Issue(s): Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #68, Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #69
Cover Date: Jul-Aug 69
Title: "On the sidewalks of New York!" / "Holocaust in Hell's Kitchen!"
Credits:
Gary Friedrich - Writer
Dick Ayers - Penciler
John Severin - Inker

Review/plot:
These issues have Nick Fury on leave and going home to visit his family for the first time in three years. So it's the first appearance of Fury's family. This includes the only appearance of his mother (who is that grinning guy?)...

...an appearance by his younger sister Dawn (whose only other appearances are a flashback in Strange Tales and an appearance at Nick Fury's "funeral" in Hulk #435)...

...and, most importantly, the first appearance of Jake Fury, Nick's younger brother.

This actually gets a little confusing. Due to later retcons, this turns out to be the only appearance of Jake Fury until the Secret Warriors series circa 2010. But prior to that it was thought that Jake Fury was the first (or maybe second) Scorpio. By publication date, the first appearance of Scorpio was a little bit prior to these issues, but the implication that Scorpio was Jake Fury came just a little after.

There's little indication in these issues that Jake would go on to be any kind of villain. He's shown to be resentful of Nick at first, and not a supporter of World War II.

But that all seems to get turned around, with Jake deciding to enlist, by the end of this story.

In the meantime, there's an altercation with the Nazi agent Colonel Klaue, a repeat villain in the series.

Fury is kidnapped and brainwashed.

And later Dawn is kidnapped as well.

The Howling Commandos, also on leave, show up to help.

Jake is no slouch in the fighting department himself.

This is the last appearance of Colonel Klaue, who gets in trouble with a Von Stuerer, the head of Nazi espionage in America, because of the attention he is drawing.

But Klaue will later be revealed to be the father of Ulysses Klaw, aka Klaw, the master of sound.

I like the Dick Ayers / John Severin art combination on these issues (they've been the regular art team since issue #47).

Quality Rating: C-

Historical Significance Rating: 2 - first Jake Fury

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

I should have covered #50 in the last comment, it was a continuation of the battle in the Pacific, #51 had the Howlers prevent an assassination at the Yalta Conference, Nick is captured, #52 and 53 have the Howlers rescue Fury from a concentration camp, #54 Izzy returns to duty, #55 The Howlers wake up in a German hospital but the nurse helps them escape, #56 tells Gabe Jones' personal story, #57 prisoners again the Howlers deal with an informant in their midst, #58 a new repeat villain is introduced the Agent of 1000 Faces captures Dino, #59 Dum Dum tries to rescue Dino on his own, #60 Dum Dum framed the Agent faces court martial, #61 the Howlers go to Dino's rescue, #62 is a flashback to Fury's basic training, #63 introduces and kills off Jerry Larkin Dino's old show biz partner (Obviously intended to be Jerry Lewis)