Defenders (2001)

Twelve-issue series written (with Kurt Busiek co-writing all except for the last and Eric Stephenson co-writing issues #3 and #10) and penciled (although Ron Frenz penciled issues #4 and #8, instead) by Erik Larsen and published by Marvel from 2001-2002. Once again, the lineup consisted of Doctor Strange, the Hulk, Namor, and the Silver Surfer, but also Nighthawk, Hellcat, and Valkyrie. They were pitted against Yandroth (who, after hearing their bickering, cursed the first four to being a team whenever a crisis surfaced), Pluto and the Ice Queen (Lorelei), the Headmen (later allied with A.I.M. and M.O.D.O.K. and Orrgo the Unconquerable), the Bloodraven Cult, Attuma (as the curse prevented Namor from fighting him alone) and the Deep Six, stone-like creatures, Chronarch, and finally Gaea (with hopes of having her undo their curse, as it drew power from her). Valkyrie (accompanied by Hellcat) also began reconnecting with her past life, while Nighthawk contacted his “spiritual advisor” Papa Hagg, a houngan who was initially tasked with summoning the first four Defenders when the Avengers were unavailable. Every issue except for #11 and the first story of #12 is narrated by a character: #1 (Hellcat), #2 (Nighthawk), #3 (Doctor Strange), #4 (Silver Surfer), #5 (Namor), #6 (The Hulk), #7 (Valkyrie), #8 (a Toad Man), #9 and #10 (M.O.D.O.K.), and #12 (Nighthawk). The first story of the twelfth issue was part of the event, “'Nuff Said.”This series leads into Kurt Busiek's The Order (2002).