Defenders Epic Collection #1

In "They Walk by Night!", explorer Kenneth Ward uncovers an ancient idol linked to the mysterious Undying Ones, drawing the attention of three demonic entities. When Doctor Strange intervenes to protect the artifact, the confrontation proves fatal for Ward, whose death from heart failure leaves the occult threat unresolved.

In "The Monarch and the Mystic!", Namor’s struggle to breathe underwater takes a mysterious turn when Dr. Strange implants a hidden directive in his mind, sending the Sub-Mariner on a quest to Boston—where he must confront the enigmatic Idol of the Undying Ones. The journey tests his resolve and awakens long-buried secrets, blending ancient mysticism with the ocean’s deepest mysteries.

In "...Where Stalks the Night-Crawler!", Bruce Banner, drained from his clash with the Absorbing Man, finds himself ensnared by a sinister cult in a secluded mansion, their dark rituals aimed at summoning the ancient Undying Ones. Trapped in a nightmare dimension, Banner transforms into the Hulk, only to confront the Night-Crawler in a battle that shatters the realm and hurls them both into the domain of the Undying Ones—where a desperate fight for survival begins.

In "Confrontation!", Sub-Mariner, Hulk, and Silver Surfer unite to halt a dangerous military weather-control experiment before it spirals out of control. When the military summons the Avengers to intervene, the heroes face a crisis that tests their resolve—and their trust in the very institutions meant to protect them.

In "A Titan Walks Among Us!", the Defenders face an insidious threat as the alien conqueror Xemnu manipulates minds through a children’s TV show, turning the nation’s youth into unwitting pawns. With the line between entertainment and control dissolving, the team must uncover the source of the broadcast and stop Xemnu before his plan takes hold.

In "Four Against the Gods," the Defenders attempt to send the Silver Surfer home by opening a portal to another dimension, only to be confronted by the mysterious Nameless One and a dangerous force that traps them in a realm beyond their understanding. As they fight to survive, they must also free Barbara, whose fate is entwined with the ancient power they’ve awakened.

In "The New Defender!", Barbara is transformed into the mighty Valkyrie by the Enchantress, while the Black Knight is petrified. With Aragorn now her steed and time ticking down to just 89 hundredths of a second, the fate of the battlefield hangs in the balance.

In "[Avengers / Defenders War, Interlude] Holocaust," the clash between Captain America and the Sub-Mariner escalates as the two heroes begin to sense a deeper manipulation behind the battle. Meanwhile, the Swordsman presses his fight against Valkyrie, each combatant locked in a struggle that feels less like a war and more like a trap.

In "[Avengers / Defenders War, Chapter 12] A Dark and Stormy Knight," the Defenders journey to the 12th century to restore the Black Knight after the Enchantress petrified him, only to find that he chooses to remain in the past. The story weaves together magic, time, and legacy as the team confronts the weight of history—and the cost of belonging.