How does Joss Whedon plan on fitting Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. into the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe? The writer, director and producer gave an answer in a new interview with TheWrap at Comic-Con International, saying that Agent Coulson and his team will be working on the sidelines.

"The Avengers are the epicenter," he said. "This is the peripheral. These are the people that don't get the big hammers or the gamma radiation and deal with things on the human scale."

"I have to make sure that I don't overstep," he added about making sure S.H.I.E.L.D. storylines don't interfere with what's planned for Avengers: Age of Ultron and other upcoming Marvel movies. "At the same time, it's such a different mandate in terms of where we are in the Marvel universe."

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. made its explosive debut at Comic-Con, with the pilot episode premiering before a wide array of fans. Several details have emerged from that screening, including the true nature of J. August Richards' character, and some hints about how Phil Coulson managed to survive his near-death experience in Avengers — if he did indeed survive at all.

The series premieres Sept. 24 on ABC.