Fury MAX: My War Gone By

Fury MAX (Single Issues) #1-13

by Garth Ennis, Lee Loughridge (Illustrator), Robert Steen (Illustrator)

Colonel Nick Fury, veteran CIA operative, has been at war for a lifetime. Now he sits alone in a dank hotel room, coughing his confession into a tape recorder, laying out a legacy of carnage stretching back to World War II. Because when that war ended, another one began - and Fury sought it out, regardless of the cost to those who loved him, including loyal George Hatherly, Congressman Pug McCuskey, and the beautiful Shirley DeFabio. From Indochina to Cuba, Vietnam to Nicaragua, Fury battled across the decades, encountering young Marine sniper Frank Castle and the nightmarish Barracuda -his constant lust for combat blinding him to all other concerns. But the end is coming. The debt is long past due. And Nick Fury's true legacy will soon be writt en in blood for all to see.
COLLECTING: FURY MAX 1-13

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Fiction, War, Historical Fiction, Comic Book

312 pages, Hardcover

First published August 19, 2014

About the author

Ennis began his comic-writing career in 1989 with the series Troubled Souls. Appearing in the short-lived but critically-acclaimed British anthology Crisis and illustrated by McCrea, it told the story of a young, apolitical Protestant man caught up by fate in the violence of the Irish 'Troubles'. It spawned a sequel, For a Few Troubles More, a broad Belfast-based comedy featuring two supporting characters from Troubled Souls, Dougie and Ivor, who would later get their own American comics series, Dicks, from Caliber in 1997, and several follow-ups from Avatar.

Another series for Crisis was True Faith, a religious satire inspired by his schooldays, this time drawn by Warren Pleece. Ennis shortly after began to write for Crisis' parent publication, 2000 AD. He quickly graduated on to the title's flagship character, Judge Dredd, taking over from original creator John Wagner for a period of several years.

Ennis' first work on an American comic came in 1991 when he took over DC Comics's horror title Hellblazer, which he wrote until 1994, and for which he currently holds the title for most issues written. Steve Dillon became the regular artist during the second half of Ennis's run.

Ennis' landmark work to date is the 66-issue epic Preacher, which he co-created with artist Steve Dillon. Running from 1995 to 2000, it was a tale of a preacher with supernatural powers, searching (literally) for God who has abandoned his creation.

While Preacher was running, Ennis began a series set in the DC universe called Hitman. Despite being lower profile than Preacher, Hitman ran for 60 issues (plus specials) from 1996 to 2001, veering wildly from violent action to humour to an examination of male friendship under fire.

Other comic projects Ennis wrote during this time period include Goddess, Bloody Mary, Unknown Soldier, and Pride & Joy, all for DC/Vertigo, as well as origin stories for The Darkness for Image Comics and Shadowman for Valiant Comics.

After the end of Hitman, Ennis was lured to Marvel Comics with the promise from Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada that he could write The Punisher as long as he cared to. Instead of largely comical tone of these issues, he decided to make a much more serious series, re-launched under Marvel's MAX imprint.

In 2001 he briefly returned to UK comics to write the epic Helter Skelter for Judge Dredd.

Other comics Ennis has written include War Story (with various artists) for DC; The Pro for Image Comics; The Authority for Wildstorm; Just a Pilgrim for Black Bull Press, and 303, Chronicles of Wormwood (a six issue mini-series about the Antichrist), and a western comic book, Streets of Glory for Avatar Press.

In 2008 Ennis ended his five-year run on Punisher MAX to debut a new Marvel title, War Is Hell: The First Flight of the Phantom Eagle.

In June 2008, at Wizard World, Philadelphia, Ennis announced several new projects, including a metaseries of war comics called Battlefields from Dynamite made up of mini-series including Night Witches, Dear Billy and Tankies, another Chronicles of Wormwood mini-series and Crossed both at Avatar, a six-issue miniseries about Butcher (from The Boys) and a Punisher project reuniting him with artist Steve Dillon (subsequently specified to be a weekly mini-series entitled Punisher: War Zone, to be released concurrently with the film of the same name).

Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garth_Ennis

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think most people would agree that war is a bad thing (okay, its hell!), but does Garth Ennis need to re-invent Nick Fury just to tell us?

This isn’t your great grandpa’s Nick Fury. With almost no references (two characters are re-configured) to the Marvel Universe as we know it and no super heroics, it’s a tale with as much distance from Fury’s comic book hijinks as possible.

Fury works for the CIA. There’s no SHIELD, no Howling Commandos, no James Bond-esque derring do, no HYDRA Hail Hydra!, no Infinity formula keeping him forever 40ish years old and no Life Model Decoys.

You have Fury on hand for military interventions in Indochina, Cuba, Vietnam and Nicaragua. Fury always seems to be around the skirmish du jour and as the Cold War lines become gray and murky he’s still drawn to the inherent violence – like a moth to a flame or a junkie who needs a fix. As the “good guys” muddle through with poor decision after poor decision, jaded Fury plays the coulda shoulda guy, the voice of strategic wisdom – of course, to no avail.

For Fury’s crew you have an idealistic (read: moral center) sidekick, a corrupt politician and the politician’s secretary and eventual wife. Frank Castle (aka The Punisher) makes an appearance in Vietnam as a sniper and Barracuda, a Punisher villain, serves as the antagonist in Nicaragua.

Its 40 years of historical conflicts, moral ambiguity, and soul searching served on a preachy, graphic novel stick.

This is a MAX title, which means it includes liberal doses of profanity, sex, nudity and graphic violence. And a clever (suggested) use of a cucumber. Keep it away from the kids.

[Drew Canole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the century hopping nature of this book. It shows how Fury went from WW2 to modern times. It doesn't include much superhero stuff, and like many of Ennis's Marvel/DC war stories I feel like this could have been stronger if it wasn't in those universes at all. It just makes the stories a bit awkward.

1954 French Indochina - Fury is part of a crew that includes an ex-Nazi (who doesn't feel bad at all about his actions).

1961 Bay of Pigs - Fury attempts to assassinate Che Guevara

1970 Vietnam - Assassinate a Viet Cong general with Frank Castle

1984 - Nicaragua Fury deals with Barracuda who is running a drug operation

Overall it's a pretty good book. A bit bogged down at times, but I really like the concept.

[Sonic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read enough about C.I.A. Black Ops to have an idea about how much U.S. foreign policy, indeed history, has been shaped by the kind of whack-jobs (pun intended) one commonly finds at the C.I.A. and similar type espionage agencies.
That said, it sure is wonderful to have Garth Ennis provide Nick Fury as our "tour guide" through this ugly side of history, all while giving depth and back-story to the character of ol' Fury himself.
First rate art, first rate writing, but it is because it is so exceptional to find these stories in a mainstream comic that I must give this book 5 stars.

[Sourya Majumder · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief history of America's long war against the world.

Big on details, light on subtext, yet a relentless and even haunting condemnation of the American Empire.

And appropriately pointless at the end of it all.

[Brent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great stories, with a very bittersweet take on Fury and history. No howling commandos here; just aging cold warriors.

[RG · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just got a pass for me. Ennis defs understands war and if you want anyone writing a war story then hes the guy. This was a slow burn, and more so from the political side of things. I think my issue was that we really didnt need Fury as the main character. There was limited refs to the Marvel universe so no need to involve the character. Would have probably worked better if sep from Marvel

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually read this in two trades, so if there is extra or different backmatter in this volume, this review won't cover it. Let me start by saying that CROSSED is not a good introduction to Garth Ennis's writing. It's like normal Ennis times ten. I will confess that morbid fascination got me through the first volume of Crossed, but it's not the sort of thing I want to read on a regular basis. I went from there to the first volume of The Boys, which was very good, but a bit precocious. I will definitely read the rest of it, but for whatever reason, I stopped after the first volume. Fury Max was the first book by Ennis that truly impressed me. Yes, it's violent and gritty in typical Ennis fashion, but boy does that guy know his history. Or at least well enough to fool the casual observer. I read My War Gone By a month or so ago, around the same time I was watching Burns's Vietnam series, and a lot of facts and events lined up between the two. So, I assumed the rest was accurate, at least to the spirit of the events the story included. Anyhow, Ennis's writing style is so incredibly appropriate for a war book, and I felt like I saw a little of the less sardonic Ennis here, because he doesn't glorify war in any sense of the word. It's an evil, albeit a necessary one, and men like Fury sacrifice their humanity so the rest of us can live our oblivious lives. It's also impressive the way he threads his story throughout so many decades in a way that honors the passage of time but doesn't lose the reader. Truly skilled storytelling.
And now that I'm done writing all that, I think I need to change my 4 star rating to a 5 star rating.

[Jeffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply a masterpiece. A treatise on war and the cost of 20th century capitalism. Beautifully drawn and dialogue to die for. Read this. Now.

[Saugata Mukherjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say?! I love Garth Ennis, and if he is writing about war, it's pure gold (or Vibranium, or Adamantium whichever is top at the market rate on any given day). Ennis seems to capture the human aspect and emotions of war so effortlessly, it seems that you are in them. And the war takes a toll on the reader along side its protagonist(s).
This is a very personal story of Nick Fury and the wars he has fought in. As the story progresses we move ahead in the history , from Indochina to Cuba to Vietnam and ends in Nicaragua. Nick Fury is as always a cynic, but by the end of it all he is very much a broken man. A man broken by the tolls different war took on him. As a reader I felt sorry for Fury and his motley crew. The characters are written masterfully by Mr. Ennis, everybody evolves into a three dimensional real person. There were no black or white characters in this book (probably with the exception of Hatherly), everybody is a different shade of Grey.
All the four arcs present in this book are beautifully done, but I guess this is one of those books where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The underlying narrative thread and interaction between characters are the thing that made this book a 5 star one for me.
It will be a great disservice if I do not give due credit to Goran Parlov for the gorgeous art. He has captured the grand scale of the wars and minute character expression with equal ease. Also kudos to colorist Lee Loughridge for giving us lush jungle settings so brilliantly.
Have I mentioned that we get cameos from Frank 'Frigging' Castle and Barracuda in this book? Garth Ennis writing these two fan favorite characters, like he has never left them. The stone cold Castle and 'Charming'(!!) Barracuda are both like I remember them from Punisher Max. That makes this book all the more great.
At the end, I guess this is a study by Ennis of all the American misadventures and the toll it took on the soldiers (of either side) who participated in them. The question that Mr. Ennis puts up for the reader is, does anybody wins in a War?

[Jake Nap · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fury My War Gone by is among Ennis’s best work. This is his thesis on war and the mentality of a Solider. It’s my favorite he’s done in the MAX universe (read everything he’s done except Punisher The Platoon) and he writes Nick Fury as a pretty three dimensional and interesting character.

The main plot of this book is Nick Fury’s journey through 4 different wars over the course of about 40 years. The book develops his relationships with various side characters that are also well explored in my opinion. The side cast and how Fury interacts with them is one of my favorite parts of this book. Nick Fury’s addiction to war is a central theme of the book and one that’s explored in great detail. This book also highlights the political side of war and how grimy it is pretty well. One of the main characters is a congressman that gets slimier as the book goes on, his negative progression is one of my favorite parts of the book. You really start to hate that guy. Nick Fury is a thoroughly unhappy character, and that’s never been more apparent here. He does what he does because he really does like it, but I get the expression he doesn’t want to like it. He struggles to open up and he struggles to maintain meaningful relationships. Those are definitely my favorite parts of the book, but the exploration of war is really mature and another strong point of the book.

Goran Parlov and Lee Loughridge do an EXCELLENT job aging these characters over this 40 year old span and the art in this book is gritty in a good way. Parlov is a great sequential artist. He portrays action and expression really well creating a really engaging story. Loughridge is also an important member of the creative team. His colors are really captivating and he really knows when to use certain colors to keep your eye on the page.

Fury My War Gone By has the entire creative team firing on all cylinders. There isn’t too much negative to say, but I did find some of the overly political scenes to be kind of a slog. That’s really easy to overlook though when the rest of the book is so damn good.

9/10

[Mihai · Rating 5 out of 5]

An insanely good litany on the futility of war as seen through the eyes of bad-ass Nick Fury. From 'Nam to Nicaragua, war is created and fought for reasons that benefit so very few and damage so many.

[Romulus · Rating 5 out of 5]

W Polsce wydano to jako 2 część Fury Max. I o ile pierwsza część była przeciętna to w drugiej Garth Ennis pokazał swoją klasę. Doskonała fabuła rozpisana na kilka dekad. Poplątane życie pułkownika Nicka Fury z mocno tragiczną melancholią w finale. Mocna historia, niezależna kompletnie od marvelowego mainstreamu. Nie jest łatwo się od niej uwolnić. Kocham takie historie właśnie za tego typu emocje.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great artwork by Goran Parlov in this reimagining of Nick Fury, now a CIA operative who's hunger for combat is fed by America's endless, and sometimes secret, wars.

[Marko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ovo je bio jedan od onih stripova koje sam uzeo samo da prelistam kad sam ih nabavio i onda ga nisam pustio dok nisam pročitao ceo.

Sjajni Garth Ennis. I rekao bih da mu je ratna tematika posebno legla ovde. Ovo je priča o Nick Furyu ali iz Max edicija gde događaji ne prate opšte poznate narativne tokove Marvel junaka. I ovaj strip nema nikakve veze sa Marvel svetom osim što se u epizodnim ulogama pojavljuje Punisher i još neki sporedni likovi iz njegove Max edicije, ali može da se čita potpuno samostalno i mislim da je to i odlično ispalo. Ovde nema Marvel superherijštine niti negih nasleđa koje je morao Ennis da ispoštuje zbog Marvela.

Nick Fury je vojnik koji ide gde treba i obavlja šta treba. Konkretno Vijetnam, Kuba, Nikaragva... Garth Ennis poznaje očigledno rat i ratno okruženje. Na momente me je podsetio strip na roman Aleksis Ženija "Francusko umeće ratovanja" gde imamo ostarelog vojnika kome je dosta rata ali ne može bez njega jer je to njegovo jedino prirodno okruženje.

Naravno, sjajni Ennis ovde ne bira strane, svi su pojedino loši i korumpirani od američke strane do ovih protiv kojih se bore i likovi popu Furya dobro poznaju taj teren i kako u njemu da opstanu. Naravno, tu je i Heatherly koji je svetla tačka ispravnog mišljenja i čiste svesti koji naravno zbog toga stalno upada u probleme i Fury mora da ga vadi ali Heatherly drži moralni kompas za Fury i zbog toga mu je važniji od njega samog. Lik Shirley je fenomenalno napisan, kao osoba koja je na mestu na kome ne bi trebala da bude i koja zaslužuje mnogo bolje, ali kad jednom uđeš u taj svet teško, ili nemoguće, je iz njega izaći. Ona je senka Fury koja ga podseća na život koji bi mogao da ima samo kad bi mogao da izađe iz postojećeg.

Rat i ratne teme, a pogotovo Vijetnam i Kuba, u popularnoj kulturi su pomalo i prevaziđeni, ali Ennis uspeva da napiše ovaj strip takav da bude podjednako zabavan i za budućnostu kojoj će se čitati. Osim par Rambo-vskih scena gde naš junak uspeva nekim čudom da savladam pozamašnu količinu neprijatelja, strip ipak obesmišljava ratovanje i vrlo direktno kritikuje američke ratove na tuđim teritorijama kao oportunističke i vođene isključivo zbog zarade i interesa pojediniaca. Pa tako Fury uspeva da nađe i prijatelje na zaraćenim stranama - jer psi rata govore jezike svih rasa.

Goran Parlov je ovde isto fenomenalan. Crtež je savršeno legao uz priču, ali način na koji vizuelno i kroz kakve kadrove nas vodi Parlov što neodoljivo podseća na najbolje ratne filmove 80ih i početka 90ih kada je ovaj žanr bio na vrhuncu svoje popularnosti.

[The Ball · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most depressing thing I’ve ever read, about how war slowly breaks a person down until all that’s left is the shell of a person who thought that at some point they might’ve done something good, just to realise it’s all fucked and the people working above you have only their own interests at heart to whatever can make them richer and more powerful no matter the cost, and fucking over the little people consistently to get what they want. The implication of that final page my god. Works as a spiritual sequel to his Punisher run as we see Nick Fury and Frank Castle working side-by-side in the Vietnam war and how that war fucked them both over in completely different ways. Garth Ennis proves to yet again write comics like no other, with him being responsible for three of my all time favourites (Punisher Max, Fury Max, Preacher).

[Neil Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kirby & Steranko back in Marvel's first age of greatness may have Fury The Superhero, but Fury The Soldier is Garth Ennis' and Garth Ennis' alone. Whereas the first outing of Fury way back at the MAX line's outset was largely an amusing trifle (in a violent, South Parky way), this one is just magisterial. War Story-Watchmen, brought to us by Ennis' characterization & gift for dialogue, as well as the apocalyptic combat-theatres & haunted figures of Goran Parlov

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not usually a fan of mixing fictional characters, especially comic characters with real life history and I still have my reservations but this was well done. Like Spider-man Life Story, we see Nick Fury age in real life as the decades come and the cold war takes its toll. A sharp critique of American imperialism mixed with great art. This was published under Marvel's Max series aka their R rating brand the series doesn't skimp on blood or nudity, so if that's not your thing, stay away.

[One Flew · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars
Interesting enough, but what the hell was the point. I never really got a sense of a cohesive narritive, any real character devolpment or direction to this work. I like the angle Ennis has used with Nick Fury and the stories that he told. Mildly amusing, read it or not, you're not missing anything spectacular if you skip this one.

[Danijel Jedriško · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fury - Max edicija... davno sam ga pročitao na engleskom, no u ovom izdanju je zbilja gušt. Besmisao ratova za političare i traženje smisla za one na terenu. I sve ono između.

Rat je znak beskonačnosti. Ljudi su takvi, uvijek će naći razlog.
I kad ga nađu, onda su ljudi poput Furyja neprocjenjivi.
Iako se s njihovim kompasom možda neće svatko složiti.

[Deat · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The blood on the bandaged wounds of brave men… and all the stars in the sky”

[Teo · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Garth Ennis knows something, that's how to write a war story. It was with Punisher MAX that I've fallen in love with the character, as well as Ennis. To this day I consider his Punisher run my favorite comic of all time. The entire mini-series has also been illustrated by Goran Parlov, who is my favorite Punisher artist. His work is no less stellar here.

"Fury MAX: My War Gone By" is set in the same world as Ennis' Punisher, meaning: the ordinary world, without superheroes and secret arch-villain organizations. Readers only familiar with the "other" Fury incarnations might be disappointed. There's nothing comical or light-hearted about this volume, which collects Nick Fury's recollections of 4 war campaigns spanning over 40 years.

It's an emotional trip down memory lane, a series of recollections by an aged killing machine who's known only war his entire life, and has been cursed to fully understand the futility and hypocrisy of it. In short, it's a tragedy, and the author knows how to tug at your heart strings. Ennis' characters, if at times exaggerated, are made of flesh and bones. They behave and feel like actual human beings, and you care for them all, villains included. Ennis paints their motivations and makes you understand what drives them. Even if you don't agree with them, the reader fully gets where the "bad" guys are coming from. Except maybe Barracuda, he's just a homicidal nutcase.

The book offers loads of bloody action, but in essence it's a slow burner - the quiet scenes is where most of the storytelling happens. It remains deadly serious in tone from start to end, with no comic relief, so be prepared for that.

My only complaint, story-wise, is that Fury is often forced to take a sort of "passive" role in the action. Not in the sense that he doesn't get his fair share of shooting, because he does - and loads of it. But more in the sense of him being rendered powerless. He's often blindsided by political decisions and pen-pusher shenanigans, forcing him to watch horrors and injustices go by unpunished. This was of course intentional, and adds to the realism. But dammit, you'll be wishing a handful of times that maybe - just maybe! - as you're turning the next page, Fury will snap that scum politician's neck, or just rip the heart out of that corrupt general!

Ah...

So, in conclusion, "Fury MAX: My War Gone By" can be enjoyed even if you've never touched a Marvel comic book before. No previous knowledge of characters is needed. All you'll miss are a couple of loose references, but the drama and the emotional punch of Fury's story will not be diminished in the least because of it. It's a self-contained mini-series, with a clear (albeit a little cheesy) ending.

Heartily recommended for more mature audiences!

[Krzysztof Grabowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Polskie wydanie nosi nazwę Fury MAX. Tom 2.

Kolejny zbiór przygód przepakowanego bohatera, który ma bardzo bogatą historię przemocy by Ennis. Tym razem jest to oryginalny Pułkownik Nicholas „Nick” Joseph Fury, który jeszcze nie uległ rebrandingowi i jest białym mężczyzną, którego chwała wyraźnie topnieje wraz z wiekiem. A rośnie wewnętrzna gorycz i żal.

Początkowo byłem nastawiony do całej historii negatywnie. Ot mordobicie jakich wiele, w dodatku jak na tegoż autora mało makabryczne (przynajmniej do czasu). Towarzyszymy Fury'iemu na przestrzeni kilkudziesięciu lat. Od jego wojaży w Indochinach, przez Kubę, Wietnam i na Nikaragui skończywszy. Jest to pasmo wymian ognia, ryzykowaniem życiem i walką z wrogiem. Tyle, że tym razem z reguły przegraną.

Jak na Ennisa przystało jest tu wiele "ciekawych" postaci, choć nie stwierdziłem większych odpałów, do jakich przywykłem na przestrzeni lat w jego dziełach. Taki George Hatherly to swój chłop, który stanowi nieco kompas moralny bohatera. Kongresmen Pug McCuskey prezentuje zaś typowy, skorumpowany obraz polityka amerykańskiego, dla którego kariera jest najważniejsza, a wszelakie porażki są podsumowywane odcięciem się od odpowiedzialności.

Jest też zjawiskowa Shirley DeFabio, "sekretarka" wspomnianego kongresmena, z którą łączy z Nicholasem płomienny romans (i sprawia, że komiks rzeczywiście jest od tych 18+). Znajdzie się też tu miejsce dla innych znanych figur, jakimi zajmował się autor na przestrzeni lat, czyli Frankiem Castle'm czy niejakim Barracudą.

Im dalej w las, tym historia zyskiwała na swoim zdecydowanie antywojennym wydźwięku. Fury zaczynał jako tzw. pies wojny. Pierwszy na linii, spragniony krwi. Im dłużej to trwało, tym więcej bohater tracił. Aż przyszedł moment, kiedy podstarzały bohater wie, że stracił/odpuścił zbyt wiele, aby liczyć na jakikolwiek happy end. Jest tylko gorycz straty i minionego czasu. Zakończenie jest depresyjne.

Po mdłym pierwszym tomie, kontynuacja jest jak haust świeżego powietrza po kilku godzinnym buszowaniu w tunelach Wietkongu. To zamaskowany manifest antywojenny, który pozostawił mnie w podłym nastroju. Interesy prowadzone przez spasione potęgi tego świata to czyste zło, na które nie ma się wpływu. Makabra.

[Omnibuster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ennis and Parlov's "Fury Max: My War Gone By" is arguably the best and definitive Nick Fury story out there in terms of story and art. This story is told in four different three issue arcs that span across Fury's military career post-WWII in French Indochina, Cuba, Vietnam, Nicaragua, and ending with a single issue set in 1999. In present day, Fury is in a hotel room dictating his experiences into an old tape recorder. Each arc depicts real life events and are examinations of America's covert blunders in the 20th century and how some soldiers are addicted to war.

"Fury" is full of cursing, sex, violence, and great dialogue. The arcs aren't completely separated from another since each blunder builds up to the next military operation and a few characters are present throughout (Senator McCuskey, the Senator's secretary, and a CIA agent named Hatherly). Ennis clearly has a lot of love for and knowledge of historical events and inserts fictional characters into these events masterfully.

If you've read Ennis' Punisher run, this is backstory for the Fury that appears in that series and is also connected to his other Fury mini-series. Frank Castle even appears in the Vietnam arc as the assassin for the mission; in short, he's a bad ass. There are no superheroes or SHIELD just a realistic portrayal of a soldier in horrific world events.

Parlov's art is top notch and perfectly complements Ennis writing as he did in "Punisher: The Platoon" (which I highly recommend as well). I really want more collaborations from them.

Take a break from superheroes and get down and dirty with "Fury: My War Gone By". It's truly engaging, interesting, very adult, and will even make you want to research the depicted events. The book is NSFW and people may question your life choices if you read this in public, but ain't that the deal with Ennis anyways?

[Adam Spanos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a Max series, this may not be the Nick Fury of Shield and the superhero universe, though he could easily be the Nick Fury of the recent Punisher Max series. Most issues have a little framing/opening shot of an aged Nick Fury recording his story on an old reel-to-reel tape recorder in a hotel room full of naked women and empty bottles. He does remind you somewhat of the Comedian at the start of the Watchmen film. This is a Garth Ennis story, so it is excellently written, excellently illustrated, and dripping with blood and guts. There is a little bit of sex, but not enough to distract you from the violence. If you are a fan of Garth Ennis’s stories then, as the saying goes, you’re going to like this.

[Rocco Ricca · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much better than the first fury series. Unlike the first book, which gloats it's misogyny, hate, and all around mean spirited self, this story feels so much more inspired. Truly reflecting on what it means to be a soldier, starting at the "glory days" of post WW2 America where patriotism was at it's strongest, through the cold war and Vietnam where patriotism disappeared. Fury feels truly three dimensional as you see the inner conflict that rises through him.

While I'm not in love with some of the slurs used very carelessly throughout the book, the story is gripping and the characters are great. Overall I really enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would after reading Ennis's first take on Fury.

[Nikola Š · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nick Fury being a badass through 50 years of armed conflicts is occasionally fun and rarely enlightening. I'm a sucker for stories that depict the inevitable passage of time and this one has a somewhat satisfying ending, but all it has to say (wars are bad and used by the elites for their own profit) we've all heard before.

[Rahul Nadella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yep, it's great. It also gets better as it moves on. You can always trust Ennis to write good war comics and heart wrenching endings. I think that the last page of this series pays off completely the entire run. I have yet to read another ending in a maxi series as thrilling as this one. It's an amazing series.

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is definitely not for kids. I found some of it hard to read. Fury, cynical at the beginning, only finds the depth of that cynicism to be naive. The total disillusionment that Fury went through, like I said, hard to read.

[Douglas · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a back story of the original version of Nick Fury. It involves Vietnam and the Bay of Pigs. This is a Marvel Comic written for older teens or adults. You can smell the testosterone coming off the ink on the page.

[Michael Emond · Rating 3 out of 5]

A top review here captured my thoughts perfectly - Ennis uses the character of Fury to do a 13 issue exploration of how the "wars" the US fought after WWII were misguided and pointless. It paints Fury as a man who craves a war. It introduces three other characters and gives them their character arcs over 50 years. Pug the Senator using the wars to further his political career but washes his hands of them when they fail. George Hatherly who fights alongside Fury but is more idealistic and less the soldier Fury is. Shirley DeFabio the bombshell who is Nick's love interest even though she marries Pug. The mini-series is split into four main parts: Korea, Cuba, Vietnam, Nicaragua, and each one shows the slow decline of America and what it has become versus what it started out to be.

I think it is an effective story in that sense. It makes its point but isn't too heavy handed about it. Perhaps a right winger would be upset how negatively it paints these wars but history has come to show us that these viewpoints are valid. My complaint is - this isn't Nick Fury from the comics. While it uses the basic gruffness of the character it doesn't overlap at all with the Fury from the Marvel Universe. It is basically an elsewhere Fury, a What if Fury lived in our world? That might be fine for most readers but it was disappointing for me, not quite what I was expecting. No Howling Commandos, no SHIELD, no reference to his service in WWII. The other problem is, this is a depressing tale, no bones about it. Fury doesn't do anything overly heroic, he just survives and acts as our camera lens so we can see the atrocities of war. The most interesting part to me was to see how all four characters are aged over the course of fifty years. It was realistic and, mostly, brutally honest.

The art by Goran Parlov is solid. It actually reminds me of Mort Drucker from MAD magazine. Maybe a little too cartoonish for the tone of the book but still well done.

This was entertaining and a well told story but because of the depressing story and the odd use of Fury (who really could have been anyone but they used Fury's name to sell the book) I can't rate it higher.