What it is, Groove-ophiles! Y'know, Nick Fury (former WWII sergeant and director of S.H.I.E.L.D.) is definitely one of the V.I.P.'s of the Marvel Universe. So why did it take 13 years for Marvel to finally get around to giving us the secret of Momma Fury's favorite son's seeming agelessness? Nobody asked/nobody cared? Ol' Groove kinda doubts that, I mean, it didn't take that long to get an origin for his eye patch fer Stan's sake. Strange, too, that nobody closely associated with Col. Fury--not Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, or Jim Steranko-- ever thought to tell the tale that Jim Starlin and Howard Chaykin laid on us in Marvel Spotlight #31 (September 1976). But as a wise man once said, "Oh, well!" The main thing is that Starlin (as writer) and Chaykin (as artist) did get together and explain how Fury looked as young in '76 as he did in '41--and it was a doozy of a yarn! See for yourself, O Faithful One...
what it is, indeed, Groove! they should've handed Starlin & Chaykin a regular Fury series. sweet!
ReplyDeleteJust found this blog - I'll be over daily now. I used to love Nick Fury as a kid. Great post and so many more to read. Top man.
ReplyDeleteOh, right on! I always loved this secret origin (did it ever become part of the "canon"?), it feels like such a sleazy 1970s B-movie. And I think I still have a copy of this issue (somewhere at mom's, collecting dust....)
ReplyDeleteKeep up the great work!
--Ivan
Groove:
ReplyDeleteThis is a great example of the kind of one-issue gems you'd find in books like Marvel Spotlight and Marvel Premiere. There were some duds, sure, but then you'd be treated to something like a Starlin/Chaykin team-up. And with no Previews for advance ordering, it made each week's trip to the spinner rack a great adventure!
As always, thanks for sharing!
Cheers,
Andrew
ComicsBronzeAge.com
"'Cus I'm a Hydra agent, you dummy"
ReplyDeleteI remember buying this and being intrigued by the secret of Nick Fury's youth.
ReplyDeleteGreat cover, don't you think? Kind of like that Iron Man cover where Tony Stark falls out of the Helicarrier with his briefcase dangling on his arm.
I don't think that they've ever denied that this is canon, and I seem to recall at least one or two stories that mentioned the inifity formula, so i guess that they snuck it by.
ReplyDeleteOdd to see Starlin one of my favorite all tiem marvel artists just writing, but then, he would start doing that a lot in the following years, unhappy with his own art i recall. this is an interesting curio, as is Nick's down vest.
it was short lived (maybe a year or so) but this is my favorite era of chaykin's art. he did a small group of stories where he was really trying to channel alex toth's work. love it!!! :)
ReplyDeleteI had no idea this story existed! Chaykin's art here reminds me a lot of the work he did in Marvel's 'Star Wars' adaptation.
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