Agent Coulson and his crew are caught in the middle of Civil War II and opinions are split among them. But they remain Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and have a job to do: Protect the innocent and apprehend a major Marvel Universe character. As they near their target, divisions begin to grow and positions harden, but what’s on Coulson’s mind may change everything!

(Panini Books)

As the events of Civil War II tear the superhero community apart, SHIELD faces its own internal conflicts in the wake of the Pleasant Hill debacle, and beleaguered director Maria Hill begins to question the motivations of her leading agent Phil Coulson.

With the creation of the Coulson Protocols having cost him the trust of the superhuman community, and with his team falling apart around him, the rise of a powerful new Inhuman able to predict events before they happen is more than Phil is prepared to take.

Tasked with bringing in Tony (Iron Man) Stark after he kidnapped said Inhuman, Coulson finds himself swayed to Stark’s side in his battle against Carol (Captain Marvel) Danvers, resulting in Director Hill dismissing him from SHIELD for refusing the accept the chain of command.

With his former colleagues now under the leadership of trained assassin Elektra, can he possibly succeed in finding a third option in the Civil War, and at the same time prevent Daredevil from being killed?

Meanwhile, Agent Jemma Simmons is dying after being exposed to an advanced bioweapon, Daisy Johnson has requested reassignment, rogue agent Grant Ward is back on active duty, and Leo Fitz has been exposed as a traitor… Can things possibly get any worse?

Bringing a satisfactory conclusion to this latest SHIELD series, this volume also includes the Civil War II one-shot The Accused, which focuses on the trial of Clint Barton, the Avenger known as Hawkeye, for the murder of Hulk Bruce Banner, with Daredevil’s alter ego Matt Murdock acting for the prosecution… A masterpiece of succinct and well-crafted storytelling, which knocks spots off the main Civil War II title!

With the Agents of SHIELD TV series now in its fourth season, and showing no signs of slowing down, it is surprising that a comic book spin-off can’t sustain an audience. The fusion of covert operations and superhero action seems like a perfect fit, but current sales just justify continuing this latest run in a tough marketplace. Hopefully this isn’t the last we see of Coulson and his team in the wider Marvel Universe, and it isn’t too long before they are back in their own title.