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Forced into retirement at the closing of the Cold War, government-trained freedom-fighter Nick Fury re-enters the fray when the Agency requests his help in battling the takeover of a third-world island.
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
About the author
Garth Ennis
2,731 books3,259 followersEnnis began his comic-writing career in 1989 with the series Troubled Souls. Appearing in the short-lived but critically-acclaimed British anthology Crisis and illustrated by McCrea, it told the story of a young, apolitical Protestant man caught up by fate in the violence of the Irish 'Troubles'. It spawned a sequel, For a Few Troubles More, a broad Belfast-based comedy featuring two supporting characters from Troubled Souls, Dougie and Ivor, who would later get their own American comics series, Dicks, from Caliber in 1997, and several follow-ups from Avatar.
Another series for Crisis was True Faith, a religious satire inspired by his schooldays, this time drawn by Warren Pleece. Ennis shortly after began to write for Crisis' parent publication, 2000 AD. He quickly graduated on to the title's flagship character, Judge Dredd, taking over from original creator John Wagner for a period of several years.
Ennis' first work on an American comic came in 1991 when he took over DC Comics's horror title Hellblazer, which he wrote until 1994, and for which he currently holds the title for most issues written. Steve Dillon became the regular artist during the second half of Ennis's run.
Ennis' landmark work to date is the 66-issue epic Preacher, which he co-created with artist Steve Dillon. Running from 1995 to 2000, it was a tale of a preacher with supernatural powers, searching (literally) for God who has abandoned his creation.
While Preacher was running, Ennis began a series set in the DC universe called Hitman. Despite being lower profile than Preacher, Hitman ran for 60 issues (plus specials) from 1996 to 2001, veering wildly from violent action to humour to an examination of male friendship under fire.
Other comic projects Ennis wrote during this time period include Goddess, Bloody Mary, Unknown Soldier, and Pride & Joy, all for DC/Vertigo, as well as origin stories for The Darkness for Image Comics and Shadowman for Valiant Comics.
After the end of Hitman, Ennis was lured to Marvel Comics with the promise from Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada that he could write The Punisher as long as he cared to. Instead of largely comical tone of these issues, he decided to make a much more serious series, re-launched under Marvel's MAX imprint.
In 2001 he briefly returned to UK comics to write the epic Helter Skelter for Judge Dredd.
Other comics Ennis has written include War Story (with various artists) for DC; The Pro for Image Comics; The Authority for Wildstorm; Just a Pilgrim for Black Bull Press, and 303, Chronicles of Wormwood (a six issue mini-series about the Antichrist), and a western comic book, Streets of Glory for Avatar Press.
In 2008 Ennis ended his five-year run on Punisher MAX to debut a new Marvel title, War Is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle.
In June 2008, at Wizard World, Philadelphia, Ennis announced several new projects, including a metaseries of war comics called Battlefields from Dynamite made up of mini-series including Night Witches, Dear Billy and Tankies, another Chronicles of Wormwood mini-series and Crossed both at Avatar, a six-issue miniseries about Butcher (from The Boys) and a Punisher project reuniting him with artist Steve Dillon (subsequently specified to be a weekly mini-series entitled Punisher: War Zone, to be released concurrently with the film of the same name).
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garth_Ennis
Another series for Crisis was True Faith, a religious satire inspired by his schooldays, this time drawn by Warren Pleece. Ennis shortly after began to write for Crisis' parent publication, 2000 AD. He quickly graduated on to the title's flagship character, Judge Dredd, taking over from original creator John Wagner for a period of several years.
Ennis' first work on an American comic came in 1991 when he took over DC Comics's horror title Hellblazer, which he wrote until 1994, and for which he currently holds the title for most issues written. Steve Dillon became the regular artist during the second half of Ennis's run.
Ennis' landmark work to date is the 66-issue epic Preacher, which he co-created with artist Steve Dillon. Running from 1995 to 2000, it was a tale of a preacher with supernatural powers, searching (literally) for God who has abandoned his creation.
While Preacher was running, Ennis began a series set in the DC universe called Hitman. Despite being lower profile than Preacher, Hitman ran for 60 issues (plus specials) from 1996 to 2001, veering wildly from violent action to humour to an examination of male friendship under fire.
Other comic projects Ennis wrote during this time period include Goddess, Bloody Mary, Unknown Soldier, and Pride & Joy, all for DC/Vertigo, as well as origin stories for The Darkness for Image Comics and Shadowman for Valiant Comics.
After the end of Hitman, Ennis was lured to Marvel Comics with the promise from Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada that he could write The Punisher as long as he cared to. Instead of largely comical tone of these issues, he decided to make a much more serious series, re-launched under Marvel's MAX imprint.
In 2001 he briefly returned to UK comics to write the epic Helter Skelter for Judge Dredd.
Other comics Ennis has written include War Story (with various artists) for DC; The Pro for Image Comics; The Authority for Wildstorm; Just a Pilgrim for Black Bull Press, and 303, Chronicles of Wormwood (a six issue mini-series about the Antichrist), and a western comic book, Streets of Glory for Avatar Press.
In 2008 Ennis ended his five-year run on Punisher MAX to debut a new Marvel title, War Is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle.
In June 2008, at Wizard World, Philadelphia, Ennis announced several new projects, including a metaseries of war comics called Battlefields from Dynamite made up of mini-series including Night Witches, Dear Billy and Tankies, another Chronicles of Wormwood mini-series and Crossed both at Avatar, a six-issue miniseries about Butcher (from The Boys) and a Punisher project reuniting him with artist Steve Dillon (subsequently specified to be a weekly mini-series entitled Punisher: War Zone, to be released concurrently with the film of the same name).
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garth_Ennis
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
March 16, 2016
I knew this was going to be good from the first page:
“Colonel Fury?”
“Kill them all.”
Garth Ennis. Darick Robertson. Nick Fury. MAX. So this is a Marvel comic that’s definitely not for the kids! It’s also fan-fucking-tastic!
Nick (classic Fury, ie. the white dude not Sam Jackson) is bored. SHIELD is staffed by pencil pushers, his puny surrogate nephew Wendel is making him suicidal out of sheer embarrassment, and he’s not allowed to smoke indoors; where’s an old dinosaur like him meant to fit into the modern world? Nick Fury needs a war. Luckily an old Cold War enemy is going to deliver one.
If you’re not sure what the MAX part of the title is, it means this is an adult Marvel comic - swearing/sex/drugs/extreme violence are all on the table for these books. Ennis takes full advantage right off the bat having guys screaming “FUCK!” as Fury storms a South American drug cartel shooting guys in the head left and right.
Ennis writes a brilliant Nick Fury – the best in my mind. A grizzled older guy, the consummate man’s man, the ultimate soldier - seeing this character deal with the modern world in an unimpressed, increasingly hostile way, is a joy. There are also typical Ennis characters like Wendel, a cartoonish nerd who is so over the top wimpy, he’s hysterical. Fury and Wendel’s relationship is like Arseface and his dad all over again. And speaking of Preacher, there’s a character in this called Fuckface with another character referencing him with Arseface indirectly. Fury MAX couldn’t be more of a Garth Ennis comic!
It goes from being funny watching Fury deal with SHIELD’s bureaucracy to really exciting once the war on the Pacific island kicks off. Ennis is THE writer for war comics though the action here is completely over-the-top Hollywood-ized violence that suits the Marvel universe and this kind of story rather than his more realistic war comics. Artist Darick Robertson also looks to be having a blast drawing insanely gory imagery, really pushing the limits of the MAX title to bring to life the horrors of war - such terrific artwork from a master.
I also loved those last couple of pages which indicates the direction Ennis takes the character in his later Fury MAX series, My War Gone By. I recommend checking that out as well as another Ennis/Robertson collaboration, Fury: Peacemaker, for more terrific Marvel war comics.
Fury MAX is enormously good fun. Nick Fury, like Frank Castle, is the perfect type of character for Garth Ennis to write for Marvel and he does so beautifully. If you’re an Ennis fan who likes his Punisher, Preacher or The Boys comics, you’ll get a lot out of this one. Furiously entertaining to the MAX!
“Colonel Fury?”
“Kill them all.”
Garth Ennis. Darick Robertson. Nick Fury. MAX. So this is a Marvel comic that’s definitely not for the kids! It’s also fan-fucking-tastic!
Nick (classic Fury, ie. the white dude not Sam Jackson) is bored. SHIELD is staffed by pencil pushers, his puny surrogate nephew Wendel is making him suicidal out of sheer embarrassment, and he’s not allowed to smoke indoors; where’s an old dinosaur like him meant to fit into the modern world? Nick Fury needs a war. Luckily an old Cold War enemy is going to deliver one.
If you’re not sure what the MAX part of the title is, it means this is an adult Marvel comic - swearing/sex/drugs/extreme violence are all on the table for these books. Ennis takes full advantage right off the bat having guys screaming “FUCK!” as Fury storms a South American drug cartel shooting guys in the head left and right.
Ennis writes a brilliant Nick Fury – the best in my mind. A grizzled older guy, the consummate man’s man, the ultimate soldier - seeing this character deal with the modern world in an unimpressed, increasingly hostile way, is a joy. There are also typical Ennis characters like Wendel, a cartoonish nerd who is so over the top wimpy, he’s hysterical. Fury and Wendel’s relationship is like Arseface and his dad all over again. And speaking of Preacher, there’s a character in this called Fuckface with another character referencing him with Arseface indirectly. Fury MAX couldn’t be more of a Garth Ennis comic!
It goes from being funny watching Fury deal with SHIELD’s bureaucracy to really exciting once the war on the Pacific island kicks off. Ennis is THE writer for war comics though the action here is completely over-the-top Hollywood-ized violence that suits the Marvel universe and this kind of story rather than his more realistic war comics. Artist Darick Robertson also looks to be having a blast drawing insanely gory imagery, really pushing the limits of the MAX title to bring to life the horrors of war - such terrific artwork from a master.
I also loved those last couple of pages which indicates the direction Ennis takes the character in his later Fury MAX series, My War Gone By. I recommend checking that out as well as another Ennis/Robertson collaboration, Fury: Peacemaker, for more terrific Marvel war comics.
Fury MAX is enormously good fun. Nick Fury, like Frank Castle, is the perfect type of character for Garth Ennis to write for Marvel and he does so beautifully. If you’re an Ennis fan who likes his Punisher, Preacher or The Boys comics, you’ll get a lot out of this one. Furiously entertaining to the MAX!
August 28, 2019
Garth Ennis' "Fury Max" reminds me an awful lot of his "Punisher MAX" series. It has over the top violence, carnage, and dialogue. It serves more as a tongue in cheek caricature of the sheer graphic nature of some of the elements of the story. I am not talking high-brow caricatures though, rather fart jokes and uncomfortable situations type humor. That is the nature of the beast and, as with Punisher MAX, it works.
So Ennis takes on Nick Fury. Fury is an old-school cold warrior in a new age SHIELD. It's not going well. Fury finds out an old Soviet rival is running an operation in a South American shithole and he decides to go in and wreck it. That's really the gist. Ennis' vulgar, and sometimes funny, take on Fury works. It works in the same way that the Punisher series worked. This is no high work of art. It's just a violent story with potty humor. Ok. At least Ennis isn't pretentious.
While this is not great, it IS good. A fun, dark, sometimes humorous and always vulgar look at Nick Fury and his escapades in this new age SHIELD. Any Ennis fan, or Fury fan, will enjoy this book. A good read, but nothing great.
So Ennis takes on Nick Fury. Fury is an old-school cold warrior in a new age SHIELD. It's not going well. Fury finds out an old Soviet rival is running an operation in a South American shithole and he decides to go in and wreck it. That's really the gist. Ennis' vulgar, and sometimes funny, take on Fury works. It works in the same way that the Punisher series worked. This is no high work of art. It's just a violent story with potty humor. Ok. At least Ennis isn't pretentious.
While this is not great, it IS good. A fun, dark, sometimes humorous and always vulgar look at Nick Fury and his escapades in this new age SHIELD. Any Ennis fan, or Fury fan, will enjoy this book. A good read, but nothing great.
March 19, 2018
Fury Max is a story of a country of no country for old men. The very blood-soaked ways that built the super-powered Nation-States of the 20th century have wilted away. What was once muscular and fearsome is now emasculated in our latest era of apathy and tolerance (Aristotle's dying society?)
Enter Nick Fury, part relic, part curmudgeon, 100% reactionary to the nth degree. His violent ways would be over-top but, this is a Garth Ennis story - we (all) know what's up. Boundless butchery is laced with an injection of testosterone that borders on an overdose with all the DudeBro themes it would entail.
This throwback to an era back to when you could still advertise cigarettes to children (remember Joe Camel?) and when Marlboro Man was THE man's man - is uncomfortably at odds with the modern era. Atavism is strongly contrasted with a shifted ground of a more dopey era. Internalized existential crisis gives way to an externalized discussion with a previous enemy - setting stage for story.
Don't change, it seems to (over)-state. Don't give into that dark night. Don't give an inch. Rather bring back the very world that birthed you.
Solid art works captures this recalcitrant essence as it does the brutalized environs that ensconce it. As a study of contrasts, brightness is well opposed by an equal helping of jet black darkness. Bone shattering violence and the rivers of blood they entail are equally contradicted with lushly depicted virile insertions of rainforests and beaches.
P.S. The covers are awesome!
Enter Nick Fury, part relic, part curmudgeon, 100% reactionary to the nth degree. His violent ways would be over-top but, this is a Garth Ennis story - we (all) know what's up. Boundless butchery is laced with an injection of testosterone that borders on an overdose with all the DudeBro themes it would entail.
This throwback to an era back to when you could still advertise cigarettes to children (remember Joe Camel?) and when Marlboro Man was THE man's man - is uncomfortably at odds with the modern era. Atavism is strongly contrasted with a shifted ground of a more dopey era. Internalized existential crisis gives way to an externalized discussion with a previous enemy - setting stage for story.
Don't change, it seems to (over)-state. Don't give into that dark night. Don't give an inch. Rather bring back the very world that birthed you.
Solid art works captures this recalcitrant essence as it does the brutalized environs that ensconce it. As a study of contrasts, brightness is well opposed by an equal helping of jet black darkness. Bone shattering violence and the rivers of blood they entail are equally contradicted with lushly depicted virile insertions of rainforests and beaches.
P.S. The covers are awesome!
February 10, 2026
Interesting new modern take on this Silver Age character. Good Read. Recommended
April 7, 2017
Se volete leggere la mia recensione, cliccate qui! http://ascwblog.blogspot.it/2017/04/f...
May 10, 2016
Kinda disappointing, really. As written by Ennis, Fury doesn’t seem a whole lot different from the author’s Punisher. I even found myself occasionally forgetting that this was not a Punisher comic, which is horrible. Because it’s written by Ennis it’s consistently over the top in violence, sex, language and black humor and that always guarantees an at least entertaining read but I don’t know that this series needed to exist.
January 21, 2018
Book Info: This collection contains
Fury
issues #1-6.
ABSOLUTE RATING: {3+/5 stars}
STANDARDIZED RATING: <3/5 stars>
"What happened to this country? When did the assholes start running things? How did they get away with the pissant little rules they make us live by? Why do they use ten words to hint at what just one would say? I feel like I blinked and someone turned the place into the United States of pussies..."
– Nick Fury
Fury MAX is a very darkly comic take on Marvel's classic super spy as he looks back on all the fun and glory he's had as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., while lamenting how far both his organization and his life have sunk into the ground. Suddenly finding himself in the midst of a massive reconstruction of S.H.I.E.L.D. operational function, and after having inherited legal responsibility for the aggravating son of a fallen soldier, Nick Fury is slowly smothered by a profound sense of helplessness and boredom. But just when he thinks he's reached his limit, Rudi Gagarin (i.e. an old rival and ex-Hydra agent) resurfaces and sets in motion a heated conflict between the United States and a strategically-situated island nation near Hawaii, goading Fury to come after him. And just like that, Fury once again resumes his bloody chess match with Gagarin, while the the threat of World War III looms over the globe.
Never thought I'd see the day, but I'm now sure what I felt after reading this must have been exactly where critics of Preacher are coming from; on the surface, Ennis seems to have a natural proclivity to write some really macho, gratuitously violent, and shockingly absurd shit. But at the same time, it can be both emotional, profound, and most importantly, it almost always – judging from what I've read so far – leads somewhere worthwhile. The problem with Fury MAX is that it just took everything that made books like Crossed and Punisher MAX so poignant and suspenseful, replacing it with superficial, testosterone-laden posturing and crudely tedious humor. So chances are, if you really liked Punisher Presents: Barracuda , this book would surely be for you (and vice versa).
But unlike Barracuda, Fury MAX seems to be trying to make a statement of some kind, but it's so heavily diluted by frantic vulgarity that it becomes difficult to appreciate or fully decipher that message. And any hope one may have had that they will walk away with a satisfying or meaningful impression is quashed by the finale. By then, it becomes abundantly clear that – beyond the shallow desire to conjure up a whirlwind of superfluous brutality – there was absolutely no point to the war between Fury and Gagarin, which trivializes the whole affair. Furthermore, the ending seems to try to come off as clever, haunting, and/or amusing, but fails to capture any of those effects, nor does it convey anything that I hadn't already gleaned long before. Consider this yet another instance in which the attempt to impart a message or moral – which is quite often a laudable pursuit – fails so spectacularly that it ends up doing a lot more harm than good.
For me, I'd have to say that the first half of the book was stronger than the second. Aside from the fact that the humor was more palatable and sedate, it was here that Ennis most clearly showcases his ability to produce sharp dialogue and remarkably efficient pacing. There was virtually no point during the first three issues where I felt the writer was wasting time, and pretty much every panel on every page seemed to serve a purpose and keep me entertained. Somehow, Ennis was able to very briskly progress from scene to scene, lingering *just* long enough to get his point across, and provide several laughs in-between plot highlights. And if you're like me, you might be surprised just how smoothly the man balances the dead-serious (though relatively sparse) commentary he makes against political structures, and the whimsical jabs he takes at political correctness and bureaucracy.
Darick Robertson is an artist best known for his work on Transmetropolitan and The Boys , both of which earned him Eisner Award nominations. I haven't yet gotten around to reading the latter, but I enjoyed immensely the artwork in Transmet for as long as I stuck with the series. Strangely, as gifted an illustrator as Robertson has proven himself to be, the art for this book largely looks like pretty standard stuff. Although decent, it's certainly not indicative of the best this guy can offer, and it seems pretty clear his heart wasn't fully in it; the illustrations are noticeably simpler and the pencils do not display the same level of detail or indicate a level of care consistent with his strongest work. Still, at the end of the day, I guess Robertson's good enough to get away with settling for a mere fraction of his full potential, since the book doesn't really suffer for it.
Because it's Ennis, there was a lot of stuff for me to love here, but without much substance at it's core, Fury MAX was never likely to impress me. It's kinda like a demonstration of Ennis unchained, and that's something I suspect I'd like little further contact with moving forward. That said, I refuse to believe this is serves as any good indication of what I can expect from his 2012 Fury MAX run. Judging from what he's done with Punisher MAX , I think I should at least give it a shot. He's mostly done right by me, so I feel like the man's owed that much, at least.
Postscript:
To further elaborate on the point I was making about the ending of the book, click the spoiler tag below:
ABSOLUTE RATING: {3+/5 stars}
STANDARDIZED RATING: <3/5 stars>
"What happened to this country? When did the assholes start running things? How did they get away with the pissant little rules they make us live by? Why do they use ten words to hint at what just one would say? I feel like I blinked and someone turned the place into the United States of pussies..."
– Nick Fury
Fury MAX is a very darkly comic take on Marvel's classic super spy as he looks back on all the fun and glory he's had as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., while lamenting how far both his organization and his life have sunk into the ground. Suddenly finding himself in the midst of a massive reconstruction of S.H.I.E.L.D. operational function, and after having inherited legal responsibility for the aggravating son of a fallen soldier, Nick Fury is slowly smothered by a profound sense of helplessness and boredom. But just when he thinks he's reached his limit, Rudi Gagarin (i.e. an old rival and ex-Hydra agent) resurfaces and sets in motion a heated conflict between the United States and a strategically-situated island nation near Hawaii, goading Fury to come after him. And just like that, Fury once again resumes his bloody chess match with Gagarin, while the the threat of World War III looms over the globe.
Never thought I'd see the day, but I'm now sure what I felt after reading this must have been exactly where critics of Preacher are coming from; on the surface, Ennis seems to have a natural proclivity to write some really macho, gratuitously violent, and shockingly absurd shit. But at the same time, it can be both emotional, profound, and most importantly, it almost always – judging from what I've read so far – leads somewhere worthwhile. The problem with Fury MAX is that it just took everything that made books like Crossed and Punisher MAX so poignant and suspenseful, replacing it with superficial, testosterone-laden posturing and crudely tedious humor. So chances are, if you really liked Punisher Presents: Barracuda , this book would surely be for you (and vice versa).
But unlike Barracuda, Fury MAX seems to be trying to make a statement of some kind, but it's so heavily diluted by frantic vulgarity that it becomes difficult to appreciate or fully decipher that message. And any hope one may have had that they will walk away with a satisfying or meaningful impression is quashed by the finale. By then, it becomes abundantly clear that – beyond the shallow desire to conjure up a whirlwind of superfluous brutality – there was absolutely no point to the war between Fury and Gagarin, which trivializes the whole affair. Furthermore, the ending seems to try to come off as clever, haunting, and/or amusing, but fails to capture any of those effects, nor does it convey anything that I hadn't already gleaned long before. Consider this yet another instance in which the attempt to impart a message or moral – which is quite often a laudable pursuit – fails so spectacularly that it ends up doing a lot more harm than good.
For me, I'd have to say that the first half of the book was stronger than the second. Aside from the fact that the humor was more palatable and sedate, it was here that Ennis most clearly showcases his ability to produce sharp dialogue and remarkably efficient pacing. There was virtually no point during the first three issues where I felt the writer was wasting time, and pretty much every panel on every page seemed to serve a purpose and keep me entertained. Somehow, Ennis was able to very briskly progress from scene to scene, lingering *just* long enough to get his point across, and provide several laughs in-between plot highlights. And if you're like me, you might be surprised just how smoothly the man balances the dead-serious (though relatively sparse) commentary he makes against political structures, and the whimsical jabs he takes at political correctness and bureaucracy.
Darick Robertson is an artist best known for his work on Transmetropolitan and The Boys , both of which earned him Eisner Award nominations. I haven't yet gotten around to reading the latter, but I enjoyed immensely the artwork in Transmet for as long as I stuck with the series. Strangely, as gifted an illustrator as Robertson has proven himself to be, the art for this book largely looks like pretty standard stuff. Although decent, it's certainly not indicative of the best this guy can offer, and it seems pretty clear his heart wasn't fully in it; the illustrations are noticeably simpler and the pencils do not display the same level of detail or indicate a level of care consistent with his strongest work. Still, at the end of the day, I guess Robertson's good enough to get away with settling for a mere fraction of his full potential, since the book doesn't really suffer for it.
Because it's Ennis, there was a lot of stuff for me to love here, but without much substance at it's core, Fury MAX was never likely to impress me. It's kinda like a demonstration of Ennis unchained, and that's something I suspect I'd like little further contact with moving forward. That said, I refuse to believe this is serves as any good indication of what I can expect from his 2012 Fury MAX run. Judging from what he's done with Punisher MAX , I think I should at least give it a shot. He's mostly done right by me, so I feel like the man's owed that much, at least.
Postscript:
To further elaborate on the point I was making about the ending of the book, click the spoiler tag below:
February 13, 2025
Oof.
I wrote of other volumes in the 'Fury' series that this is a comic about bullets, boobs, and blood. This volume, the first to be published, dials those elements up to eleven. Unfortunately, it lacks an interesting antagonist and it's saying some disturbing things.
First, the antagonist. In a line that has made me accustomed to morally complex antagonists and challenging dillemas, 'Fury' offers up a garden-variety psycho with a homoerotic fixation on its protagonist. There's no complexity there and nothing particularly interesting. Just a steroid queen and his henchman.
Second, the disturbing things. 'Fury' offers us a nerdy character: a young misfit who adores his Uncle Nick and will do just about anything to win his approval. Nick despises him. This reads like Garth Ennis flipping the bird to the very comic book nerds who love his work. It's baffling. Throw in some jejune philosophizing about world events, an ultimately uninteresting protagonist, and an uninteresting story, and I'm out.
But, hey, why two stars instead of one? First, the art style is perfect for the comic. Well done, there. Second, the comic gets bonus points for its depiction of the final fight. It goes over the top while hammering home the comic's themes. It's a solid bit of craftsmanship.
That said, this comic was not for me. If you're looking for the Garth Ennis 'Fury' experience, stick with "Peacemaker" and "My War Gone By."
I wrote of other volumes in the 'Fury' series that this is a comic about bullets, boobs, and blood. This volume, the first to be published, dials those elements up to eleven. Unfortunately, it lacks an interesting antagonist and it's saying some disturbing things.
First, the antagonist. In a line that has made me accustomed to morally complex antagonists and challenging dillemas, 'Fury' offers up a garden-variety psycho with a homoerotic fixation on its protagonist. There's no complexity there and nothing particularly interesting. Just a steroid queen and his henchman.
Second, the disturbing things. 'Fury' offers us a nerdy character: a young misfit who adores his Uncle Nick and will do just about anything to win his approval. Nick despises him. This reads like Garth Ennis flipping the bird to the very comic book nerds who love his work. It's baffling. Throw in some jejune philosophizing about world events, an ultimately uninteresting protagonist, and an uninteresting story, and I'm out.
But, hey, why two stars instead of one? First, the art style is perfect for the comic. Well done, there. Second, the comic gets bonus points for its depiction of the final fight. It goes over the top while hammering home the comic's themes. It's a solid bit of craftsmanship.
That said, this comic was not for me. If you're looking for the Garth Ennis 'Fury' experience, stick with "Peacemaker" and "My War Gone By."
January 11, 2020
This is one of the Marvel MAX books that I never anticipate to see back in print in a collected format, largely because Ennis drags Fury through something like the real world of war, racism, and imperial escapades. Fury is a dick, and that just doesn’t square with the family friendly Nick Fury of Disney’s Marcel Cinematic Universe.
July 31, 2008
This was a disappointing book for me. Ennis is one of my favorite writers and Nick Fury is one of my favorite characters, so maybe I expected too much.
I felt the whole device with a wimpy nephew was cartoonish (yes, I know it's a comic book) and campy. Fury was very two dimensional and shallow. Yes, he cussed very well but that alone does not a Garth Ennis story make.
I felt the whole device with a wimpy nephew was cartoonish (yes, I know it's a comic book) and campy. Fury was very two dimensional and shallow. Yes, he cussed very well but that alone does not a Garth Ennis story make.
December 4, 2013
Tf Tarantino wrote and directed a Nick Fury movie starring Clint Eastwood it would be a lot like this comic.
January 29, 2017
Far inferior to Ennis' other Fury books - unnecessarily foul, graphic, and sexualized, with a bizarre comic relief nephew as well.
August 16, 2020
At this point, I'll pick up pretty much anything that Garth Ennis has written apart from his WWII stuff. This is his take on Nicholas J. Fury, an obsolete cold warrior frozen out of S.H.I.E.L.D. by bureaucrats and number crunchers. Fury is goaded into one more war by an old Russian (ex-Spetsnatz, ex-HYDRA) counterpart and he relishes the chance to get his hands dirty once more.
Of course there's some satire in there, but it always comes second to the gross-out gags. There's some guff about valour and serving the people, but it's only ever leading up to seeing someone's brains exiting through the front of their face or watching a man being strangled to death with his own large intestine.
If you like Garth Ennis, you'll like this. If you don't, it's probably best avoided.
Of course there's some satire in there, but it always comes second to the gross-out gags. There's some guff about valour and serving the people, but it's only ever leading up to seeing someone's brains exiting through the front of their face or watching a man being strangled to death with his own large intestine.
If you like Garth Ennis, you'll like this. If you don't, it's probably best avoided.
April 11, 2020
Buena diversión, material de primera. Los dibujos un poco mejor para la media del trabajo de Robertson. Y por supuesto, no faltan explosiones, fuego, tiros y sesos y tripas por doquier. Y es que para seguir sintiéndose vivo, el viejo Nick tiene que pagar un precio muy alto.
July 16, 2022
I only read #1 and #2 but since they don't seem to be on goodreads, I thought I would say it seems okay but just your typical 80s violence kinda thing.
March 1, 2026
Fury has been promoted, but not to honor him or take advantage of his expertise, but to get him out of the way. He is pissed, but there is little he can do on his own. While reminiscing the old days over a drink, he meets his arch-nemesis Rudi Gagarin. The latter always led the other team and feels just as left out as Fury does. He mentions returning to the old days with the two of them on opposing sides. Fury doesn't think much of it until he sees Rudi on the news, backing general Makawao, the new dictator of Napoleon Island. Makawao threatens the superpowers of the world to stir up an international incident. Fury is only too happy to put him in his place and maybe take Rudi out for good.
June 18, 2017
Ennis se inventa un Nick Furia que ha dejado atrás su mejor época, apartado dentro en una SHIELD burocratizada. Esto, que podría servir para interiorizar en el personaje, lo utiliza Ennis como una excusa para hacer lo que más le gusta: llenar páginas y páginas de sangre y violencia. Y algún chiste. Basado en una escena violenta, por supuesto.
Y es una pena, porque la idea original podría haber dado bastante más de sí.
Y es una pena, porque la idea original podría haber dado bastante más de sí.
November 14, 2013
Man, you can get sick of Darick Robertson's art real fast. This must be a new record, right up there behind Rob Liefeld.
March 12, 2021
El concepto de la historia es interesante: Un Fury ajado y desplazado de la cúpula de SHIELD por una nueva generación de burócratas se encuentra sin un propósito y se enfrenta a su versión soviética en un intento de revivir los conflictos de la guerra fría.
Lamentablemente, Ennis no logra desarrollar la historia como corresponde. Los personajes parecen salidos de The Boys, son seres ansiosos de sangre y sedientos de sexo. Con algunos chistes sueltos más o menos bien resueltos, en conjunto nos brindó escenas de acción medianamente buenas, pero no más que eso.
Por parte de Robertson, su trabajo es bueno por momentos, pero no destaca más que en una o dos viñetas (me gusta la escena del tiroteo y el enfrentamiento, por ejemplo, entre Nick y Gagarin), pero no logra más que acompañar la acción. No brinda nada extra que sume a la narrativa, y tampoco nos deja con ninguna imagen que podamos recordar mañana.
Un cómic del montón, algo decepcionante por su premisa y demasiado gratuito en sangre como suele ser costumbre en Ennis. Si se busca algo para pasar el rato, puede funcionar. Si se busca algo profundo, mejor seguir buscando.
Lamentablemente, Ennis no logra desarrollar la historia como corresponde. Los personajes parecen salidos de The Boys, son seres ansiosos de sangre y sedientos de sexo. Con algunos chistes sueltos más o menos bien resueltos, en conjunto nos brindó escenas de acción medianamente buenas, pero no más que eso.
Por parte de Robertson, su trabajo es bueno por momentos, pero no destaca más que en una o dos viñetas (me gusta la escena del tiroteo y el enfrentamiento, por ejemplo, entre Nick y Gagarin), pero no logra más que acompañar la acción. No brinda nada extra que sume a la narrativa, y tampoco nos deja con ninguna imagen que podamos recordar mañana.
Un cómic del montón, algo decepcionante por su premisa y demasiado gratuito en sangre como suele ser costumbre en Ennis. Si se busca algo para pasar el rato, puede funcionar. Si se busca algo profundo, mejor seguir buscando.
November 17, 2025
This was disappointing. Whatever Ennis and co. were trying to do here to relive the glory days isn't working. The Sienkiewicz-esque covers point to what they are trying to do, but this never gets there. This is not zany or madcap or a nuanced take on geopolitics, it's just cringe. The political machinations make it feel like it could be something more, there's almost a kernel of intrigue there, but it loses the thread in making everyone unlikeable. The violence is so much it's boring after a while, entirely losing its punch. The womanizing and homophobia feel stale. Fuckface is a recycled one-note joke from Preacher, done even less well here, since Ennis apparently has no new ideas. The Wendel bits get old real fast. If you've read his Preacher or Punisher, skip this because you've basically read this book already and it will only let you down.
May 23, 2020
Dated junk that simultaneously satirizes and celebrates American gung-ho machismo. (Good for George Clooney for recognizing this for the trash it is.) Kind of a perfect immediately-post 9/11, pre-Iraq War time capsule though, with an aging Nick Fury itching for one more big fight and looking for an excuse to go to war. Lots of broad comedy, crypto-racism and infodumps on military history, Ennis is in full boomer-dad mode here, bordering on purposeful self-parody. How we get from here to the masterpiece that is Fury: War Gone By is kind of staggering. (On the plus side, Palmiotti’s inks mean Darick Robertson has never looked better. Tight af.)
February 2, 2025
I thought this story was pretty appalling to be honest.
I love Ennis’s punisher max, it really is great stuff but this was just extreme for the sake of it. Felt very forced and ridiculous.
The portrayal of the generals daughters was horrific - it’s hard to comprehend that a man could write this garbage and get it signed off. It wasn’t even humorous and I didn’t think it was providing some sort of social commentary- just a guy writing awful script depicting foreign girls in the most derogatory way. I can only assume this was Ennis taking the piss on racial stereotypes- but I honestly don’t know.
Really big miss and disappointment this one
I love Ennis’s punisher max, it really is great stuff but this was just extreme for the sake of it. Felt very forced and ridiculous.
The portrayal of the generals daughters was horrific - it’s hard to comprehend that a man could write this garbage and get it signed off. It wasn’t even humorous and I didn’t think it was providing some sort of social commentary- just a guy writing awful script depicting foreign girls in the most derogatory way. I can only assume this was Ennis taking the piss on racial stereotypes- but I honestly don’t know.
Really big miss and disappointment this one
September 29, 2017
Fury, ovvero l'outsider di lusso, quello che non riesce più a sentirsi comodo nello SHIELD attuale, l'uomo che gioca con la guerra. L'idea di questa saga è metterlo di fronte a un suo vecchio avversario, deciso a farlo giocare in una nuova partita mortale. Un antagonista completamente amorale, quindi, per uno scontro sopra le righe, come Ennis sa fare, ma al contempo intelligente e profondo. Un bellissimo racconto su Fury, sulla guerra e sul mondo. Esempio di come Ennis sa strafare, ma al contempo tenere salde le briglie della storia.
December 31, 2018
If you loved Punisher MAX, (and I did,) then this is right up your ally.
It’s got that perfect Ennis blend of humor, action, badassery, violence, sex and grime. The story is simple and to the point. There are no twists and turns... it’s just a quick, exciting, and most of all, FUN, Nick Fury story.
The art is great. Loaded with great facial expressions, some hot chicks, and a bloodbath of gore. It’s perfect. I loved Punisher MAX with all my heart, and this is a perfect way to scratch that itch. This is the Nick Fury we love kicking as the way Nick Fury does!! 🤘🏻🤘🏻
It’s got that perfect Ennis blend of humor, action, badassery, violence, sex and grime. The story is simple and to the point. There are no twists and turns... it’s just a quick, exciting, and most of all, FUN, Nick Fury story.
The art is great. Loaded with great facial expressions, some hot chicks, and a bloodbath of gore. It’s perfect. I loved Punisher MAX with all my heart, and this is a perfect way to scratch that itch. This is the Nick Fury we love kicking as the way Nick Fury does!! 🤘🏻🤘🏻
August 20, 2022
Gritty, humorous, juvenile and satirical I like it
Explores the cold war mentality and satirizes American foreign policy and Soviets to an extent
It's gory, violent, grounded but not realistic it has the over the top violence that suit this type of comic and I look forward to reading the prequel and sequel
Fury is the "hero" not a good guy per say but not evil morally grey while the antagonist is straight up evil
Explores the cold war mentality and satirizes American foreign policy and Soviets to an extent
It's gory, violent, grounded but not realistic it has the over the top violence that suit this type of comic and I look forward to reading the prequel and sequel
Fury is the "hero" not a good guy per say but not evil morally grey while the antagonist is straight up evil
April 24, 2023
Peak Garth Ennis, but with something distinctive and different to say than he was doing in other books at the time. Excellent Darrick Robertson, before his epic run on The Boys. And the kind of ingenious work Marvel MAX was able to achieve, briefly, when the imprint for started (see also Bendis’ Alias), taking stock of the fallacies of standard superhero books, only hear taking an equally cold eye at US geopolitical war machinery too. Love it.
December 7, 2018
This anti-war story has Fury in his 70ies (ish) being pushed out of shieæd and longing for simpler times and maybe a war to make him valid...what’s the measure of Fury and how far will he go to again be deemed relevant?
Ennis without Dillon just seems off to me and this is not among Ennis’ greatest borrowing heavily from both punisher and preacher but not a patch on either
Ennis without Dillon just seems off to me and this is not among Ennis’ greatest borrowing heavily from both punisher and preacher but not a patch on either
November 9, 2017
Over the top but much fun to be had
January 19, 2022
I really enjoyed the last few issues. The beginning was super slow, but it got really good, really fast. I think that this was definitely worth buying.
April 27, 2022
Got about halfway through before calling it quits. All themes of the stronger, manlier, older generation being better than the soft, weak, new generation. Absolutely lame
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