Oof.

I wrote of other volumes in the 'Fury' series that this is a comic about bullets, boobs, and blood. This volume, the first to be published, dials those elements up to eleven. Unfortunately, it lacks an interesting antagonist and it's saying some disturbing things.

First, the antagonist. In a line that has made me accustomed to morally complex antagonists and challenging dillemas, 'Fury' offers up a garden-variety psycho with a homoerotic fixation on its protagonist. There's no complexity there and nothing particularly interesting. Just a steroid queen and his henchman.

Second, the disturbing things. 'Fury' offers us a nerdy character: a young misfit who adores his Uncle Nick and will do just about anything to win his approval. Nick despises him. This reads like Garth Ennis flipping the bird to the very comic book nerds who love his work. It's baffling. Throw in some jejune philosophizing about world events, an ultimately uninteresting protagonist, and an uninteresting story, and I'm out.

But, hey, why two stars instead of one? First, the art style is perfect for the comic. Well done, there. Second, the comic gets bonus points for its depiction of the final fight. It goes over the top while hammering home the comic's themes. It's a solid bit of craftsmanship.

That said, this comic was not for me. If you're looking for the Garth Ennis 'Fury' experience, stick with "Peacemaker" and "My War Gone By."