The main story of the first issue is set in 1953 shortly after the death of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, during the height of the Cold War.

Flashbacks reveal that the Shield was founded by Imhotep following a battle (alongside Apocalypse and the original Moon Knight) against the Brood, and that previous agents include Zhang Heng (who tricked a Celestial into using the sun to give birth to its child instead of destroying the Earth or the Moon to do so), Galileo Galilei (who fought against Galactus) and Leonardo da Vinci (who is shown with a mysterious device, flying off in an ornithopter).

[volume & issue needed] The Night Machine gives Leonid the key to a secret area of the headquarters, saying his destiny cannot be dictated by others.

[volume & issue needed] Leonardo's return was met with resistance from Isaac Newton who saw it as a threat to his reign as leader of the organization.

[10] Jonathan Hickman (writer) and Dustin Weaver (artist) were tied up with the Marvel summer crossover events for 2013.