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Fury: Peacemaker #1-6
Fury: Peacemaker
Before he presided over S.H.I.E.L.D., before he ran with the Howling Commandos, Sgt. Nick Fury fought on the blood-stained sands of the Tunisian desert. It was here that he came face to face with the incomparable might of the 21st Panzer Division and its skilled warrior commander - General Stephen Barkhorn - and barely lived to tell about it. And it was there that he got a second chance at life... and revenge. In this gripping tale, Garth Ennis (Ghost Rider, Punisher) and Darick Ropbertson (Punisher: Born) offer a never-before-seen glimpse into the soul of a warrior you only think you know. Collects Fury: Peacemaker #1-6.
144 pages, Paperback
First published November 29, 2006
4 people are currently reading
102 people want to read
About the author
Garth Ennis
2,622 books3,172 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 43 reviews
April 11, 2023
"So what do people call you, Sergeant Fury?" -- Capt. Peter Kynaston, British Army SAS operative
"Nick." -- the loquacious Sgt. Nick Fury, lone survivor of an ambushed U.S. Army platoon
In theory, Fury: Peacemaker should have a been a sure thing - trusty scribe Garth Ennis is at the helm (he knows how to pen wartime and/or violence, having previously written the very good Dreaming Eagles, based on an actual WWII fighter pilot unit, as well as various issues of The Punisher), and the opening Tunisia-set chapters were like a hyped-up and extremely vicious version on the 60's-era action-adventure ABC-TV series The Rat Patrol. (Remember THAT show? A small squad of Allied soldiers jumping their machine gun-equipped Jeeps through the North African deserts while fighting off entire German armored divisions. America, **** yeah !!!) However, this interpretation - ostensibly presenting how a young Nick Fury quickly came of age and then scarred by battle during his WWII service - started out fairly strong but then disappointingly ran out of gas in the latter half, when the protracted 'secret mission' narrative devolved into a talky and increasingly uninteresting mess. And how the hell can a WWII-set Fury graphic novel NOT feature him leading his dependable and diverse Howling Commandos into any sort of skirmish? Talk about a wasted opportunity!
"Nick." -- the loquacious Sgt. Nick Fury, lone survivor of an ambushed U.S. Army platoon
In theory, Fury: Peacemaker should have a been a sure thing - trusty scribe Garth Ennis is at the helm (he knows how to pen wartime and/or violence, having previously written the very good Dreaming Eagles, based on an actual WWII fighter pilot unit, as well as various issues of The Punisher), and the opening Tunisia-set chapters were like a hyped-up and extremely vicious version on the 60's-era action-adventure ABC-TV series The Rat Patrol. (Remember THAT show? A small squad of Allied soldiers jumping their machine gun-equipped Jeeps through the North African deserts while fighting off entire German armored divisions. America, **** yeah !!!) However, this interpretation - ostensibly presenting how a young Nick Fury quickly came of age and then scarred by battle during his WWII service - started out fairly strong but then disappointingly ran out of gas in the latter half, when the protracted 'secret mission' narrative devolved into a talky and increasingly uninteresting mess. And how the hell can a WWII-set Fury graphic novel NOT feature him leading his dependable and diverse Howling Commandos into any sort of skirmish? Talk about a wasted opportunity!
July 23, 2021
i honestly was not interested on nick fury's background, and there were so many speech bubbles that it was a bit tiring after all, but well
March 22, 2018
Instead of following up chronologically to the predecessor, Fury Max, Garth Ennis instead opts to spin the LP of narrative back in time. The author claws back this metaphorical vinyl back and back again. As much exposition as it is an endless montage of reminisces (which are excessive or well applied depending on your perspective) the suitably misnomered Peacemaker yanks the past toward the present (and vice versa - like a true DJ) as it hearkens toward the future.
Nick fury is hardly a Peacemaker and the story is a cruel inversion of an otherwise pacifistic title. Instead, one of the most savage hemoclysms of all time, WWII sets the stage. And Garth Ennis the History Buff shines through likes no other.
Innumerable shell casings as blasted forth as the story rattles forth. Every corpse riddled with bullets or burnt to a crisp (which repeats every goddamn issue) reduces to Nazi snuff porn. Low on dialogue and the valor it might entail action takes the center stage befitting of a cinematic style that seems more at home amongst a children's GI Joe cartoon rather than a period piece enfleshed with real flesh and blood ironically.
This same style of art that veneers toward the cartoony rather than the realistic remains sturdily at odds with a story well detailed with historically accurate verbiage and weaponry. For whatever reason Ennis takes the more positive application of historical recollections (rehabilitative?) toward German POW treatment and embodies this within the first issue. Even though our (not so peacemaking) Fury and his platoon has been annihilated, the German "Generalleutnant" Stephen Barkhorn, allows him to live (well) because we need to have a plot.
Anyways, the GI veneered narrative from this points zooms forth with the speed of an Allied bazooka rocket, careening forth and smashing first, and then exploding into everything it comes into contact with. Hyper-Masculinized Testosterone addled men revel in their inherent bloodlust viciously savaging ever Nazi they come across across a panoply of historically accurate weaponry. The violence is only exceeded by (an excessive) application of innumerable conscious recollections of actions that have occurred in the (not so elapsed) past. Bordering on chronological vertigo at best, and dull repetition at worst, a more sparingly application would have been more effective in my (humble) opinion.
Somehow through all this sequential muck, Fury gets hooked up with another Allied and very British squad. Just in time for an ahistorical reduplicated Operation Market Day (this one is far more successful though) they break through German lines and take an important officer hostage. However, this recently taken POW offers a Valkyrie-tinged solution to the current conflict ripping across the globe. This crux sets the stage for the final phase of the story.
I'll let you read the rest but Peacemaker, is something of a mixed bag of good, bad, and meh (:/).
Dig the analysis.
The utilization of memory is just too much of a (not-so) good idea. Instead of recalling more of the past, perhaps further dialogue could have built the characters of the second and third acts further. They're barely fleshed out beyond their sartorial appearances so I wasn't all that emotionally involved.
Moreover, as a Nick Fury starring story, he takes a curiously disappointing backseat role in this one. More of a cog than a leader, he remains subordinate to the commands of his superiors. A glimpse of his past is interesting (with a cool little twist for the fans) but seems less than befitting for an otherwise particularly strong character.
Finally while ending on a seemingly saccharine note, the final series of expository dialogue touches on some surprisingly thought-provoking juxtapositionalized themes. Even though the war is over, foreshadowing not just of the future rivalry betwixt the USA and Soviet Empires and their ensuing proxy wars, the discussion tilts toward the immutable status of human conflict. Unsettling as the determinism it underlies, we readers are reminded that there will always be a battle for Nick Fury to participate in.
A single sanguine thumb up.
Nick fury is hardly a Peacemaker and the story is a cruel inversion of an otherwise pacifistic title. Instead, one of the most savage hemoclysms of all time, WWII sets the stage. And Garth Ennis the History Buff shines through likes no other.
Innumerable shell casings as blasted forth as the story rattles forth. Every corpse riddled with bullets or burnt to a crisp (which repeats every goddamn issue) reduces to Nazi snuff porn. Low on dialogue and the valor it might entail action takes the center stage befitting of a cinematic style that seems more at home amongst a children's GI Joe cartoon rather than a period piece enfleshed with real flesh and blood ironically.
This same style of art that veneers toward the cartoony rather than the realistic remains sturdily at odds with a story well detailed with historically accurate verbiage and weaponry. For whatever reason Ennis takes the more positive application of historical recollections (rehabilitative?) toward German POW treatment and embodies this within the first issue. Even though our (not so peacemaking) Fury and his platoon has been annihilated, the German "Generalleutnant" Stephen Barkhorn, allows him to live (well) because we need to have a plot.
Anyways, the GI veneered narrative from this points zooms forth with the speed of an Allied bazooka rocket, careening forth and smashing first, and then exploding into everything it comes into contact with. Hyper-Masculinized Testosterone addled men revel in their inherent bloodlust viciously savaging ever Nazi they come across across a panoply of historically accurate weaponry. The violence is only exceeded by (an excessive) application of innumerable conscious recollections of actions that have occurred in the (not so elapsed) past. Bordering on chronological vertigo at best, and dull repetition at worst, a more sparingly application would have been more effective in my (humble) opinion.
Somehow through all this sequential muck, Fury gets hooked up with another Allied and very British squad. Just in time for an ahistorical reduplicated Operation Market Day (this one is far more successful though) they break through German lines and take an important officer hostage. However, this recently taken POW offers a Valkyrie-tinged solution to the current conflict ripping across the globe. This crux sets the stage for the final phase of the story.
I'll let you read the rest but Peacemaker, is something of a mixed bag of good, bad, and meh (:/).
Dig the analysis.
The utilization of memory is just too much of a (not-so) good idea. Instead of recalling more of the past, perhaps further dialogue could have built the characters of the second and third acts further. They're barely fleshed out beyond their sartorial appearances so I wasn't all that emotionally involved.
Moreover, as a Nick Fury starring story, he takes a curiously disappointing backseat role in this one. More of a cog than a leader, he remains subordinate to the commands of his superiors. A glimpse of his past is interesting (with a cool little twist for the fans) but seems less than befitting for an otherwise particularly strong character.
Finally while ending on a seemingly saccharine note, the final series of expository dialogue touches on some surprisingly thought-provoking juxtapositionalized themes. Even though the war is over, foreshadowing not just of the future rivalry betwixt the USA and Soviet Empires and their ensuing proxy wars, the discussion tilts toward the immutable status of human conflict. Unsettling as the determinism it underlies, we readers are reminded that there will always be a battle for Nick Fury to participate in.
A single sanguine thumb up.
February 1, 2018
So much talking. So many speech bubbles. So many similarly drawn white men to keep track of. (Shrug)
October 27, 2012
This is the origin story of Nick Fury, set in WW2 when he was fighting a one man war against the Nazis while America remained safely out of it. He nearly dies fighting a bright Nazi General in Africa but is saved by British forces and enlisted in helping them fight the Nazis in Europe by assassinating the same Nazi General. In the commando mission when they infiltrate the General's castle retreat they find that he is in Berlin and his second in command reveals the General's shocking plan - to assassinate Hitler!
Garth Ennis was a great choice to write this book. He's well versed in writing "superheroes" who aren't "super" but killing machines nevertheless such as the Punisher, as well as having written the underrated "War Stories" series. The book is similar to those stories as it's a bombastic WW2 thriller with plenty of gun fights and Nazis, as well as a memorable exploration of Fury's mysterious past.
Most of the book is Fury and his team fending off Nazis while holed up in a German mansion, debating whether to hang around or leave, depending on whether the second in command was telling the truth about the General. This balance is kept up brilliantly by Ennis, building up the tension superbly. There's insight into his character where he wishes the war would continue forever and explains a lot of his actions years down the line when he would become director of SHIELD. And then there's how he came to only have one eye...
Darick Robertson's artwork is exemplary as always, his fight scenes always have an energy to them that few artists depict well. Ennis writes brilliantly and bloodily as always, writing something that fits into the Marvel Universe but could easily be enjoyed by fans not versed in it. It's a fantastic read and a total shame that it's out of print. Here's hoping Marvel bring it back soon so more can enjoy it.
Garth Ennis was a great choice to write this book. He's well versed in writing "superheroes" who aren't "super" but killing machines nevertheless such as the Punisher, as well as having written the underrated "War Stories" series. The book is similar to those stories as it's a bombastic WW2 thriller with plenty of gun fights and Nazis, as well as a memorable exploration of Fury's mysterious past.
Most of the book is Fury and his team fending off Nazis while holed up in a German mansion, debating whether to hang around or leave, depending on whether the second in command was telling the truth about the General. This balance is kept up brilliantly by Ennis, building up the tension superbly. There's insight into his character where he wishes the war would continue forever and explains a lot of his actions years down the line when he would become director of SHIELD. And then there's how he came to only have one eye...
Darick Robertson's artwork is exemplary as always, his fight scenes always have an energy to them that few artists depict well. Ennis writes brilliantly and bloodily as always, writing something that fits into the Marvel Universe but could easily be enjoyed by fans not versed in it. It's a fantastic read and a total shame that it's out of print. Here's hoping Marvel bring it back soon so more can enjoy it.
September 30, 2019
* ver bad
* incomprehensible
* boring
* how was he a peacemaker exactly?
* i want black Fury. Give me BLACK FURY
* incomprehensible
* boring
* how was he a peacemaker exactly?
* i want black Fury. Give me BLACK FURY
October 4, 2012
This was a pretty excellent war story from Garth Ennis, horribly rendered by some dude whose name I don't feel inclined to drop. But maybe the editors at Marvel should have dropped him.
We can recognize Fury from panel to panel only because he is (inexplicably) not wearing a helmet throughout most of it. And the British officer, we can recognize him because he has a red beret.
I'm sorry but I expected better than just "serviceable" artwork (if we can even call it that) to accompany Ennis's writing.
This was a rare instance when the writing held up (for the most part) despite being sabotaged by weak illustration.
This should have been better.
We can recognize Fury from panel to panel only because he is (inexplicably) not wearing a helmet throughout most of it. And the British officer, we can recognize him because he has a red beret.
I'm sorry but I expected better than just "serviceable" artwork (if we can even call it that) to accompany Ennis's writing.
This was a rare instance when the writing held up (for the most part) despite being sabotaged by weak illustration.
This should have been better.
February 5, 2013
Solid story, I'm just not too crazy about the way Nick is portrayed in the end. I'm avare that there's no reason he should be a clean-cut overall good guy but a hardcore warrior but I can't help hating him in the final scene when he's toasting to all the future little wars. Darick Robertson's art is horrible. In most scenes you can't tell who's who. Can't really understand why that guy gets all these cool comics to do when he's really a sloppy and bad artist.
February 16, 2011
Ennis' love for WWII war stories is well established. However, this in depth look at the career of Nick Fury during WWII is a great read. There are no mentions of SHIELD or even Captain America. It's just Sergeant Fury working with British Commandos to kill Nazis.
A great read.
A great read.
April 16, 2020
I was worried that this story would sail over my head with references to the main character's life in the modern Marvel universe. Thankfully, it's a standalone WW2 story and an engaging one at that. Garth Ennis is one of few writers I've come across who choose to portray Nazis as regular human beings, not just nameless, bloodthirsty monsters deserving a quick death. They were enemy soldiers, it's true, but also human beings with beliefs, emotions and interests. I dare say that Fury is almost second fiddle to the war going on. This is a solid WW2 story that just happens to feature a Rambo-like Fury who barely makes a scratch into the great scheme of things.
Nick Fury is a force to be reckoned with during WW2. The chaos of the war make his cool demeanor stand out easily. Still it barely protects him against the Nazi war machine. His whole company is wiped out, but the Nazi officer that meets him when things get quiet, Generalleutnant Stephen Barkhorn, let's him live. He even advises Fury on how to avoid the next German assault. Fury will be aching for revenge until the end of the war.
Nick Fury is a force to be reckoned with during WW2. The chaos of the war make his cool demeanor stand out easily. Still it barely protects him against the Nazi war machine. His whole company is wiped out, but the Nazi officer that meets him when things get quiet, Generalleutnant Stephen Barkhorn, let's him live. He even advises Fury on how to avoid the next German assault. Fury will be aching for revenge until the end of the war.
Read
September 18, 2019Here are Nick Fury’s early days in WWII, as he commands troops in North Africa and gets involved in a plot to assassinate Hitler, all the while becoming the hardened war-loving soldier we know him as. I’m a big fan of Garth Ennis’ war comics so I really enjoyed this. It’s published under the Marvel Knights imprint, but takes place in the MAX continuity with Ennis’ other Fury and Punisher titles. Like all his war comics, it’s well-plotted and thoroughly researched. Darick Robertson and the six cover artists give the series a great look. While not as gleefully over-the-top and gory as the duo's preceding Fury: MAX, (due to Marvel Knights restrictions), Peacemaker has a straight and serious tone that's appropriate for the story's setting.
April 11, 2020
El origen del Sargento Fury en la Segunda Guerra. Excusa para que Ennis escriba otro cuento bélico. Entretenido
June 16, 2019
Very hard to follow the storyline. It seems actually disrupted sometimes.
July 31, 2008
This is a pretty solid story of Nick Fury's "formative" years with the army.
I may need to go back and reread this, because I recall being a bit disappointed with it. I expect a lot out of Ennis and was hoping for treatment of Fury (one of my all time favorite characters) that would rival the one he did in Punisher Max.
I may need to go back and reread this, because I recall being a bit disappointed with it. I expect a lot out of Ennis and was hoping for treatment of Fury (one of my all time favorite characters) that would rival the one he did in Punisher Max.
October 26, 2010
I think this was a solid effort, but it's pretty typical Ennis' glorification of war/bromance through violence type of stuff. I liked it better than the other Fury book ... but it's really not as good as his other War comics.
October 24, 2008
This could have been a lot better. It's basically just a war story.
May 15, 2012
The usual gritty WWII fun from Ennis, but his relentless hard-on for the SAS means that Nick Fury is a supporting character in his own story.
December 29, 2025
El ciclo argumental de Nick Furia propuesto por Garth Ennis para Marvel Max se concreta en la cronología bélica entre guerras del S. XX. Ignorando por completo la idiosincrasia de super espía del personaje (salvo por ese suero relantizador de la edad de la que el autor logra ni mentar en sus tramas) y hasta la consabida de soldado en primera línea de infantería en la 2º Guerra Mundial junto a los Comandos Aulladores. Garth Ennis sí que promueve que Nick se alíe con otros soldados en busca de la próxima escabechina enemiga, pero esto es en una trama más que alejada del "pulp" y queriendo tomarse hiper en serio que la trama de esta propuesta termine por derivar en un aparente . Es así como PEACEMAKER desarrolla una pesada algarabía de cacofonía de diálogos expositivos de jerga militar y pretextos semi históricos con algún tramo de tiroteos y escenas de violencia hiper cargada como la dupla con el dibujante Darick Robertson exprimirá mejor en THE BOYS.
El cómic enlaza a modo de "origen" con la saga de la "guerra fría" de Garth Ennis para el personaje de Furia, que allí al menos genera algo más de personalidad única que en PEACEMAKER, que en muchos tramos parece ser realmente ese Frank Castle que el guionista escocés revitalizó con el cambio de siglo en las líneas editoriales adultas de Marvel Comics.
El cómic enlaza a modo de "origen" con la saga de la "guerra fría" de Garth Ennis para el personaje de Furia, que allí al menos genera algo más de personalidad única que en PEACEMAKER, que en muchos tramos parece ser realmente ese Frank Castle que el guionista escocés revitalizó con el cambio de siglo en las líneas editoriales adultas de Marvel Comics.
February 14, 2018
This book combines the 6-issue series by Garth Ennis. It is a story of Nick Fury during the end of World War 2. It has a lot of the things that readers have to expect from a Garth Ennis book: the war, the crisp dialogue, the blood and guts.
I felt like this book took a while to get to its premise and really start hitting its beats. That being said, Garth Ennis does some interesting things here, such as flashing between scenes of Nick Fury's squad being shown Allied technical might, then countering that scene with the obvious technical superiority of the German forces.
Outside of two or three characters, I felt like the others kind of get lost, and it was hard for me to keep up with who is who or why I cared about any particular person not named Nick Fury. I don't know that Ennis has much to do with this; it may just be a "casualty" of the genre compounded by the shortness of this book. Nick Fury moves between three or more military groups, and each one needs some cannon fodder for the battle, which means characters have to remain undeveloped or left to one-liner to note who they were.
I think if you like war fiction and Nick Fury, you will probably enjoy this book, but if war fiction isn't your thing, this probably isn't where you want to start.
I felt like this book took a while to get to its premise and really start hitting its beats. That being said, Garth Ennis does some interesting things here, such as flashing between scenes of Nick Fury's squad being shown Allied technical might, then countering that scene with the obvious technical superiority of the German forces.
Outside of two or three characters, I felt like the others kind of get lost, and it was hard for me to keep up with who is who or why I cared about any particular person not named Nick Fury. I don't know that Ennis has much to do with this; it may just be a "casualty" of the genre compounded by the shortness of this book. Nick Fury moves between three or more military groups, and each one needs some cannon fodder for the battle, which means characters have to remain undeveloped or left to one-liner to note who they were.
I think if you like war fiction and Nick Fury, you will probably enjoy this book, but if war fiction isn't your thing, this probably isn't where you want to start.
January 12, 2019
Mixed feelings.
This would have made a better movie than a comic book. It has the trappings of a war spy thriller... elements of The Hunt For Red October (defector that nobody trusts) and there’s a rather vivid glimpse of WW2 history here as well.
The problem is the pacing and narrative style. The action sequences are so densely packed with explosions and movement that it’s hard to even understand what’s happening! I found the story somewhat convoluted. I’m still not 100% sure what happened.
The greatest sin is that there was little to no actual character development for Nick Fury (the main character.) What did we learn about him? Why was this story worth telling? Beats me. How did this Fury become the crusty maniac we see in Fury MAX?
The art was very good (if not a bit jumbled.) Garth Ennis is a fine writer... but I feel like he overdid it here. Too many words. Too much verbose dialogue. Too many bubbles. This had a hard time holding my focus.
I’m not saying it’s bad... but it’s not very satisfying, especially if you loved Fury MAX and Punisher MAX and wanted to see more badass shit along those lines.
But with caution
This would have made a better movie than a comic book. It has the trappings of a war spy thriller... elements of The Hunt For Red October (defector that nobody trusts) and there’s a rather vivid glimpse of WW2 history here as well.
The problem is the pacing and narrative style. The action sequences are so densely packed with explosions and movement that it’s hard to even understand what’s happening! I found the story somewhat convoluted. I’m still not 100% sure what happened.
The greatest sin is that there was little to no actual character development for Nick Fury (the main character.) What did we learn about him? Why was this story worth telling? Beats me. How did this Fury become the crusty maniac we see in Fury MAX?
The art was very good (if not a bit jumbled.) Garth Ennis is a fine writer... but I feel like he overdid it here. Too many words. Too much verbose dialogue. Too many bubbles. This had a hard time holding my focus.
I’m not saying it’s bad... but it’s not very satisfying, especially if you loved Fury MAX and Punisher MAX and wanted to see more badass shit along those lines.
But with caution
January 21, 2018
Other Useful Reviews: Sam Quixote's review
Book Info: This collection contains Fury: Peacemaker issues #1-6.
ABSOLUTE RATING: {4+/5 stars}
STANDARDIZED RATING: <5/5 stars>
In Fury: Peacemaker, the main story doesn’t truly kick off until the third issue. The first two issues are largely just exposition, setting the stage for the central characters that will play a major roles in the plot from then onward. In issue #1, the main goal was applying Murphy’s Law to the battlefield, and we’re thrown right into the Battle of Kasserine Pass, with Fury’s company fighting on the losing side. And as his men are being utterly decimated by the Germans, the narrative is occasionally interrupted by a series of humorous flashbacks showing how completely assured the Americans initially were that their superior weaponry would win the day. Then, in the second issue, Fury joins up with a British guerilla troop, and works to avenge his fallen soldiers by efficiently hitting the Jerries behind enemy lines. Here, he develops a friendship with the Brits, and learns the art of fighting “the war without the army.” So overall, it’s nothing really to be *too* impressed with, at least in my humble opinion, but still good enough to match Ennis' usual high standard of writing.
That said, the general plot overview for the remaining four issues is as follows: Fury and his English comrades embark on a mission they expect will earn them a major triumph against Germany, setting the Allies on the road to imminent victory. Their mission (code name "Operation Peacemaker") is to travel from London to Germany to assassinate a high-value military target. But when they get to the German stronghold supposedly housing their target, let's just say that what they discover is much more than they had ever bargained for.
As an origin story, Peacemaker was just about as impressive as Punisher: Born , which chronicles the birth of the Punisher – a character we all know is like Ennis' adopted child. Unlike Born, this wasn't published under Marvel's MAX imprint, so it couldn't help but be less vulgar and violent than much of the stuff Ennis has been known to put out. I suppose this forced him not to rely too heavily on shock value, but rather more on his natural talent as a writer to evoke almost unparalleled drama and suspense. Really kicking in during issue #3, the sense of suspense doesn't diminish at all, but rather increases. And all the while, I was left wondering what to believe. I love the way Ennis milked that ominous sense of uncertainty for all it was worth, right up until the very end.
But although an all-around satisfying read, there was almost nothing to indicate that I was reading about Nick Fury, rather than any other WWII military sergeant. And that's not really a big concern for me, but I once I noticed, I found it somewhat difficult to completely overlook. But given how generally well-written the characters turned out to be, I'm now forced to wonder if Fury was ever really that distinctive a figure without his iconic eye-patch, cigar, and his position as a head of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Only in the latter half of the book – when Ennis begins to pull back the curtain on Nick's true persona – does the character truly become interesting. In terms of characterization, this is much closer to what I expected from Fury Max. It explores a sadistic darkness Ennis merely hinted at there, but made far more effective use of here. I thought he really drew a strong parallel between Fury's character and that of Frank Castle, and one can never get enough of Ennis' Frank. And at this point in the story, Fury's not the only one who stands out; both Barkhorn and Lieutenant Colonel Von Stehle seemed surprisingly fleshed-out, *especially* considering the typical one-dimensional Nazi portrayal in fiction.
Even Darick Robertson's art here seemed more tolerable and refined. But again, maybe because it was included in an entirely different context than was applicable for Fury Max. In all honesty, that sounds like the more likely explanation, since, after all, it is the same artist in either case, and I'm not sure such a jarring contrast makes a whole lot of sense otherwise. Although I suppose the fact that there is a different colorist and inker involved in this story should be taken into account. Shit... I just don't know. All I do know for sure it that the man did some very solid work here, particularly during the panels featuring combat.
Peacemaker is certainly among the very best of the few war stories I've read. It's also a shockingly sober comic book coming from Ennis. I never intended to like this nearly as much as I did, but damn! What can I say? It's just DAMN... GOOD... storytelling. And I just gotta give credit where it's due. Bottom line: *This* is the product level we should all expect from an Ennis book, and I hope all his other WWII stories are of a comparable quality.
Book Info: This collection contains Fury: Peacemaker issues #1-6.
ABSOLUTE RATING: {4+/5 stars}
STANDARDIZED RATING: <5/5 stars>
In Fury: Peacemaker, the main story doesn’t truly kick off until the third issue. The first two issues are largely just exposition, setting the stage for the central characters that will play a major roles in the plot from then onward. In issue #1, the main goal was applying Murphy’s Law to the battlefield, and we’re thrown right into the Battle of Kasserine Pass, with Fury’s company fighting on the losing side. And as his men are being utterly decimated by the Germans, the narrative is occasionally interrupted by a series of humorous flashbacks showing how completely assured the Americans initially were that their superior weaponry would win the day. Then, in the second issue, Fury joins up with a British guerilla troop, and works to avenge his fallen soldiers by efficiently hitting the Jerries behind enemy lines. Here, he develops a friendship with the Brits, and learns the art of fighting “the war without the army.” So overall, it’s nothing really to be *too* impressed with, at least in my humble opinion, but still good enough to match Ennis' usual high standard of writing.
That said, the general plot overview for the remaining four issues is as follows: Fury and his English comrades embark on a mission they expect will earn them a major triumph against Germany, setting the Allies on the road to imminent victory. Their mission (code name "Operation Peacemaker") is to travel from London to Germany to assassinate a high-value military target. But when they get to the German stronghold supposedly housing their target, let's just say that what they discover is much more than they had ever bargained for.
As an origin story, Peacemaker was just about as impressive as Punisher: Born , which chronicles the birth of the Punisher – a character we all know is like Ennis' adopted child. Unlike Born, this wasn't published under Marvel's MAX imprint, so it couldn't help but be less vulgar and violent than much of the stuff Ennis has been known to put out. I suppose this forced him not to rely too heavily on shock value, but rather more on his natural talent as a writer to evoke almost unparalleled drama and suspense. Really kicking in during issue #3, the sense of suspense doesn't diminish at all, but rather increases. And all the while, I was left wondering what to believe. I love the way Ennis milked that ominous sense of uncertainty for all it was worth, right up until the very end.
But although an all-around satisfying read, there was almost nothing to indicate that I was reading about Nick Fury, rather than any other WWII military sergeant. And that's not really a big concern for me, but I once I noticed, I found it somewhat difficult to completely overlook. But given how generally well-written the characters turned out to be, I'm now forced to wonder if Fury was ever really that distinctive a figure without his iconic eye-patch, cigar, and his position as a head of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Only in the latter half of the book – when Ennis begins to pull back the curtain on Nick's true persona – does the character truly become interesting. In terms of characterization, this is much closer to what I expected from Fury Max. It explores a sadistic darkness Ennis merely hinted at there, but made far more effective use of here. I thought he really drew a strong parallel between Fury's character and that of Frank Castle, and one can never get enough of Ennis' Frank. And at this point in the story, Fury's not the only one who stands out; both Barkhorn and Lieutenant Colonel Von Stehle seemed surprisingly fleshed-out, *especially* considering the typical one-dimensional Nazi portrayal in fiction.
Even Darick Robertson's art here seemed more tolerable and refined. But again, maybe because it was included in an entirely different context than was applicable for Fury Max. In all honesty, that sounds like the more likely explanation, since, after all, it is the same artist in either case, and I'm not sure such a jarring contrast makes a whole lot of sense otherwise. Although I suppose the fact that there is a different colorist and inker involved in this story should be taken into account. Shit... I just don't know. All I do know for sure it that the man did some very solid work here, particularly during the panels featuring combat.
Peacemaker is certainly among the very best of the few war stories I've read. It's also a shockingly sober comic book coming from Ennis. I never intended to like this nearly as much as I did, but damn! What can I say? It's just DAMN... GOOD... storytelling. And I just gotta give credit where it's due. Bottom line: *This* is the product level we should all expect from an Ennis book, and I hope all his other WWII stories are of a comparable quality.
August 19, 2024
Sometimes a comic book is much more that some very good drawings. Sometimes it is just a goddam well written script, and the drawings could even be not the best, like they are in this collection. But if the story is great, and it is, thanks to the ever present creative genius of Garth Ennis, we have the origin story of Nick Fury, and the why he is such a character. This collection has the covers of all the issues it is composed of, made by some of the best artists out there, like Gulacy, Texeira, Dillon and others.
July 20, 2021
Terrible, terrible, terrible. It's zero captivating, too much war and military jargon and talk that bored me out of my mind. The main character isn't treated like a main character and it feels like at the end of the book, we know as much about him as in the beginning: nothing. I wont give it 1 star because the drawings looked pretty cool.
May 24, 2020
Dreadfully dull in the first half but turns into a decent thriller by the end. Better than the first Ennis/Robertson Fury mini though the art has lost some of the magic. Actually, based on the cover, Mike Deodato really should have drawn this one.
December 10, 2020
All the side characters look the same >(
Fury's war-addicted roots are shown here, which will be very familiar to those who have read Fury MAX. Still, the foreshadowing and consistency are a treat.
Fury's war-addicted roots are shown here, which will be very familiar to those who have read Fury MAX. Still, the foreshadowing and consistency are a treat.
July 22, 2024
Solid but unremarkable Fury yarn set in WWII with Darick Robertson illustrating. Should have been a lay down misère yet somehow none of the elements came together in a super satisfying way. It's good, mind you, just not as good as Ennis and crew would manage later on.
January 10, 2019
This wasn't a Nick Fury story. It was a war story. And, it certainly wasn't a bad one.
July 14, 2019
Too much talking and many confusing conversations with German names. Every white guy in this thing looks the same and every one of them is a bad person. Makes you hate fury.
May 14, 2021
dios, hablan muchísimo y es aburridísimo, estuve a punto de abandonarlo
February 22, 2022
✯ [1.5/5] ✯
Sorry I didn't enjoy this and the art style made so difficult to diferenciate the characters... but I really want now more about this Nick Fury!
Sorry I didn't enjoy this and the art style made so difficult to diferenciate the characters... but I really want now more about this Nick Fury!
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