Last month, we took a look at the first half of Steve Gerber and Sal Buscema’s “Sons of the Serpent” storyline with a single blog post covering Defenders #22 and #23.  Today, we’ll be wrapping things up in a similar fashion, with one post serving for our survey of both the third and fourth chapters of this half-century old graphic narrative.

Before we get into the story itself, however, I invite you to take a closer look at Defenders #24’s excellent (if just a bit crowded) cover by Gil Kane and Klaus Janson (and also by John Romita, per the Grand Comics Database).  Specifically, at the blurb trumpeting the presence within of “5 fearsome Defenders and 3 startling guest stars“.  Five Defenders?  I guess that means that Yellowjacket’s been bumped up to full membership status, huh?  That’s certainly what the anonymous Marvel Comics bullpenner who wrote that copy appears to have thought, at any rate.  (Of course, if you accept the notion of the Defenders being a “non-team”, as your humble blogger has always chosen to do, it’s basically a moot point, since any superhero who shows up in any issue may reasonably be called a member.  Or a non-member.  You know what I mean.)

And now, on with the show…  Read More