The character, created by Bob Harras and Paul Neary, first appeared in Nick Fury vs. S.H.I.E.L.D. #3 (August 1988).
Alexander Pierce appeared in the 1998 live-action television film Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., portrayed by Neil Roberts.
Robert Redford portrays Alexander Pierce in the 2014 Marvel Studios film Captain America: The Winter Soldier. This version is the Secretary of Defense and the Winter Soldier's handler. The leader of a Hydra cell within S.H.I.E.L.D., he masterminds Project Insight, the development of Helicarriers intended to carry out mass assassinations of citizens recognized as a threat based on Arnim Zola's algorithm to force the world into submission. Pierce has Project Insight disguised as an effort to recognize and apprehend Criminals and terrorists prior to misdeeds. Pierce's plan is foiled by Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Sam Wilson, Nick Fury and loyal S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. While Wilson stops Project Insight and Rogers fights the Winter Soldier atop HYDRA's corrupted Helicarriers, Pierce tries to escape with Romanoff as a hostage when Fury guns him down.
