Phillip J. "Phil" Coulson is an espionage agent working for S.H.I.E.L.D. and the former director of S.H.I.E.L.D., with the mandate from former Director Fury to rebuild the organization. Coulson is an original creation who is not based on a character in the Marvel Comics universe, though a version of him has subsequently appeared in the mainstream Marvel continuity in 2012. First introduced in Iron Man and returning in Iron Man 2, Thor, The Avengers and is one of the main characters in the TV Series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Coulson is portrayed by Clark Gregg.