Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Alexander Pierce
Alter Ego: Alexander Goodwin Pierce
Notable Aliases: Anthony Durami
First Appearance: Nick Fury vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. #3 (August, 1988)
One of Nick Fury's most loyal operatives.Agent Alisande Morales
First Appearance: Captain America and the Falcon #1 (May, 2004)
- One-Steve Limit: No known relationship to one Miles Morales.
Mockingbird
Alter Ego: Barbara "Bobbi" Morse Barton
Notable Aliases: Agent 19, the Huntress
First Appearance: As Dr. Barbara Morse: Astonishing Tales #6 (June 1971); Full appearance: Astonishing Tales #12 (June 1972); As Huntress: Marvel Super Action #1 (January 1976); As Mockingbird: Marvel Team-Up #95 (July 1980)
See the Mockingbird page for more info.
Clay Quartermain
Notable Aliases: Special Agent Aspen
First Appearance: Strange Tales #163 (December, 1967)
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., a close friend to Nick Fury and a major player in battles with the Hulk.- Dropped a Bridge on Him: He's murdered, off-screen, by the Red Hulk in Hulk #2.
- Inspector Javert: When it came to tracking the Hulk, Clay could be extremely zealous. Sometimes, way too zealous (like that time he let an actually insane General Ross out of a mental institution so he could go attack Bruce).
Hawkeye
Alter Ego: Clinton Francis "Clint" Barton
Notable Aliases: Goliath; Golden Archer; Ronin
First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #57 (September 1964) note ; Avengers #63 (April 1969) note ; Captain America #179 (November 1974) note ; New Avengers #27 (April 2007) note
See the Hawkeye page for more info.
Derek Khanata
First Appearance: Amazing Fantasy Vol. 2 #7 (June, 2005)
Derek is a Wakandan-born who entered SHIELD at the recommendation of the Black Panther. In his first appearance he recruits Scorpion and then becomes her field handler. Later, he became an associate of the Agents of Atlas.
- Facial Markings: Has Wakandan tattoos on his face.
- Family Man: He has a wife and two daughters.
- Friend on the Force: Helps the Agents of Atlas while they're on the run from SHIELD despite nominally being part of the organization.
- Persona Non Grata: After SHIELD was disbanded in the wake of Secret Invasion, Derek found it impossible to get a job anywhere else. Fortunately, Jimmy Woo remembers his friends, and Atlas are far more accommodating.
- Shell-Shocked Veteran: He has some scars from a coup attempt in Wakanda, when he was younger.
Elena Rodriguez
Alter Ego: Slingshot
Notable Aliases: Yo-Yo Rodriguez
First Appearance: Mighty Avengers #13 (July, 2008)
Daughter of the Johnny Horton, a.k.a. the first Griffin. Recruited for Nick Fury's Secret Invasion strike force against the Skrulls.
Erik Selvig
First Appearance: Avengers Standoff: Welcome to Pleasant Hill #1 (April, 2016)
Erik Selvig is a character who was introduced within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He first appeared in the movie "Thor" and was introduced into the mainstream comic books a few years later. There, he worked as a doctor for S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Canon Immigrant: Like Phil Coulson, Selvig first debuted in the MCU before appearing in the mainstream comics.
Grant Ward
Alter Ego: Grant Douglas Ward
Notable Aliases: Iron Thief (editorial name)
First Appearance: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 (January, 2016)
- Canon Immigrant: Like the rest of the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. series, he eventually made his way to the main comic books.
- Explosive Leash: Forced to wear an explosive collar now that he's back with S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Face–Heel Turn: Instead of always being The Mole like in the series, here he came to agree with Gorgon's ideals, siding with him over S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Powered Armor: Wore an Iron Man suit.
Jasper Sitwell
Notable Aliases: Agent 22
First Appearance: Strange Tales #144 (May, 1966)
A S.H.I.E.L.D. agent that was trained by Nick Fury personally. He was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top interrogator and the sometimes partner of Jimmy Woo.
- Came Back Wrong: After his death in Secret Warriors, he came back as a zombie.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: He dives inbetween Nick and Gorgon's sword, getting run through. He survives that.
Jemma Simmons
Notable Aliases: Fitz-Simmons (with Leo Fitz), Ms. Steranko, Deathlok
First Appearance: S.H.I.E.L.D. Vol 3 #1 (February, 2015)
Jemma Simmons is a level 5 S.H.I.E.L.D. scientist. She is one of the youngest and most prominent members of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s research division, along with her inseparable friend Leo Fitz. She, along with Fitz, were recruited to Coulson's Team by Melinda May.
- Canon Immigrant: Like Coulson, Fitz and May, she debuted in the MCU before the comics.
- Freudian Excuse: Her father was very controlling towards her.
Spider-Woman
Alter Ego: Jessica Miriam Drew
Notable Aliases: Arachne, Ariadne Hyde, Hunter
First Appearance: Marvel Spotlight #32 (February 1977)
See the Spider-Woman page for more info.
Leopold "Leo" Fitz
Notable Aliases: Fitz-Simmons (with Jemma Simmons)
First Appearance: S.H.I.E.L.D. Vol 3 #1 (February, 2015)
A brilliant but socially awkward engineer and Jemma Simmons' research partner.- Canon Immigrant: Like Coulson, Simmons, Ward and May, he debuted in the MCU before the comics.
- Do Not Call Me "Paul": Averted, as he is often referred to as Leo, in contrast to his television counterpart's near-complete Last-Name Basis.
Melinda May
Alter Ego: Melinda Qiaolian May
Notable Aliases: The Cavalry
First Appearance: S.H.I.E.L.D. Vol 3 #1 (February, 2015)
- Alliterative Name: Melinda May
- Canon Immigrant: Like Coulson, Simmons, Ward and Fitz, she debuted in the MCU show before the comics.
Black Widow
Alter Ego: Natalia Alianovna Romanova (Natasha Romanoff)
Notable Aliases: Natalie Rushman, Laura Matthers, Mary Farrell, Natasha Romanoff, Oktober, Yelena Belova
First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #52 (April 1964)
See the Black Widow page for more info.
Nick Fury Jr.
Alter Ego: Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury, Jr.
Notable Aliases: Marcus Johnson
First Appearance: Battle Scars #1 (November, 2011)
Once known as Marcus Johnson, Nick Fury Jr. is the second son of the legendary Nick Fury, and the leader of the Secret Avengers. With a military history and a knack for espionage, he has gone on to follow his father's footsteps as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
- Affirmative-Action Legacy: Nick Fury Jr. is the black successor to the original white Nick Fury.
- Artistic License – Military: Nick Fury Jr. was supposedly a West Point graduate and then went on to become an Army enlistedman. West Point graduates go on to be officers.
- Black-and-Grey Morality: Nick Fury Jr. isn't comfortable with it yet.
- Canon Immigrant: Battle Scars (a Fear Itself epilogue) introduces Marcus Johnson, a black marine sucked into the world of superheroes when it was discovered he's Fury's son (by way of a black agent the original Fury dated). By the end of the event - coincidentally just as the Avengers movie premiered - he'd lost his eye, shaved his head, and all in all become Ultimate Nick Fury in the non-Ultimate universe (it's even found out that his birth name is really "Nicholas Fury, Jr.").
- Empowered Badass Normal: Fury Jr. has the same anti-aging formula as the original.
- Eyepatch of Power: Wouldn't be Nick Fury without one.
- Eye Scream: Fury Jr. lost his in the events of the Battle Scars miniseries.
- Generation Xerox: Marcus Johnson's friendship with Phil Coulson mirrors that between Nick Fury Sr. and Dum Dum Dugan; from their past serving together in the military and joining S.H.I.E.L.D. He's also missing the same eye that his father is.
- Handicapped Badass: Missing an eye, like the original.
- Mythology Gag:
- Nick Fury, Jr.'s friendship with Phil Coulson in the comics universe unsurprisingly mirrors Nick Fury and Phil Coulson's friendship in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
- The Spymaster: Fury Jr. is still a rookie at this.
Phil Coulson
Alter Ego: Philip J. Coulson
First Appearance: Battle Scars #1 (January, 2012)
An agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and member of the Secret Avengers. He is a character that was introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe before being imported over to the comic book universe.
- Adaptational Villainy: While his actions post-resurrection are suggested to be due to Mephisto tempering with his mind, Heroes Reborn (2021) also revealed that he was in Hell in the first place due to engaging in waterboarding as a soldier.
- And I Must Scream: At the end of Heroes Reborn, Mephisto drags him off to Hell to suffer inside the Hellahedron forever.
- Ascended Fanboy: The man enjoys talking superhero fanfics with Kamala Khan, another example of this trope.
- Bad Boss: After turning evil, he brainwashes the Squadron Supreme of America so they'll do what he wants. He guns down JJ Jameson and "Thunderbolt" Ross to frame the Wakandans, and sees the Squadron as nothing but pawns, even stating that it wouldn't really matter if a few of them were killed by his bombardment of Wakanda.
- Big Bad: Of the 2021 Heroes Reborn. He used the Hellahedron to change reality at the behest of Mephisto.
- Brainwashed and Crazy: It's hinted that Mephisto intentionally warped his soul during the revival. Every time Coulson's former personality surfaces and he has doubts, Mephisto reverts him to his current evil persona.
- Came Back Wrong: Courtesy of Mephisto, the formerly good-natured man with an unending love of superheroes comes back as a dog-punting maniac who despises superheroes.
- Canon Immigrant: Easily the best known example of the MCU.
- Continuity Snarl: Originally, he joined SHIELD alongside Nick Jr. after being in the army. He's since been depicted as having been a SHIELD agent for a long time, being involved in Civil War and personally having a past with characters who should be before his time.
- Fallen Hero: After being killed by Deadpool during Secret Empire, Coulson sold his soul to Mephisto, becomes one of his agents on Earth, and uses the Pandemonium Cube to create a new, Americentric reality where he is more or less a dictator who keeps everyone in-line with Jerkass heroes that he can control while nearly everyone worships Mephisto.
- Mundane Utility: He used the Pandemonium Cube to get rid of daylight savings time and cords, and made it so that restaurants don't just serve Roxxi Cola.
- Not-So-Well-Intentioned Extremist: In Heroes Return, he claims that he made the world safer despite the fact that his Squadron are ruthless with little concern for collateral damage, have made Canada into a wasteland, wiped out a ton of mutants and forced the survivors into hiding, and wreaked havoc in space via Doctor Spectrum. His inner monologue makes him sound like an egotist who simply enjoys playing God.
- Pet the Dog: Out of sentimentality he allowed Captain America to remain frozen in ice and still be commemorated by a statue. He eschews this when he later personally tries to kill Cap.
- President Evil: He created the altered timeline using the Pandemonium Cube.
- Parental Issues: His father is the super-villain known as the Tinkerer, and he does not approuve of this.
Roz Solomon
Alter Ego: Rosalind Solomon
Notable Aliases: Agent E-23
First Appearance: Thor: God of Thunder #12 (October, 2013)
A rookie environmental scientist for S.H.I.E.L.D. who befriends Thor.- Ambadassador: Served as Midgard's representative at the Congress of Worlds.
- Red Herring: She was the main candidate for the identity of the female Thor. However, it wasn't her, and she would lose relevance very soon after Thor's actual identity was revealed.
The Falcon
Alter Ego: Samuel Thomas "Sam" Wilson
Notable Aliases: "Snap" Wilson, Falcon, Blackwing, Blackbird, Captain America
First Appearance: As Falcon: Captain America #117 (September 1969); As Captain America: All-New Captain America #1 (November 2014)
See the The Falcon page for more info.
Valentina Allegra de Fontaine
Alter Ego: Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine
Notable Aliases: Madame Hydra (III)
First Appearance: Strange Tales #159 (August, 1967)
A woman of remarkable skills and talents in many areas, the Contessa became a leading member of SHIELD and Femme Force. She is also the long time lover of Nick Fury.
In the Secret Warriors series, it is shown that Hydra has infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. right from the start, and Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine, an European socialite turned S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and love interest to Nick Fury, is their new Madame Hydra after having killed Viper (who Came Back Wrong).
- Action Girl: The Contessa is a superb hand-to-hand combatant and a brilliant marksman with firearms of most kinds.
- Double Agent: Well, triple, actually. She is a Leviathan (formerly Soviet espionage group) mole infiltrating both SHIELD and HYDRA.
- Femme Fatale: In the Nick Fury - Agent of SHIELD series.
- The Leader: At one point the Contessa was the leader of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Femme Force, an elite cadre of female agents.
- Love Interest: For Nick Fury ,and their relationship continued for many years. Indeed, she is featured in a silent, one-page seduction sequence in Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD #2 that famously had two panels changed, at the behest of the Comics Code Authority.
- Operation: Jealousy: Jealous of Nick's on again off again relationship with Brown, Val flirted with sometime S.H.I.E.L.D. operative Captain America. When the the two intensely fought over Val, she interrupted the fight and explained her motives.
Valerie Jessup
Alter Ego: Valeria Toomes
Notable Aliases: Valerie Merrick
First Appearance: Identity Disc #1 (August, 2004)
S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent and daughter of Adrian Toomes, the criminal known as the Vulture.
- The Ugly Guy's Hot Daughter: Toomes is elderly and certainly no wall painting, but Valeria is quite attractive.
Victoria Hand
Alter Ego: Victoria Louise Hand
Notable Aliases: Ms. Hand
First Appearance: Invincible Iron Man Vol 2 #8 (February, 2009)
Victoria Hand was previously Norman Osborn's second in command as Deputy Director of H.A.M.M.E.R. She was inducted into the New Avengers as Steve Rogers believed she deserved a second chance.
- Badass Normal: If nothing else, she's got some nerves on her, being perfectly willing to mouth off to the assortment of psycopaths that are the Dark Avengers, while having no superpowers at her disposal should they get fed up of her.
- Birds of a Feather: Norman took her on because he liked her views.
- Bury Your Gays: Killed by the vengeful spirit of Daniel Drumm.
- Horrible Judge of Character: Seemed to honestly think Norman Osborn was a misguided soul who had some sound ideas about counter-terrorism and the like, who just needed someone to occasionally help him stay on the path.
- Hypercompetent Sidekick: When your boss is Norman Osborn, this is expected.
- Once Done, Never Forgotten: Spidey never stops giving her grief over having worked for Norman Osborn. In fairness, Victoria doesn't understand just how personal their beef is.
- Reassigned to Antarctica: Once, Victoria felt it was a very good idea to tell Nick Fury just how poorly she felt he was doing on matters like HYDRA, even sending him a sternly worded letter, over the advice of her girlfriend. This got Victoria reassigned to a crap posting and dumped at the same time. She later feels being assigned to liase with the New Avengers is Steve Roger's method of punishing her for working with Osborn.
- Straight Gay: She doesn't act butch nor particularly feminine and she's a lesbian.
- Token Good Teammate: She's probably the most moral person in Osborn's circle during his stint with the Dark Avengers. This is not saying much, sadly.