SHIELD will officially return for the first time since 2017 in Marvel Comics, and Marvel gave fans a first look at the major redesign of Nick Fury Jr. Fury has generally sported the same look throughout the years, at least in the modern era of the comics and the MCU. However, some of his trademarked features will be adjusted for his upcoming appearance in the comics.
Marvel Comics revealed that SHIELD will come back in Captain America #6, which will be released in January 2026. This will mark the first time the organization has been brought back since the 2017 Secret Empire run, and a fresh version of Nick Fury Jr. will lead them.
Along with the announcement of SHIELD's return, Marvel also unveiled some official images of Fury's redesign, particularly showcasing his new eye patch, a change in his wardrobe to utilize more color than his standard black, and more. Essentially, fans will have to get used to a new version of Fury (at least in terms of style) as he works to restore SHIELD to the position of power it once held.
One new image of Nick Fury Jr. showcased the character wearing a blue button-up, a black vest, a black tie, and a black jacket/coat. The inside of his jacket is clearly blue, though, adding even more color to the character's new design.
Fury will also be donning some short black boots. Like his jacket, the inside of the boots will be blue. It is also worth noting that he was featured wearing black gloves, which, like the other articles of clothing he is wearing in the image, include some blue.
Another image has Nick Fury Jr. without the jacket. This image shows more of his blue shirt, while also displaying a white gun holster near his midsection. This is the classic gun holster used by SHIELD agents for concealment, so Fury will be bringing that over from the old regime to the new.
Nick Fury Jr. has always been identifiable by his signature eye patch. No matter if it is a comic issue or a feature film, fans know they are looking at Fury when they see the eye patch. So, some may be surprised to learn that the classic patch will not be present in Captain America #6.
Instead, Fury will be wearing a pair of traditional eyeglasses, but the only difference is that one of the lenses is entirely blacked out. This will, more or less, replace the eyepatch, as it will serve the same purpose. However, it is notable that Marvel is changing the eye patch since it is such a signature part of Fury's classic design.
Since some images featured Fury without a hat, he will likely not wear it all the time. However, another picture revealed by Marvel highlighted Fury in a black beret. This particular piece of artwork also drew attention to the character's full beard. In the past, Fury has most notably had a goatee, but this time, he will apparently be growing out the rest of his facial hair.
It is worth noting that Nick Fury has gone through different redesigns throughout his time in Marvel Comics and in the MCU (where Samuel L. Jackson plays him). However, this one seems to be the most major, as some core identifiable aspects of the character's design are being changed for his upcoming appearance.
For example, Fury's most iconic look features him with a black trench-style coat, a black shirt, multiple holsters (which are on tactical belts), military-grade pants, and combat boots.
As mentioned, a significant portion of Fury's new design features the color blue. The older design was a lot more neutral, featuring mostly black, extremely dark navy, or brown. The brighter blue could signify a change in Fury's character or signify that SHIELD is different now. However, it could also simply be a change in style.
Speaking of color, Fury has sported some outfits with color in the past. Most notably, he has also worn a black suit with red lines and a red SHIELD logo.
In the MCU, Jackson's version of the character originally looked nearly identical to the one in the comics, who wore all black. For quite some time, that was the only costume Jackson wore while portraying Fury, but that was changed more recently in Disney+'s Secret Invasion.
In that series, Fury wore more traditional clothes out of necessity. For example, one episode featured him wearing a red sweater and a dark gray toboggan. He also did not wear anything covering his eye, so his injury was on full display.
Even though Fury's new style in the comics incorporates some blue elements, it remains rather similar to the character's all-black look in the MCU. He is still wearing the jacket and the black pants and has his black boots and some form of eye patch.
What Happened to SHIELD & Why Is Nick Fury Reviving It?
Captain America #6 will be the first time SHIELD will be officially active since 2017's Secret Empire. In that comic storyline, the organization had to be disbanded because it was essentially overrun with members of HYDRA. HYDRA was taking over the entire world, and, as a safety measure, SHIELD ended.
However, that does not mean Nick Fury kicked back and relaxed the entire time. Since SHIELD disbanded, Fury has still appeared in many comics and has had his own character arc progress, leading up to him rebuilding the team.
Essentially, Fury continues to operate more in the shadows. This new version of SHIELD will supposedly be more underground and more hardcore, which would make sense considering how he and Maria Hill have continuously worked together and run their own operations without being official.
For example, Fury went off on his own after SHIELD went down to investigate the resurgence of the Infinity Stones. There, he worked with Nighthawk to get all the Stones, but Fury was brainwashed by Nighthawk the entire time. However, after his brain essentially rewired itself and Nighthawk was no longer influencing him, Fury defeated him and was able to put the Infinity Stones' hosts in stasis.
After that, Fury got caught up with the Skrulls (as he often does) and was eventually beaten by them. The Skrulls then stole Fury's appearance, using it to distract key individuals while they replaced government officials.
Fury was then tortured by the Skrulls for some time, as was Maria Hill. However, Hill wasn't actually Hill. Instead, she was a Skrull working with the real Maria Hill and the Avengers. Hill and the Avengers came to save Fury and defeat the Skrulls.
Fury has been putting together a highly skilled group of characters since SHIELD was first disbanded. It was confirmed that characters such as Joe Ramos, Charles Castlemore, Trevor Tambling, and Red Widow will all be part of Fury's team in the upcoming Captain America comic. It seems as though they may be more like a group of anti-heroes than straight-shooting superheroes, but, then again, Nick Fury hasn't always been the most squeaky-clean person in Marvel.
SHIELD's inclusion in Captain America #6 will likely not explain how Fury brought the team together. Most likely, Marvel will explore the new organization in future comics, and fans could even see a SHIELD-centered series in the near future.
