Yes, it appears that Agent Coulson didn’t really die in The Avengers, and he’s still fighting the fight at the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division (S.H.I.E.L.D). This new series is directed by Joss Whedon (The Avengers, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and follows a group of young S.H.I.E.L.D agents in their missions to stop people who misuse their superpowers. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D will not be released until next autumn, but Marvel is clearly already keen to build hype around its smaller screen tie-in to its expansive Avengers universe.

With Joss Whedon having already shown an interest in showing the public response to superheroes in The Avengers, it will be interesting to see if this series delves deeper into the consequences of prolonged exposure to superheroes – and villains – for the ordinary public.