End the calendar year with a bang this New Year’s Eve as high-tech weapons, high-stakes missions and high-octane adventure come to a comic shop near you with S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 – the debut issue of one of the most highly anticipated titles of the year! In addition to being among the first to purchase and read this exciting first issue, fans will also be able to receive special items exclusive to these launch parties.

Along with All-New Miracleman Annual #1, S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 stands as one of only two Marvel comics being released on 12/31 and Marvel making sure comic book stores nationwide are armed and ready to close out 2014 with a bang when these two books explode onto stands!

Written by Eisner-award winning writer Mark Waid and drawn by a rotating crew of top-flight including Carlos Pacheco, Humberto Ramos, Alan Davis and more – each issue of S.H.I.E.L.D. teams Special Agent Phil Coulson and his team with the best and brightest the Marvel Universe has to offer. From Thor to Ms. Marvel to Captain America to Howard the Duck. If you’ve got the skills – S.H.I.E.L.D. has a mission for you!

To ensure these parties are a success, each retailer opting in to the event will receive a S.H.I.E.L.D. Party Kit from Marvel, containing exclusive promotional materials. Check your Marvel Mailer for more information on how to opt-in to ensure your store has these exclusive promotional items including two-sided S.H.I.E.L.D. trading cards and Skottie Young lithographs.

But that’s not all! Don’t miss out on your chance to snag some exciting variant covers to S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 featuring your favorite Marvel characters! S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 Launch Parties are the best place to get your hands on one-of-a kind variant covers including John Tyler Christopher’s highly collectible Deadpool Party Variant, a photo variant featuring Agent Coulson and Agent May from Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and a set of 6 variant covers from Marvel’s rising star artists, the All-New Young Guns!

S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 (OCT140813)

S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 LAUNCH PARTY OPT-IN (OCT140820)

Written by MARK WAID

Art by CARLOS PACHECO

Cover by JULIAN TOTINO TEDESCO

Deadpool Party Variant by JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER (OCT140816)

Set of 6 All-New Young Guns Variants by MAHMUD ASRAR,

STEVE MCNIVEN, DAVE MARQUEZ, SARA PICHELLI, VALERIO SCHITI

& RYAN STEGMAN (OCT140817)

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Photo Variant Also Available (OCT140818)

Variant Covers by SKOTTIE YOUNG (OCT140815) & MIKE DEODATO (OCT140814)

Blank Variant Also Available

FOC – 11/10/14, On-Sale 12/31/14