So Marvel MAX is back.
For anyone who might not know, MAX was an imprint at Marvel that was started in 2001 for the purposes of telling stories for mature readers. While there may be some debate over what “mature” exactly means, in this case it was an excuse for Marvel to buck the long standing comics code and let its creators off the leash and use as much blood, swearing, and nudity as they wanted.
Some good stuff came out of the MAX imprint such as Alias and there was some fun stuff with the original Nick Fury, but over time it mostly became a vehicle for Punisher stories, which is certainly an appropriate choice for an imprint with so few rules. The last time a MAX book was on the shelves it was in 2020 with “Punisher: Soviet” #6.
Now, MAX is back with “Get Fury” #1, a story that stars Nick Fury…and a young Punisher.
Written by Garth EnnisCover by: Dave Johnson
Illustrated by Jacen Burrows
Inked by Guillermo Ortego
Colored by Noland Woodard
Lettered by Rob Steen
GARTH ENNIS RETURNS TO MARVEL – WITH NICK FURY AND FRANK CASTLE AS YOU’VE NEVER SEEN!
It’s 1971, there is a war raging in Vietnam, and Nick Fury has been captured by the Viet Cong. At this moment, they don’t quite understand that they have in their possession a man who knows enough secrets to damage the United States beyond comprehension. The C.I.A., however, DOES realize this and they can’t risk their enemy getting those secrets, so they dispatch the most deadly man in the U.S. Army – LT. FRANK CASTLE.
Explicite Content
Present Day. An elderly Vietnamese soldier named Letrong Giap sits and reflects on his life. He has fought long and hard against the enemies of his country, but two Americans stand out in particular. The first is Nick Fury, an American CIA officer who has cut his teeth in the darkest corners of America’s wars and Frank Castle, a United States Marine who wrote his name with rivers of Vietnamese blood, and who is destined to become the Punisher.
February, 1971. The United States is neck deep in the Vietnam War, although the Tet Offensive three years earlier has soured American public opinion of the conflict. The United States will be pulling out of Vietnam in two years, but in the meantime a young Frank Castle has a mission to accomplish.
It seems that Nick Fury has been shot down over hostile territory and has been captured by the North Vietnamese. Fearing that Fury will be unable to stand up to interrogation, the United States military orders Castle to kill Fury in order to maintain their secrets…no matter what the cost.
“Get Fury” #1 is written by Garth Ennis, which is really all you need to know to make a judgment of its quality and its subject matter. Ennis made a name for himself working with Vertigo in the early 90’s, where his work on Hellblazer and his own series Preacher were lauded as fantastic examples of dark and mature storytelling. When he moved over to Marvel he made the Punisher his own, and his 60 issue run on Punisher MAX is considered one of the more definitive takes on the character. Lately, he’s been puttering around the independant comics scene and nearly single handedly reviving and propping up the war comics sub genre. All of this bears mentioning because “Get Fury” #1 is classic Garth Ennis. It’s a gritty, grimy, violent book where stern faced men make tough decisions that decide who lives and who dies. On top of that, Ennis shows his love and respect for military history by erring more on the side of actual history than what the Vietnam War may have been like in the Marvel Universe (basically it means there are no capes and tights superheroes in this book). This is a book that knows exactly what it wants to be, and anyone who is a fan of this kind of book will enjoy it.
If “Get Fury” #1 has any problems, it’s that it feels like it’s a bit of a nostalgia cash grab, which is immediately apparent when you realize that the cover for the book is an homage to the Punisher’s first appearance in “The Amazing Spider-Man” #129 in 1974. While it is a well written book, it’s a book that doesn’t try to push boundaries or do anything new with the character. This is a book for people who like a certain type of Punisher story or who want a time capsule into comic books of the early 2000’s. It’s not a bad thing, just something worth noting.
Continued belowA quick continuity note for any potential new readers before we continue to talk about the art. The Nick Fury in this comic is the older Nick Fury from the 1960’s, which might be a bit off putting for newer comic book fans but was the version of Nick Fury that appeared in the MAX books in the early 2000’s. For longtime comic book fans, this is the grim and gritty David Hasselhoff Nick Fury instead of the Samuel L. Jackson Nick Fury. Don’t worry, it’s still the same eyepatch wearing super spy, but he’s a white guy with a full head of hair in this one.
The artwork for “Get Fury” #1 is provided by long time Ennis collaborator Jacen Burrows, who is a long time creative collaborator with Ennis and has worked with him on quite a few books, especially Ennis’ books that were published through a publisher called Avatar Press. At first glance, Burrow’s art style doesn’t really appear suited for this sort of mature storytelling. It’s got a whiff of Herge and clean line style and its simple lines and minimalist backgrounds make the book appear more suitable for a children’s story. However, it only takes a quick glance at the subject matter of the story and a look at two rather gruesome executions near the end of the book to remind the reader why Burrows and Ennis work so well together and why this book has earned the mature readers warning sticker on the cover. It’s a great art style for this kind of story. It’s realistic enough to be gritty and down to earth, it’s detailed enough to give the reader a fantastic sense of place and energy, and it’s unique enough to be a bit of welcome reprieve from a lot of the similar looking art we’ve seen in a lot of big Marvel books over the past couple of years.
“Get Fury” #1 is a return to a very specific time in the Punisher’s history that is fondly remembered by a lot of people, even if it could be a bit much at times. Older fans will appreciate it while newer fans will be treated to an intense and extremely gory story.
Final Verdict: 8.7 – Frank Castle and old school Nick Fury are back, and with this creative team the blood is set to flow.
