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Selector

Defenders #60

Jun 1978
David Kraft, Dan Green

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Story Name:

The Revenge of Vera Gemini! Xenogenesis Day of the Demons Part 3


Synopsis

Defenders #60 synopsis by Peter Silvestro
Rating: 4 stars

Having been told by Dollar Bill that Doctor Strange is dead, the Defenders rush in to see for themselves but Wong explains that he only appears so because his astral form has left his body. The Defenders decide to go to Mexico where the Cult has its base, taking along Strange’s body, hoping to reunite it with his astral self….

At the Dark Retreat of the Cult of the Harvesters of Eyes, the Cultists perform the spell to open the portal to the demons’ dimension; the pyramid explodes, killing some of the cultists, and the demons pour through, killing the other cultists, led by Vera Gemini, on their way to conquer the world….

The Defenders, Nighthawk, Valkyrie, Hulk, Hellcat, and Dollar Bill who has invited himself along to film the adventure, arrive in Mexico via Nighthawk’s jet. US Air Force planes pursue them and an officer, possessed by the demon Belathauzer, orders the planes to shoot them down. The pilots obey the order and blow them out of the skies. They make it safely to the ground via flight, parachute, or Hulk….

Meanwhile at the Dark Retreat, Devil-Slayer duels with the Agent of Fortune until the bad guy points out to rush of demons coming through the portal, signaling the start of the Xenogenesis…..

In a casino in Acapulco, Vera Gemini plays roulette with the demon lords for dominion over the world. The ball hits her number and she announces the demon lords shall face the fate of the human race….

The Defenders regroup in the forest; a winged demon flies overhead and Hulk pursues it, Hellcat hitching a ride, and they reach the Dark Retreat. They team up with Demon-Slayer to battle the monsters. DS tricks Hulk into toppling the castle while Hellcat, battling the Agent of Fortune, manages to steal his Shadow Cloak. Then the composite demon which has absorbed Dr. Strange appears and the others fight it. Nighthawk carries Dr. Strange’s body to safety, along with Dollar Bill; Valkyrie slashes at the various demons with Dragonfang but, muttering an apology, she slays the Strange body. Instantly, it dies and the unconscious Strange recovers. Strange tells Nighthawk that only he can reverse Xenogensis by flowing through a portal into the demon dimension and recovering the Eye of Agamotto and returning to the world. Strange’s astral form guides him past the demons to the Eye; NH seizes it and carries it out even after being rendered unconscious by the malign forces. Back at the Retreat, Ver Gemini, in her demon form, commands her minions to overcome the heroes—until Hellcat throws the Cloak over her, sending her to an unknown location. The return of the Eye causes the demons to be drawn back to their realm.


 

Review / Commentaries


Defenders #60 Review by (July 13, 2022)

Review: And the story ends as it began, drowning in a sea of exposition. Yet for all that the tale was a very good one, if having to crowd the pictures and blocks of text together to fit it all on the pages. And a No-Prize to anyone who can figure out what the Acapulco casino scene involving Demon Lords playing roulette for high stakes has to do with anything else in the story arc, other than providing a pretext for the artist including the members of Blue Oyster Cult in a cameo.

Comments: Part three of three; names and concepts come from the rock band Blue Oyster Cult; issue dedicated to the Long Island oysters. The demon lords pictured on page 9 are a portrait of the members of Blue Oyster Cult. The demon Belathauzer, introduced last issue, is here called Balthazar for no clear reason. Devil-Slayer returns in issues #97-101. Final appearance of Vera Gemini and the Cult of the Harvesters of Eyes. See note about colorist Francoise Mouly on issue #57. Gaspar Saladino did the lettering for page 1.



> Defenders comic book info and issue index

Elektra
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Excelsioring your collection:
Diamond Select Toys Marvel Gallery: Doctor Strange in The Multiverse of Madness PVC Statue
Holy smokes, Batman!
(The Boy Wonder)

Dan Green
Dan Green
Francoise Mouly
Ed Hannigan (Cover Penciler)
Alan Weiss (Cover Inker)
? (Cover Colorist)
Additional Credits
Layouts: Ed Hannigan. Letterer: Rick Parker.

Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Devil-Slayer
Devil-Slayer

(Eric Payne)
Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange

(Stephen Strange)
Hellcat
Hellcat

(Patricia Walker)
Hulk
Hulk

(Robert Bruce Banner)
Nighthawk
Nighthawk

(Kyle Richmond)
Valkyrie
Valkyrie

(Brunnhilda)

Plus: Dollar Bill (Aaron English).