(Read/recommend here on the review page!)

Story 1, Minions hunt Fury; Story 2, Minions hunt Strange

The Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. story and the Dr. Strange story in this issue of Strange Tales have some similarities. In the Nick Fury story, as you can see by the cover, HYDRA has ordered its minions find Fury under pain of death, while in the Dr. Strange story, the dread Dormammu has issued similar orders to his minions.

Reading the S.H.I.E.L.D. story reminds you just how much G.I. Joe's bad guy group COBRA was ripped off of HYDRA. They look the same, talk the same, and have a similar leader. It should surprise no one that the script for the original G.I. Joe revival by Marvel Comics in the 1980s was just a rejected S.H.I.E.L.D. vs. HYDRA script.

In any case, I can't say this story is that great - it starts out wonderfully with Fury aware that he's being tailed by agents of HYDRA. But once he sets a trap for them, the story turns almost comical, with S.H.I.E.L.D. putting the HYDRA agents through what amounts to a funhouse of traps rather than a simple apprehension.

A little better is the Dr. Strange story. The good Doctor is trying to find the secret to Eternity to save the life of the Ancient One, but he instead travels to another dimension where a demon switches bodies with him. There's a bunch of other convoluted things going on having to deal with a woman who helped him in the past, Dormammu's plans, Baron Mordo, etc. etc. - typical Dr. Strange stuff - but the important thing here is that the story is enjoyable but short with some good art by Steve Ditko.

Nothing about this issue is a must read - but if you pop a little 60s spy music on the hi-fi for the Nick Fury story, and some vintage psychadelia for the Dr. Strange one, and perhaps a glass of wine - you have an evenings entertainment.