Shield (Archie Comics)
The Shield | |||||||||||||||||||
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Publication information | |||||||||||||||||||
Publisher | MLJ/Archie | ||||||||||||||||||
First appearance | Higgins Pep Comics #1 (January 1940) Barnes Legend of Shield #13 (July 1992) Adams The Shield (vol. 5) #1 (October 2015) | ||||||||||||||||||
Created by | Higgins Harry Shorten Irv Novick Adams Adam Christopher (script) Chuck Wendig (script) David Williams | ||||||||||||||||||
In-story information | |||||||||||||||||||
Alter ego | – Joe Higgins - Lt. Michael Barnes - Victoria Adams | ||||||||||||||||||
Team affiliations | Mighty Crusaders | ||||||||||||||||||
Abilities | Superhuman strength Great leaping Invulnerability Wears an indestructible costume | ||||||||||||||||||
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The Shield is the name of several superheroes created by MLJ (now known as Archie Comics). Appearing months before Captain America, the Shield has the distinction of being the first superhero with a costume based upon United States patriotic iconography. The character appeared in Pep Comics from issue #1 (Jan 1940) to #65 (Jan 1948).[1]
The name was used by MLJ/Archie for four characters. DC Comics' Impact line, which licensed the Archie properties, also used the name for several characters. In 2010, DC announced plans to integrate the Shield and other MLJ characters into the DC Universe,[2] but the rights to the characters reverted to Archie Comics in 2011. A fourth Shield was introduced in October 2015.[3]
Publication history
The Shield debuted in MLJ's
In 1959, a new Shield, Lancelot Strong, appeared under the Archie Adventure Series imprint in a series titled, The Double Life of Private Strong. It was cancelled after two issues.
In 1984, Red Circle Comics also released a series starring the Joe Higgins version of the Shield in a series titled Original Shield. It lasted four issues.
In 1991, Archie Comics licensed their superheroes to DC Comics who created an imprint called Impact Comics. The company launched a fourth solo series, The Legend of the Shield. It featured two Shields, Joe Higgins, who led the series for the first thirteen issues, and Lt. Michael Barnes, his replacement. Barnes continued as the Shield until the title ended in October 1992.[6][7]
In 2015, Archie Comics began the Shield's return in a new series penned by Adam Christopher and Chuck Wendig. This version of the character is a woman named Victoria Adams. The series was published under the Dark Circle Comics banner.[8] It was originally set to be released in April but was delayed until September.[3]
Joe Higgins
MLJ Comics
Fictional character biography
The origin story of The Shield appeared in
The Shield is joined by a kid partner, Dusty the Boy Detective, in Pep #11 (Jan 1941).
In Pep #20, Joe is called "The One and Only Shield" at the start of the story and "The Original Shield" at the end of the story because of the success of Captain America, another 1940s-era patriotic superhero. In his first appearance, Captain America had a shield similar to the main part of The Shield's costume, but it was changed to a round shield for the second issue over accusations of plagiarism.
The Shield and Dusty were featured in the first crossover storyline in American comic books.[13] The storyline had them team up with the Wizard (the headlining character from Top-Notch Comics) to stop the invasion plot orchestrated by Mosconia (a fictional country made up of elements from Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union).
The Shield was one of MLJ's most popular characters, even spawning a club, the "Shield G-Man Club". He starred in Pep, and several other MLJ titles:
An older Joe Higgins appears in New Crusaders as the sole survivor of the Brain Emperor's attack on his fellow Crusaders. He gathers their teenage children to form a team dubbed "the New Crusaders".
DC Comics
The Red Circle Comics characters, aptly named "The Red Circle", were again licensed by DC and rebooted. During the Dilation crisis a version of the Shield character was seen helping
The Shield also appeared in the 2010 DC Comics mini series The Mighty Crusaders.[17]
Lancelot Strong
In June 1959, a new Shield was published by Archie that had no connection to the previous version.
Joe Simon was asked by Archie to create characters for a new "Archie Adventure Series" line of superheroes. Joe Simon created a new Shield-type of superhero, whose real identity was Lancelot Strong, who appeared in a new title, The Double Life of Private Strong.[18] Joe Simon put together a team of artists including Jack Kirby to work for him on The Double Life of Private Strong.[19]
Lancelot's scientist father developed a method to create a superhuman by expanding the mind, which he used on his infant son. After his father was killed by foreign agents, Lancelot was adopted by a farm couple and raised as their son. Once he hit his teens, he discovered the truth of his background and his powers: strength, flight, near-invulnerability, vision powers, the ability to generate lightning, and a few more. His father had created a patriotic costume for him, and he started off as the new superhero, the Shield. He soon joined the Army, acting like a Gomer Pyle-style country bumpkin, while leading a double life as the Shield (hence the title of his comic).
In 1999, Archie formally assigned all rights to Lancelot Strong to Joe Simon.
Bill Higgins and Joe Higgins Jr.
When Archie revamped their superheroes under their "Radio Comics/
Michael Barnes
When Legend of the Shield was revamped, Lt. Michael Barnes, a married father with a young daughter, became the new Shield. Barnes would continue as the lead character until the series' 1992 cancellation and also appeared as the Shield in the six-issue miniseries The Crucible.
Victoria Adams
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (July 2015) |
In 2015, Archie Comics rebranded their
References
- ISBN 0-87833-808-X. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
- ^ "Dan Didio on Bringing the Archie Heroes to the DCU". Newsarama.com. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
- ^ a b "Adam Christopher and Chuck Wendig on Dark Circle's The Shield, Coming September 16". Comicbook.com.
- ^ Markstein, Don. "The Shield". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- ISBN 978-1-888054-38-5.
- ^ List of DC Comics imprint publications#Impact
- ^ "Legend of the Shield #13 (Issue)". Comic Vine.
- ^ C, Ron (October 8, 2014). "Dark Circle Comics Editor Alex Segura Unveils THE SHIELD Artist, New Artwork". Archie Comics.
- ISBN 978-1-61318-023-5.
- ^ Ask the Archivist – "Didn't you guys used to publish superhero characters?" Archived 2009-02-02 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 1, 2008.
- ISBN 978-1605490892.
- ISBN 978-1605490892.
- ISBN 9781476638607.
- ^ Green Arrow/Black Canary #19–23 (2009)
- ^ The Red Circle: The Web (2009)
- ^ The Red Circle: The Shield (2009)
- ^ "DC Comics' FULL JULY 2010 SOLICITATIONS". Newsarama.com. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
- ISBN 9781605490540.
- ^ Markstein, Don. "The Shield". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
External links
- Shield (1939) at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on June 3, 2017.
- Shield (1959) at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on October 23, 2015.
- Offenberger, Rik, ed. Shield at MightyCrusaders.net
- SimonComics.com / Simon Entertainment Properties. Archived from the original on December 26, 2014.