Tuesday, November 06, 2018

If Nick was lucky, he was killed before the concert.


Country Joe and the Fish is a name I recognize as a Woodstock-era band...and that's it. Couldn't name one of their songs if I tried. Of course we live in a magical future where I could doubtless listen to any of their songs in a matter of seconds, but I think I'm good. Nick was probably hoping to get shot when they were playing, in today's book: Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #15, "The Assassination of Nick Fury" Written by Gary Friedrich, pencils by Herb Trimpe, inks by Dick Avers.

Nick Fury seems like well, if not a relic, at least his age this issue; as he has a date with Laura Brown for a concert in Central Park, the aforementioned Country Joe. It's not to his taste: Fury was a WWII veteran and probably in the neighborhood of 50 here...and probably at least twenty years older than his date! Still, he's game if Laura enjoys it, so good for him. Not so good for him is HYDRA's assassin Bulls-eye, who, with a computerized sniper rifle, kills Fury!

Bulls-eye was looking for a million dollar payday, but is left hanging out to dry by current HYDRA head Number Two, who had planned to launch an all-out assault against S.H.I.E.L.D. with Fury's death, but instead decides that's when they would be most on guard. #2 had intended for Bulls-eye to be killed in the crossfire, but leaving him to get shot by Dum-Dum Dugan works just as well. Dum-Dum gets Bulls-eye right in his unfortunate chest logo; then tries to rally what's left of S.H.I.E.L.D, if anything.

The next issue box asks "Is this...the end?" And based on the GCD, yes! The next three issues of the book were reprints. Luckily, the GCD also noted Fury returned a couple months later, in Avengers #72. I think I read that one back in the Marvel Super-Action reprint, and I don't know if the explanation of how Fury survived was plausible at all: he didn't send an LMD on his date, did he? Maybe he tags back in later.

2 comments:

Mr. Morbid's House Of Fun said...

That would've been hilarious if it was an LMD, and it died due to bad hippy music instead Bullseye. Same Bullseye the one we all know and love/hate in DD?

googum said...

Different Bullseye! I think Nick might have a 'boyfriend' LMD, that he sends for things like antiquing or chick flicks or dinner with the parents.