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FOLD SHIP

Classification: Terrestrial spacecraft

Creator: Mister Fantastic (Reed Richards)

User/Possessors: Michael Collins, the Fantastic Four (Black Panther (T'Challa), Human Torch (Johnny Storm), Storm (Ororo Munroe), Thing (Ben Grimm))

First Appearance: Fantastic Four III#544 (May, 2007)

Powers/Abilities/Functions: The Fold Ship was equipped to technologically fold the fabric of space itself, allowing for near-instantaneous space travel. The Fold Ship also had rocket thrusters for vertical takeoff and was fortified for travel through outer space. It often contained various other Reed Richards-designed devices, such as life support bracelets that allowed its wearers to survive in space and an extendable ladder.

History

(Fantastic Four III#544 (fb) - BTS) - Mister Fantastic introduced his theories on folding space itself. The following year, Mister Fantastic had adapted his theories into the space-folding Fold Ship spacecraft.

(Fantastic Four III#544) - Upon learning that Uatu the Watcher was one of the last beings to see the apparently deceased hero Gravity, the Fantastic Four decided to use their Fold Ship to visit Uatu at his home on the Blue Area of Earth's moon. Due to the Ship's capabilities, their trip was nearly instantaneous. After learning that Gravity's body had been stolen, the Fantastic Four rocketed from Uatu's home via the Fold Ship and traveled into space, where they found the cosmic entity Epoch, who warned the heroes not to meddle. Eventually attacking the Fantastic Four to prevent them from interfering, Epoch fired on the Fold Ship, warning them that if "the herald" found her then "he" would not be far off. Just then, the Silver Surfer arrived, explaining that Epoch feared his arrival.

(Fantastic Four III#545) - From the Fold Ship, the Fantastic Four donned life support bracelets and went out onto the ship's hull in an attempt to reason with the Silver Surfer, who tried to warn them that his master, Galactus, must feed. The Fantastic Four's ally, Michael Collins, piloted the Fold Ship while the Fantastic Four engaged the Silver Surfer in battle. Eventually, the battle was halted but Galactus was summoned to the Fold Ship's location. Seeing the most strategically sound move, the Black Panther climbed back into the Fold Ship just before a reborn Gravity appeared.

(Fantastic Four III#546) - Black Panther and Michael Collins used the Fold Ship to travel back toward Earth. Along the way, the Black Panther contacted the Wakandan Taku and ordered him to prepare the Black Panther's Galactus Contigency Plan. He also explained to Collins that he had a contigency plan for if the Fold Ship could not get them back into space in time to prevent Galactus from destroying the rest of the Fantastic Four. Landing the Fold Ship at the Wakandan Palace Royal, the Black Panther gathered together his Galactus Contigency Plan items, as well as the two time and space-manipulating King Solomon's Brass Frogs. Black Panther and Michael Collins then used the brass frogs to travel instantly to the Fantastic Four's location, where the Fantastic Four battled the Silver Surfer and Stardust until Gravity used his powers to feed Galactus, effectively ending the threat.

Comments: Created by Dwayne McDuffie, Paul Pelletier and Rick Magyar.

It kind of makes you wonder if the Black Panther just kept the Fantastic Four's Fold Ship after their battle with Galactus. He used it to travel to Wakanda and then, following the battle with Galactus, returned the Fantastic Four back to the Baxter Building, apparently leaving the Fold Ship in Wakanda...

Given that Mr. Fantastic had designed Fold-Space Transceptors in the early issues of Fantastic Four III, it seems plausible that he used the same technology to create the Fold Ship.

Profile by Proto-Man.

CLARIFICATIONS:
The Fold Ship has no known connections to


images: (without ads)
Fantastic Four III#544, p14, pan1 (Fold Ship, main image)
Fantastic Four III#544, p15, pan4 (Fold Ship folding space)


Appearances:
Fantastic Four III#544 (May, 2007) - Dwayne McDuffie (writer), Paul Pelletier (pencils), Rick Magyar (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Fantastic Four III#545 (June, 2007) - Dwayne McDuffie (writer), Paul Pelletier (pencils), Rick Magyar (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Fantastic Four III#546 (July, 2007) - Dwayne McDuffie (writer), Paul Pelletier (pencils), Rick Magyar, Scott Hanna (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)


Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

First Posted: 07/06/2014
Last Updated: 07/02/2014

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