You can have your James Bond, Jason Bourne and Jack Bauer. I like those guys, too. But, none of them can hold a candle to Nicholas Joseph “Nick” Fury. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about the original 616 universe or the ultimate/cinematic universe, he is still the best there is. Born on the battlefield and baptized in the fires of covert warfare, Nick Fury is a one man army, a force to be reckoned with, and Director of the Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate (aka S.H.I.E.L.D.). In the whole of his history, Nick Fury has taken on international crime cartels, political terrorists, intergalactic evils and his own organization!

I can’t explain why I have always liked this character. He is a human in a superpowered world. Ok, the Infinity Formula does give him a bit of an edge, but not by much. What you get from Fury is similar to what you get with Black Widow and Hawkeye, a highly trained human being. But, Nick Fury brings something else. The three JB’s have all faced off against their own organizations, but Fury had to do this without the benefit of next gen technology. He’s done this with just his savvy and fieldcraft to get him through.

Fury is written with the boldness of a pulp hero, the savvy of a rogue and the heart of a warrior. This mix could easily be written off as forgettable, but for 50+ years he has been around. Regardless if it is of the outer trappings, the inside is what matters and, for Fury, he is the same man. From WWII to Desert Storm, the fires of war forged the same sword. It is safe to say as long as his story is in capable hands, I will always be a fan of Fury.