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Jim Steranko cover/art; 1st app of Scorpion, later revealed to be Jake Fury, the brother of Nick; COMIC BOOK IMPACT rating of 7 (CBI)


Now one of the most beloved figures in the MCU, Nick Fury landed his own series after the Infinity Formula allowed him to continue his patriotic exploits well beyond his action in WWII with the Howling Commandos. Cashing in on the fever for James Bond and espionage heroes that took off in the mid-60s (including the TV show The Man From U.N.C.L.E.), Stan Lee brought the cigar-chomping Fury back into the Marvel Universe, albeit now a little older, sleeker, and at a higher rank.

Introduced in the pages of Strange Tales, Nick Fury, (billed as "Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.") would share the anthology book with Doctor Strange for 33 issues before earning his own title. Inaugurated by Jack Kirby, the Strange Tales Nick Fury feature would be passed on to the capable hands of Jim Steranko, who initially inked Kirby’s pencils, but soon took over at the primary artist, and soon ignited a firestorm of fandom for the spy thriller stories. Employing the psychedelic and pop art forms that were very popular in the decade, Steranko became an overnight sensation and quickly went on one of the most celebrated creative periods of the Silver Age.

Nick Fury soon landed his own title that would only have a short run of 15 issues. The title has still gone on to be considered a milestone in breaking barriers between comic books and “art," with the medium emerging as more than disposable entertainment for the kids. The first issue of Nick Fury’s solo title is entirely drawn, written, and colored by the tireless Steranko, who also composed the iconic cover design (and an incredible centerfold has to be seen to be believed). If one is interested in the rich history of the comic book form, this issue is one of the important comics that helped change the industry, expanding on what was acceptable in comics while appealing to a new audience of readers — and influencing everything that would come after its release.