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Sgt. Fury #27

Fury Fights Alone!

Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos
Release: December 9, 1965
Cover: February 1966
12 cents
Script: Stan Lee
Art: Dick Ayers
Delineation: John Tartaglione
Lettering: S. Rosen
20 pages

Previous	#468	Next
Amazing Spider-Man #34	Reading order	X-Men #17
Sgt. Fury #26	Sgt. Fury	Sgt. Fury #28

The guys who give me orders have what it takes! They’re my kinda Joes! I’m proud to salute ’em… to fight with ’em… an’ to die with ’em if I haveta!

This issue promises the origins of Fury’s eypatch. The idea is that he has an eyepatch in his modern 1960s adventures as Colonel Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD, but not in these 1940s adventures as Sgt. Fury of the Howling Commandos. We have seen him fighting in Korea in the 1950s, and he didn’t have an eyepatch then. And we have seen him team up with the Fantastic Four in the 1960s, before the founding of SHIELD. And he didn’t have an eyepatch then either. So presumably this issue will tell us he got it some time in the 1960s. It would seem silly to tell us it happened in the 1940s, so I imagine that’s not what they’re about to do.

Sgt. Fury #21

To Free a Hostage!

Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos
Release: June 8, 1965
Cover: August 1965
12 cents
Story by: Smilin’ Stan Lee
Pencilling by: Darlin’ Dick Ayers
Inking by: Cheerful Carl Hubbell
Lettering by: Adorable Artie Simek
20 pages

Previous	#379	Next
Amazing Spider-Man Annual 2	Reading order	Strange Tales #136
Sgt. Fury #20	Sgt. Fury	Sgt. Fury #22

I’m sorry kid. I know what it’s like– to lose someone!

The Howlers seem to have been betrayed by their Czechoslovakian bomb maker, Dr. Zenish.

They deduce that it’s because his family is being used as hostages against him.

Sgt. Fury #20

The Blitz Squad Strikes!

Featuring: Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos
Release: May 11, 1965
Cover: July 1965
12 cents
Smashing script: Stan Lee
Awesome art: Dick Ayers
Inspired inking: Frank Ray
Luscious lettering: Artie Simek
20 pages

Previous	#370	Next
Strange Tales #135	Reading order	Avengers #18
Sgt. Fury #19	Sgt. Fury	Sgt. Fury #21

Mister, when it comes to being tough, us Commandos invented the word!! And we don’t need a ravin’ Fuehrer to remind us how good we are!! All we gotta do is pick up a history book!! Mebbe we don’t push our weight around like you Nazis do! But, mebbe it’s because we know we don’t haveta! We got all the muscle we need– when we need it! And the dictator don’t live who can push us around!! Waddaya think of us “inferior races” now? Answer me, ya creep!! And then answer all the innocent people, all over the world, that ya been tramplin’ on–!!

We just saw an eye-patched Colonel Fury take over the international spy agency, SHIELD in the 1960s. Let’s head back to the 1940s to see the adventures of Sgt. Fury with two good eyes.

The credits on these Sgt. Fury books have usually emphasized the creators’ status as former military. “Ex-Sgt. Stan Lee”, “Ex-Corp. Dick Ayers”, “Ex-Corp. Frank Ray”. In fact, I think they’ve done that in every one of the first 19 issues of this series, but seem to be done with the practice now. I wonder why. They’re not phasing it out; they’ll just never mention the military service of the creators again.

We see the return of Baron Strucker’s Blitzkrieg Squad, introduced in issue 14, the Nazi counterparts to the Howling Commandos.

That truck seems to have a target on it.

Unless somebody has a better explanation, I’m going to suggest the logo is the RAF roundel, simply miscolored here, and not indicative of the Target corporation. The Turkish Air Force roundels look like the Target logo, but no British ones that I can find.

A bit of poking fun at themselves here. Fury’s rival Bull McGiveney claims all Fury knows how to do is rip up shirts.

A torn chest-revealing shirt is basically Fury’s uniform.

Sgt. Fury #19

An Eye for an Eye!

Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos
Release: April 8, 1965
Cover: June 1965
12 cents
You’ll relive the torment of warfare in this script by Ex-Sgt. Stan Lee
You’ll see the blaze of battle in this artwork by Ex-Corp. Dick Ayers
You’ll feel the drama of conflict in this inking by Ex-Corp. Frank Ray
You’ll hear the sounds of attack in this lettering by exquisite S. Rosen
20 pages

Previous	#370	Next
Daredevil #8	Reading order	Amazing Spider-Man #26
Sgt. Fury #18	Sgt. Fury	Sgt. Fury #20

Let’s remind ourselves of the dramatic final page of the previous issue.

This story picks up where that left off. Lady Pamela Hawley died in a bombing raid before Nick could propose to her. Now we see him trying to deal with his pain and frustration. Will revenge bring him catharsis?

After Nick is working the Howlers too hard, Captain Sawyer orders a furlough. They decide to take their “furlough” in occupied Holland and track down the Squadron behind Pam’s death.

Sgt. Fury #18

Killed in Action!

Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos
Release: March 11, 1965
Cover: May 1965
12 cents
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Dick Ayers
Inker: Chic Stone
Letterer: Artie Simek
20 pages

Previous	#359	Next
Avengers #17	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #66
Sgt. Fury #17	Sgt. Fury	Sgt. Fury #19

The title of this story is “Killed in Action!”

“Once again, sudden death claims another victim!” reads the cover.

The “once again” refers to Junior Juniper, the first Commando to fall in battle, all the way back in issue 4. Letting us know that this was a series with consquence. It wasn’t a sure thing our heroes would make it back after each mission.

Since then, they all have turned out okay. But let’s read on.

The art is credited to Ayers and Stone, but Jack Kirby was brought in to redraw most of the famous final sequence.

The issue begins in the middle of intense action. Sgt. Fury is in his fancy duds, clearly having been on a date that’s been interrupted by an air raid.

Sgt. Fury #17

While the Jungle Sleeps!

Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos
Release: February 11, 1965
Cover: April 1965
12 cents
Story: Ex-Sgt. Stan Lee, U.S.A.
Art: Ex-Corp. Dick Ayers, U.S.A.F.
Inking: Ex-Sgt. Vince Colletta, U.S.A.F
Lettering: Artie Simek, civilian tax-payer
20 pages

Previous	#322	Next
	Prelude	Captain America Comics #1, Story D
Sgt. Fury #16	Reading order	Tales of Suspense #65
Sgt. Fury #16	Sgt. Fury	Sgt. Fury #18

Since Roussos left, this title is having trouble finding a consistent inker for Ayers. We had Giacoia last issue and Ditko the issue before. This issue, Vince Colletta finds time between issues of Thor to lend his inks. Colletta had been a sergeant in the Air Force, so he fits the credits scheme of noting the military service of this series’ contributors.

We pick up where last issue left off, with the Commandos still in the Sahara desert. They are ready to return home, but are instead given a new assignment.

Sgt. Fury #16

A Fortress in the Desert Stands!

Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos
Release: January 12, 1965
Cover: March 1965
12 cents
Written with machine gun power by Ex-Sgt. Stan Lee
Drawn with howitzer impact by Ex-Corp. Dick Ayers
Inked with rifle-fire sharpness by Ex-Corp. Frank Ray
Lettered with bloodshot eyes by Artie Simek Civilian 1st Class
20 pages

Previous	#321	Next
Amazing Spider-Man #23	Reading order	Sgt. Fury #17
Sgt. Fury #15	Sgt. Fury	Sgt. Fury #17

The cover is striking because of the dominant yellow. We haven’t yet seen a cover with such a coloring scheme, but they’ll become more common, and they’ll always catch my eye. This particular color evokes the intense heat of the desert.

Hans Rooten takes his new place as squad mascot. He’s even got a uniform to indicate his “mascot” status. He’s written far more sensibly than, say, Rick Jones is in Avengers. He is allowed to train with the Commandos, but not on dangerous maneuvers, and he doesn’t go on missions, whereas the Avengers take Rick to fight most any super-villain.

The only not-particularly sensible thing is why they continue to let Hans believe his father is a traitor. Now that he’s safely in England, there’s surely no harm in telling the kid his father is a heroic Allied double agent. But these were his father’s wishes, so the child will go on thinking himself to be basically an orphan, with the Howlers the only family he has left.

This page is from the original comic, found online.

Hans has already figured out the character of Sgt. Fury: “He is yelling at me! That means he likes me!”

Hans wants to be a Howler when he grows up. Nick hopes that when he grows up, there won’t be any need for Howlers.

Sgt. Fury #15

Too Small to Fight, Too Young to Die!

Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos
Release: December 10, 1964
Cover: February 1965
12 cents
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Dick Ayers
Inker: Steve Ditko
Letterer: S. Rosen
20 pages

Previous	#305	Next
Journey Into Mystery #113, Story B	Reading order	Amazing Spider-Man #22
Sgt. Fury #14	Sgt. Fury	Sgt. Fury #16

This is pretty exciting. Ditko inking Ayers. Definitely the first time we’ve seen that. And the opposite of the roles I most associate each artist with. It’s mostly not obvious to my untrained eye that Ditko is the inker, but I think I see him shining through on some of the faces, particularly Captain Sawyer and some of the ladies.

George Roussos had been the regular inker up to this point, under the pseudonym George Bell. It looks like last month marked the end of his regular Marvel work for now. He will return in a couple years and eventually become a staff colorist at Marvel.

Roussos has likely been coloring many of the comics we’ve read as well, but I don’t often have colorist credits in front of me, and am anyway often reading these stories in recolored reprints. So I’ve certainly failed to appreciate his coloring contributions.

We’ll see Roussos once more in the near future, because we still haven’t read the Hulk story from last month. And then we’ll see him again, eventually.

The idea of these 15 issues has been to take the Commandos to every theatre of the war– Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, England, Japan, Africa… Holland was due.

Sgt. Fury #14

The Blitzkrieg Squad of Baron Strucker!

Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos
Release: November 10, 1964
Cover: January 1965
12 cents
Written with the explosive power of a live grenade by: Ex-Sgt. Stan Lee
Drawn with the savage impact of a block-buster by: Ex-Corp. Dick Ayers
Inked with the smashing force of a Sherman tank by: Geo. Bell
Lettered with a brand new bottle of India ink by: Artie Simek
20 pages

Previous	#297	Next
Tales to Astonish #64	Reading order	Amazing Spider-Man #21
Sgt. Fury #13	Sgt. Fury	Sgt. Fury #15

We’ve met Baron Strucker twice before. Fury’s only recurring foe at this point. But now he’s got his own team of commandos backing him up, the Blitzkrieg Squad.

The idea of the Blitzkrieg Squad is that each is specifically chosen to be a match for a commando. The brawler matches Dugan; the charmer, Manelli; the musician, Gabe; the mechanic, Izzy; the horseman, Reb; the aristrocrat, Percy.

I was a bit confused by the word “Junker” in the context and had to look it up. It refers to a Prussian noble, not somebody who trades in scraps.

Sgt. Fury #13

Fighting Side-By-Side With… Captain America and Bucky!

Featuring: Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos
Release: October 8, 1964
Cover: December 1964
12 cents
Written and drawn by the Titanic Two: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
Inked by: Dick Ayers
Lettered by: A. Simek
23 pages

Previous	#283	Next
Amazing Spider-Man #20	Reading order	Fantastic Four #34
Sgt. Fury #12	Sgt. Fury	Sgt. Fury #14

Jack Kirby returns for one final issue of Sgt. Fury, likely motivated by the choice of guest star. Under Kirby, this was one of Marvel’s best titles. It’s perhaps lost a step under Ayers, though remains one of the better series we are reading.

So far, one could almost question why we are reading this World War II series along with all the superhero ones. It is certainly the odd duck in my reading list. We have had two points of crossover so far. The Commandos teamed with a young Mr. Fantastic when he was Major Richards of the OSS, and we saw an older Colonel Fury team up with the Fantastic Four. This is the third point of crossover between Nick Fury and the superhero titles. There will be more.