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The following is a list of fictional government agencies, comic book organizations that have been published by DC Comics and their imprints. This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy certain standards for completion. You can help by expanding it with sourced additions.
The Agency was formed by Amanda Waller to serve as a small, quasi-independent branch of Task Force X. It performed global operations which were vital to the security of American interests. Valentina Vostok brought former NYPD Lieutenant Harry Stein into the Agency as an operative. Adrian Chase the Vigilante and Christopher Smith Peacemaker were contract operatives for the Agency.[1]
A.P.E.S. (All-Purpose Enforcement Squad) is a semi-independent US governmental division within the DEO. Donald Fite, father of Empress, and Ishito Maad are their most well known operatives. Their main headquarters is inside Mount Rushmore.[2]
Argent was the domestic branch of Task Force X; it was a sister organization to the Suicide Squad. Argent was led by Control and consisted mainly of former O.S.S. (Office of Strategic Services) agents. Argent was a powerful agency during most of the Cold War. After confronting and killing a government official responsible for the assassination of President Kennedy, Control ordered all records of Argent destroyed and pulled the organisation undercover. For years, the Argent continued their work in secret, but shrunk considerably in size. Eventually, Control died, but his granddaughter, Anne-Marie Vere, maintained the pretense that he was still alive to keep the group operating. In recent times, a confrontation with the Suicide Squad exposed the deception and Argent disbanded. Known agents of the Argent included Control, Falcon, Fleur, Iron Munro, Phantom Lady, and Anne-Marie Vere.[3]
The American Security Agency was a U.S. Government organization that supervised the creation of the national team of super-agents called the Force of July. The chairman of the A.S.A. was B. Eric Blairman. Blairman was later replaced as head of the A.S.A. by the even more corrupt Abraham Lincoln Carlyle, who made an attempt to use the Psycho Pirate's Medusa Mask to get himself elected president. During an internecine war within the US Government called the Janus Directive, Carlyle and most of the Force of July were killed in battle. The American Security Agency was defunct shortly afterwards.[4]
The Bureau of Amplified Animals is a US Government agency that monitors and deploys superhuman animal operatives. Currently known operatives of the Bureau are Rex the Wonder Dog and Detective Chimp.[5]
The CBI (Central Bureau of Intelligence), was formerly led by Sarge Steel and also included King Faraday, Richard Dragon, and Ben Turner in its stable of agents. Steel was eventually depicted as a Federal Cabinet Secretary of Metahuman Affairs (giving him control of agencies such as the Suicide Squad), until the election of Lex Luthor as President. Luthor then appointed Amanda Waller as his replacement until he was exposed as a criminal in the events of Superman/Batman: Public Enemies.[6]
American intelligence agency created as a replacement for International Operations and led by Ivana Baiul, seen in the pages of Stormwatch: Team Achilles.[7]
The United States government's Cosmic Emergency Management Agency.[8]
The Russian version of Checkmate was introduced in the last issues of the original series run. They were admittedly underfunded but wore armor similar to their US counterparts (see below).[9]
Checkmate is a covert operations agency within the DC Comics universe. Created from the ashes of its predecessor group, The Agency, it was originally set up by Amanda Waller to serve as a small, quasi-independent branch of Task Force X under the command of Colonel Valentina Vostok (formerly Negative Woman of the Doom Patrol) to perform operations worldwide considered vital to the security of American interests. In the wake of events depicted in the miniseries The OMAC Project and Infinite Crisis, Checkmate has been re-chartered as a United Nations Security Council-affiliated agency.
Checkmate's original hierarchy was modelled after the pieces of a chess game- one King, one Queen, and several Bishops. The Bishops oversaw the Rooks behind the scenes while the Rooks planned missions and supervised the field agents, or Knights, and the Knights' support, Pawns.
Pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1696, Checkmate was reorganized as the UN’s Chartered Metahuman Monitoring Force. The organization was restructured utilizing the “Rule of Two”. Each super-powered or otherwise enhanced member in the “Royal Family” must have an un-powered counterpart in a corresponding position of power. In addition, there are an indeterminate number of “pawns”. In the original incarnation of Checkmate, they were low-level field agents that provided intelligence-gathering, logistical and operational support; it appears that pawns in the current incarnation serve similar roles.[10]
The Department of Extranormal Operations is a branch of the United States government, concerned with the magical, the alien, and the superhuman and having connections with such organisations as the Suicide Squad and Knightwatch. Other divisions include an agency for training 'gifted' youngsters whose powers manifest at a difficult age, and numerous surveillance and data-collection operations. The current Regional Director for the Eastern Seaboard is a former costumed villain named Mister Bones. One of its highest-profile agents is Cameron Chase.[11]
Département Gamma is the main French covert ops organization in the DC Comics universe. Known operatives are Andre Chevard (Boy Commandos) founder and leader, Fleur-de-Lis (Global Guardians), Belphegor (Global Guardians), Tin, the Captain, the Professor, and Halfwolf.[12][13][14][15][16]
Department for Paranormal Science Investigations, a rival to International Operations and employer of the superhero team Wildcore. Its director is Antonio Giovanni. When International Operations was dissolved, Department PSI absorbed most of its assets, equipment, and personnel.[17]
The Department of Metahuman Affairs is a division within the DEO. Known operatives are Sarge Steel, Tom Tresser (Nemesis), and Diana Prince (Wonder Woman).[18]
The Department of Scientific Investigation is a government organization dedicated to the investigation of strange phenomena. Known operatives were Darwin Jones the chief of staff, and Tommy Dane one of the Young Scienceers.[19]
The Extranormal Activities Garrison for Law Enforcement is a government agency within the Astro City universe. They are described to normally function as a sort of "clean up crew" for the superheroes ("taking supervillains into custody, guarding damaged property, etc.") but during the Confession storyline they are seen hunting down, and capturing, various superheroes. After the storyline it is implied that they returned to their normal duties.[20]
Introduced in issue #1 of The American Way. The FDAA (Federal Disaster Assistance Administration), handles a US government superhero team called the Civil Defense Corps. The FDAA is responsible for using gene therapy to create many of America's heroes as well as "villains" who they have fight the heroes in publicly staged battles. The FDAA periodically unleashes Hellbent, a homicidal and sociopathic supervillain, to assassinate enemies of the United States.[21]
The Finger (secret police), the Eye (CCTV monitoring), and the Ear (phone surveillance). These were the three branches of overt government surveillance depicted in the dystopian Britain of V for Vendetta.[22]
G.E.O.R.G.E. the Group for Extermination of Organizations of Revenge, Greed, and Evil, debuted in Blackhawk #228, during that title's attempt to mainstream the Blackhawks as superheroes. G.E.O.R.G.E. opposed the International Crime Combine, a supraorganization made up of operatives from various other criminal organizations some based in the DC Comics Universe, like CYCLOPS and O.G.R.E., and other fictional organizations such as THRUSH and SPECTRE. Known G.E.O.R.G.E. operatives were their leader The Long L, Mister Delta, and The Champ, a trenchcoat wearing robot.[23][24]
An organization that first appeared outside the DC Universe in the original OMAC series, but which became part of the DCU proper in Final Crisis #7.
The Global Organization of Organized Defense, or G.O.O.D. The only known operatives of this international organization are Barney Ling the organization's director, and field operatives Ben Turner and Richard Dragon.[25]
The Hayoth are a team of four super-powered covert operatives who act as a special division of the Mossad. Their first contact with the West came when Amanda Waller (see Suicide Squad) was contracted to capture Kobra. Waller was informed of the Hayoth's existence by an Egyptian operative named Nazair.[26]
In the DC Comics universe, the Human Defense Corps is a branch of the military established by then President of the United States Lex Luthor to reduce government dependency on superhumans when a major alien crisis breaks out, act as back-up to Earth's superheroes, and specifically counter any alien threat to Earth. Membership of the Corps is open to 'Decorated veterans of alien campaigns only'.[27]
Internal Operations (I.O., IO or I/O) is a fictional American intelligence agency in WildStorm comics. It was originally called International Operations. I.O. International Operations was founded in 1964 as a branch of the Central Intelligence Agency with the mission to safeguard the United States' interests and safety abroad. It quickly became an independent agency under the leadership of Director Miles Craven. Following the Divine Right incident, the agency was severely weakened. It was shut down by the US government within a year. However, in 2004, it was reestablished under the leadership of John Lynch. IO first appeared in WildC.A.T.S. vol.1 #1 (August, 1992) and was created by Brandon Choi and Jim Lee.[28]
The military arm of the D.E.O., Knightwatch operatives wore armor that resembled the suits worn by Checkmate agents.[29]
A United States government initiative masterminded by General Wade Eiling and lead scientist Dr. Heinrich Megala, with the aim of creating a superhero answerable only to the military. The project used a combination of nuclear physics and a unique alloy called Dilustel with quantum properties that was cut from the skin of a captured alien known as the Silver Shield using X-Ionizer technology. The project only had two recorded successes, Captain Atom and Major Force. The origin of the woman calling herself Bombshell is still unknown. Heinrich Megala was also responsible for creating the X-Ionizer technology capable of cutting Captain Atom's skin and the skin of most invulnerable metahumans.[30]
A high tech genetic research facility, responsible for the successful cloning of Jim Harper the Guardian, and Connor Kent the second Superboy as well as a number of other heroes and villains.[31]
Project 7734 is a secret United States Military black-ops facility commanded by General Sam Lane. Its existence was uncovered by investigative reporter James Olsen's investigations. Like the Human Defense Corps, and Squad K, this project was created to defend humanity against extraterrestrial threats, including Kryptonians.[32][33] (The number of the project itself may be a play on a "word" that can be created on most calculators by simply typing in the number 7734 -turned upside down, it reads as "hell.")
Project M was a secret government organization which operated during World War II and specialized in experimental biotechnology and necromancy. Known creations of the Project include the Creature Commandos, Miss America, and the G.I. Robot. The Project's main scientist is one Professor Mazursky. He was aided by Robotman. As told in Young All-Stars #12, they operated from a secret underground complex on mythical Ferris Island in New York.[34]
The US government division that was tasked with handling Peacemaker's interaction with other government agencies. After the so-called "Janus Directive", the Project became part of Checkmate, and placed under the supervision of the CBI and Sarge Steel.[35]
The Quorum is the clandestine and apparently corrupt department of an unnamed government agency in the DC Comics universe. Former operatives are Major Force, Mace Gardner (brother of Guy Gardner), Loria a New Blood, the metahuman known as Sledge, and an army of armored men known as Sweepers. The Quorum sponsored and funded the Blood Pack, a superhero team made up of "New Bloods", in a failed attempt to create a superhuman army based on their DNA.[36]
The Russian version of Task Force X; just as they copied Checkmate, they also mirrored the Suicide Squad under the old Soviet Government (implying that they worked directly for the KGB). Organization originally consisted of ex-members of the People's Heroes and Blue Trinity. Later on other original Russian characters were introduced such as Stalnoivolk, Russia's World War II Superman. The Red Shadows were all organized under Amanda Waller's opposite number, a man known only as Major Zastrow. Other Red Shadow operatives were: Pozhar (Mikhail Arkadin), Bolshoi (martial artist), Molotov (explosives expert), Mrs. Gradenko (a were-bear), Yerosha (Could alter a person's senses), Lamia (Pheromone manipulation), Blue Trinity (speedsters), and Schreck, a metahuman vampire.[37]
A pre-WWII agency, Research on the Nature of Light theorized that the light that originated millennia ago where Earth now orbits would eventually circumnavigate the universe and return as a dangerous, conscious entity. The project leader, Dr. Dayzl, tricked a reporter, Langford "Happy" Terrill, into a ballooning accident, where a "genetic light bomb" gave Terrill superpowers, abilities he would use to become the Ray. Eventually, Dayzl's unorthodox actions and beliefs came to light and the government terminated the RONOL program.[38]
The Super Human Advanced Defense Executive, is a United States military organization that investigates, assesses, and contains paranormal and superhuman activity. Father Time and his S.H.A.D.E. agency exercise martial law over the devastated city of Blüdhaven. Father Time used this posting to carry out S.H.A.D.E.'s other mandate, the harvesting and creation of new metahuman talent. S.H.A.D.E. uses its specially trained metahuman talent to carry out black ops assassinations of threats to the United States and its policies. Several S.H.A.D.E. operatives defect from the organization to form a new version of the Freedom Fighters under the guidance of Uncle Sam, resulting in Sam and his team being declared enemies of S.H.A.D.E. and Father Time and his ally Gonzo the Mechanical Bastard ordering their deaths at the hands of First Strike. (see Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters). After Father Time turned on the psychotic Gonzo, he and his troops vanished into the timestream; Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters were made the leaders of S.H.A.D.E.[39]
Squad K is a special response team tasked with apprehending Superman if he should ever turn rogue, and with the apprehension of other Kryptonian criminals. Perseus Hazard, the grandson of Ulysses Hazard, was the group's first commander; after his death he is replaced by a Native American named Sergeant Cloud possibly a descendant of Johnny Cloud from the Losers.[40][41][42]
The agency employing John Stone. It is a tribute to S.H.I.E.L.D. and a precursor to Stormwatch. From the pages of Planetary.[43]
A United Nations Crisis Intervention Team, founded by United Nations during the late 70s as part of an effort to police the growing population of post-humans created in the wake of the Comet Effect. The agency has generated significant controversy over the years. It was shut down in 1998 do to budgetary and political concerns. The agency was re-established sometime after Authority's takeover of the United States under a severely limited budget.[44]
The original Task Force X consisted of two branches: the domestic and the international. The domestic branch was called Argent, and the international branch called the Suicide Squad, was originally put under the command of General Jeb Stuart. The first Suicide Squad was a minor backup series about a quartet of adventurers. That Squad consisted of Rick Flag, his girlfriend Karin Grace, Dr. Hugh Evans, and Jess Bright. The second and better-known Suicide Squad was a covert black ops government strike team. The team was partially made up of imprisoned supervillains who had agreed to perform extremely dangerous missions, which were officially denied by the US Government using the prisoners' participation as rationale to claim that the incidents are merely attacks by criminals, in return for a full pardon for their actions. In addition, there were other non-prisoner members such as Nemesis and Nightshade who participated in the team as part of individual arrangements. The Suicide Squad operated out of Belle Reve prison in Louisiana.[45]
A blanket organization that helps to oversee smaller United States government covert agencies such as Knightwatch.[46]
Following the dissolution of the O.S.S. in October 1945, President Harry S. Truman replaced it with the Central Intelligence Agency in 1946. In 1951, seeking to fill the void left by the retired JSA, Truman created Task Force X and its domestic branch, Argent. The international branch, the Suicide Squad, was put under the command of General Jeb Stuart. Jeb Stuart was later succeeded by Rick Flag.
The Higher United Nations Defense Enforcement Reserves serves as a secretive counter-terrorism force. With a non-powered but highly-trained special forces teams and a select number of agents fitted with powerful (but long-term dangerous to their health) performance-enhancing equipment, THUNDER has fought against organizations like SPIDER for decades, largely under the radar of the superhero community of the world.
Université Notre Dame des Ombres (Our Lady of the Shadows University) was originally created to train O.S.S. agents during World War II. Today it is a NATO sponsored covert intelligence training academy situated on the French Riviera, with an embassy office in Washington D.C.. Its last known headmistress was Sandra Knight, the original Phantom Lady. The school's most notable graduates are the Crimson Fox twins and Dee Tyler, the second Phantom Lady.[47]