| Characters |
Val [Contessa Valentina Allegro de Fontaine]; Nick Fury; Pickman (locksmith); Scorpio [Jake Fury] (unrevealed); Dum Dum Dugan; Senator Irksome |
| Synopsis |
Val reads Nick's horoscope in the morning paper, which says "Someone in your past will return today." Nick pays a visit on Pickman, who's helping him locate someone, and he doesn't want SHIELD involved. The ESP Division picks up "possible danger", sending Nick to a seemingly-deserted warehouse-- and straight into a trap set by Scorpio! Nick's Farrari is destroyed, and Nick is captured. While unconscious, Scorpio creates a face-mask to allow him to impersonate Nick, then goes in disguise to view the test of the latest model of LMD. But as it begins, no one else realizes the robot has been replaced with Nick, drugged so he can't speak! Miraculously, Fury manages to dodge one death trap after another, then faces his would-be killer. Val, trying to save Nick's life, shoots at the "LMD"-- but hits Pickman instead, who found his way in via a secret passage. Nick pursues the escaping imposter, who tears off his mask, revealing his true identity to Nick-- just before being caught in a hail of gunfire from a group of SHIELD agents! After, Nick stands alone on a dock, looking out over the water, wondering if the man who tried so very hard to murder him is still alive... |
| Genre |
Spy |
| Script |
Jim Steranko |
| Pencils |
Jim Steranko |
| Inks |
John Tartaglione |
| Colors |
Jim Steranko |
| Letters |
Sam Rosen |
| Notes |
Identity of Scorpio revealed by Roy Thomas in THE AVENGERS #72 (January 1970), reprinted in ESSENTIAL AVENGERS Vol.4 (2004). Pickman based on Robert Morley. More details revealed when Scorpio returns in THE DEFENDERS #46, 48-50 (April, June-August 1977). Full background of character not revealed until flashback in FURY #1 (May 1994). Steranko repeated the gimmick of ending the story by having a character diving into water thru a hail of gunfire in CAPTAIN AMERICA #111 (March 1969). Nick's Ferrari, which he's had since STRANGE TALES #162 (November 1967) is destroyed; he gets a replacement in NICK FURY, AGENT OF SHIELD #8 (January 1969). |
| Reprinted |
in Captain Britain (Marvel UK, 1976 series) #35 (June 8, 1977) [pp. 1-7]; in Captain Britain (Marvel UK, 1976 series) #36 (June 15, 1977) [pp. 8-11]; in Captain Britain (Marvel UK, 1976 series) #37 (June 22, 1977) [pp. 12-20]; in GRANDSON OF ORIGINS (Marvel, 1998 series) #nn (April 1998); in Nick Fury: Who Is Scorpio (Marvel, 2000 series) #nn (November 2000); in Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Who Is Scorpio? (Marvel, 2001 series) #nn (September 2001) |