Sounds of the Fury
-taken from Comic Newsrama

Last week, when Marvel Comics announced Fury, a six-issue mini-series written by Garth Ennis, penciled by Darick (Transmetropolitan ) Robertson and starring MU mainstay Nick Fury, would be one of their new 'Mature Line' launch titles, reaction in reader-dom was varied.

Some readers praised the choices of creators and characters for the new line, some expressed disappointment Marvel was using established Marvel Universe characters to launch a new line designed at least partially to expand the publisher's reading base. But this all said, reaction was speculatory either way, as last week's announcement really didn't tell us much about the series at all. So that said, Newsarama caught up with editor Axel Alonso to see what we could do about that...

The first thing Alonso did was to assure readers this is not Nick Fury at play in the Marvel Universe.

"This is Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. imagined without the constraints of continuity," said the editor. "This series - as well as a couple of other projects I have in the works - will be a self-contained story that stands on its own merits.

"We not looking to contradict the continuity that exists for these characters, but we're going to be painted into a corner in by it either. If you are a fan of Nick Fury, this series will not disappoint. You will recognize the lead character, and have reason to root for him. But he's also a recognizable archetype for those who don't know him - a grizzled Cold Warrior with his own unique code living in a world of increased black ops and red tape. There's a lot of room to navigate there. This is more an interpretation of him - Garth's take on what makes the man tick. We pick up with Nick Fury, older but not necessarily wiser, realizing that the world of cloak-and-dagger espionage ain't as simple as it used to be. It's changed a lot post-Cold War…it's arguable that it's even more complex. Nick may, in fact, have become a bit of a relic. Has this world passed Fury by, or does he still have some fuel in his tank? And a match?"

After a firefight in the Mexican desert, Fury discovers both ex-S.H.I.E.L.D. and ex-Hydra personnel among the enemy dead, further evidence that the 'glory days' of clear-cut good vs. evil are over

"Then an old acquaintance comes along - an ex-Hydra soldier who almost killed Nick (and vice versa) more than a dozen times - and Rudy makes him a proposition…a proposition that he may be able to refuse, but he can't ignore. This sets in motion the kind of blood-and-guts caper that Garth excels at."

According to the editor, Fury has more in common with Ennis' DC mini-series Unknown Soldier than Jim Steranko's Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., considered by many to be the highpoint of the character's existence.

"It also contains some of the touches of dark humor that made Preacher such a topic of conversation," said Alonso. "This is dark and gritty and funny series. It takes advantage of the extra latitude that the 'mature readers' label allows us. So it's safe to say this is . . . Fury as you've never seen him before."

Alonso concluded by adding that "It's probably worth noting that I do have I big plans for a Nick Fury who does interact in the Marvel Universe, but obviously not under the Mature Reader line."

The editor would not elaborate but said, "things are just talking at this stage, but I am optimistic about our prospects."