Defenders vol. 2 #8
Title: “Day of the Great Ones”
Writers: Kurt Busiek and Erik Larsen
Penciller: Ron Frenz
Inker: Al Vey
Colors: Tom Smith and Color Arts
Editor: Tom Brevoort
On Hala, the Supreme Intelligence meets with a group of Kree to bestow upon them the gift of evolving into one of the Ruul Kree. Supreme Intelligence says that it is time for them to join the future. Commander Tar-Vash kneels before the Supreme Intelligence and says that the Intelligence has brought greatness back to the Kree race and that he salutes him. Supreme Intelligence says that of course he does. Ronan holds out his universal weapon and Supreme intelligence sends out his genius. Commander Tar-Vash is transformed into a Ruul Kree. Supreme Intelligence tells Tar-Vash to rise. He notes that Tar-Vash was due to come in for his advancement well before today. Tar-Vash apologizes, but says that his duties on the front made it impossible for him to come earlier. Tar-Vash says that the border planets of their empire will be pacified, and that he will do so ahead of schedule. Supreme Intelligence commends Tar-Vash, and asks how their new weapon is working. Tar-Vash says that it is unstoppable.
On Trellnax-3, Dr. Strange, Namor, and the Hulk appear over the heads of a group of aliens. Many refugee races are gathered on the planet. As they walk down the street the Hulk asks why everyone is staring at them. Hulk says that he doesn’t like being here. Namor tells Hulk to be quiet as they are conspicuous enough without him drawing attention. Strange says that he didn’t think they would stand out so much. Strange casts a cloaking spell that dresses the Defenders in a manner more like the others. Hulk says that he doesn’t like his new hat. Strange tells Hulk that there really isn’t a hat there, and that it is simply an illusion. Hulk says that he likes his old pants better too, and that the ill-loo-shun pants are too tight. They head towards what seems to be a town center. As they walk away a shadowed figure watches them from behind a curtain. He asks if his eyes are deceiving him, or if the Defenders are truly there.
Hulk says that he smells food, and that he is hungry. He says that he think that they should look there and that maybe the Silver Surfer was hungry too. Strange says that Hulk’s plan actually makes some sense since they can ask the locals if there is any news of the Surfer about. They walk into the tavern. The room is full of Toad Men. Hulk shouts that he hates Ugly-Men. The Toad Men rise up with their weapons as the Hulk has become a figure of legend to the Toad Men. Hulk leaps into the group and starts smashing. Namor is agitated as they are now no closer to finding the Silver Surfer and now they are drawn into yet another pointless fight. Strange uses a spell to separate everyone and tells them all to be quiet. Strange says that they are not there to fight. Hulk says that Dumb Magician is lying. Strange presses on and says that they are there looking for information about the Silver Surfer. One of the Toad Men steps forward and says that they are there on the Trellnax-3 as part of a resistance against the Kree. He says that the Surfer arrived a little while ago. He says that they told Surfer about the Kree and were hoping that he would help them, but then Surfer started to feel drained of his power and is grabbed up by a tentacle. The Toad Man says that it could only be the Kree that grabbed them up. Namor says that they must go up against the Kree and force them to tell them where the Surfer is.
Suddenly the Kree attack. Pacifier units, which look like At-At’s from the Star Wars movies with view screens, destroy the tavern. Commander Tar-Vash’s face is on one of the view screens and he announces that the city is now under their protection. He tells all to lay down their weapons and surrender. The Toad Men fly off to oppose them. Strange says that they must help the Toad Men against the Kree so they can question the Kree about the Surfer, but Hulk says that he isn’t going to help Ugly-Men because they are his enemies. Strange tries to make Hulk see, but Hulk says that he isn’t listening anymore. Strange starts shouting insults at Hulk. Hulk says that nobody talks to him like that and that he is going to smash magician. Namor breaks it up and says Strange is supposed to be their peacemaker and he knows this is not how you deal with the Hulk. Namor says that they must help the Ugly-Men to find Shiny-Man. Hulk says that he has smashed everyone’s monsters, but that he isn’t helping his enemies. Namor says that he and Strange will do it alone, and that he can smash more than Hulk anyway. Hulk leaps off to prove Namor wrong. Namor talks with Strange and says that even though Nighthawk has convinced him that there may be a need for the Defenders to exist that when they break the curse that they should consider continuing without the Hulk. He says that Hulk is more trouble than he is worth.
Hulk starts pounding the Ruul Kree and the Toad Men start to cheer for Hulk. Hulk says that he thought that the Ugly-Men were his enemies, but that if they are cheering for him that they must be his friends. The Defenders start ripping into the Ruul until Tar-Vash blasts them with his pacifier unit. Strange’s shield is protecting them, but says that even the Shield of Seraphim is weakened by this power. Hulk says that he recognizes the color, smell, and sound of the power. Namor says that he does as well and Strange realizes that the Ruul are wielding the Power Cosmic.
The Defenders look up to see the Ruul’s
new weapon the Starwheel. Inside the Starwheel, the Silver Surfer
is being held and drained of his power. Tentacles come down from
the Starwheel and traps the other Defenders in three orbs that
seem to drain their power as well. Tar-Vash says that the
Starwheel uses their own power against them. Strange, Hulk, and
Namor all reel from the draining. Tar-Vash is rubbing it in that
the Ruul Kree are going to take over and that they are the
greatest power in the universe. Finally Hulk gets angry. 
Hulk says,
“No, Grey-Face is wrong. No one is stronger than Hulk! No
One! You hear me Grey-Face? Hulk is the strongest one there
is!” Hulk destroys his bubble and the backlash destroys the
Starwheel.
Later the Hulk is celebrating with the Toad Men. Strange says that perhaps Surfer’s imprisonment might have prevented the curse from grabbing him. Surfer says that he has only been imprisoned for a day. Namor suggests that since the curse is powered by the Earth that since Surfer was far enough away from the Earth that he escaped its pull. Namor says that if only Atlantis wasn’t on Earth he would be all set. Surfer goes by and thanks the Hulk for freeing him. Hulk says that he is glad that Shiny-Man is his friend, and that it is good to have friends. Strange asks Namor if he still thinks that the Hulk is more trouble than he is worth. Namor supposes there is some value to being to stupid to know when he is defeated. A cloaked figure continues to watch the Defenders from a table as he drinks from a mug. He wonders if the Defenders might prove useful to him.
Hulk is giving the Toad Men noogies when Namor says that it is time to go free Atlantis. Hulk says that he wants to stay there, and a fight breaks out. Dr. Strange decides to check in with the others as they fight. Hellcat asks where Strange has been and why they weren’t brought together to save them. Hellcat tells Strange that the Headmen have taken over the world.
Dr. Strange’s Defenders rating: 7 out of 10.
Cool story. The narration is done by one of the Toad Men and despite my aversion to them is actually quite funny. Kurt and Erik have the Defenders in a lot of plotlines and I for one love it. The story is moving along, and it’s cool to see that Namor envisions a Defenders after the Curse is broken.
Frenz does a good enough job and manages to draw a little “old school” as there seems to be a lot of story on the pages.
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