While writing this week’s Retro Review (Watch the skies!!!), I was struck by the awesomeness of the concept of the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier, a key part of the awesomeness of S.H.I.E.L.D., one of the most dynamic and impressive creations brought to life by the Avengers movie, and most shocking of all? Created in NINETEEN SIXTY-FIVE by Lee and Kirby. After fifty years of flying battleship awesomeness, though, we’ve lately seen a number of the beasts crash, including one apiece during Secret Invasion, Dark Reign and Siege, to prove how super-serious things are. Given the ship’s tendency to crush small midwestern towns, it makes me wonder if perhaps Colonel Fury might be due for an upgrade, which in turn begs a query…
The MS-QOTD (pronounced, as always, “misquoted”) knew it was a bad idea when they gave Norman Osborn his own custom ship, asking: If you were tasked with replacing the helicarrier as vehicle/base for Nick Fury and his agents, what would you replace it with?
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Provided there is accurate tech, and I do believe it exists in the Marvel U, I’d go the JLA route and give them an orbiting space station. Instead of direct site-to-site transporters, I think they would have to utilize transporter pads in various locations to get around (and to keep them from having boring stories where they could easily beam to the site of a problem), but if that were unavailable, I’m sure someone (Stark Industries maybe?) would be able to build high-speed shuttles.
Alternately, I’d go with a base similar to the transforming Autobot cities or the Dekaranger’s Dekabase, a ground-based building that can become mobile if need be and also transform into a giant robot.
A giant mech, and they would become Nick Fury and the SHIELD Sentai!
Hey, we both had the same idea (sort of) again!
I honestly think they could find a way to pull it off without it seeming out of place. After all, it isn’t like the Marvel U doesn’t have the occasional giant threat to fight off.
Considering how much anything in the sky would tend to crash? Give Fury a version of Pym’s Infinite Mansion. It’s kinda perfect for secret agents.. a house with infinite doors that can open out into anywhere. And no chance of crashing!
Y’know, the helicarrier didn’t crash for over 20 years…
There seem to be multiple alien races with Star Destroyer stylized ships, can’t the Guardians of the Galaxy or Nova find/steal a few for Earth? At least they wouldn’t be relying on propeller like technology anymore.
I’d love to see it based out of Fury’s mum’s basement.
The Bat Cave
Apparently something with the word awesomeness in it.
How about a building? Just a nice, high tech building. Seriously, you can’t crash a building onto a town unless you got VERY bad planning. You want it to be able to move? Okay well why not let it land on the ground in a pre-determined area and sort of lock in like a building? Point is, keep it land locked when you’re not effing using it to fly!
Wait, doesn’t that thing double as a boat? Why do they never have it in the ocean? Do they enjoy just wasting gas like that? o.O
A stealth aircraft carrier. Since it carries lots of planes, the damned thing wouldn’t need to fly itself. Giant airplanes have been a stable in the fantasy genre since the 1920s. I remember seeing a drawing done in the 30s of a giant airplane whose upper wing was an aircraft carrier for normal sized planes. Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose was an actual attempt to build and fly one. I suspect the Helicarrier harkened back to these early fantasy stories and illustrations. Sure, it’s a cool concept, but it’s about as practical as a wagon with triangular wheels.
A 1977 Black and Gold Pontiac Firebird Trans Am and a 16-wheeler.
I meant 18-wheeler
A dirigible. That’s right! I want a S.H.I.E.L.D. zeppelin.
No POSSIBLE way that could ever crash.
Oh the hu-spider-man-ity!!
Transformers used to be Marvel so I think the Helicarrier should be replaced with Metroplex.
Call it Omega Supreme, and we’ve got a deal.
Since at least every 3rd building in any given community is actually a front for SHIELD or a secret weapons cache for Nick Fury personally, I think the helicarrier is fine.
Heck, I bet he has built those caches solely to provide the helicarrier a place to crash.