Defenders #108

Jun 1982

J. M. DeMatteis, Joe Sinnott

Story Name:

The Wasteland!

Synopsis

Defenders #108 synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Rating:

At a séance to contact the murdered Valkyrie's spirit, the Enchantress appears to inform the Defenders that Val is not dead: her soul is locked within her sword Dragonfang, and her body is a prisoner in Niffleheim. Enchantress will gladly reunite Val's body and soul if the Defenders journey to another world and retrieve the fabled Rose of Purity for her. The heroes debate the issue, realizing that if Val's true body and soul are reunited, the soul of her host, Barbara Norriss, will die. Out of loyalty to Val, Hellcat agrees to the Enchantress' terms, along with Hulk, Sub-Mariner and Son of Satan; Doctor Strange believes there must be another way to rescue Val, and is supported by Gargoyle, Beast and Spider-Man. Hellcat's party is magically transported to the distant planet. At this point, Enchantress reveals why she wants the Rose of Purity: she is in love with Love himself, and cannot merge with him until her soul is purified from its evil, and for this she needs the Rose.

The quartet of Defenders arrive on the planet to discover it is a paradise in which a pair of aliens live in bliss under the eye of their god, the Rose. The heroes are delighted by the prospects of paradise…until Hulk mentions that they are there to take the Rose. The huge alien monster attacks the men and Hellcat seizes the opportunity to try to cut down the Rose. The alien woman pleads with her and after a few moments, Hellcat realizes she can't destroy someone else's paradise just for her friend, to which Val agrees. The enraged Enchantress leaves the heroes trapped on the other world.

Meanwhile, Dr. Strange and his team have arrived to prevent the Enchantress from destroying Val's body, summoned by Love, who is disgusted at the wickedness within the Enchantresses' soul. Love frees the soul of Barbara Norriss and unites with it. Valkyrie, her body and soul now reunited and her full memory restored, vows vengeance on her long-time foe.

Vera Cantor,

Review / Commentaries

Defenders #108 Review by Peter Silvestro (September 26, 2024)

Review: And so Marvel provides a complicated conclusion to a long-forgotten story arc about the origin of Valkyrie back in issue #4 of this series. It was nice of them to think of her, despite her being a fictional character after all. It is a pretty decent story, mediocre art and cluttered layouts notwithstanding. DeMatteis comes up with exposition to explain everything about the Enchantress’ motives and exact state of existence of Brunhilde and Barbara Norriss. Too bad they couldn’t have brought back her husband Jack to give him some closure and perhaps a new chance at happiness for the Norriss’…hey, now I’m doing it, caring what happens to a poorly delineated comic book character. Anyway, the tale is not quite as silly as a Steve Gerber offering but it comes close, with that blue monster from the cover dancing joyously, bizarre attempts to define love, and everyone else living happily ever after. And it comes close to being hippy-dippy craziness but just misses.

Comments: Part one of two parts. Barbara Norriss, last name frequently misspelled as with her husband Jack, is next seen in VALKYRIE (1996 one-shot) where she dies. Mark Gruenwald credited with a plot assist. GCD lists Joe Sinnott, Sal Trapani, Hilary Barta, and Al Milgrom as inkers but also possible pencil finishers. The letters page includes one by future author Anthony R. Cardno.