Black Fury is the name of several fictional comic book characters.
The first Black Fury debuted on April 6, 1941, as a Sunday comic strip distributed by the Bell Syndicate, and created by artist Tarpé Mills. Originally called the Black Fury, she eventually became known as Miss Fury; her alter ego was wealthy socialite Marla Drake. Miss Fury had no innate superpowers, but gained increased strength and speed when she donned a special skintight catsuit when fighting crime. Drake's alter-ego combatted several regular villains,including mad scientist Diman Saraf and Nazi agents Erica Von Kampf and General Bruno. Drake was also involved in a love triangle with her former fiancé, Gary Hale, and Detective Dan Carey. Although Miss Fury was popular, the revealing outfits worn by its female characters provoked some controversy at the time. When Marla Drake was drawn wearing a bikini in 1947, 37 newspapers dropped the strip in response. The Miss Fury strip ran until 1952. Marvel Comics (then known as Timely Comics) reprinted her Sunday strips in comic book form from 1942 to 1946.
In 1979 Archival Press reissued her early adventures in graphic novel format, with new covers by Mills.
In 2011, IDW's "Library of American Comics" put out a collection of strips covering 1944-49. IDW published another volume containing the 1941-1944 Miss Fury strips in 2013.
The second Black Fury premiered in Fox Feature Syndicate's Fantastic Comics #17 (April 1941). This version was created by artists Dennis Neville and Mark Howell. Black Fury was the alter ego of John Perry, gossip columnist for the Daily Clarion. Perry used his newspaper connections to uncover information on crime and corruption, which he would then fight in his costumed form. He had no superpowers, and was assisted by Chuck Marley, the son of a slain policeman. The Fox Black Fury character appeared in eight issues of Fantastic Comics.
The third Black Fury appeared in Super-Magic Comics #1 (May 1941), published by Street & Smith Publications. There were no writing or artists credited. Black Fury was the secret identity of Rex King, a costumed adventurer who could glide through the air, using the wing-like underarm flaps of his costume. He defended the jungles of Africa with the help of his pet black panther, Kato.