Publisher Marvel Comics Played by Derek Luke, Ron Canada Fictional universe Marvel Universe | Alter ego Gabriel Jones Creators Stan Lee, Jack Kirby | |
Created by Stan Lee (writer)
Jack Kirby (artist) Team affiliations Howling Commandos
S.H.I.E.L.D.
Godzilla Squad First appearance Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 (May 1963) Movies Captain America: The First Avenger, Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Affiliations S.H.I.E.L.D., Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Similar Dum Dum Dugan, Jim Morita, Union Jack, Jacques Dernier, Rebel Ralston | ||
Gabriel "Gabe" Jones is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby, he made his first appearance in World War II war comics series Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 (May 1963). Derek Luke portrays Gabriel Jones in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Captain America: The First Avenger.
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Publication history
Gabe Jones appeared as a regular cast-member in virtually every issue and annual of Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos. In present-day stories, initially in the feature "Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." in Strange Tales, he appears as an agent of that fictional espionage organization — inexplicably aged very little, like fellow World War II vet and agent Dum Dum Dugan, despite a retcon explanation for agency head Nick Fury's youthfulness. As a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Jones has appeared in issues of The Avengers, Iron Man, Captain America, The Incredible Hulk, Godzilla, the first two volumes of Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., and the 1988 miniseries Nick Fury vs. S.H.I.E.L.D.
Although colorist Stan Goldberg knew that Jones was African American, the company that made the engraving plates for Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 thought a mistake had been made and colored him the same color as the rest of the Howling Commandos.
Fictional character biography
Gabriel "Gabe" Jones was born in New York City. He is an original member of the fictional, elite Howling Commandos combat squad of World War II, and the first African-American to serve in an integrated unit. (The U.S. Armed Forces, in real life, were not integrated until 1948, by executive order of President Harry S Truman.) He is one of the close confidantes of Nick Fury, his sergeant. He also served under Fury in reunion missions during the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
Fury later became the head of the international espionage organization S.H.I.E.L.D., which Jones joined at some unspecified point after the World War II.
In 1959, he is shown working with Dugan and Fury, hunting down and executing Nazis. Later in the same year, Gabe assisted Nicholas Fury and Dugan in creating the first team of Avengers. They successfully stopped a Nazi splinter group from gaining a version of the Super-Soldier formula. This team includes, but is not limited to, Sabretooth, Kraven the Hunter and Ulysses Bloodstone.
Jones retired from S.H.I.E.L.D. after the events of the Nick Fury vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. six-issue miniseries (1988), but returned to help train a new corps of recruits. This new class is slain by the terrorist organization HYDRA, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s primary nemesis.
Gabe spends time trying to bring down the evil Secret Empire from within. Following the events of Secret Invasion both he and Dum Dum Dugan quit S.H.I.E.L.D. and recreate the Howling Commandos with ex-S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.
Gabriel Jones is seen commanding the murder scene investigation of his old friend Clay Quartermain.
Jones and fellow Commando Eric Koenig are later killed by Gorgon during a battle with HYDRA, while both were fighting a holding action against enemy forces in order to give time for allies to retreat.
Other versions
In the alternate future of "Earth X", Jones has a cameo as one of the dozens of deceased heroes attempting to stop the plans of Mephisto and Thanos.