The Defenders #10
Defenders #10 is the pivotal penultimate chapter of what historians widely recognize as Marvel's first true extended inter-title crossover: the Avengers/Defenders War. Bouncing the narrative back and forth between two live monthly titles over four months set a structural template that the entire comics industry would follow for decades. The issue delivers the crossover's most anticipated single combat — Hulk versus Thor fighting over the final fragment of the Evil Eye in Los Angeles — while Chapter 10 pivots the entire war from hero-versus-hero to a unified stand against the real orchestrators, Dormammu and Loki, a plot reveal that recontextualized every preceding clash as manipulation rather than genuine enmity. That storytelling architecture — heroes tricked into fighting, united only when the true villain is unmasked — became one of the defining structural templates of the Marvel crossover genre.
In "[Avengers / Defenders War] Chapter 9: Breakthrough!", the Defenders and Avengers stand on the brink of another clash—until the Sub-Mariner arrives with a crucial piece of the Eye, bringing the Avengers with him. As tensions ease and the truth of their manipulation sinks in, the two teams unite to stop the escalating battle between Hulk and Thor in Los Angeles. With the Eye’s six pieces assembled, they face a sudden threat: Asti, servant of Dormammu, seizes the artifact, unleashing a terrifying transformation across Earth. Now, only the combined strength of the Avengers and the Defenders can stand against Dormammu’s rising dominion.
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Writer Steve Englehart, who simultaneously helmed both The Avengers and The Defenders, conceived the Avengers/Defenders War as a summer event that would alternate chapters across the two titles in their regularly scheduled issues rather than in a dedicated Annual. Editor-in-Chief Roy Thomas greenlighted the plan on the condition that Englehart hit every deadline — a constraint that also required The Defenders to temporarily shift from bimonthly to monthly publication for the crossover's duration. Thomas had originally created the Defenders but handed the writing duties to Englehart once his editorial workload became too heavy, making Englehart the sole architect of both sides of the conflict. Defenders #10 itself was penciled by Sal Buscema, inked by Frank Bolle, colored by Petra Goldberg, and lettered by Gaspar Saladino and Tom Orzechowski, with a cover painted by John Romita Sr.
Trivia · 7 facts
- Contains Chapters 9 ('Breakthrough! The Incredible Hulk vs. The Mighty Thor') and 10 ('United We Stand!') of the Avengers/Defenders War, continuing directly from Avengers #117.
- Delivers the crossover's headline match-up: Hulk and Thor both arrive in Los Angeles hunting the final fragment of the Evil Eye, clash over possession of it, and fight to a stalemate.
- Chapter 10 reveals the true villains — Dormammu and Loki — who manipulated both teams throughout the war; Dormammu cameos as his servant Asti seizes all assembled Evil Eye components, setting up the finale in Avengers #118.
- Written by Steve Englehart, penciled by Sal Buscema, inked by Frank Bolle; cover by John Romita Sr. Roy Thomas served as editor.
- The Avengers/Defenders War is broadly cited as the first extended back-and-forth crossover between two ongoing Marvel titles, running across Defenders #8–11 and Avengers #116–118 (September–December 1973).
- The issue has been reprinted numerous times, including in the Avengers/Defenders War (Marvel, 2002), Essential Defenders Vol. 1 (2005), Avengers: Defenders War Premiere Edition (2007), and subsequent trade editions through at least 2011.
- The full character roster for this issue spans both teams: Hulk (Bruce Banner), Thor, Doctor Strange, Namor, Silver Surfer, Valkyrie, Hawkeye, Iron Man, Captain America, Vision, Scarlet Witch, Black Panther, Mantis, and Swordsman, plus Dormammu and Loki.
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Reprinted in The Mighty World of Marvel #48 (1973), Los Vengadores #3 (1974), Etranges Aventures #49 (1975), Los Vengadores #4 (1975), Super Spider-Man #232 (1977), Super Spider-Man #233 (1977), Grandes Heróis Marvel #8 (1985), Avengers / Defenders War #[nn] (2002), Essential Defenders #1 (2005), Essential Avengers #5 (2006), Avengers: Defenders War #[nn] (2007), Marvel Masterworks: The Defenders #2 (2010), Marvel Firsts: The 1970s #1 (2011), Marvel Classic #4 (2011), Avengers / Defenders War #[nn] (2012), Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers #12 (2012), Marvel. Официальная коллекция комиксов #87 (2017), Thor vs. Hulk #[nn] (2017), Avengers Epic Collection #7 (2018), Avengers: Earth's Mightiest [Heroes] #3 (2019), The Avengers Omnibus #4 (2019), Les trésors de Marvel #2 (2021), The Defenders Omnibus #1 (2021), Defenders Epic Collection #1 (2023) + 1 more
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