Overview
Background
Nick Fury is a major supporting character based on the comic book character published by Marvel Comics. He debuted in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1, published in May 1963 and was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee.
Sgt. Fury & His Howling Commandos #1, May 1963
As Sgt. Nick Fury, he was the leader of a crack U.S. Army unit in World War II filled with irregular and eccentric personalities who all possessed unique specialties. The group's infamous "WA-HOOO!" battle-cry was the source of their nickname and they were regarded as the Army's most elite commando unit. Fury and his Howling Commandos even assisted Captain America on the occasional mission.
Fury proved so popular that he ultimately transitioned to the "modern age" of Marvel superheroes; as a WWII veteran who continued to serve his country and had become a CIA espionage agent akin to James Bond distinguished with an eyepatch thanks to an eye injury he suffered during the later days of the war in 1963. And then later in 1965, he was promoted to the leader of the elite S.H.I.E.L.D organization; then known as the Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division who fought against the subversive terrorist organization known as Hydra.
As the leader of S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury has been a major part of the Marvel-verse for decades; often acting as an intermediary between superheroes and the U.S. Government.
Nick Fury, JUNIOR!
Over the decades of publication however, the chronological problem between his service record of WWII with the current era became increasingly noticeable. As way of explanation; it was retroactively revealed in a continuity implant that Fury's infamous longevity was the direct result of his exposure to an attempt to reverse-engineer the Super-Soldier Formula that created Captain America, Having sustained extreme life threatening injuries during WWII, he was injected with this formula in an attempt to save his life. Although the experimental formula failed to boost his physical capabilities to the peak of human perfection, it was belatedly discovered that it greatly retarded his aging years later and was dubbed "The Infinity Formula".
Nick Fury has also made numerous appearances in various Marvel animated television programs and films over the years as well, even starring in his own feature film Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D in 1998.
The sheer recognizability of Samuel L. Jackson in the role of the Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has resulted in the 'retirement' of the original Caucasian version of Fury in the Marvel Comics. It was explained that due to the fact that the original "Infinity Formula" was losing its effectiveness on Fury and that he becoming increasingly physically debilitated thanks to rapid aging. He was thus replaced with his illegitimate half African-American son, Nick Fury, Jr. in 2012 in the six-issue limited series Battle Scars along the introduction of his best friend, Phil Coulson. Nick Fury, Jr. visually appears similar to the Samuel L. Jackson's version of the character.
Major Plots
Personality and Traits
Appearances
TV Series
Trivia
- In 2000, Marvel Comics decided to create the "Ultimate Marvel" imprint which was an alternate universe series which was a modernized update of the original Marvel-verse. For this series; the writers who were huge fans of Samuel L. Jackson (with his permission) used his appearance for the Ultimate Nick Fury to differentiate between the two separate universes as the original was Caucasian. As an in-joke in the Ultimate Comics; Nick Fury once mentioned that if there were a film made about them, only Samuel L. Jackson was good enough to portray him. As it turns out, he was right.
- The overall popularity and recognizability of Samuel L. Jackson as the character of Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has led Marvel Comics towards "retiring" Fury and replacing him with his son; Nick Fury Jr. who is a half Caucasian and African-American character, patterned after Jackson and is now a major supporting character of the Marvel-verse.
Quotes
Other Versions
- Nick Fury (X-Men 1992)
- Nick Fury (Iron Man 1994)
- Nick Fury (Spider-Man 1994)
- Nick Fury (X-Men Evolution)
- Nick Fury (Ultimate Avengers)
- Nick Fury (Wolverine and the X-Men)
- Nick Fury (Iron Man: Armored Adventures)
- Nick Fury (Super Hero Squad)
- Nick Fury (Avengers: Earth's Mightest Heroes)
- Nick Fury (Ultimate Spider-Man)
- Nick Fury (Iron Man: Rise of the Technovore)
