Beetles

A "Beetle" squad member guns down Tom Lennox in The Mighty World Of Marvel #9 (February 1984). Art by Alan Davis.

An armored superhuman restraint unit's first appearance in the Marvel Universe was in Marvel UK's The Mighty World Of Marvel, during the events of the Jaspers' Warp story arc involving Brian Braddock as Captain Britain. Insane reality warper Mad Jim Jaspers is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and turned the UK into a fascist state,^[3] and enforced "Super Hero Legislation" using armored agents of S.T.R.I.K.E. (the UK division of S.H.I.E.L.D.) to hunt down and detain superhumans within the UK. These anti-superhuman agents were called "Beetles" squadrons due to their beetle head shaped helmets and were best known for gunning down Tom Lennox, Betsy Braddock's lover.^[4]

Cape-Killers I

The first incarnation of the Cape-Killers^[5] (sometimes written Capekiller^[6]) are agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. equipped in armored suits during the events of Marvel Comics' Civil War crossover, where these agents were sent to bring in rogue superheroes.^[5] The United States government passed the Superhuman Registration Act,^[7] and used a division of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents trained to deal specifically with superhuman threats,^[1] to enforce the law. These foot soldiers^[8] of S.H.I.E.L.D., known as (Anti-)Superhuman Restraint Unit and more commonly Cape-Killers, were spread out across Marvel comics and came into conflict with various superpowered individuals throughout the event. The Cape-Killers wear armor and use hardware designed by Stark Industries.^[9] The Cape-Killers' armor has two different styles of helmet (a Riotsquad style helmet,^[10] and a helmet with a Filter style gas mask^[11]) as well as suits that are out-fitted with internal comm systems,^[11] and hover discs that give the wearers the ability of flight (which have been seen in various comics),^[12] and various firearms that shot tranquilizer darts,^[5] though later they have been shown to use genetic paralyzer laser weapons.^[12] Weaknesses of the Cape-Killers' armor suits have been shown to be susceptible to power surges in several issues,^[10] and S.H.I.E.L.D. former director Nick Fury would later develop a device that transmitted an electromagnetic overload pulse-broadcast straight into their comm systems which shut down their suits and frying their electrical systems that was shown to take down several unit members at once.^[11] It's also shown that there's an override code used by the Cape-Killers' disillusioned designer on his high tech palm pilot that can freeze their suits.^[13]

The Cape-Killers are seen in the subsequent Initiative story arc as well as the "Secret Invasion" storyline, until being discontinued by H.A.M.M.E.R. commander Norman Osborn at the start of the "Dark Reign" storyline.^[14]

Cape Killers II

The Cape Killers would later be revived by Agent Gao of the NYPD during the "Devil's Reign" storyline to enforce the Anti-Vigilante Act previously enacted by former New York City Mayor Wilson Fisk. Gao recruits several supervillains like Electro II, Scorpion, Taskmaster and Hightail into the Cape Killers in exchange for clemency and first deploys them during the "Carnage Reigns" event to stop Cletus Kasady.^[15] Gao and the Cape Killers frequently clash with Spider-Man (Miles Morales), but are often forced to work together.^[16][17]

During the "Gang War" event, Gao sends the Cape Killers members Scorpion, Taskmaster, Hightail, and new recruit Gust to deal with the destruction wrought by the warring gangs and orders them to arrest both superheroes and supervillains alike as seen after Spider-Man, Misty Knight, and Colleen Wing have defeated Bumbler and Frost Pharaoh.^[18] She-Hulk intervenes and argues with Gao through a video call that Spider-Man and his allies have been deputized by Mayor Luke Cage to help stop the gang violence. As Gao begrudgingly allows Spider-Man to go free, she still orders Hightail to bring Knight and Wing to her. Spider-Man accompanies Scorpion and Gust to Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn where they end up fighting Prowler and the Enforcers. Scorpion and Gust manage to defeat the Enforcers while Spider-Man fights his uncle until Starling arrives with Ms. Marvel and Shift.^[19]

Cape-Killers I

• 9-6 - An unlicensed hero recovery team.^[20]
• Agent Abrams - The leader of a unit to capture Robert "Nitro" Hunter which failed and died when they were caught in an explosion generated by Nitro.^[2]
• Agent Cleery^[10]
• Agent Doug ??? and another Cape-Killer - Security for the Santa Monica Farmers' Market.^[21]
• Aerial Company C & Aerial Company E - Posted in the Manhattan area follow the events of World War Hulk.^[22]
• Dum Dum Dugan^[9][5]
• Force Unit 9^[13] - Avengers Tower Guards.^[6]
• Major Tom Aramaki - The leader of a mecha unit.^[23]
• Team Cobra^[12] - A team which included Commander Gabriel Jones and Agent Whitman.
• Team 1 & Team 2 - They were assigned to the Baxter Building.^[24]
• Special Agent Marquez and her partner Agent McAllister^[25] -

Cape Killers II

• Agent Gao - An NYPD agent who is the founder and commander of the second Cape Killers.^[26]
• Electro (Francine Frye)^[15]
• Gust - A teenage girl with aerokinetic abilities who was arrested by Gao for violating the Powers Act despite using her powers to rescue hostages from a bank robbery and is forced to work with the Cape Killers in exchange for her freedom.^[27][28]
• Hightail - A mutant speedster and former criminal.^[29][15][30]
• Scorpion^[15]
• Taskmaster^[15]

Television

A variation of the Superhuman Restraint Unit appears in the Avengers Assemble episodes "Civil War, Part 2: The Mighty Avengers" and "Civil War, Part 3: The Drums of War". This version was designed by Ultron's Truman Marsh form and consists of a mech-sized Iron Patriot battlesuit and unmanned green and yellow sentries.

Video games

The Superhuman Restraint Unit appears in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, as enemies if the player chooses the story's Anti-Registration side and as allies if the player chooses the story's Pro-Registration side.