Writer: Al Ewing
Art: Scot Eaton, Cam Smith, Tom Reilly, Adam Kubert, Ramon Rosanas, Jordie Bellaire, VC’s Joe Caramagna
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price:$3.99
Release Date: May 24th, 2023
Who is S.C.O.R.P.I.O.? A glamorous rogue agent with a deadly secret lures Nick Fury into the action-thriller of a lifetime…His Father’s! Following the trail opens never-before-seen-Fury Files from the Howlin’ ’40s…the Swingin’ ’60s…and today! But it takes more than one Nick Fury to unlock a mystery decades in the making – and to answer the question…Who is S.C.O.R.P.I.O. as Fury #1 by Al Ewing begins to unfold.
If you’re interested in this comic, series, related trades, or any of the others mentioned, then simply click on the title/link to snag a copy through Amazon as you read the Fury #1 Review.
THE DISPATCH
If you want to talk about a cold open, look no further than Fury #1 by Al Ewing. For a character and story that’s been AWOL for quite some time, I’d hope to get a bit more substance at the beginning of the issue to at least get my bearings. However, fans will dive in with some crazy leaps and bounds to open Fury #1 with very little guidance and confusing story beats to boot.
Weird tech, telepathic techno, wildly called-out fighting techniques, and funky new suits out of the blue clutter this beginning fight between Fury and this agent of S.C.O.R.P.I.O. However, Ewing needs to tread lightly. This opening battle scene felt like I was watching my two boys play with action figures as each one always has a silly counter move for the other silly counter move. Again, for being thrown into the deep end after not seeing Fury for quite some time, Fury #1 was extremely busy and complicated instead of being easy to digest and welcoming.
Yet the odd and busy nature of the comic didn’t stop. From bizarre names like “scanalysis” to 4th Wall-breaking comics Fury was linked to in the past, Ewing continued to raise the level of confusing insanity through the issue and piles on the nonsense making Fury #1 incredibly hard to follow. Out of nowhere, Ewing thrusts fans into a flashback story with old school Nick Fury and Dum Dum Duggan on the Moon in order to “try” to explain who S.C.O.R.P.I.O. is and the Zodiac Key. However, no real answers or direction are given other than what appears to be a retcon dating back to 1968 for the sheer atmosphere of promoting the idea that S.C.O.R.P.I.O. has been around for quite some time.
And yes technically, S.C.O.R.P.I.O. has been around for quite some time as Jake Fury, Nick’s younger brother. Heck, Fury’s Dad was even involved at one point. However, why not open with that for the new fans instead of surrounding this issue with pomp and circumstance? Moreover, that’s not even stated in Fury #1 through all the hustle and bustle of this opening installment.
Additionally, more names are thrown out with more “picto-files”/ comic throwbacks to help entrench this story deep into comic lore. We find out that the would-be S.C.O.R.P.I.O. agent is possibly related to one of Fury’s good friends as well. Yet again, we get more of a history as to how Fury has been intertwined with this Zodiac since he was fighting Nazi’s including relatives dating this Zodiac Key story deeper and deeper into Marvel lore… or at least that’s Ewing’s intent.
Moreover, for those new to this idea, there are two Nick Fury’s… kind of. Nick Fury Sr. and Nick Fury Jr. Nick Fury Sr. is the White Nick Fury that long-time comic fans may know who eventually turned into the Unseen with powers like the Watcher. The past stories made reference to in Fury #1 refer to that Nick Fury. The Black Nick Fury came about in 2012 as a son of the original Nick Fury. Hopefully, that clears up any confusion while also better explaining some of the side backstories experienced in Fury #1… (cough… cough… sarcasm).
Nevertheless, it appears as though the entire premise of this issue was to reincorporate Fury into the fold after his long-awaited hiatus. Why? Perhaps due to Secret Invasion on the horizon for the MCU as to draw fans towards the comics alongside the MCU at the same time. Well, was that the entire point of the Fury #1? It seems that way for now.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Fury #1 was incredibly confusing and used mainly as a chess piece to drop subtle hints for this Zodiac Key, these Zodiac Doors, and a tool to usher back into the comic fold Nick Fury… or at least the MCU-looking Nick Fury also known as Nick Fury Jr. If you can comb through the confusing elements and backstories, you’ll see some potential involving Fury and the possibilities of some pretty cool espionage narratives on the horizon. However, since I’m solely grading THIS issue, it’s extremely hard to overlook the crazy narrative beats, heavy dialogue, and confusing story beats for new fans interested in test-driving this narrative on Nick Fury. Fury #1 is not for the newbie or person whimsically interested in diving deeper into the character based on their MCU experience. It’s for the fan who’s been reasonably invested in comics or has been entrenched in the history of Nick Fury to date. Therefore, I’d tread lightly if you’re jumping into Fury #1 or be prepared for a very difficult read. Let me know what you think, have a great week, and God Bless!