Favourite covers: Nick Fury Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. - issue 6 - Jim Steranko

The above issue of "Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." issue 6 was published in November 1968 however, it wasn't until 1972 when I first saw this Sternako cover printed in an old US Marvel comic advertising its release. It’s fair to say I was immediately intrigued by the cover art and made it my goal to track down a copy as soon as I could. That task would take me some time!

It wouldn't be until 1983, when Marvel reprinted the Steranko illustrated/written S.H.I.E.L.D. comics in a 2 issues limited series (see covers below) that I eventually obtained a copy of that amazing cover. But like most comic fans I craved a copy of the original comic book and I finally tracked down a reading copy of “Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." issue 6 (for only £4!) in a local book stores closing down sale last week (50 years after first seeing the cover in 1972). Although I was pleased to eventually find this issue I was slightly disappointed to see that the story was illustrated by Frank Springer and not Sternako whose last internal artwork and story appeared in issue 5. In the story itself (plotted by Roy Thomas & written by Archie Goodwin) an asteroid is hurtling towards Earth and only Nick Fury can stop it. However, there are alien forces that will stop at nothing to ensure that the asteriod finds it target, planet Earth!

This issue of S.H.I.E.L.D also featured an advert for "Hulk King Size" issue 1 featuring that stunning Hulk cover by Steranko.

Above, the covers to the 2 issue limited "Nick Fury Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." 1983 series featring Steranko's run on the series. Issue 2 cover taken from Marvel Wiki (I can't find my issue!)

Steranko's cover to "Nick Fury Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D" issue 6 has been usued in many comics including the first issue of Marvel UK's "Future Tense" comic (with awful colouring).