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List of government agencies in comics

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The following is a list of fictional government agencies that have appeared in the mythical universes of various comic books.

Dark Horse Comics

B.P.R.D.

The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense is a fictional organization in the Dark Horse Comics universe charged with protecting America and the world from the occult, paranormal and supernatural. It maintains and utilises the services of several supernatural persons. It was originally featured in the Hellboy comics and has been expanded in a series of comic miniseries and one-shots.[1]

Cabinet Intelligence Agency

The Cabinet Intelligence Agency (CIA), is a fictional intelligence department from Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell manga series. The agency is based on Naicho, the real Japanese Cabinet Intelligence Office. An alternate translation is Cabinet Intelligence Service (CIS).[2]

Public Security Section 9

Public Security Section 9 also referred to as Public Safety Section 9 in some translations, is a fictional intelligence department from Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell manga series. Section 9 is located in the Japanese city of Niihama-shi (also known as New Port City). The exact location of Section 9's headquarters is held as top-secret and is only known by the Japanese government and Section 9 employees.[3]

DC Comics

The Agency

The Agency was formed by Amanda Waller to serve as a small, quasi-independent branch of Task Force X. It performed global operations which were vital to the security of American interests. Valentina Vostok brought former NYPD Lieutenant Harry Stein into the Agency as an operative. Adrian Chase the Vigilante and Christopher Smith Peacemaker were contract operatives for the Agency. [4]

A.P.E.S.

A.P.E.S. (All-Purpose Enforcement Squad) is a semi-indepepndent US governmental division within the DEO. Donald Fite, father of Empress, and Ishito Maad are their most well known operatives. Their main headquarters is inside Mount Rushmore. [5]

Argent

Argent was the domestic branch of Task Force X, it was a sister organization to the Suicide Squad. Argent was led by Control and consisted mainly of former O.S.S. (Office of Strategic Services) agents. Argent was a powerful agency during most of the Cold War. After confronting and killing a government official responsible for the assassination of President Kennedy, Control ordered all records of Argent destroyed and pulled the organisation undercover. For years, the Argent continued their work in secret, but shrunk considerably in size. Eventually, Control died, but his granddaughter, Anne-Marie Vere, maintained the pretence that he was still alive to keep the group operating. In recent times, a confrontation with the Suicide Squad exposed the deception and Argent disbanded. Known agents of the Argent included: Control, Falcon, Fleur, Iron Munro, Phantom Lady I, and Anne-Marie Vere.[6]

A.S.A.

The American Security Agency was a U.S. Government organization that supervised the creation of the national team of super-agents called the Force of July. The chairman of the A.S.A. was B. Eric Blairman. Blairman was later replaced as head of the A.S.A. by the even more corrupt Abraham Lincoln Carlyle, who made an attempt to use the Psycho Pirate's Medusa Mask to get himself elected president. During an internecine war within the US Government called the Janus Directive, Carlyle and most of the Force of July were killed in battle. The American Security Agency was defunct shortly afterwards.[7]

B.A.A.

The Bureau of Amplified Animals is a US Government agency that monitors and deploys superhuman animal operatives. Currently known operatives of the Bureau are Rex the Wonder Dog and Detective Chimp.[8]

C.B.I.

The CBI (Central Bureau of Intelligence), was formerly led by Sarge Steel and also included King Faraday, Richard Dragon and Ben Turner in its stable of agents. Steel was eventually depicted as a Federal Cabinet Secretary of Metahuman Affairs (giving him control of agencies such as the Suicide Squad), until the election of Lex Luthor as President. Luthor then appointed Amanda Waller as his replacement until he was exposed as a criminal in the events of Superman/Batman: Public Enemies.[9]

C.E.M.A.

The United States government's Cosmic Emergency Management Agency.[10]

ШaХ И МаТ! (Checkmate!)

The Russian version of Checkmate was introduced in the last issues of the original series run. They were admittedly underfunded but wore armor similar to their US counterparts (see above).[11]

Checkmate (UN)

Checkmate is a covert operations agency within the DC Comics universe. Created from the ashes of its predecessor group, The Agency, it was originally set up by Amanda Waller to serve as a small, quasi-independent branch of Task Force X under the command of Colonel Valentina Vostok (formerly Negative Woman of the Doom Patrol) to perform operations worldwide considered vital to the security of American interests. In the wake of events depicted in the mini-series The OMAC Project and Infinite Crisis, Checkmate has been re-chartered as a United Nations Security Council-affiliated agency.

Checkmate's original hierarchy was modelled after the pieces of a chess game- One King, one Queen and several Bishops. The Bishops oversaw the Rooks behind the scenes while the Rooks planned missions and supervised the field agents, or Knights, and the Knight's support, Pawns.

Pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1696, Checkmate was reorganized as the UN’s Chartered Metahuman Monitoring Force. The organization was restructured utilizing the “Rule of Two”. Each super-powered or otherwise enhanced member in the “Royal Family” must have an un-powered counterpart in a corresponding position of power. In addition, there are an indeterminate number of “pawns”. In the original incarnation of Checkmate, they were low-level field agents that provided intelligence-gathering, logistical and operational support; it appears that pawns in the current incarnation serve similar roles.[12]

D.E.O.

The Department of Extranormal Operations is a branch of the United States government, concerned with the magical, the alien and the superhuman and having connections with such organisations as the Suicide Squad and Knightwatch. Other divisions include an agency for training 'gifted' youngsters whose powers manifest at a difficult age, and numerous surveillance and data-collection operations. The current Regional Director for the Eastern Seaboard is a former costumed villain named Mister Bones. And one of its highest-profile agents is Cameron Chase.[13]

D.M.A.

The Department of Metahuman Affairs is a division within the DEO. Known operatives are Sarge Steel, Tom Tresser (Nemesis), and Diana Prince (Wonder Woman).[14]

Finger, Eye, & Ear

The Finger (secret police), the Eye (CCTV monitoring), and the Ear (phone surveillance). These were the three branches of overt government surveillance depicted in the dystopian Britain of V for Vendetta.[15]

G.O.O.D.

The Global Organization of Organized Defense, or G.O.O.D. The only known operatives of this international organization are: Barney Ling the organization's director, Ben Turner and Richard Dragon, field operatives.[16]

Hayoth

The Hayoth are a team of four super powered covert operatives who act as a special division of the Mossad. Their first contact with the West came when Amanda Waller (see Suicide Squad) was contracted to capture Kobra. Waller was informed of the Hayoth's existence by an Egyptian operative named Nazair.[17]

Knightwatch

The military arm of the D.E.O., Knightwatch operatives wore armor that resembled the suits worn by Checkmate agents. [18]

Project Atom

A United States government initiative masterminded by General Wade Eiling and lead scientist Dr. Heinrich Megala, with the aim of creating a super-hero answerable only to the military. The project used a combination of nuclear physics and a unique alloy called Dilustel with quantum properties that was cut from the skin of a captured alien known as the Silver Shield using X-Ionizer technology. The project only had two recorded successes, Captain Atom and Major Force. The origin of the woman calling herself Bombshell is still unknown. Heinrich Megala was also responsible for creating the X-Ionizer technology capable of cutting Captain Atom's skin and the skin of most invulnerable Metahumans.[19]

Project Cadmus

A high tech genetic research facility, responsible for the successful cloning of Jim Harper the Guardian, and Connor Kent the second Superboy as well as a number of other heroes and villains.[20]

Project M

Project M was a secret government organization which operated during World War II and specialized in experimental biotechnology and necromancy. Known creations of the Project include the Creature Commandos, Miss America and the G.I. Robot. The Project's main scientist is one Professor Mazursky. He was aided by Robotman. As told in Young All-Stars #12, they operated from a secret underground complex on mythical Ferris Island in New York.[21]

Project Peacemaker

The US government division that was tasked with handling Peacemaker's interraction with other government agencies. After the so-called "Janus Directive", the Project became part of Checkmate, and placed under the supervision of the CBI and Sarge Steel.[22]

Quorum

The Quorum is the clandestine and apparently corrupt department of an unnamed government agency in the DC Comics universe. Former operatives are Major Force, Mace Gardner (brother of Guy Gardner), Loria a New Blood, the metahuman known as Sledge, and an army of armored men known as Sweepers. The Quorum sponsored and funded the Blood Pack a superhero team made up of "New Bloods", in a failed attempt to create a superhuman army based on their DNA.[23]

Red Shadows

The Russian version of Task Force X; just as they copied Checkmate, they also mirrored the Suicide Squad under the old Soviet Government. Organization originally consisted of ex-members of the People's Heroes and Blue Trinity. Later on other original Russian characters were introduced such as Stalnoivolk, Russia's World War II Superman. The Red Shadows were all organized under Amanda Waller's opposite number, a man known only as Major Zastrow. Other Red Shadow operatives were: Pozhar (Mikhail Arkadin), Bolshoi (martial artist), Molotov (explosives expert), Mrs. Gradenko (a were-bear), Yerosha (Could alter a person's senses), Lamia (Pheromone manipulation), Blue Trinity (speedsters), and Schreck, a metahuman vampire.[24]

RONOL

A pre-WWII agency, Research on the Nature of Light theorized that the light that originated millennia ago where Earth now orbits would eventually circumnavigate the universe and return as a dangerous, conscious entity. The project leader, Dr. Dayzl, tricked a reporter, Langford "Happy" Terrill, into a ballooning accident, where a "genetic light bomb" gave Terrill super powers, abilities he would use to become the Ray. Eventually, Dayzl's unorthodox actions and beliefs came to light and the government terminated the RONOL program.[25]

S.H.A.D.E.

The Super Human Advanced Defense Executive, is a United States military organization that investigates, assesses, and contains paranormal and superhuman activity. Father Time and his S.H.A.D.E. agency exercise martial law over the devastated city of Blüdhaven. Father Time used this posting to carry out S.H.A.D.E.'s other mandate, the harvesting and creation of new metahuman talent. S.H.A.D.E. uses its specially trained metahuman talent to carry out black ops assassinations of threats to the United States and its policies. Several S.H.A.D.E. operatives defect from the organization in to form a new version of the Freedom Fighters under the guidance of Uncle Sam, resulting in Sam and his team being declared enemies of S.H.A.D.E. and Father Time and his ally Gonzo the Mechanical Bastard ordering their deaths at the hands of First Strike. (see Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters). After Father Time turned on the psychotic Gonzo, he and his troops vanished into the timestream, Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters were made the leaders of S.H.A.D.E.[26]

Suicide Squad

The original Task Force X consisted of two branches: the domestic and the international. The domestic branch was called Argent, and the international branch called the Suicide Squad, was originally put under the command of General Jeb Stuart. The first Suicide Squad was a minor backup series about a quartet of adventurers. That Squad consisted of Rick Flag, his girlfriend Karin Grace, Dr. Hugh Evans, and Jess Bright. The second and better-known Suicide Squad was a covert black ops government strike team. The team was partially made up of imprisoned supervillains who had agreed to perform extremely dangerous missions, which were officially denied by the US Government using the prisoners' participation as rationale to claim that the incidents are merely attacks by criminals, in return for a full pardon for their actions. In addition, there were other non-prisoner members such as Nemesis and Nightshade who participated in the team as part of individual arrangements. The Suicide Squad operated out of Belle Reve prison in Louisiana.[27]

Task Force Delta

A blanket organization that helps to oversee smaller United States government covert agencies such as Knightwatch.[28]

Task Force X

Following the dissolution of the O.S.S. in October of 1945, President Harry S. Truman replaced it with the Central Intelligence Agency in 1946. In 1951, seeking to fill the void left by the retired JSA, Truman created Task Force X and its domestic branch, Argent. The international branch, the Suicide Squad, was put under the command of General Jeb Stuart. Jeb Stuart was later succeeded by Rick Flag.

Université Notre Dame des Ombres

Université Notre Dame des Ombres (Our Lady of the Shadows University) was originally created to train O.S.S. agents during World War II. Today it is a NATO sponsored covert intelligence training academy situated on the French Riviera, with an embassy office in Washington D.C.. Its last known headmistress was Sandra Knight the original Phantom Lady.The school's most notable graduates are the Crimson Fox twins and Dee Tyler the second Phantom Lady. [29]

Malibu (Ultraverse)

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 War, 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 realiy, but attempts to access this force by human beings proved dangerously unsuccessful. GENIE decided to genetically engineer the proper recepticals 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.[30]

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, Hardwire, Headknocker and War Eagle.[31]

The Lodge

The Lodge was the name of a fictional government organization from Malibu Comics' Ultraverse imprint. The Lodge was created by Basil Wentworth towards the end of World War II. It's 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 operative 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.[32]

Marvel Comics

Black Air

Black Air is a former Governmental Intelligence department founded and operating primarily within the United Kingdom in the fictional Marvel Universe, 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).[33][34]

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 America 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.[35]

Department H

A fictitious branch of Canada’s Department of National Defence that deals with super-powered persons. Department H was responsible for bringing together and managing the Marvel Comics team known as Alpha Flight.[36]

Department K

The Canadian Government group which secretly operated the Weapon X Project.[37]

Euromind

Another European subdivision of SHIELD, called Euromind, was introduced in the unfortunate Marvel Italia series Europa.[38]

F.I.6

British Intelligence agency, former employers of Micromax. 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.[39]

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 Stuart and Pete Wisdom is one of its agents.

O*N*E*

In the aftermath of the House of M, 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 go along with them on said mission.[40]

R.C.X.

The Resources Control Executive is a British Intelligence Agency, introduced in Captain Britain 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.[41]

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-Man & 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.[42]

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 agency 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, more known as Iron Man, became the new director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Although the various Helicarriers 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 "SHIELD 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.[43]

S.T.A.R.S.

The Commission on Superhuman Activities, 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.[44]

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 Kingdom. Now disbanded, a notable member was Psylocke.[45]

Superhuman Restraint Unit

The Superhuman Restraint Unit, sometimes abbreviated into "SRU", are special agents within S.H.I.E.L.D. who are trained to capture and detain rogue superhumans[46]

S.W.O.R.D.

In Astonishing X-Men 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.[47]

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

S.H.I.E.L.D. in the Ultimate Universe 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.

Weapon X Project

The Weapon X Project was a fictional clandestine government 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.[48]

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 Air. It was featured in Excalibur (comics)

Tower Comics

T.H.U.N.D.E.R.

The name is an acronym for The Higher United Nations Defense Enforcement Reserves.UN soldiers retake the mountain laboratory of a UN scientist named Professor Emil Jennings, from the forces of a villain known as the Warlord. The dead scientist left behind several super weapons, invented to combat the Warlord's worldwide attacks. These inventions are given to T.H.U.N.D.E.R. operatives. Joining these super agents is the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad, a special team of agents who fight the worldwide threat of the Warlord. Originally published by Tower Comics.[49]

U.N.D.E.R.S.E.A.

The United Nations Department of Experiment and Research Systems Established at Atlantis was an undersea research facility located at an Atlantean archaeological site holding ruins that presumably had been a part of that sunken land. Professor Weston, was the founder of U.N.D.E.R.S.E.A. The operation was constantly menaced by a would-be world conqueror, the insidious Doctor Fang, who ruled an undersea kingdom of Homo mermanii named Lemuria.[50]

Wildstorm

Civil Defense Administration

American intelligence agency created as replacement for International Operations and lead by Ivana Baiul, seen in the pages of Stormwatch: Team Achilles.[51]

Department PSI

Department for Paranormal Science Investigations, a rival to International Operations and employer of the superhero team Wildcore. Its director is Antonio Giovanni. When International Operation was dissolved, Department PSI absorbed most of its assets, equipment and personnel.[52]

E.A.G.L.E.

The Extranormal Activities Garrison for Law Enforcement is a government agency within the Astro City universe. They are described to normally function as a sort of "clean up crew" for the superheroes ("taking super villains into custody, guarding damaged property,etc.") but during the Confession storyline they are seen hunting down, and capturing, various superheroes. After the storyline it is in implied that they returned to their normal duties.[53]

FDAA

Introduced in issue #1 of the The American Way. The FDAA (Federal Disaster Assistance Administration), handles a US government superhero team called the Civil Defense Corps. The FDAA is responsible for using gene therapy to create many of America's heroes. As well as "villains" who they have fight the heroes in publicly staged battles. The FDAA periodically unleashes Hellbent, a homicidal and sociopathic supervillain, to assassinate enemies of the United States.[54]

International Operations

Internal Operations (I.O., IO or I/O) is a fictional American Intelligence Agency in Wildstorm comics. It was originally called International Operations. I.O. International Operations was founded in 1964 as a branch of the Central Intelligence Agency with the mission to safeguard the United States' interests and safety abroad. It quickly became an independent agency under the leadership of Director Miles Craven. Following the Divine Right incident, the agency was severely weakened. It was shut down by US government within a year. However, in 2004, it was reestablished under the leadership of John Lynch. IO first appeared in WildC.A.T.S. vol.1 #1 (August, 1992) and was created by Brandon Choi and Jim Lee.[55]

S.T.O.R.M.

The agency employing John Stone. It is a tribute to S.H.I.E.L.D. and a pre-cursor to Stormwatch. From the pages of Planetary.[56]

Stormwatch

A United Nations Crisis Intervention Team, founded by United Nations during the late 70s as part of an effort to police the growing population of post-humans created in the wake of the Comet Effect. The agency has generated significant controversy over the years. It was shut down in 1998 do to budgetary and political concerns. The agency was re-established sometime after Authority's takeover of United States under severely limited budget.[57]

References

  1. ^ As seen in Hellboy: Seed of Destruction, 1993
  2. ^ As seen in Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex anime, episode #1 October 2002
  3. ^ As seen in Ghost in the Shell manga, May 1989
  4. ^ First appears in Vigilante vol. 1 #36
  5. ^ A.P.E.S. first appears in Young Justice #1, September 1998
  6. ^ The agency first appears in Secret Origins Vol. 2 #14, 1987
  7. ^ As seen in Batman and the Outsiders Annual #1, 1984
  8. ^ As seen in Green Lantern Vol. 3 #30, October 1992
  9. ^ As seen in Teen Titans vol. 2 Annual #3, 1987
  10. ^ First appears in Green Lantern Vol. 3 #166, August 2003
  11. ^ As seen in Checkmate vol. 1 #32, December 1990
  12. ^ As seen in Checkmate vol. 1 #1, April 1988
  13. ^ As seen in Batman #550, January 1998
  14. ^ First introduced in Wonder Woman vol. 3 #2, October 2006
  15. ^ First appears in V for Vendetta #1, September 1988
  16. ^ First appears in the novel Dragon's Fists, 1974 by Denny O'Neil and Jim Berry
  17. ^ As seen in Suicide Squad vol. 1 #45, September 1990
  18. ^ First appears in Superman/Batman #5, February 2004
  19. ^ First Appears in Captain Atom vol. 3 #1, 1983
  20. ^ First Appears in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #135, 1971
  21. ^ First seen in Young All-Stars #12, May 1988
  22. ^ As seen in DCU Heroes Secret Files #1, February 1999
  23. ^ First appears in Guy Gardner #16, January 1994
  24. ^ As seen in Suicide Squad v.1 #40, April 1990
  25. ^ http://www.titanstower.com/source/whoswho/youngjustice.html#ray
  26. ^ As seen in Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein! #3, January 2006
  27. ^ First version debuted in The Brave and the Bold #25, August 1959, the second in Legends #3, November 1986
  28. ^ As seen in Chase #1, February 1998
  29. ^ First appears in Action Comics Weekly #636, January 1989
  30. ^ As seen in Rune #1, January 1994
  31. ^ As seen in Break-Thru #1 December 1993
  32. ^ As seen in Firearm #0, November 1993
  33. ^ The organization first appears in Excalibur #86 1995
  34. ^ http://www.marvel.com/universe/Wisdom%2C_Peter
  35. ^ http://www.marvel.com/universe/Commission_on_Superhuman_Activities
  36. ^ http://www.marvel.com/universe/Department_H
  37. ^ http://www.marvel.com/universe/Glossary:D#Department_K
  38. ^ http://www.marvel.com/universe/Euroforce
  39. ^ http://www.marvel.com/universe/OHOTMU:Bibliography-AZ7#Micromax
  40. ^ http://www.marvel.com/universe/Sentinel_Squad_O%2AN%2AE
  41. ^ First appeared in Captain Britain vol. 2 #1 January, 1985
  42. ^ First appeared in the Spiderman and the Incredible Hulk: Rampage, September 1996 paperback novel
  43. ^ http://www.marvel.com/universe/SHIELD
  44. ^ http://www.marvel.com/universe/S.T.A.R.S.
  45. ^ First appeared in Captain Britain Weekly #17, Marvel UK, February 1977
  46. ^ As seen in Civil War #1 May, 2006
  47. ^ First appears in Astonishing X-Men vol. 3 #6 2006
  48. ^ http://www.marvel.com/universe/Weapon_X
  49. ^ http://www.toonopedia.com/thunder.htm
  50. ^ http://www.toonopedia.com/undersea.htm
  51. ^ As seen in Stomwatch: Team Achilles, 2003
  52. ^ As seen in Wildcore Preview #1, October 1997
  53. ^ As seen in Kurt Busiek's Astro City #6 February 1997
  54. ^ As seen in the American Way #1 April 2006
  55. ^ As seen in WildC.A.T.S. vol. 1 #1 August, 1992
  56. ^ As seen in Planetary #11, September 2000
  57. ^ As seen in Stormwatch #1 March, 1993