Defenders, The #66: Review

Dec 1978

David Kraft, Ed Hannigan

Story Name:

War of the Dead! Val in Valhalla Part One

Review & Comments

Rating:

Defenders, The #66 Review by Peter Silvestro (August 22, 2023)

Review: Wait, did we wander into a Thor issue by mistake? Not quite: it’s Valkyrie’s turn to shine in an Asgard-heavy epic that starts with her receiving a vision full of death from the Norns. Val goes to war against a wannabe God of Death. Now we’ve always thought Hela’s weird headdress was cool but Ollerus tries to outdo her with a helmet that looks like a giant fanged lizard head which is surely dangerous to wear when eating lest one’s hat bite off one’s fingers. Comic book fashions aside, this is a cool issue with the Valkyries riding into battle (hmmm, there must be some appropriate music…) and some sorcerous doings. And lest we’ve forgotten the others, we see Hellcat sleeping in her cat suit and brooding, while Kyle (Nighthawk) Richmond is about to be nailed for tax evasion!

Comments: Despite being teased on the cover, Hulk does not appear in the issue. First appearance of Ollerus and Poppo. Casiolena previously appeared in DEFENDERS #4 where Barbara Norriss (then Barbara Denton) was transformed into Valkyrie by the Enchantress. The Crystal of Eternal View was previously used in THOR #149. Gaspar Saladino did the lettering for page 1.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Defenders, The #66 Synopsis by John McDonagh

The Valkyrie speaks with Heimdall as she rides the Rainbow bridge to Asgard. Odin reads some scrolls, and the Valkyrie speaks with the Norns/Fates (revealed in THOR #197 to be the same beings). Later, the Valkyrie travels to Valhalla, where she meets Tyr and his sea reavers and Harokin. Hela, who now rules Asgard in place of Odin, is escorted by the Valkyrie guard and speaks with Valkyrie. Brunnhilde must lead a battle against the usurper Ollerus, who seeks to become a god of the dead. Elsewhere, using the Crystal of Eternal View (from THOR #149), Poppo, servant of Ollerus, observes the Valkyrie's soldiers. Casiolena holds a skull as Ollerus plans strategy, looking over a map of Valhalla (with locations such as Magic Mists, Minotaur Mt. Range, Unknown Lands, Pass of Peril, Dark Forest, Ice Desert, Forest of Pawns, and Hills of Valhalla). Valkyrie speaks with her fellow Valkyrie Svava, and then the two armies meet. The Valkyrie sneaks into Ollerus' base, but is defeated. Barbara Norriss takes her place, impersonating her.