Writer Erik Burnham recommends THE DEFENDERS: INDEFENSIBLE

All throughout April, we’re crowdsourcing a coronavirus quarantine comics reading list. Each weekday for a month, we’ll post a new recommendation from someone in the comics industry to help folks get through the isolation. This includes writers, artists, letterers, editors, comics journalists, publicists, and more…often with a local comic shop still doing mail order or curbside pickup.

Today’s pick comes from writer Erik Burnham…enjoy!

It’s funny; one of the first books to come to mind as something I’d recommend in these crazy times where a little bit of humor would be welcome is Chris Sanders’ Kiskaloo...but, unfortunately, it seems like the book is currently out of print and unavailable...but the individual strips should still be online, so you can still make use of the recommendation, and, like a hobbit, move on to second recommendation.

That’s right, like Yoda said, there is another. (Any more trilogies I can reference in the buildup here? I’ll take requests.)

I’m really in the mood to put forth something silly AND overlooked. My first inclination was to mention the Justice League International revivals — formerly Known as the Justice League and/or I Can’t Believe It’s Not The Justice League — but I can go sillier, and by the same team. Keith Giffen, JM DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire hopped over to Marvel back in the aughts to play with the original non-team, The Defenders in one gloriously ridiculous miniseries titled Indefensible.

Doctor Strange, Namor, The Hulk, and the Silver Surfer together with the jokes and feel of Justice League International. It was a blast, and there’s sure to be at least one laugh out loud moment in there if you have a funny bone in your body.

At the very least, you’ll know whether the Silver Surfer has ever limboed.

Look at that! Depending on your google-fu, you just got four recommendations for the price of one. May the whimsy of one of the books above guide you to better days. -Erik Burnham

Erik Burnham has written comics with Red Sonja, Spider-Man, Ninja Turtles, and Ghostbusters. He’s currently in the middle of Red Sonja: Age of Chaos for Dynamite and Ghostbusters: Year One for IDW. Find him on Twitter or Instagram @erikburnham

The Defenders: Indefensible
Writer:
J.M. DeMatteis, Keith Giffen
Artist:
Kevin Maguire
Publisher:
Marvel Comics
Wong possessed by Nightmare! Dormammu and Umar in unholy alliance! The Hulk and the Sub-Mariner at each other's throats! The Silver Surfer...uh...surfing. Can Doctor Strange reunite the Defenders and save "Reality As We Know It?" Only the Ancient One knows for sure!

Graham Crackers Comics is a chain of local comic book stores mostly in the Chicagoland area, and they are still taking mail orders via their website during this pandemic. Check it out here!

Or, get it from a local comic shop near you with this directory from the Comics Industry Collective of stores open and doing mail order!

Click here for the full coronavirus reading list!