Thursday, August 07, 2014

Secret Warriors, Vol.1: Nick Fury, Agent of Nothing by Brian Michael Bendis, Stefano Caselli, Jonathan Hickman (Illustrations)

Secret Warriors, Vol. 1: Nick Fury, Agent Of NothingSecret Warriors, Vol. 1: Nick Fury, Agent Of Nothing by Brian Michael Bendis

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I am very tardy at writing this review! I have read so many graphic novels in the past couple of months, and I've just been fatigued and sadly, writing reviews has felt like a chore lately.  Having said that, I am glad to get back and review this very good graphic novel.

When one thinks of Marvel characters, your mind doesn't necessarily go right to Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD, but honestly, he's a bit like the glue of the Marvel universe in some ways.  Or at least the Kevin Bacon (as in Six Degree of Separation).  Definitely when it comes to the Avengers-related storylines.  Well, in this one, it's his show.  He's a man on a mission.

SHIELD has been infiltrated and disavowed by the government.  It's essentially been rolled over into HAMMER, headed up by Norman Osborn.  Nick knows something is stinking in Denmark, and he's going to make things right.  Even though SHIELD is no more, he still has plenty of tricks up his sleeve. He's been a warrior, spy, and commander, so he knows what he's doing, and ruthless and determined enough to do it.

The villains are nasty and formidable. The good guys feel like underdogs, even though Nick, Dum Dum Dugan and his Howling Commandos are very skilled at taking on 'nasty' bad guys (see what they did in WWII, if you have questions about it).  Fury called in his contingency plan, activating SHIELD assets and individuals with potential.  Some of them are quite young, but needs must.  If I think really hard, it seems really scary for teens to be taking on nasty foes like the Gorgon and Lady Hydra.  However, they know what they are getting into and want this opportunity to serve their country, even knowing that some of them will die in the process.

I liked the way this book was put together. It had plenty of graphics and visuals about the enormity of SHIELD and their long-time adversary, HYDRA. Being a geek, I read each and every chart, table and map.  It helped to expand my understanding of the incredible task that Nick has set for himself.

This was a great find at the library. I'm just sad that my library doesn't have the rest of this series.  I want to finish it.  It's kind of pricy to buy, so I have decide if I'm willing to splurge to read the rest of these. I was glad I took a chance on this.  No, it's not the X-Men or The Avengers, but it was just as cool in a different way.  I didn't underestimate Fury before, but I have gained even more respect for him.

Secret Warriors is a very good adventure series with a touch of the superhero fiction vibe to satisfy comic book lovers. If you can find a copy, it's worth reading.



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