The FEARLESS DEFENDERS Gets A New Teammate

The first issue of FEARLESS DEFENDERS served as a fantastic introduction to Marvel's all-lady team. Not only did we get a brief glimpse at these fascinating, albeit very different women, but we also got an interesting look at how they will be working together. Writer Cullen Bunn has begun to weave a rather interesting story, one that joins these unique characters in a book that is remarkably female-centric -- and this is a good thing. Out of the "big two," Marvel has not really had a lot of success creating a team book that features strictly women at the helm, so this is something of a nice change for the company. The series also seems like a response to DC's BIRDS OF PREY series which saw plenty of success long before the 'New 52' even launched.

FEARLESS DEFENDERS #2

Written by Cullen Bunn

Art by William Sliney

Cover by Mark Brooks

One of the cool things about this new comic series is not only that it draws a big focus on female characters, but that it features very different kinds of women. The first issue opened with Valkyrie, a blue-eyed, blonde haired, warrior who fights alongside Misty Knight, a super-intelligent, no-nonsense African American heroine. The two are an incredibly unlikely match, but it is interesting to see their interactions. The team-up (surprisingly) works really well and the two characters, despite their major differences, are fun to read. Yet, two characters don't quite make a "team," so the announcement of the third lady in this series was expected to come in issue two -- and it did. The series' second issue will introduce Misty and Valkyrie to Dani Moonstar, a former leader of the X-Men. Being that Dani is a former Valkyrie and was bestowed powers by Hela, it will be interesting to see her interaction with Valkyrie.

Check out the preview for the second issue below and let us know if you have been reading the series as well as whether you are looking forward to the second issue. FEARLESS DEFENDERS #2 hits stores on March 6th.

Source: Marvel

Awesome cover.

with dani on the team the book is going to get a whole lot better

Do they give out Esner Awards for best covers?

Really love how Hela is portrayed there. Nice addition with Moonstar I say!

Ok I heard The Defenders will have 12 members over time, I'm wondering if that one panel is hinting who will join. If so the line up would be. 
Valkrie 
Misty Knight 
Moonstar 
Songbird 
Rogue 
Wasp 
Rachel Grey 
Black Cat 
Storm 
Tigra 
Black widow 
Jocasta

Good Cover

@judasnixon said:

Ok I heard The Defenders will have 12 members over time, I'm wondering if that one panel is hinting who will join. If so the line up would be. Valkrie Misty Knight Moonstar Songbird Rogue Wasp Rachel Grey Black Cat Storm Tigra Blackwidow and I can't make out the last one.....

I remember reading tha as well. I just hate that Marvels new operating model is to have Avengers and Xmen in every book. Its like they cant create a quality book, character, or story without including their flagships.

I didn't enjoy the first issue but I like Dani Moonstar and the cover, so I might give this another try.

I love that cover. They need to do a whole set of them. And one with a villain.

I wish they would have giving Valkyrie her own title.

@judasnixon: Looks like Hippolyta is in there too after Moonstar based on the other covers we've seen

@wmwadeii said:

@judasnixon said:

Ok I heard The Defenders will have 12 members over time, I'm wondering if that one panel is hinting who will join. If so the line up would be. Valkrie Misty Knight Moonstar Songbird Rogue Wasp Rachel Grey Black Cat Storm Tigra Blackwidow and I can't make out the last one.....

I remember reading tha as well. I just hate that Marvels new operating model is to have Avengers and Xmen in every book. Its like they cant create a quality book, character, or story without including their flagships.

I think that their flagship teams are so diverse now that there can't just be non-flagship characters since most of the characters in the Marvel U are part of one or the other flagship teams to begin with.

I'm genuinely surprised their clothes aren't falling off yet. Knowing Marvel, all three will be making out with their shirts off by the end of the issue.

Is that Wonder Woman?

@doordoor123 said:

I'm genuinely surprised their clothes aren't falling off yet. Knowing Marvel, all three will be making out with their shirts off by the end of the issue.

Actually, issue 1 had an out of nowhere lesbian kiss in the middle of a battle for no particular reason... So it's not a stretch. It's not offensively bad just.... moderately exploitative.

The first issue didn't impress me much, but I'mma stick with it.

First ish was awesome. Let's go girls!!

@doordoor123 Keep in mind we actually have people of talent on this book & not that hack Greg Land. If he was doing the book then yes what you said would be happening

In a serious relationship...with this cover!

If Black Cat isn't on this team marvel is stupid. She was on the defenders in their last arch and I don't think anyone wants to see her in Superior Spider-Man. Also Misty Knight and Black Cat worked together a lot in Heroes for Hire.

@sora_thekey said:

@wmwadeii said:

@judasnixon said:

Ok I heard The Defenders will have 12 members over time, I'm wondering if that one panel is hinting who will join. If so the line up would be. Valkrie Misty Knight Moonstar Songbird Rogue Wasp Rachel Grey Black Cat Storm Tigra Blackwidow and I can't make out the last one.....

I remember reading tha as well. I just hate that Marvels new operating model is to have Avengers and Xmen in every book. Its like they cant create a quality book, character, or story without including their flagships.

I think that their flagship teams are so diverse now that there can't just be non-flagship characters since most of the characters in the Marvel U are part of one or the other flagship teams to begin with.

I guess I'm remembering when I started to read comics in the 90s and each title was independant except crossovers. I could buy only the titgles I wanted and not miss much on character developement. Now its a little harder because each hero can be in 2-3 books plus.

@judasnixon said:

@wmwadeii: I'm just happy that didn't shoe horn Wolverine or Iron Man into this book....

Yeah since Spidey is out for the time being, Iron Man is the new go to, especially with the Movie coming up. And the GotG comic to tie the Movies together in some way.

Okay, I need to clear things up.

Fearless Defenders will have NINE members over time. And the rules have been:

A) Each character represents a different part of the Marvel Universe

B) No teammate can be in other books. Kate Bishop and Dazzler were originally going to be Fearless Defenders, but they lost the positions cause of Young Avengers, Hawkeye and Extreme X-Men.

So far, we know the characters are:

1) Valkyrie - Who represents Asgard.

2) Misty Knight - Who represents Street Level

3) Dani Moonstar - Who represents Mutants

4) Hippolyta - Who represents Olympus/Amazons.

Cullen Bunn says there will be a 1) Magic User, 2) Cosmic character 3) Hulk like character (Could mean Hippolyta).

BUT, even if your favorite doesn't make the team, there will be a TON of Guest Stars. Issues 5 and 6 will have a FEMALE ARMY! Including these 9:

So yeah, Get excited!

OH, and btw, another image of Songbird above:

@judasnixon said:

@wmwadeii: I'm just happy that didn't shoe horn Wolverine or Iron Man into this book....

The book probably won't do that. In fact, Cullen Bunn's goal is to have EVERY Female Marvel Character show up in this book.@wmwadeii said:

I remember reading tha as well. I just hate that Marvels new operating model is to have Avengers and Xmen in every book. Its like they cant create a quality book, character, or story without including their flagships.

That's why this book is so awesome!

And no, there are NINE members, not twelve.

@mcbean said:

I wish they would have giving Valkyrie her own title.

Support this book, and she might! This might be the closest you'll get to it!

@doordoor123 said:

I'm genuinely surprised their clothes aren't falling off yet. Knowing Marvel, all three will be making out with their shirts off by the end of the issue.

You don't know Cullen Bunn!

@HempKnight757 said:

Is that Wonder Woman?

Um...no?

YES

Can't wait for issue two

The cover is gorgeous, and the interiors ain't bad either!

Songbird and Tigra please!!!

these girls just don't look like they go together at all...in a bad way.

@Bestostero said:

these girls just don't look like they go together at all...in a bad way.

The point was that these girls come all over the Marvel U.

And Val and Misty were great in the first issue. Their dynamic made the issue.

archers are taking over. hawkeye, arrow, hunger games, artemis on young justice, dani moonstar. pretty cool. the art looks more consist here so hope next issue is better then the last. and cant wait to see how they are going to bring in hippolyta

@Cafeterialoca said:

@Bestostero said:

these girls just don't look like they go together at all...in a bad way.

The point was that these girls come all over the Marvel U.

And Val and Misty were great in the first issue. Their dynamic made the issue.

and i get that, plenty of team books have members that dont seem quite right together, but this just looks sloppy.

@CircularLogic said:

@doordoor123 said:

I'm genuinely surprised their clothes aren't falling off yet. Knowing Marvel, all three will be making out with their shirts off by the end of the issue.

Actually, issue 1 had an out of nowhere lesbian kiss in the middle of a battle for no particular reason... So it's not a stretch. It's not offensively bad just.... moderately exploitative.

it was ridiculously stupid

@Bestostero said:

@Cafeterialoca said:

@Bestostero said:

these girls just don't look like they go together at all...in a bad way.

The point was that these girls come all over the Marvel U.

And Val and Misty were great in the first issue. Their dynamic made the issue.

and i get that, plenty of team books have members that dont seem quite right together, but this just looks sloppy.

Sloppy?

Cullen Bunn said that he wants each member to represent a different part of the Marvel U.

1) Valkyrie = Asgard

2) Misty Knight = Street Level

3) Dani Moonstar = Valkyrie

4) Hippolyta = Olympus/Amazons.

There will also be a Magic User and a Cosmic user. Not to mention, Dani is already a Valkyrie, and Misty is supposed to harken back to the Luke Cage/Iron Fist days.

And Cullen said that each team member represents a role.

Valkyrie - Leader.

Huntress

Warrior

Muse

Queen

Healer

And so on. If anything, it's more well defined than most Avengers teams, which has noticeable double over with powers.

@judasnixon said:

Ok I heard The Defenders will have 12 members over time, I'm wondering if that one panel is hinting who will join. If so the line up would be. Valkrie Misty Knight Moonstar Songbird Rogue Wasp Rachel Grey Black Cat Storm Tigra Black widow Jocasta

Yesterday Bunn did an AMA on reddit and I asked him this question. His reply was that this won't be the team but that doesn't mean they won't all be in the book at one point or another.

Did Moonstar get her Mutant powers back after AvX or did they just decide to ignore that stuff?

Was so looking forward to this series, but I am sure it won't last a year, so I guess I will skip it.

Too bad, Marvel has some great underutilized female characters.

@jsphsmth said:

Was so looking forward to this series, but I am sure it won't last a year, so I guess I will skip it.

Too bad, Marvel has some great underutilized female characters.

Don't have that attitude! Pull it! Join the fans and support this book!

@Cafeterialoca: Marvel and DC has burned me too many times over the last year by cancelling well written, but underselling books. It makes it hard to support series that I know cannot last over the long-term.

The X-Men/Mutants are really spilling into other superhero teams post-AVX, I'm digging it. We've got Cannonball on the Avengers, Havok and Rogue as Uncanny Avengers and Dani Moonstar as a Defender.

@jsphsmth: Why? If anything, that should be more of a push to support this book! The big name books? You can skip buying them and wait for trades. They aren't going anywhere. These smaller books can last if everyone makes the effort to support them! I'm running the Fearless Defenders fan tumblr, and I'm openly encouraging people to pre-order and support this book because it is promising what a lot of people want to see.

Besides, what do you have to lose if you pull it? If it gets canceled, you'll be back where you started. Better to have love and lost than to never love at all!

hmmm, so far the only reason i have to read this is valkyrie, show me invisible woman, she-hulk, ms marvel, tigra, wasp any a-lister really...