EUROMIND

Membership: Director François Borillon, Salomé;
    formerly Azzuro 1 (see comments), Danger (Dolph Dongen), Deep Sight (Jane Melville), Key (Geyr Kluge), Nuage (Silvie Rouge), Picaro (Antonio Rey) 

Purpose: To monitor and police the European superhuman population, to investigate and study paranormal phenomena, to protect European countries and citizens

Aliases: None

Affiliations: S.H.A.P.E. (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe) Commission, S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate);
   formerly S.H.I.E.L.D. (Supreme Headquarters International Espionage Law-enforcement Division 

Enemies: A.I.M., Nadir, Inc.
   formerly Euroforce (Argento/Michele Argento, Danger/Dolph Dongen, Deep Sight/Jane Melville, Key/Geyr Kluge, Nuage/Silvie Rouge, Picaro/Antonio Rey, Tiger/Hughes Aït-Kaci), EuroLab (Danger, Deep Sight, Key, Nuage, Picaro), Task Force (Argento, Tiger) (see comments)

Base of Operations: EuroMind base, Spain   

First Appearance: Europa#0/0 (April 1996) 

History:
(Europa#0 front cover text) - EuroMind was a European section of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate) based out of a secret location in Spain. It included the specialist EuroLab scientific research group, tasked with analyzing new life forms and investigating mysterious events. For security (in the event of emergencies beyond what normal agents might be able to handle), S.H.I.E.L.D. provided EuroMind with the rapid-response combat team Task Force.

(Europa#0/2) - It was commanded by Director François Borillon...

(Europa#2/2) - ...who answered to a commission formed by the representatives of the nations belonging to S.H.A.P.E. (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Europe, the central command of N.A.T.O.'s military forces) and the United Nations.

(Europa#2/2 back cover text) - An experienced mediator as well as soldier, Borillon was considered the right choice to assuage any concerns that his agency's work might be corrupted, as had happened under S.H.I.E.L.D.'s previous incarnation after the Deltite Life Model Decoy infiltration.

(Europa#2/2) - Unfortunately for all concerned, S.H.A.P.E. had itself been corrupted by A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics), who had placed an operative within the commission assigned to oversee EuroMind, and agents within EuroMind itself.

(Europa#0/2 (fb) - BTS) - EuroMind had an orbital base, Eagle-2. During it's construction, Borillon assigned a subordinate who annoyed him there, forcing the transgressor to spend the next eight months constantly moving from one flying base to another, a tale which did the rounds, discouraging others from getting on the Director's wrong side.

(Europa#0/2) - When an archeological dig in Spain was halted upon sighting giant bugs and recent human remains, EuroMind was contacted and Borillon dispatched EuroLab to investigate, with Task Force held back in reserve in case of trouble. Monitoring the situation from base, Borillon deployed Task Force when EuroLab ran into hostile subterranean monsters, and the combat team ensured the mission ended without any casualties on either EuroMind team.

(Europa#1/2 (fb) - BTS) - Across Europe there were several reported incidents of individuals undergoing spontaneous mutations, but the mutations always vanished before EuroMind could find them. When a report came in of a similar mutation incident taking place in Kuantan, the capital of the Pahang district of peninsular Malaysia, EuroMind tapped into local sources, including radar. A U.F.O. appeared on the radar, just as reports from the market announced the mutate's abrupt disappearance, but vanished near Mount Mulu, Sarawak (a Malaysian state on the island of Borneo). Task Force were swiftly deployed to investigate (see comments). Shortly thereafter, EuroMind received reports that a passenger on a civilian flight over Chioggia, Italy, had unexpectedly transformed into a monstrous creature with claws and fangs, causing the plane to splash down into the Aegean Sea. EuroLab was sent to investigate and to recover any survivors from the rapidly sinking plane.   

(Europa#2/2 (fb) - BTS) - Tiger and Argento from Task Force returned to base to report that while in Malaysia they had found the remains of their U.F.O.,  plane wreckage with the insignia of French multinational Nadir, Inc., but that they had been ambushed by armored mercenaries, the Lords of War, who slew two of the team, Dragonfly and Blue Condor, and apparently abducted a third, Iceboy. Meanwhile EuroLab also returned, thankfully with no casualties, to reveal they had found their mutate aboard the sinking plane, but that he had chosen to remain on board and drown rather than risk being recaptured by whoever was responsible for his mutated state. Using their operative within S.H.A.P.E., Borillon was given orders to instruct both teams to leave the mutations cases to others.

(Europa#2/2) - Having received further instructions, Borillon informed EuroLab leader Key and Task Force survivor Tiger that S.H.A.P.E.'s executive commission had closed the case. Key queried the apparently senseless decision, but Borillon confirmed that they were supposed to forget about the mystery of the mutates and their lost comrade, conspicuously adding that it might be different if he was calling the shots instead of S.H.A.P.E. and the United Nations, and remarking that he was confident his orders were clear enough.

    Wanting to be doubly safe, A.I.M.'s plant on the S.H.A.P.E. commission ordered some of his men within EuroMind, Azzuro 1 (Blue 1), to eliminate the two teams. One of the assassins went to Argento's quarters, ostensibly to let Argento know a medical check-up had been brought forward, then tried to shoot Argento in the back when he turned away to pull on a jacket. Alerted by his supernatural senses, Argento dodged the shot, and used his mystic powers to fry his assailant's mind. Finding the man's two-man back-up nearby, Argento overheard them (prematurely) confirming his demise and that they were proceeding with the plan to eliminate his friends. While their distant commander congratulated them and wished them further success, Argento silently eliminated both of them.

    Meanwhile EuroLab and Tiger had decided to steal a plane and rescue Iceboy despite orders. Azzuro 1 set off the alarm and mixed with EuroMind security who responded to it, seeking to mask their assassinations as necessary force against agents who had gone rogue. The unanticipated intervention of Argento thwarted this ploy, and EuroLab, Tiger and Argento all escaped in a nuclear plane. Sticking to the rest of their plan, some of Azzuro 1 immediately gunned down other members of their own unit in order to frame the escaped targets for murder.  

(Europa#3/2) - Borillon was shown doctored video footage by S.H.A.P.E. "proving" the departed agents (now calling themselves Euroforce) were guilty of murder. Feigning acceptance of the story, the Director secretly had a trusted agent, Salomé, analyze the footage, swiftly confirming it had been altered and also confirming his suspicions that his agency had been infiltrated.  

(Europa#4/2) - Borillon helped Euroforce fake their own deaths until he could discover the full extent of the corruption within S.H.A.P.E. and EuroMind.  

(Avengers World#12 (fb) - BTS) - EuroLab and Euroforce were cleared and reinstated. The status of EuroMind and Borillon remains unrevealed (see comments).

Comments: Created by Xavier Marturet and Paco Diaz for Marvel Italia.

    Though Euroforce, EuroLab and Task Force would not have considered themselves enemies of EuroMind, just the corrupt elements within the agency, they were being hunted by the agency and are thus considered enemies. Since EuroLab and Euroforce have since been officially reinstated, the enmity is presumably former. Likewise, if Euroforce was cleared, then it seems likely Azzuro 1's duplicity was uncovered. Whether or not EuroMind remains active is unrevealed; likewise, there's no guarantee that Borillon survived trying to uncovered the corruption within EuroMind, though there's no evidence he didn't either. 

    Though EuroMind's remit was Europe, they didn't hesitate to send Task Force well outside their jurisdiction to Asia when an incident there echoed a problem plaguing Europe. Presumably Task Force officially belonging to S.H.I.E.L.D. proper and only being assigned to EuroMind rather than a component of it (as EuroLab was) allowed them a degree of flexibility to operate further afield.  

Profile by Loki, with invaluable aid from comic translator Angelo Mammone.

CLARIFICATIONS:
EuroMind should not be confused with:

S.H.A.P.E. (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe)

 

The central command of N.A.T.O. (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)'s military forces, SHAPE's member states assembled a commission to oversee the running of EuroMind, the European division of S.H.I.E.L.D., though, given they appear to wear civilian garb, it isn't entirely clear whether the commission members are actual members of N.A.T.O.'s armed forces and S.H.A.P.E. proper, or merely representatives of the various member states.

 

Comments: S.H.A.P.E. is a real world organization, though to the best of my knowledge, they don't oversee a secret paramilitary agency that investigates paranormal phenomena in Europe or elsewhere.

 

-- Europa#3/2 (#4/2

 

Euroforce plane

 

The plane Euroforce stole was "nuclear-equipped" (see comments), and capable of flying halfway across the world without refueling. However, after it took off from outside Nadir's base in Malaysia, it was attacked in flight by armored individuals resembling the Lords of War, and apparently blown up.  

 

Comments: The wording in the issues is slightly inconsistent about the plane. In Europa#2/2, it is described as being "one" of the agency's "nuclear-equipped" planes, but in Europa#3/2, it is said that there was "a" (singular) plane "carrying nuclear weaponry."

 

-- Europa#2/2 (#4/2

Azzuro 1

Azzuro 1 (Blue 1) were EuroMind agents secretly in the pay of A.I.M.'s S.H.A.P.E. commissioner; whether they were themselves A.I.M. agents or merely corrupt was not revealed. They were instructed to assassinate EuroLab and Task Force, then provide justification for their use of lethal force by framing the targets for murder. Some of Azzuro 1 were unaware of this second part, since it was their deaths that EuroLab and Task Force were to be blamed for; when the targets escaped, the rest of Azzuro stuck to the remainder of the plan and gunned down their fellow agents without a qualm.  

-- Europa#2/2

images: (without ads)
All images from Europa issues, 2nd (Euroforce) stories:
#2, p20, pan 2 (EuroMind agents)
#2, p21, pan 2 (SHAPE Commission)
#2, p22, pan 1 (plane)
#2, p20, pan 4 (Azzuro 1)
#2, p12, pan 3 (Argento's assailant)

Appearances:
Euroforce #0-4 (April-October, 1996) - Xavier Marturet (writer), Paco Diaz (art), Enrico Fornaroli; Marco M. Lupoi; Miguel Carrasco (editors)

First Posted: 01/22/2019
Last updated: 01/22/2019

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™   and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com

Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

Back to Groups