A new team of Defenders arises with incredible art and an engaging story. What's not to love:PS: They aren't joking about that last page shocker. Read Full Review

Defenders: Beyond invites us on a journey outside the bounds of reality. Visually surreal and narratively inventive, its creators push the boundaries of the medium and remind us what wonders comics are capable of. Read Full Review

Defenders: Beyond #1 is a good introduction to setting up the key players while establishing some high stakes. It's gorgeously rendered and colored to the point where pages look like works of art. As things stand, if you're a hardcore Marvel fan, this is a must-read. Read Full Review

A page from Defenders: Beyond #1, courtesy of MarvelAnd that's enough, at least for now. Ewing's good at cosmic scale stories, and Rodríguez is a versatile artist with a keen eye, reminiscent of Marcos Martin's work. Bottom line: Defenders: Beyond #1 is a #1 that makes me want to read more from this team. If you'd like to be spoiled about who could join the Defenders in a comic with the subtitle Beyond, we host a preview of the issue here. Odds are the reveal won't surprise you, but you never know. Read Full Review

Defenders Beyond #1 is an awkward start. It is a comic with a lot of history and a lot of exposition for the future of the series. It is a lot of baggage for Ewing to move, and it isnt all dealt with easily. Read Full Review

We don't get into what the threat is large enough to call on the Defenders as the first issue is mainly about the reluctant characters (all except for Loki) being forced together into action by events well outside of their control. Read Full Review

Nice surprise at the end

From anyone else this might be a slow start, but a great lineup of my favorite underappreciated characters, Rodriguez's exquisite visuals, and Ewing's wit and keen sense of character make reading this comic such a pleasure that as far as I'm concerned, it can proceed at any pace it pleases.

TAAIA IS BACK! Yay! (I had hoped for this 'cuz she was totally cool in the last Defenders' iteration.) Loki never had a very well caught insaner (is that a word?) & Frightening (to the readers) look in his/hers/its/thines/thoues eyes, and even Tigra unexpectedly made me LOL. (Since we don't have spoiler tags, it's in her second panel.) Art & story went together seamlessly, although the pacing was a bit uneven in places (which is not unusual in first issues, so thou areth forgiventh) & which made the story feel kind of a bit too short... four or five extra pages would've been ideal imho. Anymoo, it immediately made me fly over to rant about it, and that's usually a good thing. ;)

In short: very promising start, if you liked the previous Defenders, you'll like these too, TAAIA IS BACK (yay!), recommended!

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...now if only someone could inject a bit of the "Steve & Steve" -Englehart & Gerber- madness of yore, which was my fave Defenders period before other writers killed it totally dead (and don't even START about D.A.K.'s Dollar Bill), it would be perfect - but you're close!

P.S. TAAIA IS BACK (yay!) :D more

Always a treat to read an Ewing/Rodriguez production!

Incredible last page reveal!

Before the next issue comes out, I will be forcing myself to read all of Ewing's Mighty Awvengers as well as both Ultimates runs.

This issue demonstrates that the series will be exactly what I want it to be: Insane Al Ewing cosmology experienced by a dysfunctional team of nigh-crazy heroes, as illustrated by Javier Rodríguez's audacious layouts and bold colors.

It's already delivering plenty of madness, comedy, and charming characterization. But I leave my rating in "good comics" territory because we really haven't done anything but meet the team yet.

Excellent start for this comic, although not many shocking things happen, the bases for the following issues are left very well established, again Ewing made an excellent story with references of a mystical character, although the art of Javier Rodriguez at first glance is not I think it's the best, it's very good for the type of story that Ewing is trying to tell and in short I think it's an excellent duo.

A bit jagged in terms of the story, but the art is stellar and to Ewing's credit he makes sure I have some idea who these characters are. (I think I have read one comic with Blue Marvel and one with America Chavez.)