S.H.I.E.L.D. is a comic book series published by Marvel Comics, premiering with a first issue cover dated 2014. It was written by Mark Waid. The series was loosely based on the TV series Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and was used by Marvel Comics to introduce many characters from the show into the world of the comics. After its cancellation it was followed by the series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. The series also had a spin-off named Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. which picked up after issue 9. Publication history The series was published from December 2014 to January 2016 and was part of All-New Marvel NOW! The first issue had eleven variant covers. The series features the first comics appearance of the following characters and teams: Agent Melinda May Agent Leo Fitz Agent Jemma Simmons Agent Billis Grayson Blair Mr. Simmons Skeesh Colonel Myrdden Athol Kussar Ethan Slaughter Horguun Agent Jeremiah Warrick All-New Howling Commandos Detective Nicole Orr D.E.A.T.H. Issue 9 of the series (named "The Man Called D.E.A.T.H.") was an extra large special issue and part of series of one-shots to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the creation of S.H.I.E.L.D. by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in 1965. The story includes a sequence pencilled by Jack Kirby and inked by Jim Steranko that had never seen print as part of a series before. The issue also features backup stories named "Dugan Lives" and "Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.: The Man for the Job", the former is part of the prelude to the Howling Commandos series that follow this series and the second is a reprinting of the first ever S.H.I.E.L.D. story from issue 135 of Strange Tales in 1965. Plot Each separate issue is mostly a one-and-done story, with some connections between them but the series functions mostly as an anthology series. Reception The series holds an average rating of 7.9 by 72 professional critics according to review aggregation website Comic Book Roundup. Jesse Schedeen of IGN stated that the series may not appeal much to the fans who are craving an old school type Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. revival, but the first issue does a fine job of drawing elements from the TV series and merging them with the traditional Marvel Comics universe. Meagan Damore of expressed that the first issue focused too much on the character of Phil Coulson and that while he was very well written that