Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 (May 1963). First appearance as Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Strange Tales #135 (August 1965).
Nick Fury's journey in comics mirrors the evolution of American popular culture itself. He was introduced not as a slick super-spy, but as a grizzled, working-class soldier in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 (May 1963). Created by the legendary duo of writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the series was a response to the then-booming popularity of war comics. Fury was the tough-as-nails leader of an elite, ethnically diverse U.S. Army Ranger unit in World War II, a character archetype that resonated with audiences of the era. He was grounded, relatable, and human.
Two years later, with the James Bond phenomenon and spy-fi television shows like The Man from U.N.C.L.E. dominating the cultural landscape, Lee and Kirby ingeniously reinvented the character. In the “Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.” feature in Strange Tales #135 (August 1965), Fury was reintroduced to the modern day. Now sporting an eyepatch and a high-tech suit, Colonel Nick Fury was the head of a massive, technologically advanced espionage agency called S.H.I.E.L.D. This transformation was a masterstroke, bridging the gap between Marvel's gritty war stories and its burgeoning universe of superheroes and sci-fi technology. The creators explained his presence in the modern era with a secret super-soldier-like treatment, later refined to be the “Infinity Formula,” allowing him to serve as a living link between the “Greatest Generation” and the new Age of Heroes. This dual identity—the battle-hardened soldier and the high-tech spymaster—has defined him ever since.
The divergence between Nick Fury's comic book history and his cinematic portrayal is one of the most significant and well-known adaptations in the Marvel multiverse. Understanding both is key to understanding the character.
Nicholas Joseph Fury was born and raised in the gritty neighborhood of Hell's Kitchen, New York City, during the 1920s. Along with his friends, including “Red” Hargrove, he became a skilled street fighter and daredevil aviator. When the United States entered World War II, Fury and his crew enlisted in the U.S. Army. His natural leadership and tactical brilliance quickly earned him the rank of Sergeant and the command of the First Attack Squad, famously nicknamed the “Howling Commandos.” This special unit, comprised of soldiers from diverse backgrounds like Dum Dum Dugan and Gabe Jones, undertook some of the most dangerous missions of the war, frequently clashing with HYDRA agents like Baron Strucker. During a mission in France, Fury was gravely wounded by a grenade. To save his life, he was taken to Professor Berthold Sternberg, who administered an experimental treatment he called the “Infinity Formula.” While the formula healed Fury, it had an unforeseen side effect: it dramatically slowed his aging process to a near-standstill. This biological quirk became the cornerstone of his character, allowing him to remain a physically capable man from the battlefields of WWII to the present day. After the war, Fury joined the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the precursor to the CIA. He served as a covert agent for decades, witnessing the rise of the superhero community from the shadows. His unparalleled experience and unwavering commitment to global security made him the ideal candidate to lead the newly formed Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division (later changed to Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division). As Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Fury became the planet's top spy, commanding vast resources, including the iconic Helicarrier, and operating as the unseen hand guiding world events. His longevity, granted by the Infinity Formula, meant he was a constant presence, a living repository of the world's darkest secrets, making him one of the most powerful and influential non-super-powered individuals on Earth-616. This status quo was shattered during the Original Sin event, which revealed that for decades, Fury had been secretly acting as Earth's “Man on the Wall”—a clandestine, one-man defense force assassinating cosmic threats before they could reach the planet. After being forced to kill Uatu the Watcher, Fury was stripped of his Infinity Formula and cursed to become The Unseen, a chained, silent observer on the moon, replacing the very being he had killed.
The MCU's Nick Fury, visually and thematically based on the Ultimate Comics version, has a more streamlined and modern origin. Born in Huntsville, Alabama, this Nicholas J. Fury joined the United States Army after high school, later becoming a decorated officer in the C.I.A. during the Cold War. His career in espionage defined him, turning him into a deeply paranoid but highly effective operative within the clandestine world. He eventually joined S.H.I.E.L.D., where he rose through the ranks under the mentorship of senior officials like Alexander Pierce. A pivotal moment in his career occurred in 1995, as depicted in the film Captain Marvel. While investigating a crash, he encountered the Kree warrior Vers (Carol Danvers) and became embroiled in the interstellar Kree-Skrull war. This event was his first contact with extraterrestrial life and super-powered beings, fundamentally reshaping his worldview. He realized that while he was busy looking for threats on Earth, a much larger, more dangerous universe existed. This experience inspired him to draft the “Protector Initiative,” which he later renamed the “Avengers Initiative” after seeing Carol Danvers' callsign on her fighter jet. Contrary to popular belief and years of fan speculation, Fury did not lose his left eye in a heroic battle. He lost it when the friendly Flerken, Goose (who resembled a cat), scratched him after he got too playful. He chose to embrace the mystique of the injury, allowing others to assume a more dramatic story. Over the next decade, Fury ascended to the role of Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and began actively monitoring and recruiting potential candidates for his Avengers Initiative, including Tony Stark and Steve Rogers. Unlike his comic counterpart, the MCU Fury's age is entirely natural; he is a man of his time, not a relic of WWII. His power comes not from a life-extending formula, but from information, secrets, and an unparalleled ability to manipulate people and events to protect the world. His life's work came crashing down during the HYDRA Uprising, which forced him to dismantle S.H.I.E.L.D. and go underground. After being a victim of Thanos's Snap, he returned to establish S.A.B.E.R., a space-based defense organization designed to be Earth's first line of defense against cosmic threats.
While both primary versions of Nick Fury are master spies, their specific capabilities and the sources of their effectiveness differ significantly.
The 616 Fury is defined by a deep-seated cynicism born from a lifetime of war and espionage. He is gruff, world-weary, and perpetually chewing on a cigar. He operates in shades of gray, firmly believing that the ends justify the means. He is intensely loyal to his mission of protecting Earth, but this loyalty often leads him to manipulate his allies, keep dangerous secrets, and make unilateral decisions that alienate even his closest friends, like Captain America. He is the ultimate lonely sentinel, bearing the weight of the world's protection on his shoulders.
Samuel L. Jackson's portrayal infuses the character with a cool, collected confidence and a sharp, often sarcastic wit. While just as paranoid and secretive as the comic version, the MCU Fury projects a more charismatic and even paternalistic demeanor. He acts as a mentor and reluctant father figure to the Avengers. He is a master of the “coolly delivered threat” and the “inspirational speech.” However, recent appearances in Spider-Man: Far From Home and Secret Invasion have shown a man who is tired, worn down by loss, and perhaps has lost a step, adding new layers of vulnerability to the once-unflappable spymaster.
In this seminal 616 storyline, Fury discovered that the Latverian government, under Lucia von Bardas, was secretly funding a network of tech-based American supervillains. When the U.S. President refused to authorize action, Fury took matters into his own hands. He assembled a hand-picked team of heroes—including Captain America, Spider-Man, Luke Cage, and Wolverine—for an illegal, off-the-books invasion of Latveria to neutralize the threat. The mission was a success, but to maintain deniability, Fury erased the heroes' memories of the event. A year later, a vengeful and cybernetically-rebuilt von Bardas retaliated, leading to a devastating battle in New York. The heroes' memories returned, and Fury's unilateral actions were exposed. This event permanently cost him his position as Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and forced him underground, cementing his reputation as a man who will break any rule for the sake of his mission.
Years after being deposed, the 616 Fury proved his paranoia was not only justified but essential. While S.H.I.E.L.D. (then under Tony Stark's command) and the rest of the world were caught completely off-guard by the massive Skrull infiltration, Fury had been preparing. Having been in hiding, he was one of the few individuals who had not been replaced by a Skrull duplicate. He emerged from the shadows with his own private army, the Secret Warriors, to fight back. This storyline was the ultimate vindication of Fury's methods, showing that even when stripped of his titles and resources, he was still Earth's most vital defender.
This cosmic mystery storyline fundamentally changed the 616 Nick Fury forever. When Uatu the Watcher was murdered, an investigation revealed Fury's darkest secret: for over half a century, he had been operating as the clandestine “Man on the Wall.” Using brutal, often lethal methods, he single-handedly protected Earth from alien fleets, extra-dimensional gods, and nascent planetary threats, all without the knowledge of any hero or government. His Infinity Formula had run out, and he was now an old, dying man. It was revealed that he killed Uatu as an act of mercy. As punishment for his actions, the other Watchers cursed him to become the Unseen, a chained, silent observer fused with Uatu's cosmic awareness, forever forced to watch the Earth from the moon without being able to interfere.
This arc in the MCU is Fury's defining moment. It begins with an assassination attempt on Fury, which he narrowly survives by faking his death. The subsequent investigation by Captain America, Black Widow, and Falcon reveals the horrifying truth: S.H.I.E.L.D. has been secretly controlled by HYDRA since its founding. Fury's entire life's work, his global security apparatus, was a lie. This forces him to make the most difficult decision of his career: to burn it all down. He leaks all of S.H.I.E.L.D. and HYDRA's secrets to the world, dismantling the organization to destroy the cancer within it. This event stripped him of his power and influence, forcing him to operate from the shadows once again, but it showcased his ultimate commitment to true security over the illusion of it.
The Ultimates, this Nick Fury is an African American man whose likeness was famously based on actor Samuel L. Jackson, with his permission. A veteran of the Gulf War, this Fury's longevity is the result of being a test subject for a variant of the Super-Soldier Serum. He is even more cynical, ruthless, and manipulative than his 616 counterpart, believing that superhumans are essentially weapons of mass destruction that must be controlled and aimed by him.Battle Scars, Army Ranger Marcus Johnson discovers he is the secret, biracial son of the original Nick Fury. After losing his left eye in a conflict, he is recruited into S.H.I.E.L.D. and takes the name Nick Fury Jr. He has since become a prominent agent, effectively taking over the visual and functional role of his father in the primary comic universe.Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 (May 1963). First appearance as Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Strange Tales #135 (August 1965).Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.The Ultimates was done with the actor's full knowledge and consent. When he discovered his face was being used, his representatives contacted Marvel. The agreement they reached included a promise to offer Jackson the role of Nick Fury if a movie was ever made, a deal that famously came to fruition with his post-credits cameo in Iron Man (2008).