NICK FURY #1
Writer: James Robinson
Penciller: ACO
Colorist: Rachel Rosenberg
Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham
Price: $3.99
Release Date: 4/19/17
It’s only fair that I provide a disclaimer stating that I am not the world’s biggest spy thriller fan. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good spy thriller. I’ve never been a Bond guy, but I own the Bourne movies, love the show Burn Notice, and enjoy real spy stories like Argo. My review of Nick Fury is strictly as a spy book, so what I may find average, someone else may really enjoy.
I would say that Nick Fury is a story-driven spy thriller, but there might be more talking on a bad date that ends before 8 p.m. than there is in this book. Even with my dislike of Bond, i still think this series ends inside of ten issues. It just doesn’t seem to have enough going for it to keep readers around for the long haul. The fact that the first issue is only 16 pages isn’t exactly a vote of confidence.
Plot: The plot for Nick Fury is as basic as it gets. Fury breaks into a Hydra base, which happens to be a casino, to steal a flash drive. The contents of the drive are to do with Auric Goodfellow, a moneyman for Hydra. Upon breaking into his hideout, Fury runs into the mysterious Frankie Noble, a Hydra super-agent who has dreamed of killing Nick Fury for some time now.
Story: There really isn’t much of a story for this book. The plot covers all that happens to Nick Fury in the book, literally. The lack of a story is traded in for visuals of Nick Fury using what is tantamount to an app on an iWatch made only for bad-ass spies. Outside of that, the only thing going on is a heist and an escape, all of which are told in a book smaller than most Ikea manuals
James Robinson was obviously using this book as a table setter, but the problem is that there is no reason for the reader to return. Outside of the fact that Nick Fury passed on the opportunity to kill Noble, claiming it wouldn’t be noble to put down a wounded in a cheesy joke, the only other thing to happen in this book was the collecting of a flash drive to some guy we know nothing about. So, if Noble is that easily beaten and we know nothing about the guy Fury is after, what’s the point in readers coming back? One would assume a second issue would go into more detail and give the reader something of substance.
Art: ACO does a phenomenal job with the visuals in this book. In many ways, this artwork is the story that holds the comic together. Half the book looks like something straight out of an Austin Power graphic novel, the other half is a perfect visual representation of a spy thriller as presented in comic form. The entire book is a visual credit to ACO’s work, supplemented by Rachel Rosenberg’s coloring and Huge Petrus’ inking. It truly is a showcase for art within the genre.
What the book lacked in story, it more than made up for in the artwork. Visual storytelling at its finest, ACO puts on a clinic for illustrating a thousand words. Should the series continue, it will likely be bolstered by fans of the artwork and simple stories. The colors are vibrant, the linework is impeccable, and the expression work is deliberate and thoughtful. .
Verdict: Nick Fury is a spy thriller in every way. The book didn’t do much for me and it’s unlikely I will read any further issues in this series, but that has more to do with my lack of interest in a Bond-type character. Fans of vintage Fury will find this coming completely up their alley. In many ways, this comic should have two different grades; one for what I thought of it and one for its work as a spy thriller. Instead I will say this book has potential if you’re into spy thrillers, but this book left a lot to be desired when taken on its own merit. — JW
Rating: 2.75/5 Stars