The Defenders will return to battle Marvel's oldest villain -- and save all of reality in the process.
A five-issue Defenders limited series will debut this August, with Al Ewing (S.W.O.R.D., Guardians of the Galaxy) writing and Javier Rodriguez (Doctor Strange and the Sorcerers Supreme) providing artwork."Defenders is something I've been turning over in my head since Marvel Comics #1000. Now it's finally here - and Javier Rodriguez is joining me, with all the power at his command and all the artistic freedom I can give him!" Ewing told Newsarama. "When you ride with the Defenders - you're on the trip of a lifetime!"
The Defenders' roster in this incarnation consists of original members Doctor Strange and Silver Surfer, with Betty Ross -- who became the Red Harpy in Ewing's Immortal Hulk series. Rounding out the roster are Cloud and the Masked Raider, the latter having appeared in Marvel Comics #1000.
Marvel had previously released a teaser for Defenders in February, which featured Doctor Strange and the Masked Raider attempting to assemble a new team of Defenders. Masked Raider played a major role across the pages of Marvel Comics #1000, donning the Eternity Mask which allows him to mimic the powers of different heroes and villains.
The official synopsis for Defenders #1 can be found below:
When existence itself faces extraordinary threats, it needs an extraordinary defense! That's when you call...the Defenders! Doctor Strange and the Masked Raider take a non-team of Marvel's weirdest, wildest heroes on a mission that will uncover the hidden architecture of reality itself!
This cosmos was not the first to exist...but if the Defenders can't track Marvel's oldest villain through the deepest trenches of time — it might be the last!
Defenders #1 goes on sale on Aug. 11 from Marvel.
Source: Newsarama