It’s 1940, and most of the world is already at war. In a mysterious mountain range, a strange encounter is going to drag Nick Fury into it as well. Your Major Spoilers review of Nick Fury Vs. Fin Fang Foom #1, awaits!

NICK FURY VS. FIN FANG FOOM #1

Writer: J Michael Straczynski
Artist: Elena Casagrande
Colorist: Mattia Iacono
Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham
Editor: Wil Moss
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: March 12th, 2025

Previously in Nick Fury Vs. Fin Fang Foom: The year is 1940 and America is on the cusp of entering World War II. One of their greatest soldiers is Sergeant Nick Fury. Fin Fang Foom is a shape shifting alien dragon who’s been slumbering, waiting for the right moment to strike.

CLOUD WITH TEETH

Nick Fury Vs. Fin Fang Foom #1 opens with Nick Fury and his buddy Red putting on a daredevil show for a small crowd. Afterward, they’re approached by a man named Happy Sam, who offers them a job in China. Nick accepts. Along the way, Sam tells him that American mercenaries called The Flying Tigers have been trying to start fighting, but something keeps knocking down their planes, and they need Nick to figure out what it is. Nick arrives at the Flying Tiger base and is re-introduced to Dum Dum Dugan and then introduced to Izzy, Morita, and Gabe. Gabe and Nick go up on a biplane and are quickly confronted with Fin Fang Foom. Nick bails and hides in a temple, with Fin Fang Foom in pursuit. In the temple, Nick encounters a chamber that gives him a disturbing vision of the future.

A SUBTLE FIGHT

When you tell me that a gruff, hard-as-nails commando is going head-to-head against a dragon from space, I have certain expectations. But, like the other issues from this series of strange team-ups and face-offs, this really becomes an excuse to have a tough conversation about humanity. With the exception of a brief chase sequence, a majority of this issue’s conflicts are internal ones. One of which is Nick’s motivations for fighting, shifting from monetary gains to grander ones. Also, the conflict within humanity itself and how it seems destined to destroy itself or at least weaken itself until it can’t fight against a truly existential threat. It’s a surprisingly deep comic that still manages to slide in some typical comic action. Some moments don’t completely work, though. In particular, the way that Nick comes across Fin Fang Foom’s den and what’s inside feels a little coincidental. Also, there’s an awkward moment during the climax where a pretty big assumption is made that just doesn’t come across as being earned. Finally, the ending itself had a strange cliffhanger-style ending. It is a moment from Nick Fury’s history but it didn’t really add anything to the story and came off like an unnecessary gut punch just for the sake of the gut punch.

BRIDGING OLD AND NEW

The art in Nick Fury Vs. Fin Fang Foom tip toes between a more modern-looking comic and something inspired by old war comics. All the coloring is very clean and matte, and there’s a lot of emphasis put on the gruff expressions of all the soldiers and airmen. Some pages, though, are truly modern in how they’re put together and colored. In particular the premonition that Nick has in Fin Fang Foom’s lair. But this shift works as this scene not only puts the main character in a different space, but it also drags the reader there as well. So, it’s effective.

BOTTOM LINE: A SURPRISINGLY DEEP READ, WITH A COUPLE STUMBLES

Nick Fury Vs. Fin Fang Foom #1 is a misleading title. Sure, these two characters are antagonistic towards each other. But there isn’t so much of a fight as there is a philosophical debate that has a couple of moments of a dragon trying to eat a man thrown in. As odd as that may sound, it works, and I think it achieves its goal of raising some questions about humanity and the impact a single person can have on history. A couple of odd moments do spoil the fun a little, but don’t seriously hinder the overall enjoyment I had reading this. 4 out of 5 stars.

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