Netflix - SDCC 2017 : The Defenders Reveal the Darker Side of Marvel

By Mulder, San Diego, 16 august 2017

Set a few months after the events of the second season of Daredevil, and a month after the events of the first season of Iron Fist, the vigilantes Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist team up in New York City to fight a common enemy: The Hand.

There are two sides to the comicbook hero audience; the original purveyor of comic art, one who knows the backstory and feel of the hero’s purpose before they even get a glimpse of the re-imagined Marvel character on screen. They wait in suspended anticipation to either feel pride at the attention detailed in their once two dimensional icon, or disappointed in its lackluster re-imagine.

The flip side is the audience that turns on the screen with the knowledge that the red Marvel insignia is introducing a super human concocted from our insecurities as mortals, and little else. They are a blank slate for which the story can evolve. I am the latter fan.

Marvel's The Defenders introduces us (and them) to four of Marvel’s lesser stocked characters. While Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and Daredevil all have their own series playing separately, I opted to watch The Defenders without the premise to see if it could stand alone to binge watchers like myself.

While the first two episodes moved slowly, interweaving the different storylines to make the eventual meet up more plausible, I found myself watching with mild interest. I made small notes of Luke Cage's (played by Mike Colter) personal soundtrack whenever he appeared, noting how less ominous it is than his fellow gangbusters. Krysten Ritter’s portrayal of Jessica Jones proves that comicbook movies and shows can have strong female leads without a top heavy bustier, and matching passive smile. It was in the third episode that The Defenders peeked my interest. The conversation between Daniel Rand and Luke Cage about privilege reminds you that Netflix has the strength to create a super hero story based on not only lesser known characters, but also lesser seen. Lead minority and female characters, living and surrounded by other minority, and female characters; interacting in a way that make comicbooks the melting pot of literature. Netflix is synonymous for putting diversity on a level playing field, and they are winning for it.

With the heroes' storylines converged, the action escalates in episode four, bringing a darker element to the superhero fan club. Unlike the current big screen adaptations of the Marvel and DC universes, there is no clear comedic relief, but I don't think the show suffers for it.

At the end of the day the question The Defenders ultimately has to answer is: does the group dynamic stand on its own? This novice super hero fan chick says: well I only checked my phone twice, and that’s saying a lot.

The Defenders
Based on : The Defenders by Roy Thomas, and Ross Andru
Developed by : Douglas Petrie, and Marco Ramirez
Starring : Charlie Cox, Krysten Ritter, Mike Colter, Finn Jones, Élodie Yung, and Sigourney Weaver
Composer : John Paesano
Executive Producers : S. J. Clarkson (1x01 only), Cindy Holland, Drew, Goddard, Jim Chory, Jeph Loeb, Douglas Petrie, and Marco Ramirez
Cinematography : Matthew J. Lloyd
Production Companies : Marvel Television, ABC Studios, Goddard Textiles
Distributor : Netflix