SHIELD #3 [2010] by Jonathan Hickman

S.H.I.E.L.D #3

THE THEORY OF ETERNAL LIFE

The story tells the tale of many geniuses throughout time saving humanity and ultimately became members of the Brotherhood of the Shield. The events these Shield members set in motion will have an affect on our modern day heroes and the current incarnation of Shield.

The series promises to reveal how Imhotep became the first member of Shield by fighting back the Brood Invasion in 2620 B.C, Zhang Heng turns back a Celestial, Galileo defeated Galactus before the Fantastic Four, the secrets of Isaac Newton, and the reason for Leonard Da Vinci traveling 400 years into the future. All these geniuses protected humanity and proclaimed that “This is Not How the World Ends.”

We have been introduced to the Immortal City in Rome the home of the High Council of the Shield. In the 1950s, a man by the name of Leonid is told by the council that if he wishes to learn the final fate of man then he must join them. Three years later Leonid’s father takes him to his higher calling, which leads him to encounter with Leonardo Da Vinci.

In the meantime, Leonid’s father the Night Machine fights Shield Agents Stark and Richards, who happen to be the fathers of Tony Stark and Reed Richards, whose purpose is to destroy Shield.

During the encounter between Leonid and Leonardo Da Vinci, we learned that Leonardo is the architect of the Immortal City. As the High Council of the Shield promised Leonid to learn the final fate of man, Leonardo Da Vinci promises to show the council another belief one of an infinite human experience.

We learn the secret knowledge of the organization of Shield is the 5-Fold Understanding that begins with the Greater Science. We witness Galileo defeating Galactus in Rome however a price needed to be paid involving 2/3 of the Brotherhood of the Shield. Isaac Newton the apprentice of Galileo travels to the Deviant City, Ashomia in 1625 to obtain the knowledge of the Hidden Arts. The story continues to reveal how he obtained the other the 5-Fold Understanding.

The 5-Fold Understanding

- The Greater Science

- The Hidden Arts

- The Secret Alchemy

- The Quiet Math

- The Silent Truth

Writer Jonathan Hickman really presents us with a clear purpose for these characters in the first page of the introduction. I really needed the clarity after last issue’s confusing and cerebral story structure. Hickman has previous stated his Shield series involves all of human history. A complicated story that seems to be slowly piecing together. Artist Dustin Weaver has done an amazing work for this series and I am looking forward to his future works in comics.

RECOMMENDED – 4 OUT OF 5