The Helicarrier is depicted as the crucial mobile command center, forward operations platform, andsignaturecapital ship of the fictional intelligence/defense agencyS.H.I.E.L.D. It has survived multiple redesigns while rarely straying from its originally depicted role as a mobile headquarters of S.H.I.E.L.D. until recent years.
In theMarvel Universe context of the variousNick Fury/S.H.I.E.L.D. series, the original design is attributed to a co-operative effort byTony Stark,Forge, andReed Richards. According to one account inAmazing Fantasy vol. 2, #10, the first Helicarrier was proposed byStark Industries as a political compromise among the signatories of the treaty in response to fears that any nation hosting the Directorate's main headquarters would be subject to attack by organizations such asHydra, with domestic political fallout sure to follow immediately thereafter.
Over twenty Helicarriers have been built over the decades, and at least two have been in simultaneous service on several occasions.[3]
Jamie Lovett ofComicBook.com referred to the Helicarrier as one of "Marvel's most iconic vehicles."[4] George Marston ofNewsarama included the Helicarrier in their "Best Superhero Headquarters And Hideouts Of All Time" list, calling it one of the "very coolest, most iconic, and ultimate best superhero headquarters in comic books."[5] Sam Scott ofLooper included the Helicarrier in their "Coolest Superhero Hideouts In Marvel History" list, writing, "Jack Kirby came up with more wild ideas in his career than most of us could in 12 lifetimes, and if there was one thing he loved dreaming up, it was huge, outlandish vehicles. None of them were huger, more outlandish, or more iconic than the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier."[6] Brad Hill ofSportskeeda included the Helicarrier in their "10 Best Vehicles In Comic Books" list, saying, "Another iconic vehicle within the Marvel universe, which became even more iconic after the first Avengers movie, is the Helicarrier."[7]
Comic Book Resources ranked the Helicarrier 3rd in their "10 Coolest Vehicles In Marvel Comics" list,[8] 6th in their "10 Best Vehicles In The Marvel Universe" list,[9] 7th in their "10 Most Important Vehicles In The Marvel Universe" list,[10] and 10th in their "10 Most Iconic Superhero Hideouts In Marvel Comics" list.[11] Casey Haney ofScreen Rant ranked the Helicarrier 7th in their "16 Best Superhero Vehicles" list.[12]
The Helicarrier appears in issue #25 ofNew Avengers, circa the year 1968.Howard Stark is seen giving Nick Fury the hard sell of his newly designed Helicarrier.[13]
Alternate versions of the Helicarrier appear in theUltimate Marvel universe. The engines that keep the carrier aloft were designed byTony Stark and were modular enough to be used in a space shuttle by theFantastic Four. InUltimate Avengers Vs New Ultimates #4,Nick Fury reveals thatHank Pym designed the Helicarriers.[14]
The Helicarrier appears in appears inSpider-Man. Besides being the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, it also served as a prison for high-risk individuals, such asthe Chameleon. It is later destroyed byElectro.
The Helicarrier appears in theX-Men: Evolution episode "Ascension".
The Helicarrier appears in appears inThe Super Hero Squad Show, and serves as the base of operations for the Super Hero Squad. It is usually piloted byMs. Marvel, who reluctantly allowed the Squad to use it.
The Helicarrier appears inUltimate Spider-Man (2012).[19] In the first season, it serves as a headquarters and home for Spider-Man's team, as well as a prison, before being destroyed by theGreen Goblin. In the second season, the Helicarrier is rebuilt as the more versatile Tri-Carrier, which can divide into three ships: the central Strato-Carrier, the space-based Astro-Carrier, and the water-based Aqua-Carrier. In the fourth season,Swarm converts the Tri-Carrier intoHydra Island, which is destroyed by theScarlet Spider.
A decommissioned Helicarrier appears in20th Century Fox'sDeadpool (2016). It is not identified onscreen due to rights issues between Marvel and Fox.[20][21]
The Helicarrier appears inIron Man VR. This version was created byStark Industries and was the last projectTony Stark sold to S.H.I.E.L.D. before he stopped manufacturing weapons.
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