Golden Age Superheroes - The Shield

 The Shield is the name of several fictional patriotic superheroes created by MLJ (now known as Archie Comics). Appearing months before Captain America,  the Shield has the distinction of being one of the first superheroes  with a costume based upon United States patriotic iconography. 

 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, but in 2011 the rights to the characters reverted to Archie Comics. A fourth Shield was introduced in October 2015. 

 

Publication history

The Shield debuted in MLJ's Pep Comics #1 (cover-dated Jan. 1940). Writer Harry Shorten and artist Irv Novick created the character. With the American populace reacting to the beginnings of World War II  and wartime patriotism stirring, the Shield debuted as the first  patriotically themed hero. He was soon followed by three other patriotic  comic characters: Captain America (December 1940), Minute-Man (Feb. 1941), and Captain Battle (May 1941). 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. Red Circle Comics reintroduced Lancelot Strong in a new series titled, Lancelot Strong: The Shield in June 1983. The series was retitled twice, first with Shield-Steel Sterling in December 1983 and then with Steel Sterling in January 1984. In July 1984, the series ended with its seventh issue. 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. In 2015, Archie Comics announced 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 will be published under the Dark Circle Comics banner. It was originally set to be released in April 2015 but was delayed until September 2015. 

 

Joe Higgins

MLJ Comics

Fictional character biography

The origin story of The Shield appeared in Shield-Wizard Comics  #1 (Summer 1940). He is really chemist Joe Higgins, the son of  Lieutenant Tom Higgins. Tom was working on a chemical formula for  super-strength which the Germans were after, and is slain by German  saboteur Hans Fritz in the Black Tom explosion,  for which Tom was blamed. After Tom's death, Joe continues to work on  it while continuing his studies of chemistry. Joe finally figures out  the solution, which requires applying the chemicals to certain parts of  his anatomy (Sacrum, Heart, Innervation,  Eyes, Lungs, Derma), and exposing himself to x-rays. This gives him  super strength, the ability able to make great leaps, and  invulnerability. Joe uses the initials S.H.I.E.L.D. as his secret  identity. His white costume becomes the familiar colors under the  process. He becomes an FBI agent (whose secret identity is known only to  FBI Chief J. Edgar Hoover) after clearing his father's name, and fights foreign agents and other threats to the U.S. After a partnership with fellow G-Man, Ju-Ju Watson and girlfriend, Betty, he is joined by a kid partner, Dusty Simmons, in Pep  #11 in 1941. Dusty's father had been killed by foreign agents, and he  is adopted by Joe and given a costume. Both heroes wear their patriotic  costumes beneath their street clothes and change for action whenever the  need would arise. Dusty also partners with The Wizard's kid partner, Roy, as the "Boy Buddies". 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 1940's-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. The storyline had them team up with the Wizard  (the headlining character from Top-Notch Comics) to stop the  invasion plot orchestrated by Moskovia (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: Shield-Wizard, Top-Notch Comics. But then a new character arrived who would overshadow him: Archie Andrews. He would take the Shield's cover spot on Pep, take his fan club, and cause the end of the MLJ superheroes. 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". 

Source

Read - Pep Comics #01

Read - Shield Wizard Comics #01