I don't know the impetus behind Secret Defenders. They figured the non-team concept would sell better with the word "secret" in front of it? The initial concept was, Dr. Strange's mystic powers were sorely depleted, so when he sensed a major threat, he used a tarot deck and his perceptions to pick a group of heroes who would help him handle it. So in the first story, it was Wolverine (naturally, this was the '90s after all), Darkhawk, Spider-Woman (Julia Carpenter edition) and Nomad. The second arc, which are the only two issues I own, Sleepwalker, the Punisher (again, it's the '90s), and Namorita.
Oddly, I don't think the book ever went for the '90s trifecta by using Ghost Rider, though Tom Brevoort did use Deathlok in the last arc of the series. By that point, Dr. Druid was running things, which means things are going badly. There was also an arc where Thanos assembled a team to get him some book of ancient knowledge, which doesn't seem in keeping with the concept of the team being assembled to avert disaster.
The two issues I own don't do a great job selling the series. Strange needs help stopping what turns out to be some monster that escaped from the subconscious of a TV producer, and is reenacting the backstory she created for him. Thomas really leans into the non-team notion as Sleepwalker leaves as soon as he's approached (he returns in the second part, claiming he was doing his own investigating in the Mindscape) and Strange has to guilt-trip Namorita with some bullshit about how Namor never refused to help. Maybe I shouldn't argue continuity with Roy Thomas, but I absolutely do not believe that.
"Roadkill" ends up being stronger than Namorita and shrugs off everything Strange or the Punisher can throw at him. Once Sleepwalker actually gets involved, Thomas relegates him to trying to punch Roadkill (useless) or standing next to Strange while he probes the TV producer's mind because somehow Sleepwalker's mere proximity increases Strange's mystical powers. I mean, maybe Sleepwalker's ability to shoot eyebeams that can alter matter, the old "Warpgaze", would have been useful? The Punisher of all characters, is somehow the one who figures out they need magic and technology (in the form of electricity) to beat Roadkill, and Namorita's the one strong enough to handle the live wire, and that's about it. Not exactly a tour de force for why Strange needed these specific characters, and yet, the book lasted 25 issues. The Nineties, everyone!
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I have the first issue of this, which -- predictably -- has a thick card cover and all sorts of metallic shiny effects. All of which somehow makes it feel cheaper.
I'm fairly sure I must have picked it up in one of those blind random bags comic shops sometimes sell, so it obviously doesn't have much value.
I don't remember anything about the story, which again is not much of a surprise.
I had that issue too, and it came from one of those random 5 comics bags I could buy at the grocery store.
I vaguely remember Nomad had serious questions what the heck he was doing mixed up in this, and I feel like Wolverine got shrunk and teleported inside someone's bloodstream at the very end of the issue?
I'm tempted to dig it out (if I still have it) and find out. Not *too* tempted, mind...
Resist temptation!
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