SHIELD by Lee & Kirby - The Complete Collection

 

As a kid in the 60’s, I was fascinated by the Secret Agent/Spy fad and all of the cool gadgets, from 007 to Man from UNCLE to Matt Helm to In Like Flint and all the rest. Marvel wasted no time in jumping on the bandwagon and brought back Nick Fury, made him a colonel, and had him lead S.H.I.E.L.D. - Supreme Headquarters International Espionage Law-enforcement Division! They even brought back several of the Howlin’ Commandos to join him!

Naturally, they also needed a villainous agency and Hydra - “cut off one head and two more will take its place “ - filled the evil bill. Nick would foil their dastardly schemes but only after a life- threatening capture and courageous escape. When they are (temporarily) defeated, there is also AIM (Advanced Ideas Mechanisms) and THEM to hound Fury and SHIELD, until it is revealed that these agencies are all intertwined and interrelated.

Lee and Kirby again were at the creative helm but John Severin, Joe Sinnott and others also do some excellent artwork - often finishing Kirby's wild layouts. 

Gadgets galore, subterfuge, double agents, special guests and power-mad villains - often all merged together - fill these tales while Fury is the gruff-but-fair, tough-but-street-smart leader who is never afraid to get down'n'dirty. Fun stuff!