A lot happens in this first issue. It was quite awesome as story and plan unfold. With the Netflix success of these characters I'm glad to see a comic to match. It will be epic to see them on the small screen. I do enjoy a team up and a villain that is bound to give the hero's trouble that will only make them stronger in the end. This is a fun team to watch in comic book form and I can't wait to see them on Netflix as well. Until then I'm quite satisfied with the ride we have until then. Defenders #1 gets five out of five stars. Read Full Review

It's a powerful start for this "street level" series, and I'm anxious to see where it goes next. Highly recommended! Read Full Review

The action is non-stop but paced well. The characters are lovable, and the art is fantastic. Pick this one up when it comes out. Read Full Review

A fantastic beginning to a series perfect for both long-time fans and new fans looking to scratch the DEFENDERS itch before the new season on Netflix. Read Full Review

In fact I have been having fun reading the individual comics for Luke Cage and Iron Fist and will likely have my review of issue 4 of Iron Fist go live in the next couple of days. Read Full Review

If you give Defenders #1 a chance you will be thoroughly impressed with both the writing and artwork are on point. Bendis shows off his vast knowledge of the characters to keep this from being just another Marvel title that has been conformed to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With dynamic artwork from the duo of Marquez and Ponsor Defenders #1 is a crisp refreshing title. Read Full Review

The first issue of this new Defenders series really shines with incredible art, sharp dialogue, and exciting story telling. It was a masterful first issue and I believe that if this book remains on a smaller scale like this first issue, that we will see it really shine. This first issue may be a red herring and we may end up hating this series by the end of the first story arc but after this first issue, I'm incredibly excited to see where this goes. Read Full Review

The writing is superb, the characters are superb, and the art is on another level entirely. If you want to read what could potentially be a start to one of Marvel's best new series of 2017, then you really need to be reading The Defenders. Read Full Review

Filled with fast action and smart humor, The Defenders #1 kicks off this teamup series in a big way. Read Full Review

The Defenders may not appeal to readers specifically hoping for a traditional take on this superhero team, but anyone who enjoyed Brian Bendis' work on books like Daredevil and Alias will be happy to see him return to this cast of characters. And with David Marquez at the helm, this series immediately gets off to a strong start. Read Full Review

David Marquez's art is nice and clean. Marvel Knight characters occasionally tend to get more stylized artists on their titles, but for a mainstream appealing title, Marquez's pencils are very pleasing to the eye. The layouts fit the tone of the story nicely. Read Full Review

Of course with the upcoming premier of The Defenders on Netflix marvel was going to release The Defenders #1with the same characters and title. It would be dumb not to. Now what they have to do is keep the reader interested and invested. I am not sure how this series fits in connection with the wider Marvel Universe and what is going on (it's really best just not to think about it unless you want to be very confused) but on its own The Defenders#1is a success and a great read. Read Full Review

Brian Michael Bendis is an excellent (and prolific) writer who writes these characters to be believable, street smart people. You'll honestly care about the relationship between Cage and Jones, and understand why Cage gets so mad. The art, by David Marquez is realistic and grounded. This a believable New York City, and Marquez has paid attention to detail in setting up the world around the characters. The Defenders #1 is a beautiful book, and one I'll absolutely keep in my pull box. Read Full Review

This is a comic staking out its (literal) territory very deliberately, and one that offers a subgenre of superheroics that hasn't been fully explored in some time. Read Full Review

The overall quality of the Netfilx shows (IF the only exception to me) leaves Bendis and CO some Large shoes to fill. So far, this book shows promise. Let's hope the show is good as well. Read Full Review

Ultimately, Defenders isn’t a perfect read - it relies perhaps too much on Marvel’s Free Comic Book Day offerings, and it’s admittedly a little hard to justify an extended Black Cat scene when some of the title characters still aren’t fully developed - but it’s absolutely a book that does what it sets out to do, which is to get readers interested and invested in this ragtag band of street-level superheroes. Bendis’s plot moves briskly and thankfully doesn’t waste time in getting these heroes up to speed in their battle against Diamondback, and thanks to Marquez’s show-stopping artwork, is a treat to look at, as well. This team might not be A-listers like the Avengers, but that doesn’t mean that Defenders still don’t pack a heck of a punch. Read Full Review

Sometimes a book just feels right and that is the case with The Defenders. My excitement for TheDefenders Netflix series took a hit due to the failure of Iron Fist. Reading this though I can see the amazing potential a story can have when these characters come together. Hopefully whoever is making that show was given this comic with the straightforward direction of Do This, because this is the type of story that could work in any medium. Read Full Review

There may still be a couple months to go until the four join together on screen, but this book has them assembled (to an extent) with a confident collaboration in Bendis, Marquez, and Ponsor already operating in harmony. Read Full Review

Defenders #1 feels a lot like a veteran musician revisiting the sound that made him great (And won Bendis Eisners.) over a decade ago. It's not super fresh, but there is a real staccato zest to Bendis' snarky dialogue, Marquez's art, and Ponsor's colors that is best exhibited in a scene where each Defender "interrogates" Diamondback's men in their own way. More scenes like this where Bendis and Marquez play off the unique personalities of each Defender, and the series could be a hit for Marvel and not just a Netflix cash-in or a nostalgia trip for fans of Marvel's street level books in early 2000s. Read Full Review

This issue is a great jumping on point for fans of the Netflix series. It has a very Hollywood feel to it. While this introductory issue was not perfect, it was a lot of fun and I expect great things going forward. Read Full Review

On the one hand, I would have like to have had more of the setup actually shown in these pages (the opening pages of the issue feel like I missed a zero issue or a springboard from one of the other books, but I can't find it), and the plotting is traditionally loose in the Bendis style, but it all comes together reasonably well. Defenders #1 features lovely art by Marquez, likeable characters and a villain who raises the stakes admirably. Read Full Review

If you are a fan of the Netflix series this book is a good read while you wait for the Defenders Netflix episodes to air this August. It may not have been the best start for a new series but the groundwork is being laid for what could potentially be an epic series. So overall I would recommendgiving it a shot if you enjoy these characters. Read Full Review

The new Defenders series is off to a solid start, if you can look past all the forced changes to make it as identical as possible to the upcoming TV show of the same name. Read Full Review

Come for the artistic works of Marquez and Ponsor, but stay for prose interview bundled in with the comics final pages. I genuinely hope that each issue of the first few Defenders issues comes with these kind of vignette interviews. Read Full Review

Really great art, but the story falls flat as Bendis falls into his own worst habits. Read Full Review

In other words, then, even if you liked The Defenders #1 a hell of a lot more than I did, there's no point getting too attached to it " or to anything else currently coming out of the so-called "House Of Ideas." There are, after all, three lead-pipe-cinch guarantees in life at this point " death, taxes, and yearly Marvel re-launches. I give this title eight, maybe ten, months tops. Read Full Review

A blast from Luke's past, Diamondback, unites four street-level heroes. While there are a lot of questions opened up by this start - and some of them are salty "how the ☠☠☠☠ does this fit into continuity" questions - overall this looks like a mustn't-miss treat. Brian Michael Bendis's script is rolling along at (for him) breakneck speed, and the art produced by superstar team David Marquez and Justin Ponsor is several cuts above the ordinary. It's delicious for comics fans of every sort even though it was prepared as a feast for folks coming straight off the Netflix series. Try to read the FCBD teaser first, as this issue connects directly to the events shown there.

This is a pretty good first issue, uniting the four main characters in an organic way. Bendis has the voice for these characters down and the art by David Marquez (who saved "Civil War II" from being a total disaster) does a great job on art.

A great and unforgettable debut for this series that promises to be one of the best of marvel 2017
Action, good humor and well written and established characters

This was a solid intro for the series. It introduced the team and why they are coming together in the first place. I usually am not too hard on first issues because, there is a lot of material that needs to be covered, some comics do it better than others. This was a fair opening and I will finish the first arc before a final determination is made. Art is great though. I have always liked Marquez's work.

Solid start. Could've done with more comic, less Luke Cage 'interview'.

First off, Marquez’s art is absolutely phenomenal, and fits this book’s street level theme perfectly. Unfortunately, Bendis’ dialogue seems forced throughout the whole issue, In the end, great art and solid art cover up Bendis’ awkward writing to deliver a good but not great first issue.

A promising start, it captures the tone that I'm looking for right now and the layout are top-notch. I'd like a brief explanation as to what is going on with Luke, Jessica and their daughter right now though, I'm not up to date with that, can anyone in the comments explain? The backmatter is saying that they still have a daughter, but it's not really coming across in the issue itself.

Very bland start to this team book. I typically like Bendis team books when there is a lot of team banter and charisma but the characters in this were surprisingly deadpan and serious. Marquez usually draws gorgeous books but this felt a tad messy, possibly rushed. I like that the story is streamlined and straightforward, even though the story is fairly generic. This could get better, probably a series to wait to read at a library.