Advanced Idea Mechanics

A.I.M (Advanced Idea Mechanics) is a fictional criminal organization appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. In most versions, it is depicted as a network of terrorist arms dealers and scientists specializing in highly advanced and technological weaponry, whose ultimate goal is the overthrow of all world governments for their own gains.

Fictional organization history
A.I.M.'s origins began late in World War II with Baron Wolfgang von Strucker's creation of his subversive organization HYDRA. Under the code name of THEM, he created two HYDRA branches called Advanced Idea Mechanics and the Secret Empire. A.I.M.'s purpose was to develop advanced weaponry for HYDRA. They were close to developing and attaining nuclear weapons when HYDRA Island was invaded by American and Japanese troops. Although HYDRA suffered a major setback, it survived and grew in secret over the following decades.

A.I.M. has had numerous encounters with various superheroes and supervillains, and is the subject of ongoing undercover investigations by S.H.I.E.L.D.. It was responsible for reviving the Red Skull from suspended animation. Tales of Suspense #79. Marvel Comics. An A.I.M. android factory in a Florida swamp was once raided by S.H.I.E.L.D., which also involved Count Bornag Royale in a weapons deal negotiation with S.H.I.E.L.D.Strange Tales #146. Marvel Comics. A.I.M. then raided S.H.I.E.L.D.'s New York City headquarters.Strange Tales #147. Marvel Comics.As a result of these events, Royale was discredited, and A.I.M.'s headquarters was destroyed. Strange Tales #149. Marvel Comics.

A.I.M. employed Batroc the Leaper to recover an explosive compound called Inferno 42 and dispatched a chemical android against Nick Fury and Captain America. A.I.M. also dispatched their special agent, the Cyborg, against Captain America. A.I.M. was involved in a skirmish with the Maggia and its "Big M". A.I.M. has also captured Iron Man in an attempt to analyze and replicate his armor. MODOK and A.I.M. were responsible for transforming Betty Ross briefly into the gamma-irradiated bird-woman called the Harpy. A.I.M. dispatched their special agent the Destructor to capture Ms. Marvel.

For a time, a schism developed within A.I.M., causing it to split into Blue and Yellow factions (the former loyal to MODOK, the latter independent from him). These factions battled each other, with MODOK and the Blue faction once employing Deathbird as an operative. A.I.M. captured the Thing and Namor to test Virus X on them. The Blue faction later made an attempt to recapture the Cosmic Cube. A second battle occurred between the rival factions, but factions no longer seem to be active within A.I.M. since then.

A.I.M. eventually hired the Serpent Society to kill MODOK, which they did. A.I.M. was responsible for a jet attack on the West Coast Avengers compound and then took over Boca Caliente and unleashed a microbe aboard the Stark space satellite. A.I.M. also sent an agent to attempt to confiscate the quantum-bands given to Quasar.

The organization was revealed to have become a 'techno-anarchist' group, with no connection to HYDRA, and even a hatred for fascism. With the introduction of the Death's Head 3.0 character, a pacifist future version of the organization is promised, with a surprise character as leader.

It is later revealed that A.I.M. helped General Thunderbolt Ross and Doc Samson create the Red Hulk.

A.I.M. was revealed to be behind the pocket dimension of Earth-13584 by using a sliver of time they obtained to alter certain events so they can obtain the technology and science from various individuals. They did this by exploiting the fluid nature of time brought on by the manipulations of Kang the Conqueror traveling back to alter the past. This lasted until the Dark Avengers ended up in this reality causing it to collapse. The Dark Avengers were able to get out before the pocket dimension collapsed.

After the Secret Avengers recruited Taskmaster after freeing him from Bagalia, they send him to infiltrate the new High Council of A.I.M. which consists of Andrew Forson, Graviton, Jude the Entropic Man, Mentallo, Superia, and Yelena Belova. Andrew Forson then leads A.I.M. into attending a weapons expo which led to A.I.M. fighting against the Secret Avengers. During the battle, Andrew Forson takes the opportunity to steal the Iron Patriot armor.

Daisy Johnson launched an unsanctioned operation to send the Secret Avengers to A.I.M. Island to assassinate Forson, and they seemingly killed him. Johnson ended up suspended for breaking protocol and Maria Hill is put in charge of S.H.I.E.L.D. again. As Forson was revealed to be alive all along, the news of A.I.M. being a new permanent member of the Security Council is known.

Using an as-yet-unidentified device in the pages of Avengers World, Andrew Forson and A.I.M. accelerate the flow of time within the limits of A.I.M. Island, creating in a matter of hours for the real world year of progress and transforming A.I.M. into a technologically advanced empire.

A.I.M. has a more violent offshoot, Advanced Ideas of Destruction (A.I.D.); the two competing organizations were major antagonists of Captain America in the mid-2000s.

As part of the "All-New, All-Different Marvel", it was revealed that the A.I.M. members that fled when Sunspot bought out A.I.M. had been taken in by Maker where they work for his organization W.H.I.S.P.E.R. (short for World Headquarters for International Scientific Philosophical Experimentation and Research) as his personal tool to reshape the world.

After Sunspot left the American Intelligence Mechanics, Toni Ho succeeded him and allowed the rogue A.I.M. cells to regain their acronym, as Toni had her organization rebranded as R.E.S.C.U.E.

Avengers Idea Mechanics
During the Time Runs Out storyline which takes place eight months in the future, Sunspot reveals that he bought A.I.M and used their resources to investigate the incursions. Heroes working as part of Avengers Idea Mechanics include Hawkeye, Squirrel Girl, Songbird, Wiccan, Hulkling, White Tiger, Power Man and Pod. Sunspot reveals the group was much easier to deal with after much of higher management had been fired. Many heroes working in the primary Avengers team such as Thor and Hyperion, also find themselves working side by side with A.I.M. Once they managed to create a machine to propel individuals across the Multiverse some of the heroes who were helping A.I.M. offered themselves to participate in a one-way trip to find the origin of the Incursions threatening all reality.

Following the fight against Maker, Sunspot meets with the government and they make plans to merge Avengers Idea Mechanics into the U.S. government. At the same time, the Avengers Idea Mechanics defeats A.I.M's splinter groups.

American Intelligence Mechanics
The merger between the U.S. government and the Avengers Idea Mechanics resulted in the formation of the American Intelligence Mechanics.