The Alliance of Shades was an organisation created to hide alien secrets from humanity. They used the android Men in Black as agents.
The Alliance of Shades were active since at least the 1950s, at which time Mister Dread and the other Men in Black were active. (TV: Dreamland)
In 1972, the Alliance of Shades had discontinued their use of the Men in Black and deactivated them, with the exception of those that had a purpose left to serve. Dread and two other of the agents were kept active and were used to guard a hyperdimensional vault. (TV: The Vault of Secrets)
