S.W.O.R.D. (comics)

S.W.O.R.D. (Sentient World Observation and Response Department) is a fictional counterterrorism and intelligence agency in the. Its purpose is to deal with extraterrestrial threats to world security.

Publication history
The group was first introduced in Astonishing X-Men vol. 3, #6, by Joss Whedon. 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 as Lockheed.

"Unstoppable"
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.

Brand, Cyclops, Emma Frost, and Beast landed together, while Wolverine, Hisako, Colossus, and Kitty Pryde landed elsewhere. Wolverine's spacecraft disintegrated in mid-air and they were forced to abandon ship. Kitty and Colossus phased through the pod to the planet's surface, where they landed unharmed. Hisako and Wolverine landed with the impact burning Wolverine's skin.

Another team composed of Lockheed, Sydren, and S.W.O.R.D. troops converged upon a place called "the Palace of the Corpse", which supposedly was connected to the prophecy stating that Colossus will destroy the planet.

Agent Brand finally informed Kitty that Lockheed is working for S.W.O.R.D. as their undercover agent. Feeling betrayed, Kitty had trouble trusting Lockheed again for some time.

Secret Invasion
S.W.O.R.D.'s headquarters, the Peak, is destroyed by a Skrull infiltrator posing as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Dum Dum Dugan during the "Secret Invasion" crossover storyline. Many agents die in the initial explosion, though others survive due to hostile-environment suits. Brand, encased in one of the suits, manages to make her way into one of the Skrull ships. During Dark Reign, S.H.I.E.L.D. is reformed as H.A.M.M.E.R. under Norman Osborn. S.W.O.R.D.'s position under H.A.M.M.E.R. has not yet been revealed. In the Beta Ray Bill: Godhunter mini-series, Bill visits Agent Brand aboard the rebuilt Peak in order to obtain information about the whereabouts of Galactus.

S.W.O.R.D.
During the 2009 Chicago Comic Con, it was announced that Kieron Gillen will collaborate with Steven Sanders on a S.W.O.R.D. ongoing series that began in November 2009. The new series starts with Henry Peter Gyrich being assigned as S.W.O.R.D. co-commander alongside Abigail Brand.

In the first arc, Gyrich is able to persuade the heads of S.W.O.R.D. to pass legislation to have all aliens currently living on Earth deported from the planet while Brand was distracted with another mission. He manages to take several notable aliens into custody including Noh-Varr, Adam X, Beta Ray Bill, Jazinda, Karolina Dean, and Hepzibah.

The series was cancelled with issue #5. The first issue started with estimated direct sales of 21,988, but that had dropped to 15,113 by the second issue.

The Peak is later evacuated after it is damaged by the Apocalypse Twins. The debris from the station nearly destroys Rio de Janeiro, but is safely vaporized by Sunfire.

Members

 * Beast
 * Abigail Brand
 * Agent Deems
 * Henry Peter Gyrich
 * Lockheed
 * Spider-Woman
 * Sydren
 * Carol Danvers

Collected editions
The S.W.O.R.D. series has been collected into the trade paperback S.W.O.R.D.: No Time to Breathe (120 pages, July 2010, ISBN 0-7851-4076-X). The related Beta Ray Bill series has also been collected into Beta Ray Bill: Godhunter (104 pages, October 2009, ISBN 0-7851-4232-0).

Television

 * S.W.O.R.D. appears in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes episode "Welcome to the Kree Empire." Carol Danvers and Abigail Brand are shown as agents of S.W.O.R.D. where Kang the Conqueror's ship Damocles is made into S.W.O.R.D.'s base. Damocles is compromised when the Kree soldiers led by Kalum Lo who uses the Kree's slave Sydren to enter various codes into Damocles so that the Kree can get control of the ship. When Damocles is reclaimed from the Kree by Abigail Brand, Sydren is freed by Abigail in exchange that he joins up with S.W.O.R.D. which he does. S.W.O.R.D. then manages to compromise the Kree warship while the Avengers defeated Ronan the Accuser. In "Secret Invasion," the Skrull posing as Henry Peter Gyrich had set up a bomb on the S.W.O.R.D. base. Sydren detected the bomb as he orders everyone to get out before the base explodes.

Video games

 * S.W.O.R.D. is featured in Marvel Super Hero Squad as an evil version of S.H.I.E.L.D. that Silver Surfer encounters in an alternate dimension.

Film

 * S.W.O.R.D. is mentioned in an alternate ending to Thor as Erik Selvig is briefly shown running simulations on wormholes using S.H.I.E.L.D. and S.W.O.R.D. data.