From the early years of Agents of SHIELD in Marvel, the initial alliance is between the United States government and the United Nations, an intelligence agency that defends against terrorists and superhuman threats in Marvel.
SHIELD first appeared in Marvel Comics in 2011. This origin is not easy, because at that time stories about spies and intelligence agencies were trends in various media.
In the most accepted version of Spanish, its word is literally “shield”, the acronym stands for Homogeneity, Intelligence, Logistics and Defense System, although in English it means Strategic Risk Intervention, Intelligence and Logistics Directorate or High Headquarters International. . Intelligence Law Enforcement Unit – As seen in the original Iron Man issue #277.
Origin of the agency
Source of SHIELD, a licensed limited series from Jonathan Hickman, is the post-World War II creation of Nick Fury. In any case, Fury himself decided that the United States government did not want to fund this agency, so he decided to destroy the organization.
This idea of Nick Fury turned out to be wrong and the agency’s interest was seen after the terrorist attack because it could be of great help in preventing the attack. At the time, the United Nations controlled SHIELD, with Colonel Rick Stoner as its first director. Fury joins the agency and is soon appointed director to deal with the HYDRA threat and grow the agency.
The agency sees itself as an institution similar to the United States’ FBI in combating terrorism and espionage, dealing with all human activities. In their policing, the agents are better equipped and trained than any other police force in the country.
In their work they have to face terrorists and supermen, also, inspired by SHIELD, other groups like SWORD or STRIKE were created, some of their agents at the highest level, in turn, are supermen. Indeed, Captain America, Iron Man, Wolverine and Spider-Woman were agents of the organization.
The agency has a good relationship with the superheroes mentioned above, but also with groups like the Avengers or the Fantastic Four. In fact, SHIELD has a Psi-Division made up of superhumans with psychic or telepathic powers to deal with threats from these fields.
Since the beginning, all the agents of the organization have been designed according to their importance at the administrative level. At level one, the lowest of the ranks, officers can only access certain ranks, level two, such as sergeant or equivalent, increases their level of access. The highest level is nine, held by the director.
SHIELD has several bases around the world, such as its headquarters in New York. But, in addition to the known, there are many foundations and safe houses of forbidden knowledge. In fact, Fury used one, as the Secret Avengers when they were looking for a base during Civil War. The most famous and popular of all is the Helicarrier.
Being a spy agency, much of its work is covert, being able to face threats from organizations like HYDRA, which operate from many secret bases around the world and, moreover, have infiltrators all over the world, Captain America being one of them. Among them, because of the Cosmic Cube, in the Secret Empire saga.
Nick Fury’s influence
Nick Fury is actually the main reason why SHIELD is successful in its mission because he initiated the main work and put the best and most efficient agents in the right place. He is very popular both in and out of the organization, as well as in the super community. Without him, many pessimists and scholars have suddenly assessed the end of the organization.
This theory is confirmed in Latveria, where the fortress of Dr. Mot – Dom – is located, which was not approved by the administration, which forced Nick Fury to leave and an arrest warrant was issued against him. In her place, Maria Hill was appointed, putting her country before the agency and the United Nations, and because she lacked the experience of other agents, there was no good person to lead the organization.
The agency under Hill followed the exact opposite path of his predecessor, becoming an inefficient, weak, and corrupt organization. Many of Fury’s veteran agents were fired and captured criminals were simply placed in the prisons of the Marvel Universe. To make matters worse, the Avengers discover that SHIELD is engaging in inappropriate behavior.
Similar organizations
SWORD (Sentient World Observation and Response Unit) has to deal with extraterrestrial threats, inform about extraterrestrial forces, etc. Although a separate organization, it is closely tied to SHIELD and the United Nations. This organization follows the line of efficiency and professionalism established by Furia under director Abigail Brand.
In the UK, the national version was called STRIKE (Special Tactical Reserve for International Key Emergencies), where one of its leaders, Todd Radcliffe, was betrayed because he was actually working for the Red Skull. His successor, Lance Hunter, worked closely with Captain Britain, but their enemy Vixen took over the organization and disbanded it. The dynamic Betty Braddock was an agent before she became Psylocke.
SAFE (Strategic Action for Emergency) is the American version of SHIELD, with a capable leader and good soldier Sean Morgan as director. The firm’s most qualified agent is Joshua Ballard, the equivalent of Dum Dum Duggan, but on a national scale.