Jim Steranko provides a Sean Connery/007 cameo in Strange Tales No. 164 (1967)
Not that it’s a terrible surprise but writer-artist Jim Steranko, who had a legendary run on Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the 1960s, was a big fan of 1960s spy entertainment.
His S.H.I.E.L.D. stories included a weapons master named Boothroyd. He also had the Sean Connery version of James Bond make a one-panel cameo in Strange Tales No. 164 in 1967.
Anyway, Steranko takes questions from fans (or “henchmen”) each Sunday night on Twitter.
The Spy Commander couldn’t resist. So I asked if he had seen The Man From U.N.C.L.E. during the period.
The answer? Well, judge for yourself:
.@TheSpyCommand Hey, SC! Not only viewed UNCLE in those days, but SECRET AGENT MAN, I SPY, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE and even GET SMART!
— Jim Steranko (@iamsteranko) March 27, 2017
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.@TheSpyCommand I even remember BARRY NELSON as THE HUNTER! Gotcha there!!!
— Jim Steranko (@iamsteranko) March 27, 2017
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I needed to look it up. The Hunter was a 1952 series where, according to IMDB.COM, Bart Adams used the cover of an international businessman to battle Communist spies. Barry Nelson was the first actor to play James Bond in the 1954 CBS television production of Casino Royale.
Filed under: James Bond Films, The Other Spies | Tagged: Barry Nelson, Danger Man, Get Smart, I Spy, Jim Steranko, Mission: Impossible, Nick Fury, S.H.I.E.L.D., Sean Connery, Secret Agent |
The Spy Command 
I would say he probably enjoyed James Coburn’s ‘Flint’ movies as well. Fury’s battle with Baron Strucker on HYDRA Island does resemble Flint’s battle with Malcolm Rodney on GALAXY Island, even down to the villain using a gauntlet. Jim clearly had good taste.