Michael Steven Barnes
First Appearance:
Legend of the Shield #9,
March 1992
Origin:
When Joe Higgins opted to abdicate his role as the new Shield, that duty and the overwhelming weight of responsibility that went along with it fell to 1st Lieutenant Steven Barnes,
Leader of the elite military guerrilla team known as “The Corps”, Barnes and his teammates were originally in contention with Joe Higgins as potential candidates for Project: Shield, when Higgins was eventually selected to wear the recreated armor of the legendary hero of the 1950’s, Barnes and the others wished Joe well in the best sense of military comradeship and accepted supplementary duty connected to Project: Shield.
From a military standpoint, Barnes represents an optimal replacement for Joe Higgins, even though he does not possess his natural strength and will of necessity, It’s Barnes’s personal side, however, that allows him to bring a totally different dynamic to his tenure as the Shield, born in the rural hills of Pennsylvania, Barnes is entrenched in the ideals and virtues of the family and small-town America.
Checklist:
Crucible 2-6
Crusaders 4-7
Legend of the Shield 9, 13-15
American Shield 1