The fans don't buy it, the team doesn't work.  Both books derail. The Marvel Age falters and the changes they brought to comics withers.  DC doesn't respond and by the mid-70's, most comics are horror, war, and western, with only a few super heroes making it that far.  The Hulk and Dr. Strange are Marvel's flagship comics and Fin Fang Foom has his own tv show.

This thread has been fun to read. I love what if's!

I used to fantasize about Silver Surfer sticking with the original Defenders of Dr. Strange, Hulk and Namor for a nice long run.

Man oh man what a powerful team; The Sorcerer Supreme, the power cosmic and two of the strongest guys in Marveldom .

Imagine the types of adventures that would have to be written just to give them a challenge.

If all of that was conceived later and worked into the new strechable hero's milieu, fine, but the name is so awkward it's difficult to imagine it was invented without some connection to the Thin Man movies and short stories. 

It's a bummer to think we're now imagining scenarios where delightful and fun characters are made neverwas just so we don't have to experience the pain of having them ripped apart in front of our eyes years later by sadistic wannabe auteurs.

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Fun fact: that was the only time in my entire life that I was that I felt compelled to write in to a comic book letter column.  I think it was the summer between 6th and 7th grade.  I was delighted beyond belief when I received the postcard from DC telling me it would be published and to keep a look out for it in issue 186.

(Don't bother writing to me at that address.  Mom and Pop sold that house years ago.)