Defenders #17
Title: "Power Play!”
Writer: Len Wein
Penciller: Sal Buscema
Inker: Dan Green
Colors: Glynis Wein
Editor: Roy Thomas
On Long Island at a secluded riding academy, the brand new headquarters of the greatest non-team, Nighthawk is trying to ride Aragon. Aragon is trying to buck him off and flies into the air. Val tells Nighthawk to stay with it and prove that he is the horseman that he claims to be. Aragon bucks Nighthawk off and he is forced to fly down with his jetpack. Val claps as he lands and says that it was a valiant try, if not a successful one. Nighthawk says that Val made her point, and that Aragon is really hers and that Aragon knows it.
Inside the ranch house, Dr. Strange asks Val if she really has to go. Val says that she must and that she cannot rest until she knows the truth about her past. She says that she will be going as soon as she attends to something. Val goes into the next room and comes out in “regular” clothes. She is wearing light and dark purple striped bellbottom pants and a blue long sleeve shirt that is opened down to her navel. Val asks if she looks acceptable. Nighthawk says that she is an “absolute knockout” except that he can still see her sword. Val says that Dragonfang is like a part of her, and that she feels naked without it. Strange says that he can take care of that. Strange casts a spell of concealment and turns the sword invisible when sheathed. Val thanks Strange, but says that she should be going.
Val thanks Nighthawk for the loan of the
limousine and that it will make things simpler if not easier. She
tells them that she doesn’t want to go, but that until she
finds out all she can about Barbara that her life will be
incomplete. She says that when she finds her answers that she
will return. Strange says that she will always be welcome among
the Defenders. Val kisses Strange on the cheek and tells him
goodbye. Strange says that it is not goodbye, but only au revoir.
Val kisses Hulk on the cheek and says that she will miss him most
of all. Hulk is surprised by the kiss. Val kisses Nighthawk on
the cheek and says that though she has not known him long that he
has proven to be a generous man. Nighthawk says that if she is
going to say goodbye that she had better learn how to do it
right. Nighthawk kisses Val on the mouth and tells her that he is
going to miss her. Val waves goodbye to all and gets in the limo.
Strange says his well wishes and waves. Hulk is very sad and says
that “girl” kissed him and liked him, but hat now she
is gone. Strange puts his hand on Hulk’s shoulder and tells
him not to worry because Val will come back to them someday. Hulk
tells Strange to get his hand off of him. 
Hulk yells at
Strange and says that he claims to be his friend, but that he is
lying. Hulk says that if “Magician” was his friend that
he wouldn’t have let “Girl” go. Hulk says that he
has been betrayed and smashes the ground. Hulk says that he has
had enough. Hulk starts to walk away. Strange tries to go after
Hulk and explain, but Hulk says that he doesn’t want to hear
anymore confusing words. Hulk says that he knows what he knows,
and that words can’t change that. Hulk leaps away and says
that Magician and Bird-Nose are not his friends or Girl
wouldn’t have gone away. Hulk says that he is going
somewhere to be alone. Nighthawk tries to tell Hulk that he
doesn’t understand, but Strange says that he understands in
his own fashion.
Nighthawk and Strange walk back into the ranch house. Nighthawk asks Strange what is wrong with him. Nighthawk says that ever since he has joined this team that Namor, Val, and now the Hulk have quit. He says that he figures Strange and Aragon will quit before the weekend. Nighthawk says that he just wanted this so bad, and that he had a new headquarters built so they wouldn’t have to impose on his hospitality. Nighthawk says that he even had a special adamantium chair constructed for the Hulk. Nighthawk kicks the chair, but then grabs his foot in pain. Strange says, “It is written that the pain of impulse is parent to the pleasure of patience” and that he should think of that before he attacks the chair again. Nighthawk is about to tell Strange where to stick his proverbs when the phone rings. Strange says that the phone is going to be for Nighthawk, and to make amends for his “flippant comments” he levitates the ringing phone to Nighthawk. Nighthawk picks up the phone and it is Pennysworth. Pennysworth says to forgive the intrusion, but that there is an urgent matter that could affect the entire future of Richmond Enterprises. Nighthawk asks Strange to turn the television on for him. Nighthawk has to tell Strange which button to press. The newscaster says that the mysterious Wrecking Crew has threatened to demolish this building if they are not paid ten million dollars by 8PM. He says that though the Wrecking Crew has already destroyed one other building that the mayor is refusing to give in to their demands and has instead taken precautions to insure the building’s safety. The camera shows several armed guards. The newscaster says that it is now the moment of truth. The camera shows the building not being demolished. The newscaster is wiping sweat off his forehead and says that the deadline has passed and that the threat has not been carried out. Suddenly the building falls over. A booming voice announces that unless they are given twenty-five million dollars by tomorrow at dawn that they will level the city by sunset. The newscaster says that he thinks that they are serious. Nighthawk asks Pennysworth how that affects him. Pennysworth says that both of the buildings that they destroyed were owned by Richmond Industries. Pennysworth says that the only building they still own is under construction. Pennysworth says that he has taken precautions to protect it. Strange asks if the call was important. Nighthawk says that it seems someone is trying to put him out of business. Nighthawk says that he is heading to Manhattan and asks Strange if he wants to come along.
Strange and Nighthawk fly through the air. Nighthawk says that is his building and that he got the address from Pennysworth. Strange says that it is an impressive structure. Nighthawk says that it will be if somebody doesn’t knock it down. Nighthawk says that one would think that with all his money that he would at least have an interest in business, but that he was never interested in anything until he joined the Squadron Sinister and the Defenders. He says that he hopes he is a better hero than he is a businessman. Strange says that Nighthawk sells himself short, and that he has proven himself a fine Defender. A figure hangs off a steel girder in the background as Nighthawk realizes that Pennysworth told him that there was supposed to be some people there to protect the place. Nighthawk says that the place is a twenty-story tomb. Strange suggests that the watchmen might be watching a lower level, but suddenly Strange and Nighthawk are both grabbed by their capes and smashed into a wall. Strange says that at least they know now what happened to the guards. Luke Cage introduces himself as Power Man. He says that a guy named Pennysworth paid him to protect the building. Nighthawk says that they are on the same team then. Strange says, “Yes, my friend. We are here to protect the structure as well. Power Man says that he isn’t their friend and that he doesn’t believe them because of the way they sneaked onto the roof. Strange tries to restrain Power Man until they can convince him, but Cage ducks under Strange’s blast. The blast warps a steel girder that starts to buckle from the weight. Strange says that isn’t what he wanted to happen and uses the Ruby Rings of Raggadorr to repair the damage. Cage says that Strange can call on Ruby Begonia, but since the blast that did the damage was supposed to hit him… Cage decks Strange. Luke tells himself that was a “jive move” attacking someone who was off-guard, but that from what he saw “off-guard” was the only way to defeat him. Nighthawk spins Cage around and punches him in the eye. Nighthawk says that he wanted him to look him straight in the eye before he blackened both of Cage’s eyes. Cage gets up and says that his eyes are already black like the rest of him. Nighthawk’s hand hurts from the punch and asks what he is made of. Cage says that a little experiment gave him steel hard skin and the power of a runaway rhino. Nighthawk says that he would be impressed if he were the only muscle man around. Nighthawk leaps over Cage’s charge. Nighthawk says that he had his own experiment that gives him twice the strength, skill, and stamina of any normal man when the moon was out. He points out that there is a full moon tonight. Nighthawk kicks Cage into a steel girder. Cage says that he was going to take it easy on him, but that now he is going to tear him apart. Nighthawk asks why he can’t get it through his thick skull that they aren’t there to wreck the place and that he doesn’t want to fight him. Cage says that he is still going to mop the floor with him. Cage leaps at Nighthawk, but Nighthawk catches him and hold him over his head. Nighthawk says that Cage is going to have to stay there until he realizes that they don’t have to fight. Cage pulls part of the ceiling down and hits Nighthawk in the head with it. Cage is about to charge Nighthawk again, but suddenly he is trapped inside a bubble. Cage tries to pound the bubble, but he can’t even dent it. Strange tells him to let them explain then. Strange says that they may have landed on the roof, but that they were asked by Kyle Richmond to protect the building. Cage asks why he should believe them, but suddenly the entire building starts shaking and it falls to the ground.
Strange protected Nighthawk and Cage inside
a bubble. Nighthawk says that Strange sure moves fast when he has
to. Strange says to praise the Vishanti because it is the Shield
of Seraphim that saved them. 
The Wrecker
says that is swell but that nothing is going to save them from
the Wrecking Crew. Wrecker introduces Thunderball, Bulldozer, and
Piledriver.
Dr. Strange’s Defenders: 7 out of 10
The book is somewhat of a set up issue. While I love the Wrecking Crew (so I wanted to give it a higher than 3 of 5 for writing) I found it somewhat unbelievable that Cage’s investigative mind couldn’t grasp the concept that while Strange was repairing the girder that he was not the Wrecking Crew. Cage is intensely obtuse in the issue since there were a number of places where reason would have showed that Nighthawk and Strange weren’t out to hurt Cage or the building. Sal does an excellent job, but the production of the comic (lining up the coloring) kind of ruined the Wrecking Crew’s first appearance. Still great fight scenes between Nighthawk and Cage.
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