SHIELD [Nick Fury and His Agents of SHIELD] 1973 #4 - back issue - $9.00

Fury signals SHIELD but after Sitwell realizes Fury is the pilot he still orders the launching of a Strato-Mine which could ignite the atmosphere. Supreme Hydra learns that Laura Brown, the daughter of his predecessor who helped Fury has been captured in Egypt. Donning a new disguise he leaves to exact punishment. Fury turns the plane around, and, discovering the hidden Overkill Horn, dives from the plane, picked up by a SHIELD submarine. The plane, followed by the Strato-Mine, obliterates Karnopolis and all within HYDRA base. Soon after, Fury & a SHIELD squad rescues Laura from HYDRA thugs.

Fury thinks back on SHIELD's 1st battle with HYDRA when Laura Brown, who joined only to convince her father to give up his mad dream of world conquest, saved his life and helped defeat them. Laura is transported by Gabe & Jasper, whose car is attacked by HYDRA. Fury & Dugan, in a captured HYDRA saucer, go to rescue the trio. The Supreme Hydra dons a new disguise, that of "Agent Bronson", a SHIELD man currently their prisoner. Bronson arrives at the Heli-Carrier just in time to join the team racing to help Fury. After helping capture several HYDRA thugs, Bronson gains Fury's confidence.

On-sale date from The Comic Reader #96, April 1973.

• The Hiding Place! - Henry Kujawa suggested that the Laura Brown figure was inked by Wally Wood, agreed by Nick Simon (August 2007). Nick Caputo believes the cover is inked entirely by Steranko.
• The Power of SHIELD! - Part 3 of 9. The method Fury used to contact SHIELD without a radio was later used in the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA episode, "The Hand Of God". Laura Brown's previous appearance in STRANGE TALES #141 (February 1966). This reprint does not include page 8 of the original.
• The Hiding Place! - Part 4 of 9. "Clipper Charlie" named in STRANGE TALES #164 (January 1968). After 2 episodes where Fury's appearance remained the same, his appearance is trimmed down as Steranko begins to modify his appearance. Jack Kirby, who plotted every SHIELD episode up to this point, finally departs. While known for "seat-of-the-pants" plotting, it appears that on the next-to-last page of his final episode, he'd figured out the true identity of the Supreme Hydra-- but readers would have to wait 3 more months to learn the truth. This reprint is missing panel 5 of page 11 and panels 1-4 of page 12.