Defenders, The #41: Review

Nov 1976

Steve Gerber, Klaus Janson

Story Name:

Intruder In The Sand!

Review & Comments

Rating:

Defenders, The #41 Review by Peter Silvestro (September 7, 2021)

Review: Woo! Throwback time! A nice evocation of Dr. Strange as he appeared in the mid-1960s with art that occasionally recalls that of Steve Ditko. The story is just as simple as one would have found back in the olden days as well: bad guy breaks through into our world, Dr. Strange finds a way to overcome them and send them back. Sadly, the whole thing lacks Ditko’s sparkle and the other dimension just looks like outer space. And I have no idea why Kyle is acting like such a jerk here, constantly rude to the commune leader as though he resents Trish talking to anyone but him. And Kyle “gets" the girl in the end though this is the last time in the comics we see them together so it looks like she’s smart enough to push his clingy manners away like she did the last time. I’m sure he gets over her eventually.

Comments: Shazan(n)a’s only previous appearance was in STRANGE TALES #133; her name was spelled with one N there and with two Ns in the present issue. Trish Starr, last seen in GIANT-SIZE AVENGERS #4 returns in INCREDIBLE HULK #233 and following. Gaspar Saladino did the lettering for page 1.

From Our Blog:

Gwen Stacy, beauty queen of Standard High School, was Peter Parker's (alias Spider-Man) first great love.

Gwen Stacy: Classic Beauty

Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Defenders, The #41 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Stephen Strange and Kyle Richmond arrive at the “Dune People” commune in the Nevada desert, summoned by the group leader to find Trish Starr. Kyle’s ex had come to the commune and impressed everyone with her ability to organize and solve problems. After a while she sank into depression, started studying mysticism and meditation then withdrew from everyone. Then something happened that left her acting like she was drugged, walking off into the desert and not returning; they found Kyle's number in her address book and sent for him. Strange and Kyle drive out into the desert where they literally crash into a mystic barrier. They suit up as Doctor Strange and Nighthawk and Strange has his astral form penetrate the barrier where he discovers Trish in a catatonic state. The magician fights off some guardian demons and brings Trish back through. She seems okay but when Strange looks into her mind he sees the face of his old enemy Shazanna who has tricked him into opening a gateway for her and her soldiers to come through to our world to conquer it. The heroes are captured and imprisoned in a magic cube made from their own life energies so to try to escape would be literal suicide. But Strange reaches through Trish’s mind to enter Shazanna’s and broadcast a message to Clea back in New York….

As Shazanna is about to have Trish executed, Hulk, Valkyrie, Red Guardian, and Clea come to the rescue, freeing Strange and Nighthawk from their prison, and defeating Shazanna and her army. Strange forces them back to their own dimension, erecting a barrier to prevent their return.