Alexander Goodwin Pierce is a

fictional Fiction is any creative work, chiefly any narrative work, portraying individuals, events, or places that are imaginary, or in ways that are imaginary. Fictional portrayals are thus inconsistent with history, fact, or plausibility. In a tradit ...

character appearing in

American comic book An American comic book is a thin periodical originating in the United States, on average 32 pages, containing comics. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of ''Action Comics'' ...

s published by

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Comics'' in ...

, usually as a supporting character in stories featuring the espionage agency

S.H.I.E.L.D. S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, special law enforcement, and counter-terrorism agency appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in ''Strange Tales'' #135 (August 1965), it often ...

as an agent. A re-imagining of the character was portrayed by

Robert Redford Charles Robert Redford Jr. (born August 18, 1936) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award from four nominations, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, the Cec ...

in the

Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published ...

films '' Captain America: The Winter Soldier'' (2014) and '' Avengers: Endgame'' (2019).

Publication history

The character, created by

Bob Harras Robert Harras (born January 11, 1959''Comics Buyer's Guide'' #1650; February 2009; page 107) is an American comics writer and editor, who was editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics from 1995 to 2000 and editor-in-chief of DC Comics from 2010 to 2020. ...

and

Paul Neary Paul Neary (born 1949) is a British comic book artist, writer and editor. His first work was for Warren Publishing in the 1970s before working with Dez Skinn at Marvel UK as well as work for '' 2000 AD''. He later became editor-in-chief of Ma ...

, first appeared in ''

Nick Fury vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. ''Nick Fury vs. S.H.I.E.L.D.'' is a six issue comic book miniseries published by Marvel Comics in 1988. It was written by Bob Harras and drawn by Paul Neary. Each issue is 48 pages long and are referred to as books. The series was the first time in ...

'' #3 (August 1988).

Fictional character biography

Alexander Pierce was born on

Long Island, New York Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18t ...

, and majored at S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy in civilian surveillance, and serves in the

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

Accounting Department before becoming a

sleeper agent A sleeper agent, also called sleeper cell, is a spy who is placed in a target country or organization not to undertake an immediate mission but to act as a potential asset if activated. Even if unactivated, the "sleeper agent" is still an asset ...

working in decoding dispatches from HYDRA. After escaping death in an ambush at HYDRA's

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a List of cities in China, city and Special administrative regions of China, special ...

base, Pierce accompanied

Nick Fury Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury Sr. is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, he first appeared in '' Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos' ...

to the Himalayas, along with their prisoner Madame Hydra. Unable to withstand the bitter cold, they were seized by robotic duplicates called "Deltites" and brought to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s orbiting satellite. Aided by Madame Hydra, Pierce and a group of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents escaped and took part in the battle that led to the Deltites' destruction. Following the subsequent disbanding of S.H.I.E.L.D., Pierce served as caretaker of the S.H.I.E.L.D. skyscraper that once served as its headquarters. He was then contacted for help by Nick Fury aid him and his allies in vanquishing the Death's Head Squad. He has since joined the new version of S.H.I.E.L.D. Fury has organized. Pierce later appears as the Secret Warriors' leader following Secret War. Pierce was given command of Team Black, consisting of the most dangerous and unruly recruits on the Caterpillar list of young super-humans. The team was ordered to gather intelligence on Hydra. Pierce brought his team in for a joint attack with the Howling Commandos on Hell's Heaven, stronghold deep within China. The mission was successful, but after Pierce pulled Team Black out, additional Hydra forces attacked and wiped out the Commandos. Pierce and his team survived and was all folded into a new United Nations sanctioned S.H.I.E.L.D. created by Fury and run by Daisy Johnson/Quake.

Other versions

Mutant X

In the '' Mutant X'' reality, Alexander Pierce along other S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents fought Havok and The Six (

X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...

) atop the

Statue of Liberty The Statue of Liberty (''Liberty Enlightening the World''; French: ''La Liberté éclairant le monde'') is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor in New York City, in the United States. The copper statue, ...

where S.H.I.E.L.D. planned to release the

Legacy Virus The Legacy Virus is a fictional plague appearing in American comic books featuring the X-Men published by Marvel Comics. It first appeared in an eponymous storyline running through Marvel Comics titles from 1993 to 2001, during which it swept thro ...

to kill all super-human life.

In other media

Television

Alexander Pierce appeared in the

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

'' Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.'', portrayed by Neil Roberts. This version is a British recruit assigned to the eponymous character following their exile from

under Jack Pincer.

Film

portrays Alexander Pierce in films set in the

. This version is the secretary of the

World Security Council The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on superhero films and other series starring various titular superheroes independently produced by Marvel Studios and based on characters that appea ...

's close friend, director of a Hydra cell within

, and the Winter Soldier's handler. * Pierce is introduced in '' Captain America: The Winter Soldier'' (2014). He masterminds Project Insight ostensibly in an effort to recognize and apprehend criminals and terrorists prior to committing misdeeds via three

Helicarrier The Helicarrier is a fictional flying aircraft carrier appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. It is depicted as the crucial mobile command center, forward operations platform, and signature capital ship of the fictional in ...

s. In actuality, Pierce's plan is to carry out mass assassinations of citizens recognized as a threat to Hydra based on

Arnim Zola Arnim Zola is a supervillain appearing in American comic books by Marvel Comics. He is a master of biochemistry and a recurring enemy of Captain America and the Avengers. The character first appeared in ''Captain America and the Falcon'' #208 (A ...

's algorithm to force the world into submission. When Pierce learned Fury was investigating Project Insight's confidential files, he dispatched the Winter Soldier to eliminate Fury and Steve Rogers. However, Pierce's plan is foiled by Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Sam Wilson, Fury, and S.H.I.E.L.D. loyalists before Pierce is killed by Fury. * An alternate timeline version of Pierce makes a cameo appearance in '' Avengers: Endgame'' (2019).

References

External links

Alexander Goodwin Pierce
at Marvel Wiki {{DEFAULTSORT:Pierce, Alexander Characters created by Bob Harras Characters created by Paul Neary Comics characters introduced in 1988 Fictional bodyguards Fictional characters from New York (state) Fictional politicians Fictional special forces personnel Fictional spymasters Fictional United States Secretaries of Defense S.H.I.E.L.D. agents