This is my own fault for looking for spoilers.

Eight years or so back, we checked out a Nick Fury issue that was retconned away the next issue. Today we have an even older issue, that may suffer the same fate! From 1969, Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #13, "The Super-Patriot!" Plot and dialogue by Gary Friedrich, plot and pencils by Herb Trimpe, inks by Sam Grainger.

The costumed Super-Patriot is making speeches across the country, stirring up hate and encouraging his "fellow Americans" to drive out the "traitors" in their midst. Seems far-fetched. Oh, not some hatey bastard, those are a dime a dozen; but most don't wear gloves and boots that look like Rainbow Brite's in a man's size 9. Washington wants S-P for questioning, but S.H.I.E.L.D. fails to bring him in, since he's got some technical weaponry as well. And S.H.I.E.L.D. has other fish to fry, namely finding their former leader, Nick Fury!

When a seemingly-traitorous agent tries to kill Fury, Fury guns him down; but Dum Dum Dugan sees his actions as cold-blooded murder. Fury is captured, but his girlfriend Laura slips him her "sonic disintegrator ring" and he escapes, but is no closer to figuring out what's happening. Gabe Jones finds Fury, but still trusts his old sergeant and won't bring him in; but later by-the-book Sitwell does try it, and gets a shot of nerve gas for his trouble. Fury learns Super-Patriot is about to attack the United Nations, and takes it directly to him while S.H.I.E.L.D. battles the weapon barges S-P had tried to sneak in: there's a double-page spread that really sells why Trimpe got the G.I. Joe job thirteen years later!

With his forces failing, the Super-Patriot attempts to literally do what many scoundrels have figuratively: hide behind the flag. Old Glory doesn't stand for that, though; and the Super-Patriot trips and falls a hundred feet! Fury is captured again, but wants to see behind the Super-Patriot's mask, and finds--his own face, eyepatch and all? What the--?! The next issue box promises "The reason why!" but per the GCD's notes for Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #14, all the business with the Super-Patriot was a dream! Weak.

This issue was a beat one from the dollar bin, but is that a signature on the cover? I wonder whose...