DEFENSOR
Real Name: Gabriel Carlos Dantes Sepulveda
Identity/Class: Human technology user;
citizen of Argentina
Occupation: Construction worker, super-hero
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Captain Britain (Brian Braddock), She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters)
Enemies: Arabian Knight (Abdul Qamar), Death, Grandmaster (En Dwi Gast), Iron Man (Tony Stark), Sabra (Ruth Bat-Seraph), unidentified subterranean creatures, Zeitgeist (Larry Ekler)
Known Relatives: None
Aliases: Defender (English translation of his code-name)
Base of Operations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, South America
First Appearance: Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions I#1 (June, 1982)
Powers/Abilities: Defensor wore a suit of armor made of Vibranium, the composition of which allowed it to absorb most damage from impacts (see comments). The armor functioned as an exoskeleton, which amplified his natural strength to a superhuman level (class 2). He also carried a Vibranium shield, which could be used for defense, or hurled as a weapon.
Height: 6'
Weight: 220 lbs. (without armor)
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
History:
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#3: Defensor) - In his
hometown of Cordoba, Gabriel Sepulveda was a construction
worker; while he was operating an excavating machine and digging the
foundation for an apartment building, he unearthed the entrance to a
hidden underground passageway. Reporting the find to his foreman,
Sepulveda was told to ignore it and proceed with the work.
That evening, Sepulveda secretly returned to the construction site and entered the passageway, where he found seemingly man-made subterranean catacombs and chambers filled with ancient machinery--one such chamber contained a suit of armor resembling that of a 14th Century Spanish Conquistador, but composed of Vibranium and connected to a strange machine. Deciding to take the suit with him as proof of the wonders he had discovered, Sepulveda donned the armor so he wouldn't have to carry it; but he was then attacked by a horde of subterranean creatures. Discovering the strange armor gave him the power to fight off the creatures, Sepulveda returned to the surface. He determined to use the armor to become a super-hero, and took the code-name "Defensor".
(Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions I#1) - In the midst of battling a paramilitary group, Defensor was whisked away by the Elder of the Universe known as Grandmaster, to participate in his game against Death--Grandmaster was attempting to revive his fellow Elder, the Collector, and chose Defensor to serve on his team.
(Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions I#2) - Defensor was placed on a team with the She-Hulk and Captain Britain--he was quite taken by She-Hulk, and chivalrously kissed her hand as he introduced himself; they were pitted against the team of Iron Man, the Arabian Knight, and Sabra, with the competitive goal of being the first to obtain a quarter-section of the Golden Globe of Life, hidden within a ghost town. However, Defensor soon found his two teammates preferred to work separately, rather than as a group. Defensor pitted himself against Iron Man, and deflected the armored Avenger's repulsor rays with his Vibranium shield. However, Iron Man was able to knock Defensor unconscious with a judo flip. Ultimately, Defensor's team lost the encounter.
(Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions I#3) - Along with the other heroes who participated in the Grandmaster's game, Defensor observed from the sidelines as the Grandmaster revived the Collector; but the Grandmaster was forced to die in the Collector's place. Death then returned all of the heroes, including Defensor, back to their respective homes.
(Incredible Hulk II#279) - Defensor was among the throng of super-heroes who celebrated the presidential pardon of the Hulk after the green goliath had temporarily regained his intelligence.
(Captain America I#442 - BTS) - Defensor was assassinated by the villain Zeitgeist (see comments), who also slaughtered several other South American crime-fighters and criminals (including Captain Forsa, El Condor, La Bandera, Machete [Ferdinand Lopez], Ojo Macabra, and Zona Rosa).
Comments: Created by Mark Gruenwald, Bill Mantlo, Steven Grant, John Romita Jr. and Pablo Marcos.
Strangely, Defensor identifies himself as being from Brazil in Contest of Champions I#2, even though the OHOTMU and the back page of Contest of Champions I#1 say Argentina.
The more-recent Argentina profile in Marvel Atlas#2 confirmed Defensor to have been one of that country's domestic superhumans, while the Brazil profile didn't mention him at all, so any previous references to him being from Brazil are likely errors.
A caption in Captain America I#442 stated that all of
Zeitgeist's victims died from stab wounds [the only murder actually
depicted was when he killed Captain Forsa with a sword thrust through
his chest]; in the case of Defensor, you'd think his Vibranium armor
would be able to protect him from such a attack...unless maybe
Zeitgeist's sword had some special quality that allowed it to
neutralize the armor's protection.
--Ron Fredricks
The craftsman of Defensor's armor was never revealed... and probably never will be. Maybe it was citizens of El Dorado?
...or maybe it was created by the Deviants for Warlord
Kro?
--Ron Fredricks
Contest of Champions writer Steven Grant revealed that the series was supposed to have the characters broadly international, but Marvel didn't have many international heroes at the time who weren't X-Men. Bill Mantlo brought in Mark Gruenwald and Steven Grant to help out creating new characters. Defensor was one of the characters created by Bill Mantlo.
Steven Grant: "In 1980, Marvel had a deal to do Olympic-themed treasury editions. Bill and I did the Hulk & Spider-Man at the Winter Olympics, which was published. We then worked with Mark on the Marvel Super-Heroes Summer Olympics Special; but then the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, and in protest President Carter pulled the US from the Moscow Olympics. With nothing to tie into, the book went into the drawer for awhile. At some point, after tons of resistance, Marvel was convinced to try the mini-series format. Jim Shooter pulled "Summer Olympics" from a drawer, and Bill (Mantlo) & JR2 (John Romita Jr.) reworked it into a 3-issue mini. But that was months after it had already been done. The main reason MSH&SO was chosen as the mini-test was that it was already done, for the most part, so the company would have to spend minimal more money to publish it. The number of characters were a bet-hedger, but it made Marvel gung-ho on minis...BTW pretty sure Mark did the rough designs for all the new characters, to prescribed specifications. JR2 did more polished takes. I'm constantly having people at conventions bring copies to sign and asking "Did you expect when you were working on CoC it would have the impact it did?" I tell them, truthfully, "We didn't even know we were working on Contest of Champions..." (I believe Jim (Shooter) named it).
Defensor's capsule bio in Contest of
Champions I#1 identifies him as being from Argentina. In #1, he is
also stated to be in Argentina at the time of the story. However, in Contest
of Champions I#2 he not only gives his real name but also says he
is from Brazil. His original edition Handbook entry then says Argentina
again, giving place of birth and base of operations there too.
--Loki
Sort of a difference between "born in"
& "based in". Of course, that also suggests he's fluent in Spanish
& Portuguese. In past research many years ago, I read of English
being occasionally used as a bridge between traders & the like from
Brazil & some southern South American countries.
--Grendel Prime
New and additional images by Ron Fredrick.
Profile by Prime Eternal.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Defensor should not be confused with:
images: (without ads)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#3, p18 (main image - Defensor)
Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions I#2, p20, pan1 (headshot - Defensor)
Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions I#2, p14-15, pan1 (Defensor in ghost town)
Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions I#2, p16, pan2 (chivalrous Defensor introduces himself to She-Hulk)
Appearances:
Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions I#1-3 (June-August, 1982) - Mark Gruenwald, Steven Grant & Bill Mantlo (writers), John Romita Jr. (pencils), Pablo Marcos (inks), Tom DeFalco (editor)
Incredible Hulk II#279 (January, 1983) - Bill Mantlo (writer), Mark Gruenwald (pencils), Greg LaRocque (inks), Al Milgrom (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe I#3: Defensor (March, 1983) - Mark Gruenwald (writer/editor), Edward Hannigan (pencils/inks)
Captain America I#442 (August, 1995) - BTS - Mark Gruenwald (writer), Dave Hoover & Sandu Florea (pencils), Danny Bulanadi (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
First posted: 12/10/2003
Last updated: 01/03/2025
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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