Warning: Spoilers for The Infinity Watch #2!As more references to Phil Coulson and theAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.team continue to appear in Marvel’s comics, it’s possible that the squad of agents from the ABC show is getting ready for a comeback. Former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Coulson is back and in the spotlight once more after his apparent demise in 2021, but he’s not the only S.H.I.E.L.D. character making a resurgence.
Although Coulson is now the avatar of anInfinity Stone, the events ofTheInfinity Watch#2 by Derek Landy, Ruairí Coleman, and Enid Balám test him as never before. As the Stone bearers are killed off one by one, a desperate gambit by Star of the Reality Stone turns the tables but ends up rebooting the entire Marvel Universe.
In this new universe, Coulson and fellow Stone bearer Apex work at Alcatraz. As Apex bursts into Coulson’s office,he pushes past an unseen character named “Fitz,“a name that should excite fans of the popularAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.character Leo Fitz.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.Characters Are Returning to Marvel Comics Canon
Infinity Watch#2 by Derek Landy, Ruairí Coleman, Enid Balám, Brian Reber, and Cory Petit
As a tie-in after the success ofThe Avengersin 2012, ABC released the spin-off TV showAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.the next year, followingthe behind-the-scenes adventures of Phil Coulson and his team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Two of the show’s breakout stars were Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons, played respectively by Iain De Caestecker and Elizabeth Henstridge. Known as"FitzSimmons,“the pair worked together as ops and support. Although Fitz began as a shy, quiet type compared to his more outgoing counterpart, his desire to prove himself resulted in him doing more and more fieldwork throughout subsequent seasons.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which concluded in 2020, is available to stream now on Disney+.
Fitz and Simmons weren’t the only characters with lasting appeal. Agent Melinda May, otherwise known as “the Cavalry” and played by Ming-Na Wen, served as the team’s muscle, providing a backbone for the rest of the team’s more fledgling members. Meanwhile, Chloe Bennet portrayedDaisy Johnson, better known by her superhero title “Quake,” who served as the audience surrogate. Quake’s burgeoning powers also set up many mysteries that propelled the early seasons' plot. Additionally, Clark Gregg reprised his ever-popular role as Phil Coulson, mysteriously revived after his apparent death during the events ofThe Avengers.
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Coulson’s habit of constantly returning from the dead became a running joke with his MCU incarnation, but it’s now a major part of his comics lore. As of Landy and Salvador Larroca’sThanos Annual#1, Coulson was revived from the dead once again - this time by the powers of the newly-created Death Infinity Stone. As the bearer of the Death Stone,Coulson has become the avatar of Deathin the Marvel Universe, as seen by Coulson guiding Spider-Man through his many deaths and resurrections in Joe Kelly and Ed McGuiness’s8 Deaths of Spider-Manarc ofTheAmazing Spider-Man.
But Coulson isn’t the only Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. back in the spotlight…
But Coulson isn’t the only Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. back in the spotlight: Melinda May has become a major player in Iron Man’sStark-Roxxon Wararc. First appearing as a board member of Stark Unlimited in Spencer Ackerman and Julius Ohta’sIron Man#1, May eventually teams up with Iron Man inIron Man#4, appearing as “the Cavalry” to help stop the plundering of his old warehouses. Paired with the offhand reference to Fitz inTheInfinity Watch#2,three prominent members of theAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.team have made appearances in Marvel’s comicswithin the same ten-month span.
The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Have a Surprising History in Marvel’s Comics
From Coulson to the Cavalry
Although the bulk of theAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.team have their origins in the MCU, that has not prevented them from having a surprisingly robust presence in the comics. First and foremost is Coulson, who made his comic debut in Chris Yost, Cullen Bunn, Matt Fraction, and Scot Eaton’sBattle Scars#1 from 2011. While Coulson has had a prominent role as a respected S.H.I.E.L.D. agent for much of his publication history, he was killed off after becoming Mephisto’s villainous catspaw as part of the 2021Heroes Rebornevent. As such, his return as the newest Infinity Stone caught many readers by surprise.
The rest of the team have theircomic-book origins and exploits detailed in theS.H.I.E.L.D.series from 2014. Based heavily on the TV show, characters like Leo Fitz, Jemma Simmons, and Melinda May made their first comic-book appearances in this series.S.H.I.E.L.D.was the first time the beloved characters had a chance to interact with the greater Marvel world at large, as the MCU at the time kept its spin-off series fairly separate from the main film canon. Fitz and Simmons have rarely been seen since the show ended in 2020, althoughMelinda May has made a few appearances.
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The offhand mention of Fitz inTheInfinity Watch #2is exciting, asit shows theAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.characters finding increasingly comfortable homes in the comicsnow that their time in the MCU has faded. Coulson’s role as the Death Stone marks him as somewhere between a full-on superhero and an ascended fan, letting him continue his MCU role of working in the background of the Marvel Universe. Meanwhile, May’s exploits inIron Manhave essentially played out as her superhero debut, with the creative team granting May a stylized name card much like the rest of Marvel’s main characters.
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As such, there’s ample room to speculate on what expanded roles Fitz and Simmons may have in the current modern Marvel climate. Simmons has had a surprisingly dark side to her character arc, even having temporarily become a Deathlok in the comics. As for Fitz, his turn from scientist to field agent is even more extreme in the comics, with him making headway as an espionage expert. Even if Fitz and Simmons are too obscure at the moment, there areperennial characters like Mockingbirdand Quake with experience on the team who could be perfect bridges for bringing them in.
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The Future Is Bright for the Fan-Favorite Team
While some of this is admittedly speculation, Coulson and May’s sudden return to prominence in Marvel’s comics is heartening for fans of the television series they starred in. Even if the call-out to Fitz is just an Easter egg, it shows that the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. aren’t forgotten at Marvel; at the very least, they’re clearly remembered by the creative team behindTheInfinity Watch. The signs are all there for theAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.to make a comeback in the coming year - now it’s just up to Marvel to keep the door open.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Cast
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is a television series that follows Agent Phil Coulson as he assembles a team within the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division to investigate mysterious phenomena, safeguarding the world from extraordinary threats. Debuting in 2013, the series expands on the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s exploration of covert operations.
