Fearless Defenders #1 Advanced Review

*SPOILER-FREE REVIEW*

Written By:  Cullen Bunn
Art By:  Will Sliney
Colored By:  Veronica Gandini
Lettered By:  VC’s Clayton Cowles

The adjective-less Defenders ended it’s run before Marvel NOW! kicked off.  There was a thought that it would not be one of the titles relaunched with a brand new number one.  As it turns out, Defenders is returning, but with a slightly different take on the team.

Defenders returns as Fearless Defenders with an all-female cast under the leadership of Valkyrie and Misty Knight.  There is a specific reason I use the word “cast” and not “team”.  In interviews writer Cullen Bunn has stated this isn’t so much a team as a group of individuals working together to solve a common goal.  There is not a set lineup and cast members will be coming and going throughout the book.

What I Liked

Will Sliney’s art and Veronica Gandini’s colors are both appealing to the eye and colorful.  Marvel NOW! always deceives readers because a large majority of the books will have one artist draw the covers and another do the internal art.  Even though that is the case with Fearless Defenders the art still holds up on the inside thanks to Sliney.

Even though I am not familiar with Valkyrie or Misty Knight the story is easy to follow.  We get a feeling for their personalities and explanations for things as they appear, like Misty’s Satan Claw.  The story is setup seamlessly, and we’re even introduced to a brand new character named Dr. Annabelle Riggs.  She comes across as very likable and has a good rapport with one of our lead heroines.

I really enjoyed the witty dialogue Bunn adds to the book.  I mentioned above that the story is easy to follow, but I also appreciated that you could feel a sense of fun throughout.  It’s adventurous and the reader feels as if they are along for the ride.

What I Didn’t Like

There was not much that I disliked in this issue.  If I were to nitpick, the final dialogue to end the book seemed more like a speech than a natural flow of conversation.  It didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment, but it made me raise an eyebrow when I was done.

Summary

Overall a great introduction to Fearless Defenders.  I’m really interested in finding out what other characters are added and subtracted from the book going forward.  We know that our main cast will have Valkyrie and Misty Knight.  Beyond that is anyone’s guess.

This review is written in partnership with Pop Culture Network.  They can be found at their website http://www.popculturenetwork.com/

Timdogg

#ComicBookChronicles @CBChron founder. Editor-in-Chief of @thekliqnation. Comic book reviewer, podcaster #RABBLERABBLE