The problem with this book is that I don’t really understand what it’s about. I mean, what’s the concept. This issue features an entirely different team from last issue. The only common thread is that Doctor Strange is the Charlie to the Angels that do the actual work, bringing the characters together. So I guess that’s the idea–Strange summoning the perfect heroes for a particular mission.
OK. I guess I can roll with that. I’d like a little more, but this is the ’90s. We’re not looking for reasons. We’re just looking for excuses to include Punisher, Ghost Rider, Spider-Man or Wolverine.
This time, the team he assembles is Punisher, Namorita, and Sleepwalker. The villain is a guy called Roadkill, a ghost/demon who drives looking for trucks to fuck with.
Okay. That’s pretty damn cool.
This villain would have been ideal for the original Ghost Rider, who used to just drive around the desert too. Or even U.S. 1. I guess it kind of makes sense for Sleepwalker since he fights demons, but it’s not really a great fit. Punisher doesn’t tend to go after supernatural threats, and his skills at urban warfare aren’t suited for this either. And Namorita? For a trucker killer who stalks long stretches of highway?
Dr. Strange, you’re slipping.
And overall, this seems like a threat Dr. Strange could pretty easily manage on his own.
I wish this comic wasn’t denigrating the good reputation of The Defenders. I wish it didn’t exist at all.
The ‘90s suck for so many reasons. This book is one of them.