S.W.O.R.D. | |
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The Peak, headquarters of S.W.O.R.D.
Art by Steve Sanders. |
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Group publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | Astonishing X-Men vol. 3 #3 (January 2005) |
Created by |
Joss Whedon (writer) John Cassaday (artist) |
In-story information | |
Type of organization | Intelligence agency |
Base(s) | The Peak |
Agent(s) |
Beast Abigail Brand Agent Deems Henry Peter Gyrich Lockheed Spider-Woman Sydren |
S.W.O.R.D. | |
Series publication information | |
Schedule | Monthly |
Format | Ongoing series |
Genre | |
Publication date | January – May 2010 |
Number of issues | 5 |
Creative team | |
Writer(s) | Kieron Gillen |
Penciller(s) | Steve Sanders |
Inker(s) | Craig Yeung |
Letterer(s) | Dave Lanphear |
Colorist(s) | Matt Wilson |
Creator(s) |
Kieron Gillen Steve Sanders |
Editor(s) |
Daniel Ketchum Nick Lowe Joe Quesada |
Collected editions | |
No Time to Breathe |
S.W.O.R.D. (Sentient World Observation and Response Department) is a fictional counterterrorism and intelligence agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Its purpose is to deal with extraterrestrial threats to world security.
S.W.O.R.D. was first introduced in Astonishing X-Men vol. 3 #6 and was created by Joss Whedon and John Cassaday.
S.W.O.R.D. is a counterpart of the better known S.H.I.E.L.D. organization, but since the departure of Nick Fury as director of S.H.I.E.L.D., relations between the two organizations have become strained. The head of S.W.O.R.D. is Special Agent Abigail Brand. Its primary command-and-control headquarters is aboard the orbital space station known as the Peak.
S.W.O.R.D. had an undercover operative in the X-Mansion. In Astonishing X-Men vol. 3, #17, the identity of this undercover operative was revealed to be Lockheed.
The Astonishing X-Men, Hisako Ichiki, Ord of the Breakworld, and Danger are taken to deep space by S.W.O.R.D. and Agent Abigail Brand. S.W.O.R.D. psychics are unable to detect Cassandra Nova in Emma Frost's shattered psyche. Though emotionally wounded, Emma recovered fast enough to be present for the team's departure to the Breakworld, where they planned to disable a missile aimed at earth. Before they reached Breakworld, they were attacked by enemy vessels. After creating a diversion, the X-Men and Agent Brand landed on the planet, where Agent Deems was being tortured in prison.