List of government agencies in Marvel Comics
Encyclopedia
The following is a list of fiction
al government agencies, comic book
organizations that have been published by Marvel Comics
and their imprints. This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy certain standards for completion. You can help by expanding it with sourced additions.
, when some unknown event caused the corpses to release a cloud of material which caused GENIE to develop sentience
and grow into a true fusion of organic and mechanical technology.
The newly upgraded GENIE also contained information from the alien lifeforms/technology it had assimilated. It told the Aladdin scientists of a cosmic force called Shu-Ji, a nearly Godlike power to alter reality, but attempts to access this force by human beings proved dangerously unsuccessful. GENIE decided to genetically engineer the proper receptacles for the Shu-Ji: two human males, each holding a fraction of the power. However, the power could not be fully controlled until they matured, and so it was decided to raise the boys separately and keep them unaware of their true natures. Aladdin and GENIE were a part of Marvel's Ultraverse
imprint.
, Headknocker
, and War Eagle.
vol. 3 limited series, written by Fred Van Lente
, introduces a sister agency to S.H.I.E.L.D. known as A.R.M.O.R. (Altered-Reality Monitoring and Operational Response), which the writer Fred Van Lente stated "has existed with them this whole time, but it's been so incredibly secret that no one at Marvel knew about it". Their duty is to monitor alternate reality incursions into Earth-616
.
, initially as an adjunct to the Ministry of Defence. It was introduced along with Pete Wisdom in the Excalibur
series when it was written by Warren Ellis
. Black Air, as a covert, secretive Intelligence department, was mandated with the investigation into and research of supernatural and paranormal phenomena, at first alongside, and then replacing another British Intelligence department, the Weird Happenings Organisation (W.H.O).
and John Walker's recruitment and training to take over the role. It was later revealed that one of the members was an agent of the Red Skull
.
that deals with super-powered persons. Department H was responsible for bringing together and managing the Marvel Comics team known as Alpha Flight
.
an subdivision of S.H.I.E.L.D., called Euromind, was introduced in the Marvel Italia series Europa.
. Led by Brigadier Theodore 'Inky' Blott. Employed psychics. Disbanded after most agents, including Blott, were killed by Necrom
. Introduced in Excalibur
and created by Alan Davis
.
vol. 2 #15. G.R.A.M.P.A.'s most prominent field operatives are Ace and One-Eyed Jacquie; the two agents refer to themselves collectively as "Blackjack
". G.R.A.M.P.A. is tasked with protecting the world from paranormal threats.
#1, Norman Osborn
is appointed the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. Osborn dissolves S.H.I.E.L.D., firing all former agents, and replaces it with H.A.M.M.E.R., appointing Victoria Hand
as his Deputy Director.
' 12-issue series Nextwave
by comics author Warren Ellis
. The leader of H.A.T.E., General Dirk Anger
is a parody of Nick Fury.
' Ultraverse
imprint. The Lodge was created by Basil Wentworth towards the end of World War II. Its purpose was to prepare for the Cold War by starting covert operations in China, the Soviet Union, and East Germany. The Lodge still operates today. Alec Swan (Firearm
), and James Hitch (Codename: Firearm) both former Squires, are the most well known operatives of the Lodge. The Lodge has a feudal structure ruled at the top by the King (Virginia Lockwood), then came ultra-powered Knights, non-powered Squires, and the Serfs who handled clerical and support.
and Pete Wisdom is one of its agents.
-infected mutants on the people at an anti-mutant rally. They debuted in X-Factor #204.
, resulting in the depowering of 90% of the world's mutant population
, the Office of National Emergency (aka O*N*E*), a splinter from the Department of Homeland Security, had Sentinels
instituted at the X-Mansion
to protect the mutants in case any enemies used this low point as an opportunity to attack them at their weakest, and also to stop the mutants in the event of a revolution. The X-Men are supposed to contact O*N*E* before going on any mission, and allow a Sentinel to go along with them on said mission.
as a replacement to S.T.R.I.K.E. Created by Jamie Delano
and Alan Davis
. The British intelligence agency for the investigation of paranormal and superhuman activity, known as S.T.R.I.K.E., is infiltrated by a criminal organisation and nearly all of its members are killed. A weakened S.T.R.I.K.E. is unable to deal with the consequences of the Jaspers' Warp
and is disbanded. The Resources Control Executive (R.C.X.) is created to take its place. The members of the R.C.X. use codenames based on biblical figures to hide their true identity.
& the Incredible Hulk
: Rampage (Doom's Day Book 1), and may not be part of comics canon. Whereas S.H.I.E.L.D. is a UN funded and run organization dealing with international incidents, S.A.F.E. is tasked with similar duties inside of America's borders. It is run by Colonel Sean Morgan and a prominently featured agent is Joshua Ballard, who, among other things, survived an encounter with Doctor Doom
and later Baron Zemo
.
in the Marvel Universe
that often deals with superhuman
threats. Usually led by Nick Fury
as Executive Director
, this organization often operates as much as a covert agency as a quasi-military one, initially depicted as affiliated with the United States
government, and in later years under the jurisdiction of the United Nations
, with vast technological resources at their disposal and U.N. General Assembly Resolutions backed by legislation passed in signatory nations aiding many of their operations, as cited in Amazing Fantasy
v.2 #7. In the wake of a recent unauthorized mission in Latveria
that had disastrous consequences for New York's superhero community, Fury has effectively resigned as Executive Director with international warrants out for his arrest. His successor was therefore not one of his closer associates as might otherwise have been the case, but a relatively unknown newcomer to the S.H.I.E.L.D. hierarchy, Maria Hill
. Little is known of Hill's history within and prior to joining S.H.I.E.L.D.. After the events of the crossover event Civil War
Tony Stark, better known as Iron Man
, became the new director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Although the various Helicarrier
s built over the years have long been considered S.H.I.E.L.D.'s primary "home base", the Directorate as presently constituted maintains a number of land bases throughout the world, most notably "S.H.I.E.L.D. Central" in New York City
. While some of these bases are publicly accessible on a limited basis, most are not publicly disclosed for reasons of planetary security.
, created a special division of the federal government's U.S. Marshals
called S.T.A.R.S., the Superhuman Tactical Activities Response Squad. A federal organization authorized to monitor and manage all activities regarding the supervision, apprehension, and detention of superhuman criminals in the United States. The group's leader was John Walker the U.S. Agent
. S.T.A.R.S. uncovered a Ruul
plot to use Earth as a penal colony for alien criminals. U.S. Agent and S.T.A.R.S. were ultimately responsible for exposing and defeating the Ruul.
. Now disbanded, a notable member was Psylocke
.
who are trained to capture and detain rogue superhumans
v3 #6 (December 2004) by Joss Whedon
introduced an organization named S.W.O.R.D. (Sentient World Observation and Response Department). S.W.O.R.D. is a governmental organization that works with S.H.I.E.L.D. In contrast to S.H.I.E.L.D., which deals with terrestrial threats, S.W.O.R.D. now deals with extraterrestrial threats. It is as yet unclear whether S.W.O.R.D. is a branch of S.H.I.E.L.D. or a true sister agency, as dialogue in the stories depicting both organizations has been ambiguous on the subject.
was first led by "Thunderbolt" Ross
. During the Gulf War, the Weapon X Project was sanctioned by S.H.I.E.L.D. and resulted in the creation of Wolverine. The project was headed by Colonel John Wraith. After Ross' apparent death, Ultimate Nick Fury
was then selected as the organization's Executive Director
. His first plan was to resurrect the Super Soldier program. At first, he commissioned Dr. Bruce Banner to try to recreate the super soldier formula that made Ultimate Captain America
, but this failed and resulted in the creation of the Hulk when Banner injected the mediocre serum into himself.
project in the Marvel Universe
conducted by the Canadian Government's Department K (and secretly funded by the US government) which turned willing and unwilling beings into living weapons. Weapon X was originally the tenth installation of the Weapon Plus program, which was behind the creation of Captain America and many other living weapons. The two latest installations of Weapon X were completely independent from Weapon Plus.
Weapon X often captures mutants and experiments on them to enhance their superpowers
. Other test subjects have included normal human beings, as well as aliens. The Weapon X Project produced the anti-hero of the X-Men
team, Wolverine
, and other characters such as Deadpool and Sabretooth
.
. It was featured in Excalibur
.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al government agencies, comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
organizations that have been published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
and their imprints. This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy certain standards for completion. You can help by expanding it with sourced additions.
Aladdin
Aladdin was a U.S. government agency apparently founded sometime in the 1960s to deal with the growing number of Ultras (super-powered beings) in their world. In 1970, their scientific division, using a synthesis of organic brain tissue and computer systems called GENIE (Genetically Engineered Neural Intelligence Experiment), were examining alien technology and corpses discovered by U.S. soldiers during the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, when some unknown event caused the corpses to release a cloud of material which caused GENIE to develop sentience
Sentience
Sentience is the ability to feel, perceive or be conscious, or to have subjective experiences. Eighteenth century philosophers used the concept to distinguish the ability to think from the ability to feel . In modern western philosophy, sentience is the ability to have sensations or experiences...
and grow into a true fusion of organic and mechanical technology.
The newly upgraded GENIE also contained information from the alien lifeforms/technology it had assimilated. It told the Aladdin scientists of a cosmic force called Shu-Ji, a nearly Godlike power to alter reality, but attempts to access this force by human beings proved dangerously unsuccessful. GENIE decided to genetically engineer the proper receptacles for the Shu-Ji: two human males, each holding a fraction of the power. However, the power could not be fully controlled until they matured, and so it was decided to raise the boys separately and keep them unaware of their true natures. Aladdin and GENIE were a part of Marvel's Ultraverse
Ultraverse
The Ultraverse was the name given to a comic book imprint published by the American company Malibu Comics. The Ultraverse was a shared universe in which a variety of characters — known within the comics as "Ultras" — acquired super-human abilities.-History:...
imprint.
Aladdin Assault Squad
In the Malibu Ultraverse, The Aladdin Assault Squad was a special department within the government agency known as Aladdin. The Aladdin Assault Squad was created in response to the growing number of Ultras (superhumans). The A.A.S operated out of Aladdin's Groom Lake facility, and functioned as an independent internal security force. They also assisted ongoing Ultra research. Known members of the Aladdin Assault Squad are: Dirt Devil, Foxfire, the Grip, HardwireHardwire (comics)
Hardwire is a comic book villain that appears in the Malibu Comics Ultraverse series Hardcase. He first appeared in Hardcase #5 -Fictional character biography:...
, Headknocker
Headknocker (comics)
Headknocker is a comic book villain that appeared in the Malibu Comic's Ultraverse book Hardcase.-Fictional character biography:Larry Price was a small time hood, who stole cars when he wasn't collecting unemployment. His world changed the day he was jumpstarted by the Entity, the damaged...
, and War Eagle.
A.R.M.O.R.
The Marvel ZombiesMarvel Zombies
Marvel Zombies is a five-issue limited series published from December 2005 to April 2006 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Robert Kirkman with art by Sean Phillips and covers by Arthur Suydam. It was the first series in the Marvel Zombies series of related stories...
vol. 3 limited series, written by Fred Van Lente
Fred Van Lente
Fred Van Lente is an American writer, primarily of comic books and graphic novels.-Career:Van Lente is the co-founder, along with artist Ryan Dunlavey, of Evil Twin Comics, which produces his and Dunlavey’s non-fiction comic books, the first and most famous of which is Action Philosophers.Recent...
, introduces a sister agency to S.H.I.E.L.D. known as A.R.M.O.R. (Altered-Reality Monitoring and Operational Response), which the writer Fred Van Lente stated "has existed with them this whole time, but it's been so incredibly secret that no one at Marvel knew about it". Their duty is to monitor alternate reality incursions into Earth-616
Earth-616
In the fictional Marvel Comics multiverse, Earth-616 or Earth 616 is the name used to identify the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place.-Origin of Earth-616:...
.
Black Air
Black Air is a former Governmental Intelligence department founded and operating primarily within the United Kingdom in the fictional Marvel UniverseMarvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
, initially as an adjunct to the Ministry of Defence. It was introduced along with Pete Wisdom in the Excalibur
Excalibur (comics)
Excalibur is a Marvel Comics superhero group, an off-shoot of the X-Men, usually based in the United Kingdom. Conceived by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer Alan Davis, the original Excalibur first appeared in Excalibur Special Edition , also known as Excalibur: The Sword is Drawn.The...
series when it was written by Warren Ellis
Warren Ellis
Warren Girard Ellis is an English author of comics, novels, and television, who is well-known for sociocultural commentary, both through his online presence and through his writing, which covers transhumanist themes...
. Black Air, as a covert, secretive Intelligence department, was mandated with the investigation into and research of supernatural and paranormal phenomena, at first alongside, and then replacing another British Intelligence department, the Weird Happenings Organisation (W.H.O).
Commission on Superhuman Activities
The organization was created by the President of the United States of America. It's a very special appointed task force, which has been requested to supervise the American citizens possessing superhuman powers. They have an office set in Washington, DC. The organization is best known for putting events into motion that led to Steve Rogers temporarily resigning as Captain AmericaCaptain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
and John Walker's recruitment and training to take over the role. It was later revealed that one of the members was an agent of the Red Skull
Red Skull
The Red Skull is a name shared by several fictional characters, all supervillains from the Marvel Comics universe. All incarnations of the character are enemies of Captain America, other superheroes, and the United States in general....
.
Department H
A fictitious branch of Canada’s Department of National DefenceDepartment of National Defence (Canada)
The Department of National Defence , frequently referred to by its acronym DND, is the department within the government of Canada with responsibility for all matters concerning the defence of Canada...
that deals with super-powered persons. Department H was responsible for bringing together and managing the Marvel Comics team known as Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight
Alpha Flight is a fictional superhero team published by Marvel Comics, noteworthy for being one of the few Canadian superhero teams. Created by John Byrne, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #120 ....
.
Euromind
Another EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an subdivision of S.H.I.E.L.D., called Euromind, was introduced in the Marvel Italia series Europa.
F.I.6
British Intelligence agency, former employers of MicromaxMicromax
Micromax is a fictional character, a mutant superhero of the Marvel universe. He first appeared in Excalibur vol. 1 #44.-Fictional character biography:Prior to the discovery of his mutant abilities, Scott Wright was a disk jockey...
. Led by Brigadier Theodore 'Inky' Blott. Employed psychics. Disbanded after most agents, including Blott, were killed by Necrom
Necrom
Necrom is a fictional character created by Alan Davis forMarvel Comics. Necrom was a powerful sorcerer and an enemy of Excalibur.-Fictional character biography:...
. Introduced in Excalibur
Excalibur (comics)
Excalibur is a Marvel Comics superhero group, an off-shoot of the X-Men, usually based in the United Kingdom. Conceived by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer Alan Davis, the original Excalibur first appeared in Excalibur Special Edition , also known as Excalibur: The Sword is Drawn.The...
and created by Alan Davis
Alan Davis
Alan Davis is an English writer and artist of comic books, known for his work on titles such as Captain Britain, The Uncanny X-Men, ClanDestine, Excalibur, JLA: The Nail and JLA: Another Nail.-UK work:...
.
G.R.A.M.P.A.
The covert organization known as G.R.A.M.P.A., the Global Reaction Agency for Mysterious Paranormal Activity, debuted in Amazing FantasyAmazing Fantasy
Amazing Fantasy is an American comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics from 1961 through 1962, and revived in 1995 and in the 2000s. It is best known as the title that introduced the popular superhero character Spider-Man in 1962...
vol. 2 #15. G.R.A.M.P.A.'s most prominent field operatives are Ace and One-Eyed Jacquie; the two agents refer to themselves collectively as "Blackjack
Blackjack
Blackjack, also known as Twenty-one or Vingt-et-un , is the most widely played casino banking game in the world...
". G.R.A.M.P.A. is tasked with protecting the world from paranormal threats.
H.A.M.M.E.R.
In Dark AvengersDark Avengers
Dark Avengers was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is part of a series of titles that have featured various iterations of the superhero team the Avengers...
#1, Norman Osborn
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
is appointed the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. Osborn dissolves S.H.I.E.L.D., firing all former agents, and replaces it with H.A.M.M.E.R., appointing Victoria Hand
Victoria Hand
Victoria Hand is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. She was created by Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Deodato. Her first appearance was in The Invincible Iron Man #8, by the creative team of Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca, although her subsequent appearance in Dark Avengers #1, by...
as his Deputy Director.
H.A.T.E.
H.A.T.E. stands for the Highest Anti Terrorism Effort. It is a parody of S.H.I.E.L.D. created for Marvel ComicsMarvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
' 12-issue series Nextwave
Nextwave
Nextwave is a comic book series by Warren Ellis and Stuart Immonen, published by Marvel Comics between 2006 and 2007.-Concept:The series was written exclusively in two-issue story arcs, a choice deliberately bucking the trend in modern American comics toward decompression...
by comics author Warren Ellis
Warren Ellis
Warren Girard Ellis is an English author of comics, novels, and television, who is well-known for sociocultural commentary, both through his online presence and through his writing, which covers transhumanist themes...
. The leader of H.A.T.E., General Dirk Anger
Dirk Anger
Dirk Anger is a satiric Marvel Comics character appearing in the book Nextwave. He was created by Warren Ellis and Stuart Immonen.Anger is a thinly veiled, over-the-top parody of Nick Fury...
is a parody of Nick Fury.
The Lodge
The Lodge was the name of a fictional government organization from Malibu ComicsMalibu Comics
Malibu Comics was an American comic book publisher active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, best known for its Ultraverse line of superhero titles. The company's headquarters was in Calabasas, California. Malibu imprints included Aircel Comics and Eternity Comics...
' Ultraverse
Ultraverse
The Ultraverse was the name given to a comic book imprint published by the American company Malibu Comics. The Ultraverse was a shared universe in which a variety of characters — known within the comics as "Ultras" — acquired super-human abilities.-History:...
imprint. The Lodge was created by Basil Wentworth towards the end of World War II. Its purpose was to prepare for the Cold War by starting covert operations in China, the Soviet Union, and East Germany. The Lodge still operates today. Alec Swan (Firearm
Firearm (comics)
Firearm was a comic book series created by writer James Dale Robinson and artists Howard Chaykin and Cully Hamner for Malibu Comics' Ultraverse imprint, which lasted 18 issues, with an additional 0 issue. The 0 issue included a 35-minute Firearm movie, on VHS...
), and James Hitch (Codename: Firearm) both former Squires, are the most well known operatives of the Lodge. The Lodge has a feudal structure ruled at the top by the King (Virginia Lockwood), then came ultra-powered Knights, non-powered Squires, and the Serfs who handled clerical and support.
M.I.13
Also known as "the Department", British intelligence agency created to replace the disbanded W.H.O., F.I.6, R.C.X., and outlawed Black Air. Its director is Alistaire StuartAlistaire Stuart
Alistaire Stuart is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. He is a scientist, an ally of the superhero team Excalibur and head of MI-13, an intelligence agency...
and Pete Wisdom is one of its agents.
Mutant Response Division
A mutant-hunting organization that was formed following an incident involving Leper Queen using Legacy VirusLegacy Virus
In the fictional Marvel Universe, the Legacy Virus was a devastating plague that ripped through the mutant population, killing hundreds and mutating so that it affected baseline humans as well....
-infected mutants on the people at an anti-mutant rally. They debuted in X-Factor #204.
O*N*E*
In the aftermath of the House of MHouse of M
House of M is an eight-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics in 2005. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel, its first issue debuted in June 2005 as a follow-up to the events of the Planet X and Avengers Disassembled...
, resulting in the depowering of 90% of the world's mutant population
Decimation (comics)
Decimation is the late 2005 Marvel Comics storyline spinning off from the House of M limited series. It focuses on the ramifications of the Scarlet Witch stripping nearly all of the mutant population of their powers, thereby reducing a society of millions to one of scant hundreds.This event, which...
, the Office of National Emergency (aka O*N*E*), a splinter from the Department of Homeland Security, had Sentinels
Sentinel (comics)
Sentinels are a fictional variety of mutant-hunting robots, appearing in the Marvel Comics Universe. They are usually portrayed as antagonists to the X-Men. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, they first appeared in The X-Men #14 .According to Marvel canon, Sentinels are programmed to locate...
instituted at the X-Mansion
X-Mansion
In the fictional Marvel Comics universe, the X-Mansion is the common name for Professor Xavier's mansion. It is the base of operations and training site of the X-Men and the location of a school for mutant teenagers, the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, formerly Xavier's School for Gifted...
to protect the mutants in case any enemies used this low point as an opportunity to attack them at their weakest, and also to stop the mutants in the event of a revolution. The X-Men are supposed to contact O*N*E* before going on any mission, and allow a Sentinel to go along with them on said mission.
R.C.X.
The Resources Control Executive is a British Intelligence Agency, introduced in Captain BritainCaptain Britain
Captain Britain , briefly known as Britannic, is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Chris Claremont and Herb Trimpe, he first appeared in Captain Britain Weekly, #1...
as a replacement to S.T.R.I.K.E. Created by Jamie Delano
Jamie Delano
Jamie Delano is a British comics writer. He was part of the first post-Alan Moore "British Invasion" of writers. Best known as the first writer of the comic book series Hellblazer, starring John Constantine.- Biography :...
and Alan Davis
Alan Davis
Alan Davis is an English writer and artist of comic books, known for his work on titles such as Captain Britain, The Uncanny X-Men, ClanDestine, Excalibur, JLA: The Nail and JLA: Another Nail.-UK work:...
. The British intelligence agency for the investigation of paranormal and superhuman activity, known as S.T.R.I.K.E., is infiltrated by a criminal organisation and nearly all of its members are killed. A weakened S.T.R.I.K.E. is unable to deal with the consequences of the Jaspers' Warp
Jaspers' Warp
"Jaspers' Warp", also known as "Crooked World", was a Marvel UK storyline featuring primarily the character Captain Britain. It was originally published between 1982 and 1984 in Marvel Superheroes, #387-388, The Daredevils, #1-11 and The Mighty World Of Marvel, volume 2, #7-13.The story is a...
and is disbanded. The Resources Control Executive (R.C.X.) is created to take its place. The members of the R.C.X. use codenames based on biblical figures to hide their true identity.
S.A.F.E.
Introduced in Marvel's line of novels in the mid 1990s, S.A.F.E. (Strategic Action For Emergencies) is the United State's answer to S.H.I.E.L.D. They first appeared in Spider-ManSpider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
& the Incredible Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
: Rampage (Doom's Day Book 1), and may not be part of comics canon. Whereas S.H.I.E.L.D. is a UN funded and run organization dealing with international incidents, S.A.F.E. is tasked with similar duties inside of America's borders. It is run by Colonel Sean Morgan and a prominently featured agent is Joshua Ballard, who, among other things, survived an encounter with Doctor Doom
Doctor Doom
Victor von Doom is a fictional character who appears in Marvel Comics publications . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Fantastic Four #5 wearing his trademark metal mask and green cloak...
and later Baron Zemo
Baron Zemo
Baron Zemo is the name of two fictional characters, both supervillains, in various Marvel Comics comic books, notably Captain America and the Avengers...
.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. (originally an acronym for Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division, subsequently changed to Strategic Hazard Intervention, Espionage and Logistics Directorate) is a fictional counterterrorism and intelligence agencyIntelligence agency
An intelligence agency is a governmental agency that is devoted to information gathering for purposes of national security and defence. Means of information gathering may include espionage, communication interception, cryptanalysis, cooperation with other institutions, and evaluation of public...
in the Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
that often deals with superhuman
Superhuman
Superhuman can mean an improved human, for example, by genetic modification, cybernetic implants, or as what humans might evolve into, in the near or distant future...
threats. Usually led by Nick Fury
Nick Fury
Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional World War II army hero and present-day super-spy in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 , a World War II combat series that portrayed the...
as Executive Director
Director-general
The term director-general is a title given the highest executive officer within a governmental, statutory, NGO, third sector or not-for-profit institution.-European Union:...
, this organization often operates as much as a covert agency as a quasi-military one, initially depicted as affiliated with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government, and in later years under the jurisdiction of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, with vast technological resources at their disposal and U.N. General Assembly Resolutions backed by legislation passed in signatory nations aiding many of their operations, as cited in Amazing Fantasy
Amazing Fantasy
Amazing Fantasy is an American comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics from 1961 through 1962, and revived in 1995 and in the 2000s. It is best known as the title that introduced the popular superhero character Spider-Man in 1962...
v.2 #7. In the wake of a recent unauthorized mission in Latveria
Latveria
Latveria is a nation in the . It is an isolated European country ruled by the supervillain Doctor Doom, supposedly located in the Banat region. It is surrounded by the Carpathian Mountains, and also borders the Symkaria to the south. Its capital is Doomstadt.-Publication history:Latveria first...
that had disastrous consequences for New York's superhero community, Fury has effectively resigned as Executive Director with international warrants out for his arrest. His successor was therefore not one of his closer associates as might otherwise have been the case, but a relatively unknown newcomer to the S.H.I.E.L.D. hierarchy, Maria Hill
Maria Hill
Maria Hill is a fictional character of the Marvel Universe. She was the former director of the planetary defense/intelligence service S.H.I.E.L.D..-Introduction:...
. Little is known of Hill's history within and prior to joining S.H.I.E.L.D.. After the events of the crossover event Civil War
Civil War (comics)
Civil War is a 2006-2007 Marvel Comics crossover storyline built around a self-titled seven-issue limited series written by Mark Millar and penciled by Steve McNiven, which ran through various other titles published by Marvel at the time...
Tony Stark, better known as Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
, became the new director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Although the various Helicarrier
Helicarrier
The Helicarrier is a fictional flying aircraft carrier specifically designed to be capable of independent powered flight in addition to the conventional functions of aircraft carriers...
s built over the years have long been considered S.H.I.E.L.D.'s primary "home base", the Directorate as presently constituted maintains a number of land bases throughout the world, most notably "S.H.I.E.L.D. Central" in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. While some of these bases are publicly accessible on a limited basis, most are not publicly disclosed for reasons of planetary security.
S.T.A.R.S.
The Commission on Superhuman ActivitiesCommission on Superhuman Activities
The Commission on Superhuman Activities is a fictional government group from the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:...
, created a special division of the federal government's U.S. Marshals
United States Marshals Service
The United States Marshals Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice . The office of U.S. Marshal is the oldest federal law enforcement office in the United States; it was created by the Judiciary Act of 1789...
called S.T.A.R.S., the Superhuman Tactical Activities Response Squad. A federal organization authorized to monitor and manage all activities regarding the supervision, apprehension, and detention of superhuman criminals in the United States. The group's leader was John Walker the U.S. Agent
U.S. Agent
U.S. Agent is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually those starring Captain America and the Avengers. He was created by Mark Gruenwald and Paul Neary in Captain America vol...
. S.T.A.R.S. uncovered a Ruul
Kree
The Kree, also known as the Ruul, are a scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic alien race in the fictional Marvel Universe. They are native to the planet Hala in the Large Magellanic Cloud...
plot to use Earth as a penal colony for alien criminals. U.S. Agent and S.T.A.R.S. were ultimately responsible for exposing and defeating the Ruul.
S.T.R.I.K.E.
Known as Special Tactical Response for International Key Emergencies. S.T.R.I.K.E. is a subdivision of, or perhaps a sister agency to, S.H.I.E.L.D. based in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Now disbanded, a notable member was Psylocke
Psylocke
Psylocke is a fictional character depicted in comic books published by Marvel Comics, most notably those comics featuring the superhero team the X-Men. The character has also appeared in licensed adaptations. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Herb Trimpe, she first appeared in the UK...
.
Superhuman Restraint Unit
The Superhuman Restraint Unit, sometimes abbreviated into "SRU", are special agents within S.H.I.E.L.D.S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
who are trained to capture and detain rogue superhumans
S.W.O.R.D.
Astonishing X-MenAstonishing X-Men
Astonishing X-Men is the name of three X-Men comic book series from Marvel Comics, the first two of which were limited series. The ongoing series began in 2004, with its first run written by Joss Whedon and art by John Cassaday. It was then written by Warren Ellis with art by Phil Jimenez. Daniel...
v3 #6 (December 2004) by Joss Whedon
Joss Whedon
Joseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American screenwriter, executive producer, director, comic book writer, occasional composer and actor, founder of Mutant Enemy Productions and co-creator of Bellwether Pictures...
introduced an organization named S.W.O.R.D. (Sentient World Observation and Response Department). S.W.O.R.D. is a governmental organization that works with S.H.I.E.L.D. In contrast to S.H.I.E.L.D., which deals with terrestrial threats, S.W.O.R.D. now deals with extraterrestrial threats. It is as yet unclear whether S.W.O.R.D. is a branch of S.H.I.E.L.D. or a true sister agency, as dialogue in the stories depicting both organizations has been ambiguous on the subject.
Ultimate S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. in the Ultimate UniverseUltimate Marvel
Ultimate Marvel is an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring reimagined and updated versions of the company's superhero characters, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four. The imprint was launched in 2000 with the publication of the series...
was first led by "Thunderbolt" Ross
Thunderbolt Ross
General Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross is a fictional character appearing in books published by Marvel Comics, usually as an adversary of the Hulk, sometimes as a supervillain. Ross is a United States military officer, the father of Betty Ross, ex-father in-law of Glenn Talbot and the father in-law...
. During the Gulf War, the Weapon X Project was sanctioned by S.H.I.E.L.D. and resulted in the creation of Wolverine. The project was headed by Colonel John Wraith. After Ross' apparent death, Ultimate Nick Fury
Ultimate Nick Fury
General Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional character published by Marvel Comics. A reinterpretation of the character Nick Fury, one of the most notable differences between the two is that the mainstream Nick Fury is an Italian American colonel with graying brown hair, while this Nick Fury...
was then selected as the organization's Executive Director
Executive director
Executive director is a term sometimes applied to the chief executive officer or managing director of an organization, company, or corporation. It is widely used in North American non-profit organizations, though in recent decades many U.S. nonprofits have adopted the title "President/CEO"...
. His first plan was to resurrect the Super Soldier program. At first, he commissioned Dr. Bruce Banner to try to recreate the super soldier formula that made Ultimate Captain America
Ultimate Captain America
Ultimate Captain America is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. He is an alternative version of the mainstream Marvel continuity Captain America that appears in Marvel's Ultimate line of books...
, but this failed and resulted in the creation of the Hulk when Banner injected the mediocre serum into himself.
Weapon X Project
The Weapon X Project was a fictional clandestine governmentGovernment
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
project in the Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
conducted by the Canadian Government's Department K (and secretly funded by the US government) which turned willing and unwilling beings into living weapons. Weapon X was originally the tenth installation of the Weapon Plus program, which was behind the creation of Captain America and many other living weapons. The two latest installations of Weapon X were completely independent from Weapon Plus.
Weapon X often captures mutants and experiments on them to enhance their superpowers
Superpower (ability)
Superpower is a popular culture term for a fictional superhuman ability. When a character possesses multiple such abilities, the terms super powers or simply powers are used...
. Other test subjects have included normal human beings, as well as aliens. The Weapon X Project produced the anti-hero of the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...
team, Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...
, and other characters such as Deadpool and Sabretooth
Sabretooth (comics)
Sabretooth is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics supervillain created by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer John Byrne. The character first appeared in Iron Fist #14...
.
W.H.O.
The Weird Happenings Organization was mandated by the UK government with the investigation into and research of supernatural and paranormal phenomena until it was replaced by Black AirBlack Air
Black Air is a fictional former Governmental Intelligence department founded and operating primarily within the United Kingdom in the Marvel Universe, initially as an adjunct to the Ministry of Defence...
. It was featured in Excalibur
Excalibur (comics)
Excalibur is a Marvel Comics superhero group, an off-shoot of the X-Men, usually based in the United Kingdom. Conceived by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer Alan Davis, the original Excalibur first appeared in Excalibur Special Edition , also known as Excalibur: The Sword is Drawn.The...
.
See also
- List of government agencies in comics
- List of criminal organizations in Marvel Comics
- List of Marvel Comics teams and organizations