A Michael Golden cover! Love the art. Have to ask, though: This issue marks the debut of Gargoyle, and he’s not even mentioned on the cover?
Yes, the first appearance of Isaac Christen–the Gargoyle. He is a natural fit to a team with the Son of Satan, Master of Mystic Arts (and his boo, Clea), a fashion model linked to a demonic cult (Hellcat), and a guy who can only walk because of magic.
This Gargoyle is a demon who kidnaps Hellcat to sacrifice to the Six Fingered Hand. Gargoyle was a normal man who made a deal with a demon that backfired. He turns Patsy into a literal hellcat until Son of Satan performs a quick exorcism and rescue her. Not cool to make her a hostage, but this issue also marks a movement toward Patsy living up to the “Hell” in her name Hellcat.
Once he is freed of the Hand’s control, Gargoyle decides to The Defenders to help them overcome the hand. Look how sad he is! I love Don Perlin’s Gargoyle!
This is the first issue in an extended Six-Fingered Hand saga. It is a welcome tonal shift for this book. It becomes more occult-focused, which makes sense given that the team was formed by Dr. Strange to fight bizarre, extradimensional threats. I hadn’t thought of this before, but were the Defenders really the first Justice League Dark? I know The Avengers was a response to the Justice League, and Nighthawk was intended as a direct analog of Batman, but hey, Marvel gets the credit for the first weirdo mystic team.
Essentially, the six fingers are six demons who team up to form a “hand.” We learn that Patsy’s occult origins run deep–her mother was a part of the cult of the 6-Fingered Hand, and she promised baby Patsy to the demons.
Look at how charmingly petite the Valkyrie stands in relation to Hellstrom and Dr. Strange. Hadn’t she been reverted to her true, full, statuesque, Asgardian frame by this point in time-?? She should have been towering over everybody else in this picture.