Paul Roach UNITED KINGDOM
Member Since April 2014
128 Artworks | Watched by 61

Defenders Annual #1 p30 - Nebulon and the Headmen

Location: Defenders
Artists: Klaus Janson (Inker) ,  Sal Buscema (Layouts) ,  Klaus Janson (Finisher)

194  Views  -  34  Comments  -  14  Likes

Artwork Details
Location: Defenders
Title: Defenders Annual #1 p30 - Nebulon and the Headmen
Artist:  Klaus Janson (Inker) ,  Sal Buscema (Layouts) ,  Klaus Janson (Finisher)
Media Type: Pen and Ink
Art Type: Interior Page
For Sale Status: NFS
Views: 194
Likes on CAF: 14
Comments: 34
Added to Site: 2/23/2026

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Description
Well, I’ve been promising Steve Davich (Day Vich) that I’d put up a Headmen Defenders page, so this is one promise kept.

The story fits (probably) between Defenders #40 and #41, and is in the Gerber-written best run of the title. The story features the Headmen (bottom tier) who only consider their world domination plans successful if no violence is used (and preferably if nobody knows they’re actually doing anything at all). It also features the alien villain, Nebulon. Jack Norris, Barbara’s husband (much to Valkyrie’s confusion), has been investigating strange goings on, and thinks he might be seeing the hands of the Headmen and of Nebulon’s Celestial Mindcontrol Movement at work. So he contacts the focus-less team, and they proceed to make limited headway, here ending up shrunken and trapped within a box – part of the Headmen’s plan to address the world’s food shortage problem by shrinking people, and their appetites in the process.

The page sums up pretty much everything about Marvel’s classic non-team. The otherworldly Strange’s open, philosophical conversation with one of the run’s big villains, Valkyrie’s determination to complete the task in hand and her inability to follow Nighthawk’s self-pitying and romantic overtures, and the Hulk’s quiet bafflement. Luke Cage really doesn’t want to be there, and Jack Norris views it all with satirical detachment, more like the author of the story than a cast member. With next to nothing in common, and squabbling endlessly, fate throws them together into the worst of all situations, and somehow they manage to pull together and save the world from a fate nobody knew it faced. Gerber’s musings on the purpose of power and heroism found their zenith in the pages of this title.

Sal’s layouts and expressions shine through the work of probably his best and most innovative inker, with Klaus giving it a gritty and moody finish.

Steve – I came through! And thanks to my brother for scanning the page.

About The Owner

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Paul Roach
Badges: Premium Gallery Owner
Member Since: April 2014
Last Login: April 2026
Country: UNITED KINGDOM
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Comments on this Artwork

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Danny Kiihnl Member Since 2022
1    
Posted On 2/23/2026

Even with janson's heavy inks Sal still shines through. Great pick up

Paul Roach Member Since 2014
1    
Posted On 2/25/2026

Danny Kiihnl wrote:
"  Even with janson's heavy inks Sal still shines through. Great pick up
 "

Thanks, Danny! I considered myself very lucky to win it.

Rick W Member Since 2017
1    
Posted On 2/23/2026

I'll admit, the top panel alone is worth the price of admission! 

Paul Roach Member Since 2014
1    
Posted On 2/25/2026

Rick W wrote:
"  I'll admit, the top panel alone is worth the price of admission! 
 "

Well, I was sold on the page as soon as I saw it - and when I noticed the last panel, I checked my bank balance. Collecting - can't live without it, and can't live without it.

Toni S Member Since 2019
1    
Posted On 2/23/2026

Beautiful page. I specially love panels 1 and 4. Huge congrats on this one.

Mario Losada Member Since 2011
1    
Posted On 2/23/2026

Another great piece from the Defenders for your collection

Carlo M Member Since 2006
1    
Posted On 2/23/2026

Those Gerber issues were fantastic. Love the Defenders line up from that time , great B characters !

Paul Roach Member Since 2014
Posted On 2/26/2026

Carlo M wrote:
"  Those Gerber issues were fantastic. Love the Defenders line up from that time , great B characters !
 "

Agreed - the cast (and it was a large cast) really made the series.

Kavi H Member Since 2018
1    
Posted On 2/23/2026

Another gem from a Defenders classic, an Annual 1 page - and it's a great one!
Paul Roach Member Since 2014
1    
Posted On 2/25/2026

Kavi H wrote:
"  Another gem from a Defenders classic, an Annual 1 page - and it's a great one!  "

Thanks Kavi! It's a bit of a forgotten story for some as it's from the Annual, but it fits well in the run - and it was long enough to throw both sets of villains into the mix.

Ted Latner Member Since 2005
1    
Posted On 2/23/2026

Wow - beautiful page!  I love Janson's inking from this period!

Paul Roach Member Since 2014
1    
Posted On 2/26/2026

Ted Latner wrote:
"  Wow - beautiful page!  I love Janson's inking from this period!
 "

Thanks Ted. Agreed, Janson really hit the ground running and everything he did in the '70s for Marvel was just incredible.

Miki Annamanthadoo Member Since 2003
1    
Posted On 2/23/2026

Oddly enough this was a story that escaped page turner when I read but not no desire to revisit afterwards. The Headmen were the most unique set of villains.

Benedict Judas Hel Member Since 2020
1    
Posted On 2/23/2026

Hey!  Hey!  A Headmen and Nebulon appearance!  Awesome!

Marcus Wai Member Since 2005
1    
Posted On 2/24/2026

Great gritty and scratchy Janson inks!  Very 70's with Luke having the puffy afro over his tiara!  Really nice cinematic face acting performances from each of the Defenders.

alessandro gentili Member Since 2011
1    
Posted On 2/24/2026

Sal Buscema/ Janson is a perfect combo . Really congrats for this great addition. You have a good taste ....

Paul Roach Member Since 2014
Posted On 2/25/2026

alessandro gentili wrote:
"  Sal Buscema/ Janson is a perfect combo . Really congrats for this great addition. You have a good taste ....
 "

Thanks Alessandro - having looked at your gallery many times, so do you!

Duke  Fleed Member Since 2013
1    
Posted On 2/24/2026

I'll admit that I don't know the names of every character on this page, but if someone wanted to make a real splash at a party, that star shirt is definitely the way to go. Congrats!

Sean Clarke Member Since 2005
1    
Posted On 2/24/2026

Stellar page from the peak Defenders team. Sal and Klaus's art was a sheer joy to savor each month, and Steve Gerber's stories promised something unexpected, quirky and delightful each time. Congrats on a perfect apex Defenders page!

Red Raven Member Since 2012
1    
Posted On 2/24/2026

Beautiful pièce défendeurs by the masters !

Al Simpleton Member Since 2013
1    
Posted On 2/25/2026

Oh, wow! It's Nebulon! One of the most perfectly designed characters ever... What a thrill! And the unique Steve Gerber storytelling style gives this page a unique vibe on which Sal Buscema and Klaus Janson take a wild ride and deliver!

Lee Benaka Member Since 2004
1    
Posted On 2/25/2026

That Defenders Annual was definitely a trip, with some of the finest Sal Buscema/Klaus Janson art ever.  Thanks for sharing!

Paul Roach Member Since 2014
Posted On 2/26/2026

Lee Benaka wrote:
"  That Defenders Annual was definitely a trip, with some of the finest Sal Buscema/Klaus Janson art ever.  Thanks for sharing!
 "

Thanks Lee, and you have a stunning page from the same issue! It was a strange story, and even though Luke Cage often doesn't seem to want to be wherever he is, he really, really didn't want to be there in this story.

James S Member Since 2017
1    
Posted On 2/26/2026

Holy smokes!  That's a nice page, Paul!

Paul Roach Member Since 2014
1    
Posted On 2/26/2026

James S wrote:
"  Holy smokes!  That's a nice page, Paul!
 "

I love a 'holy smokes'! I got one for my Defenders #1 page years ago, and now I have another. Thanks, James!

M L Member Since 2015
1    
Posted On 2/26/2026

Conversely, Steve promised to put on a dancing show for us at )AX but I never saw it! But we all win getting to enjoy this page!

Paul Roach Member Since 2014
Posted On 2/27/2026

M L wrote:
"  Conversely, Steve promised to put on a dancing show for us at )AX but I never saw it! But we all win getting to enjoy this page!
 "

Ha ha! Well, OAX was just a bit too far away for me, so I definitely didn't see any moves. I hope someone did. But glad to share the page, either way.

Steve Day Vich Member Since 2007
Posted On 2/26/2026

Quite possibly the greatest panel in your whole collection. This is probably my favorite Defenders issue, art and story. Congrats on having such a great page Paul, it makes me happy.

Paul Roach Member Since 2014
1    
Posted On 2/27/2026

Steve Day Vich wrote:
"  Quite possibly the greatest panel in your whole collection. This is probably my favorite Defenders issue, art and story. Congrats on having such a great page Paul, it makes me happy.
 "

Ha ha! Thanks, Steve. I'd hoped you'd like it. It's strange, but this comic didn't get distributed to the UK, so I didn't read it with the rest of the Gerber storyline. It tooks many years to stumble across a copy, and then it was like reading a long-lost chapter that the 'authorities' never wanted the 'people' to know about. So many pages in the annual, and such high quality.

stephen yarish Member Since 2004
1    
Posted On 2/27/2026

Can never get enough of Sal's artwork and Klaus on top of that is extra cool!  Very nice page!!

My NAME IS LEGION Member Since 2004
1    
Posted On 3/2/2026

I dig it, but I might be just a little bit biased

Michael  McIsaac Member Since 2020
1    
Posted On 3/6/2026

Another amazing Sal/Klaus page.  I'd have loved to have seen them collaborate a lot more in the decades following this.

Greg Huneryager Member Since 2004
1    
Posted On 4/12/2026

On the next page we learn that Nagan's confidence comes from their choosing to set this base far away from the coast cities wher you find super-heroes in Norman, OK. I moved to Norman a few weeks after this came out to go to OU. Oh, it's also probably the most fun page in the book. I especially like Jack Noriss in the top panel.

Paul Roach Member Since 2014
Posted On 4/13/2026

Greg Huneryager wrote:
" On the next page we learn that Nagan's confidence comes from their choosing to set this base far away from the coast cities wher you find super-heroes in Norman, OK. I moved to Norman a few weeks after this came out to go to OU. Oh, it's also probably the most fun page in the book. I especially like Jack Noriss in the top panel. "

Wow! That must have been a cool connection for someone who's such a Gerber fan! Thanks for sharing that, Greg. And I love the Jack Norris pose as well, casting a detached eye over proceedings.

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