Villainous
cult leader the Red Rajah has captured the minds of Nighthawk, Hulk, and
Luke Cage, along with a sizable chunk of the population of Manhattan, leaving
Valkyrie, Red Guardian, and Hellcat left to face him. The Rajah raises a giant
stone and wooden Doctor Strange from the Earth to battle them and while Val and
Cat engage with it, the Rajah uses the Star of Capistan to hypnotize Red
Guardian into his power. She is only saved by Hellcat tackling her and the
three women heroes beat a hasty retreat….
Elsewhere,
Jack Norriss is in his car trying to lose some pursuing baddies he had spotted
last issue; he wrecks his car, leaping out in time and runs off into the
distance….
To
test his hold over the captive Defenders, Red Rajah orders Hulk to punish his
companions. So the Green Giant knocks Cage and Nighthawk down, adjusting his
blows to keep from hurting them….
Back
at the Sanctum Sanctorum, Hellcat speculates that Red Guardian was susceptible
to the Red Rajah’s hypnosis because of her communist background. Tania agrees,
citing her culture’s belief in collectivism over individualism as the likely
cause. They consult Clea, who reveals to them that the Red Rajah is
Doctor Strange….
As
Red Rajah preaches his message of unity through mind control, the heroines
attack; the villain commands his Defenders to battle them. While they mix it up
for several pages, Cage versus Val, Hulk against Hellcat, and Nighthawk
battling Red G, Clea seizes the opportunity to enter Red Rajah’s mind and free
Dr. Strange from the power of the Star of Capistan. Once freed, he destroys the
giant ruby and all of his followers are then set free, including the male
Defenders. Strange explains that he was a little too open-minded when examining
the ruby in issue #42 and so he was captured by its power….
Epilogue:
Back at the Sanctum Sanctorum, Dr. Strange stuns the others by announcing he
must leave the Defenders….