Created by writer and artist Jim Steranko, Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine was first introduced in Strange Tales Vol. 1 #159 in August 1967.
In following years, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine would become one of the organization’s top operatives with her impeccable skills in hand-to-hand combat, marksmanship at a nearly perfect level of expertise, and strong leadership capabilities.
She would take on the Mongolian warlord Plan Chu – better known then as the Yellow Claw, but later preferring the name Golden Claw – in her first mission upon recruitment.
She would even become S.H.I.E.L.D.’s liaison to United Kingdom, where she was assigned to help Union Jack (sort of like a British Captain America, but not Captain Britain) after Nick Fury went underground.