Nick Fury Jr.

Last updated
Nick Fury Jr.
Nick Fury II.png
Artwork for the cover of Nick Fury #1 (April 2017). Art by Bill Sienkiewicz.
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance Battle Scars #1 (January 2012)
Created by Matt Fraction
Chris Yost
Scot Eaton
Cullen Bunn
Paul Neary
In-story information
Alter egoMarcus Johnson
Species Human
Team affiliations S.H.I.E.L.D.
Secret Avengers
United States Army
75th Ranger Regiment
Partnerships Phil Coulson
Teresa Parker
Notable aliasesMarcus Johnson, Sgt. Johnson, Nick Fury
AbilitiesSkilled spy

Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury Jr. (Marcus Johnson) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is a son and successor of former U.S. Army hero/super-spy and the intelligence agency S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury. [1] The character first appeared in Battle Scars #1 (January 2012), which was written by Matt Fraction, Chris Yost, and Cullen Bunn, and penciled by Scot Eaton.

Contents

Publication history

The character was introduced in the debut issue of the miniseries Battle Scars (January 2012), which was written by Matt Fraction, Chris Yost, and Cullen Bunn, and penciled by Scot Eaton. The character bears a strong resemblance to the Ultimate Marvel version of Nick Fury and the Marvel Cinematic Universe incarnation as portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson; [2] the Ultimate version's appearance was based on that of Jackson before the actor's portrayal in the films. [3]

Nick Fury Jr. appears in the 2013 Secret Avengers series by Nick Spencer and Luke Ross. [4]

In January 2017, Marvel announced that the character would get his first ongoing solo series named Nick Fury . [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

In 2023 the character was the co-main character of the double sized one-shot Fury published to commemorate the character Nick Fury's 60th anniversary. [12]

Fictional character biography

Nick Fury Jr. in Battle Scars #6 (April 2012). Art by Scot Eaton. Marcus Johnson Nick Fury jr.png
Nick Fury Jr. in Battle Scars #6 (April 2012). Art by Scot Eaton.

Marcus Johnson was raised in Atlanta, Georgia, by his mother Nia Jones. At the age of 18, Marcus passed on numerous college football scholarships in order to enlist in the US Army, serving in Iraq. After his enlistment, he earned a degree in philosophy from the University of Georgia. Marcus then re-enlisted in the Army, achieving the rank of staff sergeant. [13]

While serving in Afghanistan with 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Marcus is told that his mother was murdered back in the United States. He returns home and is attacked by the men who killed his mother, and by Taskmaster, but is saved by Captain America. S.H.I.E.L.D. agents arrive and take him to one of their facilities; after a while Johnson, comes to feel he is being held there against his will and escapes, [14] but is caught by Taskmaster once again. Before he can obtain any information, a man in a mask saves him, but then flees. Johnson catches up to the man, who is revealed to be his father, Nick Fury. [15] Fury and Johnson are then captured by the organization Leviathan's former member Orion, who has Johnson's left eye cut out and confirms that Johnson has the Infinity Formula in his DNA, which has given Fury his long lifespan. Fury helps Johnson escape, but Fury himself has his blood transfused to Orion so Orion's youth can be restored, draining Fury's remaining Infinity Formula. Johnson saves Fury with the help of his Ranger friend Phil Coulson, and later kills Orion. After convalescing, Johnson is given Steve Rogers's Super Soldier uniform to wear. As a new agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., he is also informed of his birth name, Nick Fury Jr. [16]

Fury and Coulson make a cameo appearance in Scarlet Spider #5, [17] and are part of the framing sequence in Marvel NOW! Point One. [18]

In a 2013 storyline as part of the Marvel NOW! branding, Nick, Coulson, and Maria Hill form the S.H.I.E.L.D. version of the Secret Avengers with Hawkeye and Black Widow. Fury is involved in their first mission, which involved fighting a group of al-Qaeda terrorists. [19] Fury then joins the Secret Avengers to raid Bagalia in order to recruit Taskmaster. While the Secret Avengers are fighting the Masters of Evil, Fury manages to pay off Crossfire to free Taskmaster from his imprisonment. [20]

During the 2014 "AXIS" storyline, Nick was with S.H.I.E.L.D. when the organization has gathered Captain America to discuss what was to become of the Red Skull, now that the Stark Sentinels had been dismantled and the concentration camps torn down. Fury tried to convince Sam Wilson to hand him over. But under the inversion spell's influence, Wilson was violent and punched him before leaving. [21]

During the 2016 "Civil War II" storyline, Fury is on a mission to neutralize a Hydra cell that is posing as a S.H.I.E.L.D. squadron. One of the visions of the Inhuman Ulysses Cain, which were believed to predict the future, indicated that the Hydra cell would launch a deadly attack on S.H.I.E.L.D. When heading to a base in Arizona, Fury is attacked by actual agents, instead of Hydra infiltrators as suspected. In order to find the traitors, Fury fakes his death and goes into hiding. [22] His investigation takes him to the S.H.I.E.L.D. base Ulu in Alaska, [23] where he encounters the unknown mastermind behind the plot, who then escapes. [24] Upon infiltrating the base Ogma, Fury downloads classified data, [25] which leads him to the underground base Kratos, where he encountered a rogue Life Model Decoy of his father named Leader, who states that Cain's prediction does not involve the Hydra cell, and that it will cost him his life. Leader learns about Cain's abilities, and wants to neutralize Fury in order to take over S.H.I.E.L.D. In order to stop Leader, Nick destroys a central support beam that collapses Kratos, killing Leader. [26] Upon surviving the collapse, Nick salvages Leader's head so that he can hack it and learn how he discovered his plan. Nick forgives Hill for sending him on a mission that would've resulted in his death, and states that he is not ready to return to S.H.I.E.L.D. yet. [27]

Upon his return to S.H.I.E.L.D. as a top-ranking agent, Fury infiltrates the French Riviera, where he ends up in a cat-and-mouse game with Hydra Agent Frankie Noble. [28]

In the aftermath of the 2017 "Secret Empire" story line, S.H.I.E.L.D. was disbanded but Fury continued to work as an independent operative. Fury observes Frank Castle slay every Hydra agent in an abandoned warehouse as a way to atone for siding with Hydra. [29] Fury then gives Castle access to the War Machine armor for a deniable operation against a rogue Eastern European state caught using old S.H.I.E.L.D. resources. [30] Later he imprisons Ripley Ryan (aka Star) bearer of the Reality Gem. [31]

Powers and abilities

Nick Fury Jr. initially appears to have no superhuman qualities but he inherited his father's Infinity Formula at birth, slowing his aging process, speeding his healing time, and granting him peak human physical fitness. [16]

Fury was trained in espionage under Maria Hill. [32]

Reception

The reaction by comic book fans to the revelation of Marcus Johnson being Nick Fury's son and replacing his father has been mixed. [2] [33] [34] Tom Brevoort, Marvel's Vice President of publishing, believed this was a prudent move by Marvel because the African American incarnation appears in films, animated shows, and other licensed adaptations. [35]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Fury</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury Sr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, he first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1, a World War II combat series that portrayed the cigar-chomping man as leader of an elite U.S. Army Ranger unit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron Strucker</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

Baron Wolfgang von Strucker is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. A former Nazi officer, he is one of the leaders of the Hydra terrorist organization, and the archenemy of Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. He has also come into conflict with the Avengers, and the interests of the United States, and is thus a fugitive. He has been physically augmented to be nearly ageless. While Strucker has been seemingly killed in the past, he returned to plague the world with schemes of world domination and genocide, time and time again.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taskmaster (character)</span> Marvel Comics fictional character

Taskmaster is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer David Michelinie and artist George Pérez, the character made his debut in The Avengers #195. Possessing photographic reflexes that allow him to mimic any fighting style at the cost of his long and short-term memory, he has served as an adversary of Marvel Universe superheroes such as Captain America, Ant-Man, and Spider-Man. He is usually depicted as a mercenary hired by criminal organizations to act as a training instructor. He is the biological father of Finesse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hydra (comics)</span> Fictional terrorist organization in Marvel comics

Hydra is a fictional terrorist organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Its name alludes to the mythical Lernaean Hydra, as does its motto: "If a head is cut off, two more shall take its place," proclaiming the group's resilience and growing strength in the face of resistance. Originally a Nazi organization led by the Red Skull during World War II, Hydra is taken over and turned into a neo-fascist international crime syndicate by Baron Wolfgang von Strucker. Hydra agents often wear distinctive green garb featuring a serpent motif. Hydra's plans for world domination are regularly foiled by Marvel Universe superheroes and the intelligence organization S.H.I.E.L.D.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dum Dum Dugan</span> Fictional character appearing in publications from Marvel Comics

Timothy Aloysius Cadwallader "Dum Dum" Dugan is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is an officer of S.H.I.E.L.D. and is one of the most experienced members of Nick Fury's team, known for his marksmanship with rifles and trademark bowler hat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daisy Johnson</span> Fictional superhero

Daisy Johnson, also known as Quake, is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Gabriele Dell'Otto, the character first appeared in Secret War #2. The daughter of the supervillain Mister Hyde, she is a secret agent of the intelligence organization S.H.I.E.L.D. with the power to manipulate vibrations.

The Howling Commandos is the name of several fictional groups appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team also appears in the franchises developed for other media.

<i>Secret Avengers</i> Fictional comic book group

Secret Avengers is an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics featuring a fictional black ops superhero team of the same name. The series started with Ed Brubaker on writing duties, depicting a black-ops sect of Marvel's premier super hero team, the Avengers, which operates under the guidance and leadership of Captain Steve Rogers. The series is part of the Avengers-line relaunch as part of the "Heroic Age".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gabe Jones</span> Fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics

Gabriel "Gabe" Jones is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby, he made his first appearance in World War II war comics series Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Pierce</span> Comics character

Alexander Goodwin Pierce is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, usually as a supporting character in stories featuring the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D. as an agent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jasper Sitwell</span> Fictional character

Jasper Sitwell is a fictional character, an espionage agent appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Madame Hydra is the name of several different fictional supervillains appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is a name given to a top female operative of HYDRA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Secret Warriors (Team White)</span> Fictional comic book group

Secret Warriors is an alias for the fictional group Team White created by Nick Fury, a team of superpowered agents appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The name "secret warriors" also refers to the members of other hidden groups in the comics series Secret Warriors and its related titles. Team White was the main team led by Nick Fury from 2009 to 2011. First appearance was in "The Mighty Avengers" #13.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">S.H.I.E.L.D.</span> Fictional intelligence agency in the Marvel Comics Universe

S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, special law enforcement, and counter-terrorism government agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, this agency first appeared in Strange Tales #135, and often deals with paranormal activity and superhuman threats to international security.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Coulson</span> Fictional character from the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Agent Phillip J. Coulson is a fictional character portrayed and voiced by Clark Gregg in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise. Coulson is depicted as a high-ranking member of the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D. and longtime partner of Nick Fury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Garrett (comics)</span> Comics character

John Garrett is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

<i>Battle Scars</i> (comic book)

Battle Scars is a six-issue comic book miniseries published by Marvel Comics in 2011 and 2012. The series was created to introduce Nick Fury Jr, the black son of the original Nick Fury to correspond with the version played in the films by Samuel L. Jackson. The series also introduced the character of Phil Coulson from the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the comics.

<i>Nick Fury</i> (comic book) Comic book series published by Marvel Comics

Nick Fury is a 2017 ongoing comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The series is written by James Dale Robinson and primarily drawn by ACO. It is the first series to feature Nick Fury Jr. as its main character.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Fury (Marvel Cinematic Universe)</span> Character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Nicholas Joseph (Nick) Fury is a fictional character portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Prior to the formation of the MCU, Marvel Comics incorporated Jackson's likeness into the reimagined design of the character for The Ultimates. In the MCU, Fury is initially depicted as a master spy who is the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Fury enacts the Avengers Initiative in response to Loki's invasion of Earth, a plan he previously developed after meeting Carol Danvers and learning of extraterrestrial threats.

References

  1. Battle Scars #5. Marvel Comics.
  2. 1 2 "Out With The Old And In With The New: Black Nick Fury Jnr. Comes To 616 – But Is There Still A Place For His Pop's?". Bad Haven. 2012-04-27. Archived from the original on 2012-04-29.
  3. Larsuel, Kamal. "Copyright Kamal Larsuel, 2005". Samuel L. Jackson Official Website. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
  4. Richards, Dave (14 October 2012). "NYCC: Spencer's "Secret Avengers" are the Newest Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  5. Marston, George (January 5, 2017). "NICK FURY Returns For First Solo Ongoing". Newsarama.
  6. Marnell, Blair (January 6, 2017). "MARVEL GIVES NICK FURY A NEW ONGOING SERIES". Nerdist Industries. Archived from the original on January 29, 2019. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  7. Wilding, Josh (5 January 2017). "Nick Fury Is Getting His Own "Psychedelic" Ongoing Series Later This Spring". WeGotThisCovered.
  8. Hess, Patrick (January 6, 2017). "NEW NICK FURY ONGOING FROM ROBINSON & ACO". Nothing But Comics. Archived from the original on June 25, 2018. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
  9. Jones, Alexander (January 5, 2017). "ACO and Robinson prime Nick Fury Jr. For his First-Ever ongoing series with Steranko-Influenced Intrigue". Comics Beat.
  10. Collins, Elle (January 5, 2017). "ACO Embraces Steranko-Esque Weirdness With James Robinson On 'Nick Fury' #1". ComicsAlliance. Archived from the original on April 4, 2017.
  11. Adams, Tim (January 5, 2017). "Nick Fury Series Announced from James Robinson and ACO". CBR.com.
  12. Dar, Taimur (February 8, 2023). "Nick Fury Senior and Junior reunite for 60th anniversary one-shot this May". ComicsBeat . Retrieved 2023-08-03.
  13. Battle Scars #2. Marvel Comics (February 2012).
  14. Battle Scars #2. Marvel Comics.
  15. Battle Scars #4. Marvel Comics.
  16. 1 2 Battle Scars #6. Marvel Comics.
  17. Scarlet Spider vol. 2 #5. Marvel Comics.
  18. "Review: Marvel NOW! Point One". Comic Book Resources. 17 October 2012.
  19. Secret Avengers vol. 2 #1. Marvel Comics.
  20. Secret Avengers vol. 2 #2. Marvel Comics.
  21. Avengers & X-Men: AXIS #4. Marvel Comics.
  22. Civil War II: Choosing Sides #1. Marvel Comics.
  23. Civil War II: Choosing Sides #2. Marvel Comics.
  24. Civil War II: Choosing Sides #3. Marvel Comics.
  25. Civil War II: Choosing Sides #4. Marvel Comics.
  26. Civil War: Choosing Sides #5. Marvel Comics.
  27. Civil War II: Choosing Sides #6. Marvel Comics.
  28. Nick Fury #1. Marvel Comics.
  29. Secret Empire Omega #1. Marvel Comics.
  30. Punisher #218. Marvel Comics.
  31. Black Cat Vol 2 #8
  32. MacKay, Jed ( w ),Vitti, Alessandro ( a )."The Rubicon Trigger, Part Five" Taskmaster ,vol. 3,no. 5(May 2021).Marvel Comics.
  33. "Nick Fury Jr: The Disney Mandated Director of SHIELD". Crimson Monkey. 2012-04-25. Archived from the original on 2012-06-18. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
  34. "Samuel L. Jackson Enters The Marvel Universe: Check Out Marcus Johnson's New Look!". Inside Pulse. 2012-04-25.
  35. Ching, Albert (26 April 2012). "Brevoort on Bringing MARVEL Comics Closer to MARVEL Movies". Newsarama.