History ComicBook / SHIELD

Behind it all, behind [[ComicBook/TheAvengers the heroic]], [[ComicBook/SpiderMan the amazing]], [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk the incredible]], [[ComicBook/FantasticFour the fantastic]] and even [[ComicBook/XMen the uncanny]], there exists dangers and threats that are rarely seen because they hide in the shadows or are too massive for most of the world to comprehend. Yet there is one organization that has taken it upon itself to safeguard the human race against the known and unknown. They are security, they are shelter... they are S.H.I.E.L.D..

The Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-enforcement Division. The Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate. [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division]].

The masterminds behind the Franchise/MarvelUniverse.

'''THE'''

Behold, the prototypical Government Agency Of Fiction: 'the house that ComicBook/NickFury built'. S.H.I.E.L.D. is the source of most, if not all, of the SpyFiction in the Franchise/MarvelUniverse. It is the nebulous espionage organization that for decades was known as the "House that ComicBook/NickFury built". It first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #135 (August, 1965). The organization is a UsefulNotes/UnitedNations or sometimes UsefulNotes/UnitedStates backed paramilitary and intelligence organization, whose acronym originally stood for Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division but was changed in the [[TheNineties 1990s]] to stand for Strategic Hazard Intervention, Espionage and Logistics Directorate. In the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, the acronym was defined as the "Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division".

The House that ComicBook/NickFury built. The Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-enforcement Division. The Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate. [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division]].

'''THE''' GovernmentAgencyOfFiction.

Behind it all, behind [[ComicBook/TheAvengers the heroic]], [[ComicBook/SpiderMan the amazing]], [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk the incredible]], [[ComicBook/FantasticFour the fantastic]] and even [[ComicBook/XMen the uncanny]], there exists dangers and threats that are rarely seen because they hide in the shadows or are too massive for most of the world to comprehend. Yet there is one organization that has taken it upon itself to safeguard the human race against the known and unknown. They are security, they are shelter... they are the S.H.I.E.L.D..

S.H.I.E.L.D. is the source of most, if not all, of the SpyFiction in the Franchise/MarvelUniverse. It is the nebulous espionage organization that for decades was known as the "House that ComicBook/NickFury built". It first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #135 (August, 1965). The organization is a UsefulNotes/UnitedNations or sometimes UsefulNotes/UnitedStates backed paramilitary and intelligence organization, whose acronym originally stood for Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division but was changed in the [[TheNineties 1990s]] to stand for Strategic Hazard Intervention, Espionage and Logistics Directorate. In the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, the acronym was defined as the "Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division".

* RetCanon: The 2011 series incorporated the idea that Howard Stark's name includes "Walter" as a middle name from ''WesternAnimation/IronManTheAnimatedSeries''.[[note]]Originally a case of AdaptationNameChange, season 2 retconned that "Walter" is a case of MiddleNameBasis and his first name is "Howard" and the comic made his full name "Howard Anthony Walter Stark"[[/note]]

Behind it all, behind [[Franchise/TheAvengers the heroic]], [[Franchise/SpiderMan the amazing]], [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk the incredible]], [[ComicBook/FantasticFour the fantastic]] and even [[ComicBook/XMen the uncanny]], there exists dangers and threats that are rarely seen because they hide in the shadows or are too massive for most of the world to comprehend. Yet there is one organization that has taken it upon itself to safeguard the human race against the known and unknown. They are security, they are shelter… they are the S.H.I.E.L.D..

** For example, references are made in the MCU to SHIELD conducting assassinations, it hires characters such as Comicbook/BlackWidow and Comicbook/{{Hawkeye}} who are described directly as being killers, and has on occasion sanctioned the murder of civilians such as in the ''Film/Item47''. All for the greater good, so they say. That said, however, given the revelations in ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'' and ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier'' that [[spoiler:many SHIELD operatives are in fact working for HYDRA]], the extent to which the trope actually applies in this continuity is uncertain.

* FunWithAcronyms: One of the most notorious examples of it. This extends to related organizations S.T.R.I.K.E.[[note]]Special Tactical Reserve for International Key Emergencies[[/note]], S.W.O.R.D.[[note]]Sentient Worlds Observation and Response Department[[/note]], and A.R.M.O.R.[[note]]Alternate Reality Monitoring and Operational Response[[/note]]. Parodied with H.A.M.M.E.R., which never had its meaning defined[[note]]In fact, Norman Osborn came up with the acronym first and left figuring out a meaning to Victoria Hand.[[/note]] and characters in-universe made jokes that nobody knew what it stood for.

There have been numerous series revolving around and featuring S.H.I.E.L.D. throughout the years, including long standing features in multiple ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'' runs. In the 2010s, Creator/JonathanHickman began delving deeper into the organization's history; first in ''ComicBook/SecretWarriors'' and then in [[ComicBook/SHIELD2010 two bimonthly mini-series]]. [[ComicBook/SHIELD2014 Another series]] launched in December 2014, essentially being an in-universe version of the first season of the ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'' TV show with Agent Coulson leading a team to investigate whatever weird stuff S.H.I.E.L.D. needs investigating; this was later relaunched under the show's title of ''ComicBook/AgentsOfSHIELD''. However, the entire organization has now been defunct due to ''ComicBook/SecretEmpire'' incident.

* GoodPolicingEvilPolicing: The titular organization is a complex example of moral opposites in Law Enforcement because it's one of the more visible law enforcement factions in the Franchise/MarvelUniverse (other than the [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkCityCops the NYPD]]) and it stands on both sides of this trope DependingOnTheWriter. For the most part, they are trying to maintain law and order in a universe full of super-powered crooks and succeeding, but more often than not (big examples being ''ComicBook/CivilWar'', ''ComicBook/{{Outlawed}}'' and ''ComicBook/OriginalSin'') they are there to cause the mess that the superheroes need to clean up and/or are jackbooted thugs enforcing the evil law ''du jour'' and employing tactics that are [[{{Hypocrite}} plainly illegal]] because whoever is the agency's leader at the time thinks that [[TautologicalTemplar being in command and given the responsibility to "make the hard choices" means their choices are always indisputably "good"]].

Behind it all, behind [[Franchise/TheAvengers the heroic]], [[Franchise/SpiderMan the amazing]], [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk the incredible]], [[ComicBook/FantasticFour the fantastic]] and even [[ComicBook/XMen the uncanny]], there exists dangers and threats that are rarely seen because they hide in the shadows or are too massive for most of the world to comprehend. Yet there is one organization that has taken it upon itself to safeguard the human race against the known and unknown. They are security, they are shelter... they are the S.H.I.E.L.D..

* FunWithAcronyms: One of the most notorious examples of it. This extends to related organizations S.T.R.I.K.E.[[note]]Special Tactical Reserve for International Key Emergencies[[/note]], S.W.O.R.D.[[note]]Sentient Worlds Observation and Response Department[[/note]], and A.R.M.O.R.[[note]]Alternate Reality Monitoring and Operational Response[[/note]]. Parodied with H.A.M.M.E.R., which never had its meaning defined and characters in-universe made jokes that nobody knew what it stood for.

---->'''Maria Hill:''' What does S.H.I.E.L.D. stand for?
---->'''Agent Ward:''' Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division
---->'''Maria Hill:''' What does that mean to you?
---->'''Agent Ward:''' It means someone really wanted our initials to spell S.H.I.E.L.D.

For some of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s most prominent agents, see ComicBook/NickFury, Sharon Carter (codename "ComicBook/{{Agent 13}}"), ComicBook/MariaHill, and ComicBook/DaisyJohnson (codename "Quake").

There have been numerous series revolving around and featuring S.H.I.E.L.D. throughout the years, including long standing features in multiple ''ComicBook/CaptainAmerica'' runs. In the 2010s, Creator/JonathanHickman began delving deeper into the organization's history; first in ''ComicBook/SecretWarriors'' and then in [[ComicBook/SHIELD2010 two bimonthly mini-series]]. [[ComicBook/SHIELD2014 Another series]] launched in December 2014, essentially being an in-universe version of the first season of the ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'' TV show with Agent Coulson leading a team to investigate whatever weird stuff S.H.I.E.L.D. needs investigating; this was later relaunched under the show's title of ''ComicBook/AgentsOfSHIELD''.

S.H.I.E.L.D. is the source of most, if not all, of the SpyFiction in the Franchise/MarvelUniverse. It is the nebulous espionage organization that for decades was known as the "House that ComicBook/NickFury built". It first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #135 (August, 1965). The organization is a UN or sometimes United States backed paramilitary and intelligence organization, whose acronym originally stood for Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division but was changed in the [[TheNineties 1990s]] to stand for Strategic Hazard Intervention, Espionage and Logistics Directorate. In the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse, the acronym was defined as the "Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division".

Behind it all, behind [[Franchise/SpiderMan the amazing]], [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk the incredible]], [[ComicBook/FantasticFour the fantastic]] and even [[ComicBook/XMen the uncanny]], there exists dangers and threats that are rarely seen because they hide in the shadows or are too massive for most of the world to comprehend. Yet there is one organization that has taken it upon itself to safeguard the human race against the known and unknown. They are security, they are shelter... they are the S.H.I.E.L.D..

--->'''Maria Hill:''' What does S.H.I.E.L.D. stand for?
--->'''Agent Ward:''' Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division
--->'''Maria Hill:''' What does that mean to you?
--->'''Agent Ward:''' It means someone really wanted our initials to spell S.H.I.E.L.D.

* ActuallyADoombot: The Life Model Decoys, almost convincingly human robots made to protect the director in case of assassination, or if they're just feeling prickly. It's also been used to save Nick Fury from the hands of death from time to time.

Behind it all, behind [[Franchise/SpiderMan the amazing]], [[ComicBook/IncredibleHulk the incredible]], [[ComicBook/FantasticFour the fantastic]] and even [[ComicBook/XMen the uncanny]], there exists dangers and threats that are rarely seen because they hide in the shadows or are too massive for most of the world to comprehend. Yet there is one organization that has taken it upon itself to safeguard the human race against the known and unknown. They are security, they are shelter... they are the S.H.I.E.L.D..

* RetCanon: The 2011 series incorporated the idea that Howard Stark's name includes "Walter" as a middle name from the 1990s ''WesternAnimation/IronMan'' cartoon.[[note]]Originally a case of AdaptationNameChange, season 2 retconned that "Walter" is a case of MiddleNameBasis and his first name is "Howard" and the comic made his full name "Howard Anthony Walter Stark"[[/note]]

* GoodPolicingEvilPolicing: The titular organization is a complex example of moral opposites in Law Enforcement because it's one of the more visible law enforcement factions in the Franchise/MarvelUniverse (other than the [[UsefulNotes/NewYorkCityCops the NYPD]]) and it stands on both sides of this trope DependingOnTheWriter. For the most part, they are trying to maintain law and order in a universe full of super-powered crooks and succeeding, but more often than not (big examples being ''ComicBook/CivilWar'', ''ComicBook/{{Outlawed}}'' and ''ComicBook/OriginalSin'') they are there to cause the mess that the superheroes need to clean up and/or are jackbooted thugs enforcing the evil law ''du jour'' and employing tactics that are [[{{Hypocrite}} plainly illegal]] because whoever is the agency?s leader at the time thinks that [[TautologicalTemplar being in command and given the responsibility to "make the hard choices" means their choices are always indisputably "good"]].

* HeroWithAnFInGood: On paper they are meant to be a force for Good in the Marvelverse and enforce order in the world, but more often than not are the cause of a variety of disasters, calamities, or monsters that end up having to be stopped by Marvel's superheroes in the first place. More than once have they been the cause of a NiceJobBreakingItHero scenario, hijacked by a villain for monstrous purposes, or some grievous attempt at violating TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow for power or political leverage, which had led to its dissolution more than once.

* RedshirtArmy: Despite the fact that they are sometimes shown as MenOfSherwood or even BadassArmy, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent usually serve just as victims to be easily killed by any villain. Any commander will not usually really care about the losses. It sometimes seems that they do not even care about casualties when they plan their actions. Many agents or soldiers are killed in large numbers for example on board of the Helicarriers that seem to serve mostly just so they can fall down and kill all their crew. How S.H.I.E.L.D. HR department manages to recruit anyone is a mystery.

* TooDumbToLive: They have had their moments, especially in ''VideoGame/SpiderManShatteredDimensions'' when they tried to use Carnage and give it a lot more power and it worked as well as one would think it would.
* TyrantTakesTheHelm: After ''Secret War'', Nick Fury was ousted and Maria Hill took his place. Not that Nick has ''ever'' been what you'd call nice on a good day, but Hill immediately turns out to be far more confrontational than him (though exact levels of tyranny, again, depend on who's writing her).

* RedshirtArmy: Despite the fact that they are sometimes shown as MenOfSherwood or even BadassArmy, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent usually serve just as victims to be easily killed by any villain. Any commander will not usually really care about the losses. It sometimes seems that they do not even care about casualties when they plan their actions. Many agents or soldiers are killed in large numbers for example on board of the Hellicarriers that seem to serve mostly just so they can fall down and kill all their crew. How S.H.I.E.L.D. HR department manages to recruit anyone is a mystery.

S.H.I.E.L.D. has also been a large part of several Marvel adaptations, including ''WesternAnimation/SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries'', ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'' and ''WesternAnimation/UltimateSpiderMan''. S.H.I.E.L.D. features notably in the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse as an important part of the series, being a recurring element in several movies and the focus of two TV spinoffs, ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'' and ''Series/AgentCarter''.

* GovernmentAgencyOfFiction

* CloakAndDagger

* HighTurnoverRate: Ever since Nick Fury got ousted after ''Secret War'', they've gone through a lot of replacement directors. ''(deep breath)'' Maria Hill, Tony Stark, Steve Rodgers, Daisy Johnson, Maria Hill again, Sue Storm (yeah...), and Nick Fury junior.

* RetCanon: The 2011 series incorporated the idea that Howard Stark's name includes "Walter" as a middle name from the 1990s ''WesternAnimation/IronMan'' cartoon.[[note]]Originally a case of AdaptationNameChange, season 2 retconned that "Walter" is a case of MiddleNameBasis and his first name is "Howard" and the comic made his full name "Howard Anthony Walter Stark"[[note]]

* RetCanon: The 2011 series incorporated the idea that Howard Stark's name includes "Walter" as a middle name from the 1990s ''WesternAnimation/IronMan'' cartoon.[[note]]Originally a case of AdaptationNameChange, season 2 retconned that "Walter" is a case of MiddleNameBasis and his first name is "Howard" and the comic made his full name "Howard Walter Anthony Stark"[[note]]

* AppliedPhlebotinum

** Creator/JackKirby's original artwork had Nick Fury as "The Man Called D.E.A.T.H."[[note]]Director of External Atomic Threat Headquarters[[/note]]. When the artwork was eventually used for the 50th anniversary, The Man Called D.E.A.T.H. was instead the mysterious figure who recruited S.H.I.E.L.D. directors.[[note]][=DaVinci=] Elevating Agents To Helm[[/note]]

* SpyCatsuit