Writer: Cullen Bunn
Pencils: Lee Garbett
Inks: David Meiks
Colors: John Rauch
Letters: Joe Caramagna
Cover: Lee Garbett, David Meiks, Frank Martin
Editor: Jody Leheup, Jeanine Schaefer
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Date: August 2011
Cover Price: $2.99
This series could have been called Fear Itself: The Defenders because that’s exactly what it is – the assembling of The Defenders to aid Namor.
With Attuma having become one of The Worthy, he becomes Nerkkod, Breaker of Oceans and with that newly attained power, he not only defeats Namor but
he destroys New Atlantis and subjugates it’s denizens. Other than the fact that Attuma has a hammer, speaks a little Norse, and is more powerful than before, there isn’t much change in his characterization. It was the same old Attuma fighting Namor except Namor got scared fighting him.
For two days after the destruction of New Atlantis, Namor sits in a dive bar with Loa waiting for help from his friend Stephen Strange. Strange then uses a spell to summon the Defenders but manages to call upon Lyra instead. She’s not The Hulk, but she is A She-Hulk. These four Defenders – Namor, Dr. Strange, Lyra, and Loa – fight back a horde of demonic hybrid sea creatures that come out of the ocean. That is until they seem to be overwhelmed, then The Silver Surfer shows up to lend a hand and complete the team.
While I found the book to be fairly well drawn by Lee Garbett, I find the characterizations by Cullen Bunn very odd. Even though Namor seemed to lose his will to fight Attuma, it was seemingly out of character to ask for help. I thought the whole Marvel event was about FEAR and not losing one’s will. Namor came across as more sad than scared.
At one later point in the story, one of the creatures hits Namor against a building and Namor just can’t fight back; presumably due to fear. This may have worked well if he hadn’t been stripped down to a sad and pathetic looking Namor so early in the issue. That scene just came across as very weak instead.
Although this series is a re-forming of The Defenders, it seems very inconsequential in the whole Fear Itself storyline. I’m sure this won’t be the only one along those lines to come out during this ‘Summer Event.’
– The Comic Book Critic
Comic Book Critic Rating: 5.0