Nick Fury's Howling Commandos #1
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeNick Fury's Howling Commandos #1 marks the first appearance of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Paranormal Containment Unit as a team and the debut of Warwolf (Vic Marcus) as an original character, while simultaneously reactivating a bench of Marvel's classic horror and pre-superhero monster characters — Grogg, Groot, N'Kantu the Living Mummy, Frankenstein's Monster (in clone form), and others — and weaving them into the contemporary espionage Marvel Universe for the first time. The series introduced Area 13, a covert S.H.I.E.L.D. supernatural-operations base in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, a location that would persist across the broader Marvel Universe. By consciously riffing on the title of the Stan Lee/Jack Kirby wartime classic Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos, the book planted the 'monsters as soldiers' premise that Marvel would revisit a decade later with the 2015 Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. series, and the team's concept carried forward into animation across Ultimate Spider-Man and Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H.
"Creatures on the Loose!" kicks off Nick Fury's Howling Commandos #1 with a bold premise: Fury assembles a S.H.I.E.L.D. unit composed of monsters, thrusting them under the reluctant command of Quartermain. When the Howling Commandos launch an assault on a cell of the Lords of the Living Lightning, the real test of their unity—and survival—begins. Written by Keith Giffen and illustrated by Eduardo Francisco, with inks by Kris Justice and Terry Pallot, and vibrant colors by Sotocolor's J. Tai, the issue's cover by Francisco and Justice captures the team's chaotic energy.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
The series was written by Keith Giffen — best known for his irreverent voice on DC's Justice League International and for co-creating Lobo — across all six issues of its run, with Eduardo Francisco providing pencils (inked by Kris Justice) for the debut issue. The cover date of December 2005 places it squarely in Marvel's mid-2000s expansion era under editor-in-chief Joe Quesada, edited by Mark Paniccia and Nathan Cosby. A Director's Cut edition of issue #1 was also produced, packaging Giffen's original script and early concept art — including designs for inactive roster members not featured in the main story — and notably revealing that Warwolf's name was originally planned to be 'Deke' before the character was finalized as Vic Marcus.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First team appearance of the Howling Commandos (S.H.I.E.L.D. Paranormal Containment Unit) on Earth-616, cover-dated December 2005.
- First appearance of Warwolf (Vic Marcus), the team's werewolf field leader, who can shapeshift voluntarily whenever Mars is in the night sky.
- First appearance of Area 13, a classified S.H.I.E.L.D. black-ops base and R&D facility for supernatural assets, located in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey.
- Written by Keith Giffen with pencils by Eduardo Francisco and inks by Kris Justice; Joe Quesada served as editor-in-chief, with Mark Paniccia and Nathan Cosby as editors.
- The opening mission depicts the team neutralizing a terrorist cell in Afghanistan that was purchasing technology from the Lords of the Living Lightning, establishing the book's occult-espionage tone from its first pages.
- The issue introduces Clay Quartermain as the incoming commanding officer of Area 13, taking over from Dum Dum Dugan, with Bradley Beemer established as the base's Tech Chief.
- The roster draws from three distinct tiers of Marvel history: pre-existing supernatural heroes (Gorilla-Man, N'Kantu the Living Mummy), pre-superhero Silver Age monster characters (Grogg, later Groot and Goom), and newly created characters (Warwolf, the Zombie 'John Doe').
- A Director's Cut edition of issue #1 was published, containing Giffen's original script, concept art for inactive squad members, and the revelation that Warwolf's name was originally going to be 'Deke.'
Cast · 27 characters
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Reprints
Reprinted in Marvel 1602: New World #3 (2005), The Amazing Spider-Man #524 (2005), Guardians of the Galaxy: Road to Annihilation #2 (2017)
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