S.H.I.E.L.D.

History

Founded to combat technologically advanced threats on world security (specifically the menace of HYDRA), S.H.I.E.L.D. has, throughout the years, remained on the frontlines fighting terrorism and extraterrestrial menaces working as an international intelligence agency.

Early History

In its original incarnation, S.H.I.E.L.D. stood for "Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-enforcement Division," and the organization was a branch of the United States government. Veteran spy and soldier Col. Nick Fury had created the blueprints for the idea some time after World War II, but decided not to act upon them, since he felt the U.S. government would deny such a request. A United Nations-based international group somehow obtained the plans, and presented them to the U.S. government as a viable countermeasure against the nascent threat of HYDRA.

Fury first realized that his brainchild had been made reality when he was approached by the founders of the group to act as its second Public Director, as his predecessor Rick Stoner had met an untimely end. While Fury acted as the operational head of the agency, he answered to these founders, the Executive Board, whose identities were hidden even from him. Otherwise, Fury was the highest ranking agent in an eight-rank tier. Some suspect that Tony Stark, billionaire playboy and the superheroic Iron Man, may have been one of the Board.

As director, Colonel Fury took a very active hand in SHIELD operations, often going into the field himself on their most important missions. Supporting him, aside from the thousands of rank-and-file SHIELD agents around the world, were a core group of capable officers. Fury's aide-de-camp was the man who had filled the same function for his Howling Commandos in World War II, the boisterous Timothy "Dum Dum" Dugan. Another ex-Howler joined SHIELD in the person of Gabe Jones, whose presence had made the Howlers the Army's first integrated unit. There was also the by-the-books Jasper Sitwell, who balanced and sometimes clashed with the more emotional members of the command staff. The brilliant Sidney "The Gaffer" Levine acted as head of Research & Development, designing many high-tech specialty gadgets to supplement the weapons and vehicles provided by Stark Enterprises. Later, Laura Brown, the daughter of the Supreme Hydra, defected from HYDRA to join SHIELD. Jimmy Woo, hero of clashes with the villainous Yellow Claw, served as the liaison agent to SHIELD from the FBI. Clay Quartermain was a resident "pretty boy" super-agent. La Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine ("Val" to her friends), a member of the European jet-set, proved to be equally skilled, as well as one of Fury's lovers. Another prominent member is Sharon Carter (Agent 13), a frequent partner and eventual lover of Captain America.

The equipment of SHIELD has always been at least as distinctive as its membership. A series of flying fortresses invariably known as the SHIELD Helicarrier served as the mobile headquarters of the organization. Other vehicles such as hoverfliers, flying cars and tunneling vehicles rounded out the less massive transports. Agents carried a variety of personal gear as well. Fury's weapon of choice was a 300-round .15 caliber pistol specially designed to fire explosive-tipped needles. Tear gas boutonnieres, explosive shirts, rear-view periscope hats, camera-phone watches, jetpacks, cigars laced with various chemical compounds (including flash bombs), and other tools of the spy trade insured that SHIELD agents always had access to the right equipment. One of the most distinctive inventions of The Gaffer was the Life-Model Decoy (LMD), an extremely lifelike android designed to emulate the behavior of a specific individual, usually used to replace someone in danger of being killed. Meanwhile, during the Cold War SHIELD maintained a large headquarters in New York City, as well as other bases in every major city in the Western world, and hidden outposts in many Communist countries.

Various specialized teams of agents have been utilized, such as the Psi Division and Super Agents. At one time, SHIELD had command over an incarnation of the Hulkbusters. Throughout the years, SHIELD agents have left the service to perform acts both heroic and villainous. Some went rogue, such as Mentallo, becoming threats to society. Others, like Quasar, joined the superhero community. And since the early days, SHIELD, through Fury, has maintained close ties to groups like the Avengers and Fantastic Four, and with individuals like Captain America, Black Widow (Natasha Romanoff), and Wolverine, meant that a capable and varied pool of special operatives were readily available. That said, SHIELD often came into conflict with members of the superhero community who worked through less-than-legal means or against government aims. Fury's friendships with many superheroes conflicted with his duties in these cases.

S.W.O.R.D.

Official Name: Sentient World Observation and Response Department Organization
Aliases: S.W.O.R.D.

Paraphernalia

Equipment: Various including: Beta-cloth, kevlar body armor, jetpacks, teleporter, psi-blocker, Hover Discs

Transportation: SHIELD Helicarrier, various flying cars, hoverfliers conventional automobiles, boats and aircraft.

Weapons: Plasma pistols, needler pistols, conventional firearms (.30 caliber machine pistol standard issue.)

Links and References