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Selector

Defenders #100

Oct 1981
J. M. DeMatteis, Joe Sinnott

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Story Name:

Hell on Earth!


Synopsis

Defenders #100 synopsis by Peter Silvestro
Rating: 3 stars

The Defenders (Doctor Strange, Valkyrie, Son of Satan, Gargoyle, Devil-Slayer) plus the original non-team members (Hulk, Sub-Mariner, Silver Surfer) and Clea are trapped in a nightmarish version of New York as a hellscape under the rule of evil, as Satan shows them all of the threads leading up to this since issue #92. Hellstrom, Namor, and Hulk attack Satan but they are repelled by the demonic version of Hellcat last seen in issue #94; Satan shocks the heroes by calling Patsy his daughter, relating how her mother sold herself to him. Demon Patsy assaults Val and Nighthawk when they try to appeal to her good nature….

Satan explains that the evil world they see needs six days, six hours, and six minutes to fully phase in. If the Defenders can win three contests with his manifestations, Thog, Satannish, and Mephisto, “unleashing light in darkness’ heart,” the heroes will have their reality back, if not, Hell on Earth becomes permanent. They agree and all save Daimon Hellstrom fade away, while Satan wants a talk with this son….

Strange, Namor, and Hulk appear near a dormant volcano near Rutland, Vermont, with the giant hands of Satannish protruding from it. They are attacked by cultists who turn out to be demons, not humans. Strange is overpowered but Hulk and Namor fight their way through and jump into the volcano where they battle Xemnu and Yandroth. Strange awakens and goes up to the volcano where Satannish holds two sets of Hulk and Namor, one in each hand; Strange can only rescue one pair as he drops them into the lava. Remembering Satan’s clue, “light in darkness,” Strange uses the Eye of Agamotto to see the real Defenders and carry them away as the volcano erupts….

Interlude One: Satan hosts Daimon and Patsy in an infernal bar, revealing that Daimon is in love with his demonic sister….

Nighthawk, Gargoyle, and Devil-Slayer appear on a battlefield where soldiers from many historical periods are engaged in combat. Gargoyle is equipped for Word War 1 and DS for Vietnam, as they are veterans of those wars. Kyle is still in his Nighthawk costume because a heart murmur kept him out of the Army—then soldiers appear and accuse him of using his wealth to avoid military service. Then the demon Thog leads a huge force of warriors from history against them and they fight, as the ghosts of children killed in wars blame the heroes for their deaths. Isaac sees the corpse of Buster Henderson, a friend who died in the war, who accuses him. Eventually, Kyle remembers Satan’s light reference and centers on the light of reason. So he makes a speech to all the soldiers on the battlefield that they have sacrificed enough and don’t seed to fight—so they all go home. Thog is so angry that he nukes the place but the Defenders are gone….

Interlude Two: Daimon pleads with Satan to stop these contests. Satan responds that Daimon must decide: will he sit by his father’s throne or suffer the torments of Hell…?

Silver Surfer, Valkyrie, and Clea appear in an endless expanse of nothingness. Mephisto tells them that they are all from other worlds, having no place on Earth. He offers them their heart’s desires: Clea a throne to rule a world of her own, Val leadership over an army of Valkyries, SS reunion with his beloved Shalla Bal—all in exchange for their souls. But Norrin has heard this all before and attacks Mephisto; Clea realizes the light of passion is the key to defeating their enemy and she and Val fight back. And escape….

The heroes discover themselves back at the Hell on Earth. Satan tells them they have failed: they each found a light but not the light in darkness’ heart. And now they have only three hours left before Hell becomes permanent. Daimon challenges him so Satan orders demon Patsy to attack. After a struggle, Daimon overpowers her but he cannot bring himself to kill her because he loves her. So the only recourse: Daimon versus Satan. They fight. Strange and the Defenders hold hands to boost Daimon’s power but he is defeated anyway. But Satan cannot bear to kill the son he loves and so he gives back the Earth, releasing the heroes. Daimon agrees to remain with his father so Satan restores Hellcat to her own form, suggesting that he could have been lying about being her father, along with everything else he has said. Then New York goes back to normal and a police officer yells at them for standing in the street and blocking traffic….



 

Review / Commentaries


Defenders #100 Review by (August 13, 2024)

Review: Well, that was stupid. The promise of Hell on Earth was intriguing and frightening but then it’s all squandered with silly pink Hellcat prowling around, a pair of giant hands sticking out of a volcano, and a saloon in Hell. A better artist might have made something of it but nothing would have improved the lowest points. That stupid second challenge with the myriad of soldiers was bad enough—but to end it all with Kyle just telling them all to go home? That may be the dumbest bit this series has ever done. And the big climax? Maybe the second dumbest as Satan, the Prince of Lies, turns all sentimental over his son and decides to give back to the Defenders everything he has taken. Awww. Guess that’s what you get when a writer talks about the devil without having read The Screwtape Letters. Or even seen BEDAZZLED. [DeMatteis will clarify and expand on his portrayal of Satan in issue #111.] The bit with Clea, Valkyrie, and Silver Surfer looking for a place to belong was rather nice, though, including the imaginative use of blank space. Half a star for that. The rest? Echh.

Comments: Extra-large issue to commemorate the milestone. Part seven of seven parts. Cover is a homage to X-MEN #100. The volcano is a callback to MARVEL FEATURE #2. Xemnu fought the Defenders in MF #3 and DEFENDERS #12; Yandroth in MF #1 and D #6 and 69. Son of Satan rejoins the non-team in issue #105; that didn’t take long. Finished art by Joe Sinnott, Sal Trapani, Jack Abel, Al Milgrom, and Frank Giacoia. Lettering credited to Janice Chiang and Shelley Leferman.



> Defenders comic book info and issue index

Elektra
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Excelsioring your collection:
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Holy smokes, Batman!
(The Boy Wonder)

Joe Sinnott
Joe Sinnott
George Roussos
Al Milgrom (Cover Penciler)
Al Milgrom (Cover Inker)
George Roussos (Cover Colorist)
Additional Credits
Layouts: Don Perlin.

Characters

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Devil-Slayer
Devil-Slayer

(Eric Payne)
Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange

(Stephen Strange)
Gargoyle
Gargoyle

(Isaac Christians)
Hellcat
Hellcat

(Patricia Walker)
Hulk
Hulk

(Robert Bruce Banner)
Nighthawk
Nighthawk

(Kyle Richmond)
Silver Surfer
Silver Surfer

(Norrin Radd)
Son of Satan
Son of Satan

(Daimon Hellstrom)
Sub-Mariner
Sub-Mariner

(Namor McKenzie)
Valkyrie
Valkyrie

(Brunnhilda)

Plus: Satan, Satannish, Thog.