Them

THEM is a fictional covert organization in the Marvel Comics universe. It is presented as a large, secretive power structure connected to several of Marvel’s recurring conspiratorial and paramilitary groups, most notably Hydra, Advanced Idea Mechanics (A.I.M.), and the Secret Empire. Rather than functioning as a conventional consumer brand, THEM is a narrative organization used to connect different forms of technological, political, and criminal activity within Marvel stories. The organization’s history is tied to Baron Wolfgang von Strucker and the postwar development of Hydra. In the mythology described in the 1960s stories, Strucker used the name THEM for a broader organizational structure and created or sponsored specialist branches beneath it. A.I.M. served as the scientific and technological arm, while the Secret Empire operated as another affiliated branch. This hierarchy allowed Marvel writers to portray apparently separate threats as parts of a wider conspiracy, while still giving each group a distinctive identity and operating style. THEM was mentioned in the early 1960s Marvel espionage and superhero stories and was subsequently identified as the parent organization of A.I.M. and the Secret Empire. The revelations appeared across issues associated with Strange Tales, including the A.I.M. introduction and its immediate follow-up. The organization was also described as a new incarnation or continuation of Hydra after the earlier version of Hydra had been dissolved. These connections made THEM part of the broader continuity surrounding S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury, Captain America, and other Marvel protagonists who investigate clandestine networks. Unlike A.I.M., which is characterized by scientists, laboratories, weapons development, and technological experimentation, THEM is generally defined by its umbrella role. Its importance lies in its place in the organizational genealogy of Marvel’s villains rather than in a stable product portfolio or a single recurring headquarters. The group represents the hidden command structure behind subversive activity and provides a framework for linking terrorism, espionage, weapons research, political manipulation, and attempts at global domination. THEM’s principal media presence is in Marvel comic books. Its associated organizations and concepts have subsequently appeared in other Marvel-licensed media, including television, film, and video games, although those adaptations may emphasize Hydra, A.I.M., or the Secret Empire rather than THEM itself. A.I.M. made its live-action Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in Iron Man 3, but that appearance concerns the subsidiary organization and should not be treated as a direct live-action appearance by THEM. As a fictional property, THEM has no independent headquarters, legal ownership structure, public financial record, listed securities, or operating markets. Its relevant classification is therefore entertainment and comic-book intellectual property rather than food or consumer staples. The name should not be confused with unrelated real-world uses of “Them,” including publications, companies, music projects, or other trademarks.

THEM entered Marvel Comics continuity during the expansion of the publisher’s espionage and conspiracy mythology in the 1960s. Early stories referred to a large clandestine organization before fully defining its structure. It was mentioned in Strange Tales #142, published in March 1966, and its relationship to A.I.M. became clearer in the sequence surrounding Strange Tales #146 and #147. A.I.M. debuted in Strange Tales #146 in July 1966, while the following issue identified it as a branch of THEM. The organization was created in the context of Marvel’s broader Hydra mythology. Baron Strucker, the Nazi founder associated with Hydra, is described as having established THEM as an overarching structure and created two important branches: A.I.M., devoted to advanced science and weaponry, and the Secret Empire, devoted to subversive political activity. This arrangement enabled Marvel to present A.I.M. and the Secret Empire as distinct organizations while retaining a shared origin and common connection to Hydra. Later material in Strange Tales #149, published in October 1966, further established THEM as a parent organization to the Secret Empire and as a new incarnation of Hydra after the earlier organization had been dissolved. The concept therefore functioned as a continuity device: it explained how Hydra-related threats could survive organizational destruction and reappear under different names, personnel, and methods. THEM’s narrative identity is broader and less operationally specific than that of A.I.M. A.I.M. stories focus on laboratories, scientific personnel, experimental technology, androids, biological weapons, and attempts to acquire power through invention. Secret Empire stories focus more heavily on political infiltration and subversion. THEM provides the hidden connective tissue between these activities. Its appearance or mention signals that a local criminal scheme may be part of a larger conspiracy. The organization belongs primarily to Marvel’s comic-book continuity and is not documented as a real corporation or consumer-facing brand. Associated organizations have had much wider exposure in Marvel adaptations. A.I.M. has appeared in licensed games and television productions and made its Marvel Cinematic Universe live-action debut in Iron Man 3, where it was led by Aldrich Killian. That adaptation expands the profile of A.I.M. but does not establish a separate corporate or cinematic history for THEM.

• 1966

  Early reference in Strange Tales

  [1]Advanced Idea Mechanicsen.wikipedia.org

  A large covert organization later identified as THEM was referenced in Strange Tales #142, establishing the conspiracy before the organization’s relationship with A.I.M. was explained.

• 1966

  A.I.M. introduced as a related branch

  [1]Advanced Idea Mechanicsen.wikipedia.org

  A.I.M. debuted in Strange Tales #146 and was subsequently revealed to be a branch of THEM, giving the umbrella organization a defined place in Marvel’s espionage mythology.

• 1966

  Parent relationship clarified

  [1]Advanced Idea Mechanicsen.wikipedia.org

  Strange Tales #149 further described THEM as a parent organization of the Secret Empire and as a new incarnation of the previously dissolved Hydra.

A fictional umbrella conspiracy and parent organization within Marvel Comics continuity, positioned as a hidden coordinating force behind Hydra-linked scientific, political, and criminal operations.

1. 1Advanced Idea Mechanicsen.wikipedia.org