The Defenders #98

The Defenders #98, published by Marvel Comics in August 1981, arrived during a period of transition for the series, which focused on the unconventional team of outsiders known as non-team members. At this stage in the publication history, the title was grappling with maintaining its identity as a home for characters who did not fit into traditional superhero molds, frequently cycling through shifting rosters to explore more experimental, mystical, or psychological narrative arcs.

The issue features cover art and interior work emblematic of the era's Marvel house style, characterized by a mix of gritty character-driven drama and high-concept cosmic stakes. Created by a team including writer J.M. DeMatteis and artist Don Perlin, the narrative reflects the creative effort to balance the surreal tone of the Defenders with the demands of mainstream superhero storytelling. It remains a notable entry for collectors interested in the evolution of the team's interpersonal dynamics before the radical creative overhaul that would follow in subsequent years.