GREEN HORNET/MISS FURY #1, by Dynamite Comics on 1/8/25, finds the Green Hornet and Miss Fury teaming up when a secret force targets masked vigilantes, starting with their mutual mentor.
Credits:
- Writer: Alex Segura, Henry Barajas
- Artist: Federico Sorressa
- Colorist: Lesley Atlansky
- Letterer: Taylor Esposito
- Cover Artist: Francesco Francavilla (cover A)
- Publisher: Dynamite Comics
- Release Date: January 8, 2025
- Comic Rating: Teen
- Cover Price: $4.99
- Page Count: 22
- Format: Single Issue
Covers:
Analysis of GREEN HORNET/MISS FURY #1:
Plot Analysis:
Green Hornet/Miss Fury #1 jumps straight into the action with the titular characters surrounded by a gang of thugs inside a circus tent. The heroes are quickly overwhelmed by sheer numbers, but they escape a brutal beating when Kato barrels into the tent behind the wheel of the Black Beauty. The trio speeds off, leaving the gang in the dust (literally). Through their witty banter, we learn that Miss Fury has followed Green Hornet in her investigation to find out who “killed” her mentor, Silver Shrike.
In a flashback, we learn Green Hornet was saved by Silver Shrike from a fatal poisoning during a battle. The two became allies, and Hornet used his brief association to learn much about being a vigilante from the older, wiser, more experienced Silver Shrike. Now, Britt Reid, aka Green Hornet, learned the exiled Cuban politician Javier Mercado, aka Silver Shrike, disappeared. In Silver Shrike’s last known safehouse, Britt found a note addressed to Green Hornet and Miss Fury. Britt believed the note was faked to throw the heroes off Mercado’s disappearance.
Later, Britt Reid and Marla Drake cross paths at a charity ball. Britt deduces Marla is really Miss Fury after she uses a turn of phrase that Miss Fury used during their fight in the circus tent. The heroes interact with the mayor, assorted elites, and police personnel to gather snippets of intel about recent crimes. Britt and Marla leave simultaneously but separately when they learn another masked vigilante, Mr. Q, was nearly killed.
The heroes change into their alter egos and begin searching for clues across the city. Green Hornet roughs up a bar full of thugs to get intel, but his excessive force puts him at odds with Kato. Green Hornet later visits Mr. Q in the hospital to find out who’s after the vigilantes. Mr. Q tells Green Hornet he needs to find Silver Shrike at a nearby apartment building.
The issue concludes with the police, Miss Fury, and Green Hornet converging at a hideout, but all they find is a trap.
First Impressions:
In concept, Green Hornet/Miss Fury #1 is a winner. In execution, this is a clunky, rough story to get through. Alex Segura and Henry Barajas have the right idea by tapping into a period-specific adventure starring two of the most recognizable pulp heroes around, and the central premise of a nefarious presence hunting vigilantes works on its face. That said, the flow and details have to matter just as much as the core idea.
Artwork and Presentation:
Green Hornet/Miss Fury #1 is our first exposure to Federico Sorressa’s work on the indie scene, so we didn’t know what to expect, especially considering Dynamite’s decision to go with Francesco Francavilla on the main cover. On the whole, Sorressa delivers a strong set of visuals with semi-realism in the figure work, decent action choreography, and dynamic panel layouts. Sorressa’s charcoal brush textures on the inks gives the art an antiquated vibe that suits the 1940s aesthetic well.
Art Samples:
Story Positives & Negatives:
The Positives:
Generally, Segura and Barajas’s central concept about a mysterious force hunting masked vigilantes at the height of the Golden Age is a winner. Older heroes, especially ones who fit the pulp genre and have fallen into the Public Domain, are a goldmine for more stories yet to be told. Segura and Baraja wisely use the central premise to bring in more public-domain heroes to reinvigorate the superhero genre beyond what the Big 2 offers. We’ve always praised Dynamite’s “Project: Superpowers” titles for bringing back superheroes who are far from done, so this miniseries has more of that same potential.
The Negatives:
The Devil, as they say, is in the details. The strength of the central premise can’t overcome the flaws in execution.
For example, the narrative flow is sorely lacking. The story starts with a jarring fight in a circus tent without pretext, the dialog explaining how our heroes got there doesn’t make much sense, and the scene placement is disjointed. Why does Miss Fury think her mentor is dead? Was Green Hornet in that circus tent to meet Miss Fury or not? If so, why would he accuse her of following him? If Green Hornet’s goal was to meet Miss Fury to discuss Silver Shrike’s disappearance and the note Britt found, why are they meeting in a circus tent, and why would a large gang of thugs know they were meeting there?
Further, the dialog reads as clipped and clunky. Everyone talks in fits and starts, leading to conversations that don’t feel natural. This issue is another case of a comic that would have benefited if the writers had read their dialog out loud.
Last but not least, the story is inefficient. Some scenes drag on too long without benefit or service to the plot, such as the lengthy charity ball. Other scenes pop in that serve no tangible purpose at all, such as Green Hornet’s visit to Bubba’s bar.
In short, Dynamite has the right characters and the right idea, but the execution is super rough.
The Bigger Picture:
Historical Context:
We’re always fans of bringing pulp-era and public-domain characters back to the spotlight, but here, we have an odd mix of both. Miss Fury is certainly a Public Domain character, and Dynamite has tapped her more than once to tell an original story, but Green Hornet’s copyright journey is considerably more complicated. Despite his first appearance in a 1936 radio drama, five years prior to Miss Fury’s first comic appearance in 1941, his usage across multiple media types means Green Hornet is subject to more licensing considerations.
Final Thoughts:
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GREEN HORNET/MISS FURY #1 has the right idea by teaming up with two of the most recognizable pulp heroes to stop a vigilante hunter. Alex Segura and Henry Barajas dream up an idea with gobs of potential and room for other pulp heroes, and Federico Sorressa’s artwork is pretty darn solid. That said, the story’s strong concept can’t overcome jarringly awkward execution.
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