Netflix and Marvel teamed up. In fact, they first appeared 46 years ago in Marvel Feature #1 in 1971. However, they weren’t as we know them today. This group consisted of Doctor Strange, Namor, and the Incredible Hulk. Eventually, the Silver Surfer would join but the original team was just three.

Imagine, for a second, the sheer power of this team. As far as teams of the era go, they might even rival the Fantastic Four.

Over the years the team has morphed from one cast to another. Such notable members include:

• Valkyrie
• Hawkeye
• Nighthawk
• Yellowjacket
• Hellcat
• Red Guardian
• Beast

And it wouldn’t stop there. The Defenders quickly became the New Defenders (Angel, Beast, Gargoyle, Iceman, Moondragon, and Valkyrie) and eventually spun into the Secret Defenders (Dr. Strange, Incredible Hulk, Ghost Rider, and the Silver Surfer).

Yes, the history is as convoluted as comics come but that’s what makes it so much fun.

As for the Netflix version, I personally cannot wait. These heroes are not the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, or even the X-Men but as history has shown, this doesn’t matter. Not to say that this group is a misfit group of characters, they are just lesser known. We already saw what happened when Marvel released Guardians of the Galaxy.

Pure, energetic, fun.

And before you think that these characters belong on the big screen, consider this…they don’t…or at least not yet.

Put yourself in Marvel’s shoes. The MCU is already dominating the box office so why would they want to introduce more characters there? Why not do exactly what they are doing and dominate the living room too? Netflix doesn’t need the Hulk or Doctor Strange to magically appear in its universe. It is doing a fine job with Daredevil and Luke Cage.

Don’t get me wrong. That doesn’t mean that I don’t want the worlds to collide…because I do. I sit here imagining the pandemonium that would occur if any of these characters appeared in Infinity War or its sequel. It makes me scream with joy and if I haven’t already, I think I’d shit myself. But it’s perfectly ok if they don’t.

The more titles that Marvel creates, the more chances I have to watch what I love.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how good or bad some of their shows have been (Iron Fist). I can’t wait until Friday, August 18, 2017, to see all hell break loose one more time. I am excited to see how the characters, the story, and the universe develops. And maybe, just maybe, the recent announcement by Disney won’t prevent further episodes from being created…

Enjoy the show.

Cheers,

Jeff

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