Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: David Walker
Artist: Lee Ferguson
Colourist: Jason Keith
Release date: OUT NOW!!!!
Price: $3.99

Fury: S.H.I.E.L.D 50th Anniversary #1 is as much about 50 years of bigotry and racial unrest in the United States as it is about Marvel’s favorite spy Nick Fury and his son Nicholas Fury Jr. Drawing parallels between the Civil Rights era in 1965 and the overt racial tensions apparent today the two narratives get mixed together.

The comparison is initially achieved by dividing each page into right and left sections, each following a different timeline. Back in 1965 Nick and S.H.I.E.L.D are tasked with monitoring the Watts riots while in the 2015 Nick Jr. is watching a similar scene, but sparked by the Silver Age villain the Hate Monger, who may be able to manipulate mankind’s ugly emotions like fear, anger, and, of course, hate.

Back in the Silver Age S.H.I.E.L.D’s white members don’t get it. “Hate to break it to anyone, but Hydra ain’t got a thing to do with this,” says former Howling Commando Gabe Jones. “What’re ya getting’ at?” good guy Dum-Dum Dugan asks the black spy. “Nothing,” Gabe answers, because, why bother? Instead, he says he plans to go down and join the protesters.

Nick Fury can’t just sit by and watch the mayhem and sends in his people. In the present Fury Jr. grabs the Hate Monger who blurts, “I’m saving America from what it’s become.” It’s a familiar idea of bigots, one that has even found its way into the U.S. presidential race.

But when Fury Jr. and the Hate Monger are transported back 50 years, the police attack an unarmed, surrendering Junior while calling him “boy.” After S.H.I.E.L.D steps in Nick Fury joins sides with his future offspring.

Nick Sr. is appalled when Junior tells him that 34 people will die in the riots, and that’s how it’s supposed to be. “What the do you mean by that? This is America! Things like that don’t happen here!” The point is that even a good man like Fury may be blind to social injustice before his eyes. That’s a comment on the insidious nature of racism and denial and it’s up to Junior to put him straight. “You know that’s not true,” he tells his dad.

There’s also a shock reveal in the yarn that you may not see coming, and it just adds to time travels story’s poignancy.

Applause goes to David Walker for addressing American history’s enduring racial intolerance, even if it’s a little in your face. Lee Ferguson is not one of Marvel’s top tier artists, but he gets the job done.

Fury: S.H.I.E.L.D. 50th Anniversary #1 may not be as fun as much of Marvel’s other fare, but it isn’t supposed to be. Hopefully, it will spark some conversations about a serious social issue among its readers, and you can’t ask any more from art than that.

 

Reviewer: Joe Lovece
Reviews Editor: Steve Hooker