Fury #1: We Don’t Need Another Hero…

Get ready to jump into Marvel’s often neglected world of subterfuge and Cold War era spy craft with Marvel’s answer to James Bond, Nick Fury. Which one, you may be asking? Why both, my good fans and friends, by one of Marvel’s most prominent and brightest stars, Al Ewing, and he’s joined by a slew of artists that you can shake a stick at, so let’s get down and dirty loyal fans and friends! 

Al Ewing launches this new mini/series of backups in ongoings featuring the Nick Fury’s, that’s Sr. and Jr., and he’s giving readers a tale that’s dripping with notes of nostalgia and continuity, with a firm grasp on how to take both Nick’s, as well as re-establishing the SHIELD organization, which is pretty exciting to see, since it’s effectively been shuttered for the better part of the last decade. Getting someone like Ewing, who gets these characters and knows the continuity at a level rarely seen outside of Mark Waid’s or Kurt Busiek’s, it’s always a pleasure to see him do what he does best, building a new future from what’s come before. In this case, he’s resurrecting not only SHIELD but the Zodiac Key, ZODIAC, and a new SCORPIO, and it looks like it will be a fun trip. 

Who is she? Where does she get all of these wonderful toys?

Who this new SCORPIO is, or is she’s at all related to the original Scorpio, who was original Nick Fury’s brother who was the original Scorpio Key proprietor. One of the first LMD (Life Model Decoys for those who aren’t in the know), but this story looks to touch on all of that. Ewing is the perfect writer to tackle this. Ewing also brings in outside organizations, WHISPER, which he used in his recently finished Wasp mini-series, so watching the follow-up here makes this much more enjoyable. 

To those not in the know, the Zodiac organization began when a group of businessmen and women joined together to commit crimes based on the signs of power. It sounds trippy, and it is. Steve Englehart would use his interest in things like Zodiac signs, mysticism, the occult, etc., and tie it together in a superhero storytelling style. He, Jim Starlin, and Al Milgrom would dose on LSD and walk around New York, riffing with each other to come back with some of the trippiest stories back in the mid ’70s that would lead to them becoming some of the biggest creators at the time. It’s just some great stuff that was so far ahead of its time, and every fan should pick it up and read it.  

Joining Al Ewing is veritable who’s who of artistic talent. We see a combination of up-and-coming stars mixed with legendary comic artists, and they’re on top of their games here. Having Adam Kubert handle the parts of older Nick Fury was inspired. Kubert was evoking his dad, who had a run on DC’s Sgt. Rock and it just rocked in every panel.

Meanwhile, Scot Eaton’s putting out some of his best work over the last 15 years. Top-notch stuff here. Tom Reilly, whose recent work on the Ant-Man mini with Ewing was some award-winning material. If you’ve read this, follow this to Fantastic Four #7.