The Defenders #104

The Defenders #104, published by Marvel Comics in February 1982, arrived during a period of transition for the team. At this stage in the series, the book had moved away from its roots as a gathering of Marvel's 'non-team' outcasts to focus on a more cohesive group dynamic featuring characters like Doctor Strange, the Valkyrie, and the Hulk. This specific issue is part of a multi-part storyline involving the cosmic entity known as the Over-Mind, reflecting the series' recurring interest in high-stakes, supernatural, and interdimensional conflicts that defined much of the bronze age of comics.

The issue features the creative work of writer J.M. DeMatteis and artist Don Perlin. Perlin was a stalwart presence on The Defenders for several years, known for a gritty, expressive style that grounded the team's increasingly psychedelic and surreal adventures. By 1982, the creative team was tasked with maintaining the book's identity while navigating the editorial shifts at Marvel, resulting in a narrative that sought to balance the complex, ongoing interpersonal histories of the main characters with the grand-scale superhero action that defined the title’s mid-run.