'Marvel's Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.' Will Explain Coulson's Return... Eventually

Of all the questions hovering over Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., perhaps the biggest is just what Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg) is doing in it. Even the spoiler-y explanation we got earlier a few months back only raised more questions.

Happily, co-creator Jed Whedon assures fans they'll get an answer — just not right away. Fans will be able to pick up hints from the first episode, but it'll take some time for the whole truth to be revealed. Hit the jump to read his comments on Coulson and more. (Be advised spoilers for The Avengers follow from here on out.)

And indeed, it sounds like there's  more to Coulson's case than mere fakery. Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. features a scene early on in which his colleagues comment that he can "never know" what really happened to him, and audiences will discover more and more of the truth from there. "We can't wait to pull the curtain back on that," Whedon told EW. "[But] we're going to take our time."

Whedon added that Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. would tie into the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe in other ways as well. In fact, the premiere episode will pick up a plot thread from one of the earlier Marvel movies (not The Avengers). "We plan on trying to weave in between the films and try to make them more rewarding on both ends," Whedon said.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will air Tuesdays at 8 on ABC this fall. Until then, look for more details to leak out at Comic-Con next week.