Defenders vol. 2 #5
Title: Headhunt
Writer: Kurt Busiek and Erik Larsen
Artist: Erik Larsen
Inker: Sal Buscema
Colors: Gregory Wright with Color Arts
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Namor swims towards Atlantis cursing the other Defenders for not assisting him in freeing Atlantis from Attuma’s control.
Nighthawk, Strange, Valkyrie, and Hellcat watch Namor swim. Nighthawk says that it is hard to blame Namor for his bad attitude, but Hellcat brings up that it doesn’t make any sense to try and free Atlantis when Namor, Strange, Hulk, and Surfer could be pulled away at any moment. Strange agrees but tells them to be quiet as their chatter irks him. Strange calls on the hosts of Immateria to manifest the essence of Yandroth’s curse. Yandroth’s giant floating head mocks Strange asking how fun it is to be teamed up with his old friends. Strange tells the others that it is not really Yandroth, but simply an eldritch linked to the curse. Strange tries to use the Faltinian Flame to shatter the curse, but Yandroth just laughs at Strange and says that his curse is powered by Gaea herself, and that Strange can’t break it because it permeates his entire being. Nighthawk asks Strange if he would like Papa Hagg to come over top help out, but Strange just coldly glares at Nighthawk. Strange says that he needs no assistance and throws them all out of the room.
Since they can’t help Strange or Namor Hellcat suggests that they go to get something to eat. Now dressed in civilian clothes Kyle Richmond shows Valkyrie how when she sheathes her sword that she is changed into “normal” clothes. Hellcat says that Strange’s ideas of fashion sense aren’t real up to date, but that they’ll do. They head out.
Silver Surfer hovers outside the building where Alicia Masters is attending the premiere of her exhibition. Surfer says that he wants to go to her to make things better between them, but he sees how happy she looks in her element and realizes how far it is from being his element. Surfer takes off and wonders if he will ever come back.
Doc Samson asks Bruce Banner where he has been disappearing to. Bruce says that he doesn’t know. He says that whatever it is he was the Savage Hulk at the time and as such he doesn’t really have very clear access to that Hulk’s memories. Bruce says that the last thing he recalls is walking in Washington DC and that the Toad Men were attacking. Samson says that this is playing havoc with Bruce’s ALS treatments. Samson says that he may have an idea of how to find out where the Hulk was.
Namor swims up behind two of Attuma’s guards. He says that he normally wouldn’t be so brutal on them, but that he can’t afford to have them sounding an alarm this far from Atlantis. Namor kills both guards as he swims by. He says that he may not have needed to do this if the other Defenders would’ve helped him.
As Valkyrie, Kyle Richmond, and Patsy Walker walk down the street Valkyrie says that the streets seem familiar to her. Kyle is trying to make Patsy feel better about her recent mess ups that got the Defenders cursed and unleashed Hell on Earth when Val suggests that they eat at a pizzeria. Kyle reminds Val that he is a millionaire and that they could eat at a much nicer place. Val says that she wants to eat there and that it seems familiar. Hellcat says that perhaps this Valkyrie wasn’t made out of nothing by Pluto and Lorelei, but that she is an altered human like Barbara Norriss was. As they enter the pizza place everyone fails to notice the missing poster up on the pole outside the place with a picture of a blond haired woman on it.
Inside the Vanderdecken Museum of Antiquities, Dr. Arthur Nagan stands with the other Headmen and says that they have made it this far undetected. Nagan asks Morgan if he is sure his neuro-formula will work. Morgan says that it will do exactly as they require. Morgan injects the formula into Chondu’s robotic spider body. Morgan starts to tell Chondu how it will work, but Chondu tells him to be quiet and that he knows how it works. Chondu’s eyes start to smoke. Bystanders start to run.
Valkyrie says that it feels odd not knowing anything. She says that she knows how to speak English, but that is about it. Kyle says that Papa Hagg might be able to help her. Patsy says that Kyle sounds like a broken record. Patsy asks Val what drew her to this place. Val says that she wishes she knew, but that her first fully conscious moment came when she broke from Pluto’s grasp. Kyle asks what Patsy has against Papa Hagg. Patsy says that she doesn’t have anything against him, but reminds Kyle that they have Dr. Strange now. Kyle reminds Patsy of how friendly and cooperative Strange is being lately. Kyle says that Papa Hagg gets results and that he might even be able to lift Patsy’s demonic senses. Patsy says that she is happy the way she is. Suddenly the pizzeria’s television reports about the break in at the museum. Kyle recognizes it as one that he funds and says that there are a lot of mystic artifacts there. They rush towards the museum.
Namor makes it to the city wall and smashes his way through another guard.
Morgan remarks that it went extremely well and that he already sees some ways to improve it. Ruby Tuesday says that their success was never in doubt, but Chondu reminds her that they have to get the artifact and escape still. Chondu says that the police must have been alerted by now, but Nagan interrupts and asks what they can do against them. Nagan picks up the ancient artifact and says that it is exactly where their ally told them it would be. The Headman take the artifact and head out the back. Nighthawk flies by and snags the artifact out of Nagan’s hands. Nagan shouts to stop him and Ruby Tuesday wraps herself around Nighthawk. Nighthawk throws the fragment to Valkyrie and takes off with Ruby still holding him. Morgan is going to shoot at Valkyrie, but Nagan says that he might hit the artifact. Nagan says that he will handle her. Chondu starts to chase after Hellcat. Nagan dives into Valkyrie. Nighthawk slams Ruby into a billboard. He flies by and hits Chondu’s head to help Hellcat. Nagan punches Nighthawk. Ruby Tuesday starts to fight with Val so Val throws the artifact to Hellcat. The power from the fragment overcomes Hellcat’s supernatural senses and causes her to drop the artifact. Chondu tries to blast Nighthawk, but Nighthawk causes him to hit Ruby Tuesday. Valkyrie swings Nagan into Chondu, and Hellcat punches out Morgan. Hellcat wonders why the Headmen wanted the thing, but then suddenly Nagan grabs the artifact and the Headmen teleport away.
Namor finally makes it into the throne room and comes face to face with Attuma. Namor starts to pummel Attuma, but just as Namor is about to finish Attuma off for good the Defenders curse happens again and Namor is pulled away. Attuma smiles.
Doc Samson has the Hulk under hypnosis and asks the Hulk where he has been vanishing to. Hulk says that he will tell Samson what he knows. With his limited vocabulary Hulk starts to tell Samson about fighting the Toad Men and then meeting up with the Defenders. He tells Samson about fighting Yandroth, the Ravagers, Pluto and the risen dead. Samson of course understands very little of what Hulk is saying because Hulk isn’t using names, but his descriptions. Samson asks for clarification, but then the Defenders curse happens again and Hulk disappears.
Nighthawk, Valkyrie, and Hellcat make it back to Strange’s house. Strange starts to tell them that he has had no success. Strange says that the curse is woven through the fabric of reality and through their souls. He says that disassembling it involves great risk. Nighthawk breaks in and starts telling Strange how the Headmen made off with a mystic artifact, but then suddenly the Defenders curse occurs again and Strange vanishes.
Namor is shouting about how he had nearly defeated Attuma when the curse pulled him away again. Hulk says that Fish-Man’s screaming hurts his head. Strange asks Namor if he sees now why Strange didn’t think it was smart to go after Attuma until the curse is lifted. Namor says that all he sees is that his people are enslaved by a hated enemy and that he can’t do anything about it. Suddenly a booming voice tells them not to move and to stand where they are.
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